Hello, just saying wassup.  I'm new here and willing to meet all kinds of new
people from everywhere.  But........I do live in PG County, MD.  Anyone live
there or in the DC/MD area???



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The Woman's Role in the Plan of God
God has a beautiful plan for woman-hood that will bring order and
fulfillment if it is followed in obedience. God's plan is that one
man and one woman, of equal standing before Him but of different
roles, should be bonded together as one. In His wisdom and grace He
specifically created each for his or her role.
At creation, God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and from him
God took a rib and made a woman (Genesis 2:21). She was a direct
gift from the hand of God, made from man and for man (1 Corinthians
11:9). "Male and female He created He them", (Genesis 1:27) each
different but made to complete and complement each other.
Although the woman is considered the "weaker vessel" (1 Peter
3:7), this does not make her inferior. She was made with a purpose
in life that only she could fill. To woman has been given one of the
greatest privileges in the world, that of molding and nurturing a
living soul.

A distinction between the genders is taught throughout the Bible.
Paul teaches if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him, but if
a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her (1 Corinthians
11:14,15). The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a
man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do
so are abomination unto the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 22:5). Their
roles are not to be interchangeable.
In the Garden of Eden, God said, "It is not good that the man should
be alone," and He made a help meet for him-a companion, someone to
satisfy his needs (Genesis 2:18). Proverbs 31:10-31 tells in detail
what kind of helpmeet the woman is to be. The supportive role of the
wife to the husband is very evident in this description of the ideal
woman. She "will do him good and not evil." Because of her honesty,
modesty and chastity, "her husband doth safely trust in her" By her
efficiency and diligence she would look well to her household. The
basis for her virtue is found in verse 30: "a woman that feareth the
Lord." This is a reverential fear that gives meaning and purpose to
her life. Only as the Lord lives in her heart can she be the woman
she was meant to be.
To become a child of God she needs to repent, confess her sins and
accept Christ through faith. With Christ she will be able to live a
self-denied life. The Holy Spirit will give strength, courage, and
direction to fulfill her duties. He will grace her life with
humility, modesty, and with that inner ornament of a meek and quiet
spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter
3:3,4). Proper, modest dress adds to the hidden charm of a woman.
She should never draw attention to her body by being overdressed or
underdressed.
To avoid confusion and establish order, someone needs to be the head
and God has ordained that this should be the man (1 Corinthians
11:3). Marriage is to be a harmonious relationship similar to that
of Christ and the Church. Christ is subject to God, man is subject
to Christ, and woman is subject to man. Why would any woman rebel at
her position in the framework of authority when even Christ, the
Son, is subject to the Father? As the wife reverences her husband,
she is obedient to the scripture (Ephesians 5:33), and her husband
is then able to bear the responsibility that God has laid on his
shoulders.
The liberation movement has challenged God's blueprint for
womanhood. Women are clamoring for freedom and fulfillment by asking
for total equality. This puts them into a power struggle into a
competitive role instead of a complementary partnership. Their quest
for freedom only leads them into bondage. Nevertheless, the
selfishness and ungodliness of many men is without excuse. In this
context some of women's frustrations can be understood. Ironically,
the very thing that many women are rejecting is God's way of
establishing the woman in a life that fully satisfies.
If a women moves aggressively into the man's world and there seeks
independence and equality, she loses her femininity, that reserved,
modest sweetness that men respect and God approves.
Fulfillment comes as she cultivates those gifts for which she was
created. A woman's submission to her husband liberates her from a
multitude of frustrating problems, and her submission to God's order
frees her from guilt. Submission is a blessing, not a curse!
The pattern of men taking the leadership and women following will
bring a blessing to single women as well as married women, to
daughters as well as wives.
As an outward sign of this submission and her submission to Christ,
the Christian woman is commanded to have her head covered for
praying and prophesying - not teaching or usurping authority over
the man (1 Corinthians 11:3-5 and 1 Tim 2:12). Man is subject to
Christ and should therefore pray with his head uncovered. Woman is
subject to man and should pray with her head covered. Wearing a head
covering is a recognition of this divine order.
Love in marriage is to be pure and is given for pleasure as well as
for propagation Woman was uniquely created for the special task of
bearing children, a creative fulfillment. God said, be fruitful and
multiply" (Genesis 1:28). To purposely choose not to have children
is sidestepping God's principle and forfeiting one of the most
rewarding experiences in a woman's life.
The Woman's first duty is the making and keeping of her home. Many a
modern woman chooses a career, hires a baby-sitter, and rushes her
children through childhood so that she can be free to pursue her
selfish interests. The Bible teaches that women are to be "keepers
at home" (Titus 2:5). This means a women is to be there, loving her
husband, teaching and enjoying her children, and applying the
homemaking arts with joy in her heart. This mother is the heartbeat
of the home. She helps lay the foundation of moral standards there.
The warmth of her spirit quietly establishes security in the lives
of the little children, brings confidence, that in spite of their
problems and fears, all will be right. Why would any woman trade
this noble place for some dollars earned or for some coveted
position? "His Bible way is not just being old-fashioned; it is
God's order. The women who wholeheartedly accept God's plan will be
blessed.
In certain instances, a woman's role extends beyond her home.
Examples are given in both the Old and New Testaments of godly women
who had responsibilities in God's kingdom. Also today there is a
place for the Christian woman to serve within the Church. As she
exercises her inborn attributes of love, gentleness, and compassion,
she is a living example of that which becomes godliness. Older women
are exhorted to teach the young women - not the men, "that the word
of God be not Blasphemed" (Titus 2:4,5). Single Christian women, who
do not have the cares of a home and a family, are able to fill a
special place (1 Corinthians 7:34).
There are definite guidelines for women's behavior in the Church.
They are not to usurp authority over men. Paul instructs, "Let your
women keep silence in the churches" (1 Corinthians 14:34,35; 1
Timothy 2:11-15). The order that God has planned for women excludes
them preaching. Faithful women find places for active participation
in Christian service where they can humbly and consistently
fellowship with other Christians.
May each woman fill her role with the grace of God in her heart,
live in submissive obedience to His will, and humbly give of herself
in the daily practices of life. As each person fills his respective
place in God's plan, there is beautiful harmony that emerges in the
heart, the home, and the church.

