Monday, July 20, 2015

Women of God #1

Let's BE women of God!  Let's be women who, though walking through this world of blurred lines and lessening absolutes, actually stand for God.  Women who look to God and His word to define us and tell us how to live instead of allowing our culture to tell us. Women who are women of theology and biblical principle. Then let us confront our lives and our culture with our theology and principles.  It is time for us to stop confusing passivity for a gentle and quiet spirit. It's time for us who call ourselves women of God to be just that, of God;  One who is attached to, coming from, receiving our source from Him, and Him alone.  It is my belief that many women in the church are teachable and truly desire to be of God and to follow.  Unfortunately, the church at large has in many aspects conformed to the culture around it.  There isn't enough honest conversation and discipleship on how to apply biblical principles and live in the culture without it conforming us to it. Women are then left to do what they think is best in their own eyes, or model what they see in women around them.  My fear is that the culture is forming women in our churches today more than the word of God.

I believe it is time for us as women of God to bring everything under the submission of God and His word.  What am I talking about?  I'm talking about everything; our lives, our time, our marriages, our singleness, our families, our homes, our dress, our talk, our churches, our communities, and how we reach out to those around us.  EVERYTHING!  It will be costly.  I'm not sure where we began believing that following Jesus would not cost us anything.  If we are going to live counter culturally it will cost us much.  It might cost you relationships, or promotions, or the connection to that group that you think is so hip.  For sure it