How men and women ought to behave, both in their religious and
common life

1 Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up
holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided
hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1 Tim 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with
good works.
1 Tim 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1 Tim 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence.
1 Tim 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
1 Tim 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived
was in the transgression.
1 Tim 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if
they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

The qualifications and behaviour of gospel bishops

1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a
bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Tim 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to
teach;
1 Tim 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1 Tim 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children
in subjection with all gravity;
1 Tim 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how
shall he take care of the church of God?)
1 Tim 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall
into the condemnation of the devil.
1 Tim 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are
without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

And of deacons and their wives

1 Tim 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued,
not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1 Tim 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1 Tim 3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use
the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
1 Tim 3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers,
sober, faithful in all things.
1 Tim 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling
their children and their own houses well.
1 Tim 3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well
purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the
faith which is in Christ Jesus.

God's Judgment

	 It certainly is no pleasure to write about the judgments of
God. However, we believe that God requires of His people to hold
forth His Word to all mankind. We read in Romans 11:22, "Behold
therefore the goodness and severity of God:" It is about
this 'severity' that we need to write.
	 The aposle says all Scripture is profitable. It is all given
for the purpose that men should be instructed and turn away from
evil; that they may be drawn to God to obtain salvation through
Jesus Christ. Jesus desired the salvation of man so much that He
gave Himself for man's redemption. He wept over the unbelieving Jews
of Jerusalem who rejected it. Matthew 23:37-39. In talking to the
leaders of the Jews, He said "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers,
how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matthew 23:33). When this
same class of people came to John the Baptist, the forerunner of
Christ, he told them "O generation of vipers, who hath 'warned you
to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:7). John then went on to
tell them they should bring forth fruits as evidence that they had
repented and had received remission of sins.
	 This remission of sins was to be obtained by looking forward
to Him, whose shoe latchet John felt unworthy to unloosen. When this
remission of sins (or regeneration) had taken place, then they would
be ready for baptism, and would thus flee from the wrath to come.
Jesus also makes this point clear by saying. "Except ye be
converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into
the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
	 We hope the terms 'serpents' and 'generation of vipers' as
used by Jesus and John the Baptist, will be understood by all. When
the serpent (Satan is the serpent) succeeded in leading man away
from God into sin (by which the inward man died), he lost his
childship with God, and as Jesus reveals in John 8:44, became a
child of the devil, To this generation or type of people, Jesus
says, How can you escape the damnation of hell?" God, by Jesus
Christ, effected a means of escape. a redemption, a restoration into
the childship with God the Father. But how sad! the Jews of Jesus'
day and many, many more people since have rejected this means of
escape. which is the only escape. We see that the same thing is true
in our day also. Though the Escape is offered, many, many refuse it.
Jesus wept because men rejected salvation; so saints now weep to see
loved ones go down the broad road, headed for the "damnation of
hell."
	 That God's judgment is coming is as sure as His Word is
true. Jude mentions that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied
concerning it. Jude 14 and 15. The Psalmist says, "for he cometh to
judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and
the people with his truth" (Psalm 96:13). Jesus says, "He that
rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:
the word that I have spoken. the same shall judge him in the last
day" (John 12:48). Also read John 5:27-29. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, we
read, "we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ," to be
judged according to our works.
		 We shall not go into detail in this writing, but we
would like to touch upon the fearfulnss of the 'eternal
judgment'(Hebrews 6:2). We read in Deuteronomy 32:22, "For a fire is
kindled in mine anger. and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and
shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains. Jesus speaks of 'everlasting fire'
(Matthew 25:41). Again in Mark 9:47,48, He speaks of 'hell fire'
where "their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." In 2
Peter 3:10 we read, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also
and the works that are therein shall be burned up:' The present form
of the firmament and earth will pass away, but the bottomless pit -
the place of eternal hell - will remain.
		 The wicked, we read in Revelation 21:8, "shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which
is the second death." Here again it is to be understood that the
second death will befall all men who do not repent and obtain
remission of sins (which is the new birth). All who are born again
will be delivered from the 'first death' that came to all man in the
Garden of Eden of which God spoke in Genesis 2:17, "for in the day
that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surly die." The apostle Paul
writes of this death also in Romans 5:12, "sin entered into the
world, and death by sin."
		 In connection with the above quoted Scriptures, one
is often led to think of volcanic action-the terrible manifestations
of fire, of smoke and molten lava shooting forth from the earth's
interior. The lava emerges white-hot, then as it cools, it turns to
red and sometimes it is of such volume as to cover entire villages.
In Hawaii writers have written of having seen a lake of molten lava
two miles long and nearly a mile wide in a state of terrible
ebullition (boiling and bubbling).
		 These same writers described the scene as the real
bottomless pit, the place of hell. the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone, the everlasting burnings-in-describable and
unimaginable. It is also said that the island of Krakatoa was about
two-thirds blown away in the year 1880 by several major explosions,
the noise of which was heard about 3000 miles away. This island was
not inhabited, but the waves created by the upheavals, destroyed
thousands of lives on adjoining islands. Java and Sumatra, 100 miles
away. These terrific explosions seemed to bring into action dormant
volcanoes in the nearby area, as though the interior of the earth
consists of a mass of molten material. The pressure created by these
explosions opened other volcanoes in various places around the
world. The sight of steam jets. hot water geysers etc. make it
appear as though the earth's crust cannot keep pent-up hell from
manifesting itself. (From Morris' Story of Earthquakes.)
		 Is the earth's interior the bottomless pit? Is it
the place of punishment for the subject of God's wrath? What an
awful place it must be! $hould it not move the vilest sinner to
repentance and obedience to God?
The Scriptures further testify: "The way of life is above to the
wise, that he may depart from hell beneath" (Proverbs 15:24). "And
thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought
down to hell" (Matthew 11:23). "For if God spared not the angels
that sinned but cast them down to hell    (2 Peter 2:4). In these
quotations we see that the Scriptures speak of HELL as being down.
Should not such Scripture testimony "and revelation of the righteous
judgement of God," (Romans 2:5), move all men to full obedience to
Him to escape the awful wrath to come?
		 Furthermore, Jesus speaks of a furnace of fire into
which they that do iniquity shall be cast; ". . . there shall
wailing and gnashing of teeth," (Matthew 13:41,42). Some sinners
dare to boast that they are not afraid, not even of the devil! O!
Would to God that they were afraid and would flee to the Lord and
seek Him while He may be found. Paul says, "the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonlans 1:7,8).
		 Someone may say that it's too terrible - the
merciful God will not punish His creatures. But what are we going to
do with His Word which clearly reveals these things as shown above?
It Is true, God is very merciful; therefore He spared not His own
Son, but sent Him into this world that by His death on the cross, He
might bring about the plan of salvation for fallen man. The writer
to the Hebrews asks the question, "How shall we escape, if we
neglect so great salvation...:' (Hebrews 2:3). The Word tells us
that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God" (Hebrews 10:31). It is fearful only when we are to be judged by
Him. Jesus invites the sinner NOW. He says, "Come unto me, all ye
that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew
11:28). In John 6:37, we read, "and him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out:' Does not God's love outweigh His fearful wrath?
This LOVE, He emphasized to Adam and to his posterity down through
the ages. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever belleveth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life" (John 3:16-17). With God, to believe is to
obey. (Hebrews 5:9). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death
unto life" (John 5:24).
Dear Readers! "KNOWING' THEREFORE THE TERROR OF THE LORD, WE
PERSUADE MEN,.." (2 Corinthians 5:11). Paul wrote that statement
many years ago and today we are still trying to persuade men to turn
from their sins. God is to be feared as a Judge, but may all men be
persuaded to come to Him now and repent of their sins - and that
without delay. The Word tells us TODAY, if you hear His voice harden
not your heart. In coming to Him today we are "fleeing the wrath to
come." Won't you come to Jesus now?

Blessed indeed!

-----Original Message-----
From: real_peace_now [mailto:no_reply@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 6:10 PM
To: singleblackchristians@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Single Black Christians] How blessed is the man


Ps 1:1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of
the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
   Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
   Ps 1:3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
   Ps 1:4 The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
   Ps 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
   Ps 1:6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.



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Amen!

-----Original Message-----
From: real_peace_now [mailto:no_reply@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 6:06 PM
To: singleblackchristians@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Single Black Christians] the Word that God speaks is alive


Heb 4:12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power
[making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is
sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line
of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of
joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and
sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of
the heart.
   Heb 4:13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His
sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to
the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.




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Crosswalk Singles
a fresh perspective on singleness
http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.67.10614.1.1248517

March 6, 2003

Are You Falling for the Right Reasons? - Part 2
By Dr. Les Parrott

In part one of this series on the wrong reasons for falling in love, we
examined five of the worst internal circumstances in which to start a
relationship.

1. Love at first sight
2. Rebounding
3. Rebellion
4. Loneliness
5. Obligation

It's unlikely that anyone would intentionally base a relationship on
these types of motivations. But it is extremely easy to unconsciously
find yourself moving forward based on solely on these emotions.

In this article we're going to examine some external reasons-what
researchers call "deficits"-that can particularly contribute to making
poor choices when choosing a mate.

1. Financial advancement is a motivation for some to pursue a
relationship. For example, many young divorced parents consider marriage
as a solution to the exhaustion and expense of supporting and caring for
young children all alone. People may also choose partners in order to
advance their careers in certain professions. Whoever the person going
into a relationship for economic reasons is not a likely candidate for
choosing well, and in fact they may overlook negative traits because of
their economic concerns.

2. Sexual attraction or guilt over sexual involvement is often behind
one's choices in relationships. However, sex is not a sufficient reason
to pursue a relationship or marry, and as a predominant factor seldom
leads to lifelong happiness. As with economic concerns, sexual chemistry
between two people can often blind them to other important qualities
necessary for a successful relationship.

3. Premarital pregnancy is a problematic and all too frequent reason for
marriage, even while a growing body of research has consistently
demonstrated a connection between marrying for this reason and divorce.
There are several reasons for this: the marriage is forced by outside
events instead of internal desire and commitment; raising children is
expensive, and financial stress is always difficult on even the
strongest couple. On a couple forced into the situation, the stress can
be unmanageable; the couple may not even be compatible, and may end up
resenting each other for being in a situation in which both feel
trapped.

4. Escape is potentially the most damaging motivation for pursuing a
relationship. Some may do so to escape an unhealthy home situation,
hoping that a new person or a new environment may solve their current
problems. This is a terrible foundation for any relationship, and
usually the person who does so tends to go through a series of
relationship failures. They may escape from one relationship to another
and then another. Believing that the new relationship could not be worse
than the old one, they are almost always surprised to discover that they
were wrong.

5. Pressure from parents, friends, or society in general pushes some
singles to commit when they do not wish to. This can be particularly
true for women, but for either gender there can be great social pressure
pushing us to behave in ways that may not be in our best interest. The
more two people are identified as a couple, the harder it may be for
them to break things off, even if they are incompatible and unhappy.
People may feel as if they are letting other people down, and may stay
together as a result. This often leads to unhappiness and, in the case
of marriage, it generally leads to divorce.

It's easy to get swept up in the excitement and rush of a new
relationship, but it is important not to get so carried away that you
lose sight of the right reasons to fall in love with someone. Keeping a
clear head, taking things slowly, and above all getting to know your
partner deeply before making serious decisions can help to make sure
that when you do fall in love, you and your partner will be happy and
successful. You will both be better for the effort.

For Copyright Terms go to
http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.67.10614.3.1248517

* Copyright © 2002 Crosswalk.com, Inc. and its Content
   Providers. All rights reserved.

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Hello, Nekky

I want to make sure that I understand the question.  What I hear you asking
for proof that man is a spirit. The thing that I can prove by scriptures is
that man "has" a spirit.

Here is an excerpt from an article that gives some proof that man does
indeed possess a spirit.  I hope this helps.

The makeup of man. The Bible reveals man created as a tripartite
being—spirit, soul, and body (1 Theses. 5:23). “Tracheotomy” is the term
describing this apparent fact of human makeup, an idea which avoids the
confusion that is inevitable when the human mind and spirit are made
synonymous, which they are not (Heb. 4:12).

Hayford, J. W. 1995. Hayford's Bible handbook. Thomas Nelson Publishers:
Nashville

Note that the bible says that God is Spirit and the bible says that there is
coming a time when true worshipers will all worship Him in Spirit and in
truth.

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship
Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
truth.”
John 4:23-24

Have a blessed day! In Jesus!

In His service,
Peggy

-----Original Message-----
From: nekky84 [mailto:nekkyt@...]
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2003 2:15 AM
To: singleblackchristians@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Single Black Christians] man is a spirit


dear all,
Pls i would appreciate it if anyone could show me a bible verse that
backs up that man is a spirit,has a soul and leaves in a body.
I was talking with a christian friend who doesnt belive man is a
spirit but believes man is a soul.
I told him we were man in God's image to mean that since God is a
spirit then man is a spirit but he doesnt seem to believe expect he
see a bible passage to back it up.
Thanks
Nekky


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Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those
things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters,
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit
such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have
pleasure in them that do them.

God chastens those HE loves.
Heb 12:1- 12:11  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with
so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such
contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and
faint in your minds.
	 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as
unto children,
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when
thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not?
	 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have
had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them
reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father
of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own
pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his
holiness.
	 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Subject: Write it on the back of your envelope!
You may have heard on the news that a couple of Post
Offices in
<st1:State><st1:place>Texas</st1:place></st1:State>
have been forced to take down small posters that say
"IN GOD WE TRUST".  The law, they say, is being
violated because of something silly prohibiting
electioneering posters (is God running for office?).

Anyway, I heard proposed on a radio station show, that
we all write "IN GOD WE TRUST" on the back of all our
mail. After all, that is our national motto, and it's
on all the money we use to buy those stamps. I think
it would be a wonderful idea.

We must take back our nation from all those so-called
open-minded people who think that anything that
offends them should be removed.  If you like this
idea, please pass it on, and DO IT. The idea of
writing or stamping "IN GOD WE TRUST" on our envelopes
sounds good to me.

It's been reported that 86% of Americans believe in
God. Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding
why there is such a mess about having "In God We
Trust" on our money and having "under God" in our
pledge of Allegiance.

Could it be that we just need to take action and tell
that 14% to "sit down and shut up?" I believe so.

If you agree, pass this on, if not delete it.



=====
  Anointed_Lady http://members.blackplanet.com/im_a_chrisitan

__________________________________________________
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dear all,
Pls i would appreciate it if anyone could show me a bible verse that
backs up that man is a spirit,has a soul and leaves in a body.
I was talking with a christian friend who doesnt belive man is a
spirit but believes man is a soul.
I told him we were man in God's image to mean that since God is a
spirit then man is a spirit but he doesnt seem to believe expect he
see a bible passage to back it up.
Thanks
Nekky

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink.

Proverbs 25:21, King James Version

VERSE:
    Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature:-- Colossians 1:15

THOUGHT:
    If we had been alive when Jesus worked in the carpentry shop in
Nazareth or walked along the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum, we
could have said, "There goes God," and been right.  The amazing
reality of Jesus is that he was God among us.  Matthew calls him
Immanuel, "God with us."  In Colossians 1, Paul pours out every
superlative he can use to describe Jesus' preeminence over
everything and everyone.  He is God with a human face. He is the
ruler, the transcendent one, who reigns above all creation.  He is
also our Savior and our sacrifice.

PRAYER:
    Almighty God, why you should love us so much, I can't
comprehend.  We have rejected you, spurned you, ignored you,
blasphemed you, and sought to place you on the periphery of our
lives. Yet time and again, you are there to hear our cries and
save us from ourselves.  Forgive me, Father, for not reverencing
you more.  Forgive me for not recognizing the greatness of Jesus
and the utter humility it took for him to sacrifice himself for me.
  But Father, thank you!  Thank you for being patient, sacrificial,
and long-suffering.  Thank you, in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Ps 1:1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of
the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
   Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
   Ps 1:3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
   Ps 1:4 The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
   Ps 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
   Ps 1:6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

Heb 4:12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power
[making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is
sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line
of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of
joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and
sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of
the heart.
   Heb 4:13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His
sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to
the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

Heb 4:12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power
[making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is
sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line
of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of
joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and
sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of
the heart.
   Heb 4:13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His
sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to
the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

There were three sparrows sitting an a pump handle one sunny
afternoon.

A women came by carrying an over filled bag of grocersies. Unknown
to the woman, a ring of baloney fell out of the bag.

After the woman was gone, the three sparrows flew down to the ring
of baloney and began to ravenously eat.

When each sparrow had eaten her fill she flew back to the pump
handle.

After a time one of the sparrows flew off the pump handle, went a
few yards and died dropping from the air like a lead balloon.

Then the next sparrow flew off and went a few yards farther than the
first sparrow and likewise she died.

The the third sparrow flew off the pump handle and flew a few yards
farther than the others and she died also.

The moral of this story is.....Don't fly off the handle when you are
full of baloney.

Contentious people are full of baloney and are flying off the handle
into hell fire.

Brother Eugene

Hints in the Tanakh of the Triunity of God

by Neil K. Johnson
One objection raised by rabbinic Judaism toward Christianity is the
claim that Christians worship three gods. This is based on the
Christian belief in God the Father, God the Son--who was made
manifest in the flesh as Messiah Jesus--and the Ruach HaKodesh, or
Holy Spirit--three attributes of the One True God.

Some within modern Judaism go so far as to state that there is no
indication whatsoever in the Tanahk of the "trinity" of God and that
the concept itself is only found in the B'rit Hadasha, or New
Testament. True Bible-believing Christians know that no doctrine or
concept found in the New Testament can contradict anything in the
Tanahk or else it would be a false, and therefore invalid, theology.

It is true, however, that God's triune nature is perhaps the most
difficult of all revelations for man to grasp. Nonetheless, even as
rabbinic commentaries on Scripture will confirm, there are many
spiritual realities which we do not fully understand and yet remain
true and unchangeable exactly as God stated them in His Word.

Bible-believing Jews have taught for centuries that the Torah, the
first five books of the Bible, were given directly by God to Moses
at Sinai and that not only does each word have a specific and
precise meaning, so too does each letter. Therefore, when we have a
certain word or letter used, it is no mistake or "slip of the
tongue" by God. He meant exactly what He said.

The most common Hebrew word translated "God" in the Tanahk is the
plural form of the word Elohim. It is used in the very first verse
of Scripture, "In the beginning Elohim...." Also, in Genesis 1:26 we
have Elohim (plural) saying, "Let us make man in our image, after
our likeness" (emphasis added).

So from the very first revelation of God, we can see "hints" as to
the multiple facets in the makeup of the Godhead.

Christian theology, just like rabbinic Jewish theology, affirms that
there is but one God. Christianity does maintain, however, that
there are three distinct aspects to the Godhead, much like mankind,
who was made in His likeness, has a body, a soul, and a spirit.

Genesis 18:1 tells us the LORD appeared to Abraham in the plains of
Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. In verse 2,
Abraham saw--three "men." He ran toward them and addressed them
as "My Lord." "They" responded (vs. 2-5). Here Scripture tells us
that God appeared, and yet Abraham saw three separate beings.

Verse 16 says the "men" arose to leave toward Sodom and Abraham
escorted them. In verses 17-21, God tells Abraham of the sin of
Sodom and that He is going to descend and see it for Himself. Verse
22 says the "men" went toward Sodom, but Abraham, "Stood yet"
or "Was still standing" before the Lord. In other words, even though
two beings left, Abraham remained in the presence of God.

Other indicators of the three aspects of the One True God can also
be found in both the Shema and in the Aaronic Blessing. The Shema is
one of the oldest and most recited prayers in Judaism. It is taken
from Deuteronomy 6:4-7. The first verse is, "Shema Yisrael, Adonai,
Elohenu, Adona echad." In English it states, "Hear, O Israel, the
Lord our God, the Lord is One!"

In this most significant of prayers, God refers to Himself three
times. In effect the prayer says, Listen, Israel, God (1) our God
(2), God (3) is One!

The Hebrew word used here for "One" is echad, which does not mean a
singular one, but one composed of different parts. It also means
unity or united, something comprised from different parts.

The Aaronic Blessing, or Priestly Blessing, is found in Numbers 6.
God speaking to Moses says, "Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons,
saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying
unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his
face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up
his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (vs. 23-26).

God instructed Moses to invoke His name three times over the
Children of Israel to bless them. Each blessing comes from one of
the aspects of God:
1. The first blessing is from God the Father, who blessed Israel and
keeps them to this day.
2. The next blessing is from God the Son, whose face shone like the
sun on the mountain when He was transfigured and through whose
sacrificial death we have the most gracious gift of being made
righteous before God.
3. The last blessing is from God the Holy Spirit. "Lift up his
countenance upon you" was a Middle Eastern expression, or Hebraism,
of saying may he reveal himself to you so as to become known by you,
as opposed to hiding his face so he couldn't be found or known.

Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the one who would reveal to us
all truth and as The Comforter, who brings Peace!

So from both the Shema and the Aaronic Blessing we find God
revealing His essence of One being composed of three aspects. There
are certainly other examples of the trinity one can find in the
Tanahk as well.

The rabbis have written that when Messiah comes, He will explain all
the difficult passages of Scripture and make everything understood.
Christians can say "Amen" to that. When Yeshua returns, He will
explain all the difficult Scripture in its fullness and with
absolute clarity.

Click here to go to Neil Johnson's previous article.

JEHOVAH-JIREH

"The Lord our provider" - This is also the name Abraham gave to the
place where the Lord provided a sacrifice in place of Isaac. (Gen.
22:14).

JEHOVAH-NISSI

"Our banner, a banner of love and protection" - Also the name Moses
gave to the altar he built after defeating the Amalekites (Ex.
17:15).

JEHOVAH-SHALOM

"Our perfect peace" - Also the name Gideon gave to the altar he
built at Ophrah (Judges 6:24)

JEHOVAH-TSID-KENU

"The Lord is our righteousness" - The name is applied to a future
Davidic king who would lead his people to do what is right and thus
bring peace (Jeremiah 23:6) and to the restored city of Jerusalem
(Jeremiah 33:16). The name is possibly a play on the name of
Zedekiah ("Righteous [is] the Lord") who reigned from 597 to 587
B.C..

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH

"The One Who is with us everywhere for He is Omnipresent" - The
Jerusalem of Ezekiel's vision (see Ezekiel 48:35 margin) was known
by this name. Compare text at Isaiah 60:19-20 and Revelation 21:3.

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH

"The Lord of Hosts, our Protector." C.H. Spurgeon said this about
the phrase "The Lord of Hosts:

The Lord rules the angels, the stars, the elements, and all the
hosts of Heaven; and the Heaven of heavens is under His sway... [the
Lord] is on our side -- our august Ally; woe unto those who fight
against Him, for they shall flee like smoke before the wind when He
gives the word to scatter them."

See text at Psalm 46:7.

JEHOVAH-RAAH

"Our Shepherd Who tenderly leads us, loves us and will keep us
safe." - the famous Psalm 23 tells us that "The Lord is our Shepherd
and we shall not want...." Being illustrated as a shepherd implies a
relationship with His sheep (His believers). The term shepherd
appears approximately 80 times in the Scriptures, denotating
meanings of: feeder, keeper, companion, friend, pastor and herdsman.

Holman Bible Dictionary and the book All the Divine Names And Titles
In The Bible by Herbert Lockyer used as source for certain material.

It's An Abomination
	 This summer, and for the past several summers, our nation
has been plagued by sex maniacs. The number of sex atrocities in our
nation has literally skyrocketed. Judges in our cities, having a
first-handed understanding of the deplorable state of affairs, are
wearied and frustrated with the many cases of"molesting" on their
hands. "What can we do to protect our wives, our sisters, our
daughters?" is their cry.

	 Newspapers are replete with stories and details of
atrocities happening every day, which, we dare say, are a shame to
read, much less repeat in a Christian publication. Though some
newspaper editors occasionally deplore the situation prevailing in
our country, their own inconsistency is often marked by the obscene
advertisement of films appearing in their columns
.
	 We hear almost constantly of the fruits of men's lust and
perverted nature and their attacks on the opposite sex, but we would
not be so naive as to lay the blame solely at the feet of the
criminal charged with the assault. Modern woman plays an extremely
large part in this her own undoing. She attires herself in such a
manner as to attract, invite, yea ask for not only the gaze, but
also the physical approach which has become a menace to the nation.
Immodest Apparel Is of the Devil "In like manner also, that women
adorn themselves in modest apparel,with shamefacedness and sobriety;
not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but
(which becometh women professing godliness) with good works" (1
Timothy 2:9, 10).

	 Woman, if you are one of these "Christians" who strut around
like a peacock in your immodest apparel (shorts and cut-off hair,
tight, transparent, abbreviated clothing, etc.) after the manner of
the modern TV and movie styles, with your face all painted up like
Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30), then you are not dressing as one "which
becometh women professing godliness."

	 The devil brought immodest apparel on for one purpose-to
promote immorality. And the fact that one of every two marriages
ends in divorce proves that he is having success.

	 "But I Just wear these to keep cool." Yes, and God says an
adulterous woman commits adultery and then says "I have done no
wickedness" (Proverbs 30:20). Your lips may say one thing, but your
lusty lascivious countenance betrays your abominable heart. Besides,
it does not matter if you are sweltering, God still says "modest
apparel."

      "But everybody wears these." Yes, and there will be more people
in hell than in heaven, too (Matthew 7:13, 14) If you are following
the crowd, you will wind up in hell. God's people are a peculiar
people (Titus 2:14), and not wearing "such like," even though the
rest of the world is wearing them, is one of their peculiarities.
God says "modest apparel" regardless of who or how many do
otherwise.

	  "But I see no harm in wearing these." One day you will call
for little Susie and she will not answer. The police will find her
off somewhere in the thickets, mutilated and mangled and murdered by
some sex pervert. And it may possibly be that your nudeness was the
very thing that aroused the beastly lust which got hold upon the
maniac. The Bible says, "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his
clothes not be burned?"

	 Woman, you are an adulteress and a murderer if you arouse
the fire of lust in the heart of a man and he then rapes and murders
some woman or child. And wearing immodest apparel will do it, as you
very well know.

I am convinced that in the judgment it will be revealed that the
majority of these rape cases will be charged against women who by
their manner of dress aroused the passions of men to commit such
crimes. Lady, you should be very careful how you dress. God
says, "modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with
broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." "Modest apparel"
rules out shorts, tight sweaters, off-the-shoulders low necks, swim
suits, and anything else that glorifies the figure or exposes the
flesh.

Shamefacedness

	 The word means "extremely modest, bashful, shy; showing a
feeling of shame or guilt"-Webster. The modern woman's appearance is
far from being shamefaced. Her eyes are those of a Delilali. Her
face is like that of Jezebel. (Ever since Jezebel, that wicked
adulteress, painted her face and primped up, women have been
following in her steps.) Her appearance is that of a harlot. She is
past feeling and sense of shame or guilt. Let the preacher say
something about her ungodly shorts, paint, short hair, and like old
Jezebel  herself, she says, "Carry him out, and stone him, that he
may die" (1 Kings 21:10).

	 Many modern women dress in as few and as small pieces
of"clothing" as possible. They set themselves where all the passers-
by may get an eye full (Proverbs 9:14, 15). In this day of gross
immoral dressing, thinking, and living, "who can find a virtuous
woman?" Truly "her price is far above rubies" (Proverbs 31:10).

	 We hear much today about ungodly beauty contests. American
men have set up a bathing beauty as their goddess. And American
women are heart-broken if they are not that goddess. It seems to be
the chief concern of modern women to catch the eye and arouse the
passions of men. Perfumes bear the name of"My Sin."
	 Lipstick is "no-smear." Clothing is designed and advertised
as being the knockout outfit.     These ungodly Paris bathing suits
ruined France and they are doing their part to ruin America.
Swimming pools are little more than open-air adultery houses. Jesus
Christ said "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).

	 The woman who dresses in such a manner as will cause a man
to lust after her, whether she does it intentionally or not, is
guilty of adultery as much as if she had actually committed the act.

			 France France France France France
	 At the very naming of the nation of France we immediately
identify her with the sins of immorality. France is literally drunk
with the sins of immorality. Years ago, France made her choice
between God and lust. A Bible was tied to the tail of an ass which
was driven out of the city of Paris. A nude harlot was carried and
set on the cathedral, and the French by their actions said, "This is
our god."

			 Rome Rome Rome Rome Rome
	 Historic Rome is also identified with gross sins of
immorality. The time would fail us to recall the wickedness which
preceded her downfall. Suffice it to say that no nation ever yet
fell but what nudeness, lust, and immorality played a heavy part.
God hates immorality, and will send His wrath upon any nation which
bows the knee to this sin. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because
of their sinful lusts. The old world was destroyed by the flood for
the same reason. Babylon for the same reason.

			 America America America America
	 America is on the same road to destruction. Infidelity in
religion and immorality in society are proving to be her downfall.
Christians are "the salt of the earth." Christian lady, do not lose
your savor by getting into immodest apparel of any sort. Stand for
the right and God will reward you on that day. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.

The Christian Wife Adorned for God's Glory


Ruth looked at the fat letter in her hand. "From Grandmother!

Now maybe I will find some answers to the questions that have been
on my mind since our wedding day. Well . . . maybe not ever since
our wedding day. On our wedding day, I wasn't thinking about
anything but how happy Mark and I were going to be. I
guess the questions really came up since then."
As Ruth eagerly opened the letter, her eyes became dreamy as she
thought of the happiness she and Mark were experiencing. "As I
expressed to Grandmother, my desire is that our happiness would
please God so that He can bless us. Mark and I both want our lives
to be useful in God's kingdom and lived for His glory."

"If you fill your place, Ruth, and do your part, you can be assured
of personal happiness and God's blessing on your life," Grandmother
had said. Then Grandmother promised Ruth that she would write and
share God's plan for the wife's place and part in marriage. Now
here was Grandmother's answer.

Ruth skimmed over Grandmother's loving greeting, and then she
settled comfortably on the porch glider, and began to read.
When God created man, man was His highest creation, and He had a
special plan and purpose for him to fill. When He was finished, He
said it was not good for man to be alone. He would make him a helper-
someone to bear and mother his children, someone to share his joys
and sorrows, to extend to him comfort and encouragement. Man
needed someone to make a home for him, prepare his meals, and care
for his clothing. He needed someone who would give him sympathy and
encouragement and loving understanding in all things (even in his
mistakes), someone to be a spiritual mate, to help him to be strong
and faithful in the things of the Lord.

Ruth, it is God's plan that you should be all of this to your
husband. It is your first responsibility and privilege to be a
loving, helpful, and submissive wife to Mark. To him first, you owe
a love above all other loves on this earth, second only to the love
you have for God. Nourish and cherish this precious relationship.
Cultivate and preserve it at all costs as a priceless jewel.

If you truly love your husband, you will put his comfort, wishes,
and spiritual and physical welfare above all else. You will seek to
know his needs and will put forth every reasonable effort to do
them.
Only if he should ask something of you that would violate the
Scriptures, do you have the right before the Lord to take God's way
instead of your husband's.
The Lord says frequently that the wife should obey her
husband. "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own
husbands. . . . Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord" (1
Peter 3:1, 6).
"Teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love
their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not
blasphemed" (Titus 2:4, 5). This is what I am doing in telling you
these things.
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But . . . suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over
the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:11,12). "Wives, submit
yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord"
(Colossians 3:18). "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" (Ephesians 5:22-24). First Corinthians 11
also teaches that man is the head of the woman. The Christian woman
wears the veiling over her uncut hair as a sign that she accepts the
headship of man and lives in submission to
him.

Ruth, God made the woman for the man not man for the woman. God did
not create woman to live for herself. The purpose God had for
creating her was to live for the man, to willingly and lovingly
contribute all her energies to make his life happy, useful, and
fulfilling. The woman who is not willing to live a selfless life for
her husband should never marry. The Book of Proverbs shows us that
wives can be helpful or harmful.
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it
down with her hands." To build a home, the wife must work with and
for her husband. If she disagrees with her husband and does not work
with him but takes her own way, she is plucking her home down with
her own hands.

`Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full
of sacrifices with strife." Ruth, with all your energies, seek peace
in your home by being quiet and submissive. Always maintain respect
for your husband, even if you disagree with his
decisions. Never discuss at great length what you think is a better
course to take, thus bringing discord and strife into your home.

"The contentions of a wife are a continual dropping," which enshroud
a home and the heart of a husband with weariness, and tempt him to
bitterness. "Only by pride cometh contention."
"A prudent wife is from the LORD.""A virtuous woman is a crown to
her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his
bones."

Whatever issues may come up - it really makes little difference what
they might be.
The important thing is that you always remain a faithful, loving
Christian wife, whatever your husband may say or do.

Happy indeed is the man who has a loving, obedient, and unselfish
wife. Pity the man who must live with a woman who is selfish, shifts
blame, criticizes, points out his mistakes frequently and magnifies
them, and insists on her own way rather than finding contentment in
doing things his way.

In observing homes and husband-wife relationships, here are the most
common faults of wives I have observed.
1. She is not submissive to her husband.
"Submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."
2. She talks too much. "Study to be quiet."
3. She is dissatisfied with her circumstances. "Be content with
such things
as ye have."
4. She is given to self-pity. "Let each esteem other better than
themselves."
5. She is impatient. "In her tongue is the law of
kindness." "With longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love."
6. She is selfish with time, things, and schedules, and is
impatient and upset with interruptions. "In honour preferring one
another." "Tenderhearted, forgiving one another."
7. She is given to sulking or exploding if things do not suit
her. "The fruit of the
Spirit is . . . peace, longsuffering, gentleness, . . . meekness."
8. She is quick to justify herself and blame her
husband. "Seeketh not her own."
9. She is not a good housekeeper. Her house is untidy,
cluttered, and not clean.
"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the
bread of idleness." "Keepers at home." "The younger women
marry, . . . guide the house."
10. She is not given to hospitality. For no reason other than
selfishness and pride,
she resists having guests and/or preparing meals for
strangers. "Given to hospitality."

Does this seem like a long, impossible list, Ruth? No, it is not. It
is simply an application for Christian wives of the principles God
has given for all the redeemed and transformed children of God-each
in his place, living an unselfish, godly life
for His glory.

Ruth, my heart is heavy when I realize how many wives use their
influence to tear down the convictions of their husbands. It hurts
me to think of the many who rebel against their husbands' wishes and
the standards they desire to uphold in their homes and see lived out
in the lives of their families.

How different this world would be if every wife who professes to be
a child of God would earnestly seek the commendation of the virtuous
woman in Proverbs: "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in
her."

Oh, that the longing, goal, and honest effort of every Christian
wife would be that her husband could have confidence in her in
everything: to do the right thing at the right time, to say the
right always, to be completely happy with him and with all he wants
her to do and to be, to teach and train the children right, to face
cheerfully and bravely any major emergency, to be always waiting for
him when he comes home from a hard or discouraging day of work and
to meet him cheerfully with words of sympathy and encouragement.

Every honest Christian wife knows her areas of weakness and failure.
May she cultivate, by God's enablement, the grace of humility and be
quick to apologize and acknowledge her failures. May she freely go
the second mile and take blame for difficulties that arise in her
relationship with her husband.

May I plead with you, Ruth, to always face your life honestly as a
wife (and perhaps some day as a mother) in the light of the
Scriptures. When you realize that you have failed, seek the Lord's
help, freely make your failure right, with the Lord and with your
husband. Be hard on yourself. Do not hide behind any excuses.
Confess all, and determine to humbly and carefully be the wife and
mother the Scriptures teach you should be, by the grace and help of
the Lord.

May God grant you wisdom and grace so that your home may be a place
of peace and contentment, where God's blessing abides-a home that is
a rich blessing to the church that you are a part of.

Happy indeed is the husband and how blessed indeed is the home where
the wife is adorned with and for God's glory. This is my prayer for
you. With her head bowed, and with tears in her eyes, Ruth
prayed, "Dear Lord, I commit myself to being, with Your enabling
grace, a wife for Your glory."

When the Gates Close Behind you

I was walking along the street the other day and saw a drove of pigs
following a man. This excited my curiosity, for, as you know, pigs
are uncommonly queer animals to drive; if you want them to go one
way, they invariably take another. But this man seemed to have no
difficulty. The pigs, jostling and grunting, followed after him as
eagerly as possible. I followed on, and to my surprise I found they
were going to the slaughterhouse. They went in, and the door closed
behind them. I waited till the man came out and asked him how he had
managed to lead them so easily.
The man laughed and said, "Maybe you didn't see the bag under my
arm. I knew I would have a difficult morning's work taking them
there if I did not humor them a bit; so I got some beans that they
are particularly fond of and dropped them along the road. And you
saw how they scampered along picking up the beans, never thinking
that they were going to the slaughter."
This is the way the devil is leading many persons at his will down
to hell. He knows full well how to please and lead them on. He
drops "beans" right along the road. Very soon the last beans will be
picked, and if you are among those scampering to pick them up, then
the gates of hell, like that slaughterhouse door, will close behind
you.
The pleasures of sin, often very palatable, you will one day taste
for the last time. Then the closing of hell's door behind you, the
doom of the damned, will be your portion forever. Today a God of
love yearns for your soul and wants to save you. "Turn ye, turn ye,
for why will ye die?" "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found"
(Isaiah 55:6). "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; . . . the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10). "Behold, now is
the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2
Corinthians 6:2). "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). "If thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved" (Romans 10:9). "Now when they heard this, they were pricked
in their head, and said, . . . What shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:37, 38). All of this-
faith toward God and turning in true repentance from all evil works,
trusting entirely in the blood of Jesus Christ for forgiveness and
cleansing-is followed by obedience to God's Word and Christian
fellowship with other believers: "Then they that gladly received his
word were baptized . . And the Lord added to the church daily such
as should be saved" (Acts 2:4L47). Speaking of the true, faithful
church, the body of Christ, Jesus Himself, who is its head,
said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew
16:18).
Friend, suddenly the gates will close behind you forever. Which will
it be for you - the gates of heaven, or the gates of hell?

The Woman's Role in the Plan of God
God has a beautiful plan for woman-hood that will bring order and
fulfillment if it is followed in obedience. God's plan is that one
man and one woman, of equal standing before Him but of different
roles, should be bonded together as one. In His wisdom and grace He
specifically created each for his or her role.
At creation, God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and from him
God took a rib and made a woman (Genesis 2:21). She was a direct
gift from the hand of God, made from man and for man (1 Corinthians
11:9). "Male and female He created He them", (Genesis 1:27) each
different but made to complete and complement each other.
       Although the woman is considered the "weaker vessel" (1 Peter
3:7), this does not make her inferior. She was made with a purpose
in life that only she could fill. To woman has been given one of the
greatest privileges in the world, that of molding and nurturing a
living soul.

A distinction between the genders is taught throughout the Bible.
Paul teaches if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him, but if
a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her (1 Corinthians
11:14,15). The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a
man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do
so are abomination unto the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 22:5). Their
roles are not to be interchangeable.
In the Garden of Eden, God said, "It is not good that the man should
be alone," and He made a help meet for him-a companion, someone to
satisfy his needs (Genesis 2:18). Proverbs 31:10-31 tells in detail
what kind of helpmeet the woman is to be. The supportive role of the
wife to the husband is very evident in this description of the ideal
woman. She "will do him good and not evil." Because of her honesty,
modesty and chastity, "her husband doth safely trust in her" By her
efficiency and diligence she would look well to her household. The
basis for her virtue is found in verse 30: "a woman that feareth the
Lord." This is a reverential fear that gives meaning and purpose to
her life. Only as the Lord lives in her heart can she be the woman
she was meant to be.
To become a child of God she needs to repent, confess her sins and
accept Christ through faith. With Christ she will be able to live a
self-denied life. The Holy Spirit will give strength, courage, and
direction to fulfill her duties. He will grace her life with
humility, modesty, and with that inner ornament of a meek and quiet
spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter
3:3,4). Proper, modest dress adds to the hidden charm of a woman.
She should never draw attention to her body by being overdressed or
underdressed.
To avoid confusion and establish order, someone needs to be the head
and God has ordained that this should be the man (1 Corinthians
11:3). Marriage is to be a harmonious relationship similar to that
of Christ and the Church. Christ is subject to God, man is subject
to Christ, and woman is subject to man. Why would any woman rebel at
her position in the framework of authority when even Christ, the
Son, is subject to the Father? As the wife reverences her husband,
she is obedient to the scripture (Ephesians 5:33), and her husband
is then able to bear the responsibility that God has laid on his
shoulders.
	 The liberation movement has challenged God's blueprint for
womanhood. Women are clamoring for freedom and fulfillment by asking
for total equality. This puts them into a power struggle into a
competitive role instead of a complementary partnership. Their quest
for freedom only leads them into bondage. Nevertheless, the
selfishness and ungodliness of many men is without excuse. In this
context some of women's frustrations can be understood. Ironically,
the very thing that many women are rejecting is God's way of
establishing the woman in a life that fully satisfies.
If a women moves aggressively into the man's world and there seeks
independence and equality, she loses her femininity, that reserved,
modest sweetness that men respect and God approves.
Fulfillment comes as she cultivates those gifts for which she was
created. A woman's submission to her husband liberates her from a
multitude of frustrating problems, and her submission to God's order
frees her from guilt. Submission is a blessing, not a curse!
The pattern of men taking the leadership and women following will
bring a blessing to single women as well as married women, to
daughters as well as wives.
As an outward sign of this submission and her submission to Christ,
the Christian woman is commanded to have her head covered for
praying and prophesying - not teaching or usurping authority over
the man (1 Corinthians 11:3-5 and 1 Tim 2:12). Man is subject to
Christ and should therefore pray with his head uncovered. Woman is
subject to man and should pray with her head covered. Wearing a head
covering is a recognition of this divine order.
Love in marriage is to be pure and is given for pleasure as well as
for propagation Woman was uniquely created for the special task of
bearing children, a creative fulfillment. God said, be fruitful and
multiply" (Genesis 1:28). To purposely choose not to have children
is sidestepping God's principle and forfeiting one of the most
rewarding experiences in a woman's life.
The Woman's first duty is the making and keeping of her home. Many a
modern woman chooses a career, hires a baby-sitter, and rushes her
children through childhood so that she can be free to pursue her
selfish interests. The Bible teaches that women are to be "keepers
at home" (Titus 2:5). This means a women is to be there, loving her
husband, teaching and enjoying her children, and applying the
homemaking arts with joy in her heart. This mother is the heartbeat
of the home. She helps lay the foundation of moral standards there.
The warmth of her spirit quietly establishes security in the lives
of the little children, brings confidence, that in spite of their
problems and fears, all will be right. Why would any woman trade
this noble place for some dollars earned or for some coveted
position? "His Bible way is not just being old-fashioned; it is
God's order. The women who wholeheartedly accept God's plan will be
blessed.
In certain instances, a woman's role extends beyond her home.
Examples are given in both the Old and New Testaments of godly women
who had responsibilities in God's kingdom. Also today there is a
place for the Christian woman to serve within the Church. As she
exercises her inborn attributes of love, gentleness, and compassion,
she is a living example of that which becomes godliness. Older women
are exhorted to teach the young women - not the men, "that the word
of God be not Blasphemed" (Titus 2:4,5). Single Christian women, who
do not have the cares of a home and a family, are able to fill a
special place (1 Corinthians 7:34).
There are definite guidelines for women's behavior in the Church.
They are not to usurp authority over men. Paul instructs, "Let your
women keep silence in the churches" (1 Corinthians 14:34,35; 1
Timothy 2:11-15). The order that God has planned for women excludes
them  preaching. Faithful women find places for active participation
in Christian service where they can humbly and consistently
fellowship with other Christians.
May each woman fill her role with the grace of God in her heart,
live in submissive obedience to His will, and humbly give of herself
in the daily practices of life. As each person fills his respective
place in God's plan, there is beautiful harmony that emerges in the
heart, the home, and the church.

How men and women ought to behave, both in their religious and
common life

1 Tim 2:8  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up
holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Tim 2:9  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided
hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1 Tim 2:10  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with
good works.
1 Tim 2:11  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1 Tim 2:12  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence.
1 Tim 2:13  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
1 Tim 2:14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived
was in the transgression.
1 Tim 2:15  Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if
they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

The qualifications and behaviour of gospel bishops

1 Tim 3:1  This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a
bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Tim 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to
teach;
1 Tim 3:3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1 Tim 3:4  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children
in subjection with all gravity;
1 Tim 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how
shall he take care of the church of God?)
1 Tim 3:6  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall
into the condemnation of the devil.
1 Tim 3:7  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are
without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

And of deacons and their wives

1 Tim 3:8  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued,
not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1 Tim 3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1 Tim 3:10  And let these also first be proved; then let them use
the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
1 Tim 3:11  Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers,
sober, faithful in all things.
1 Tim 3:12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling
their children and their own houses well.
1 Tim 3:13  For they that have used the office of a deacon well
purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the
faith which is in Christ Jesus.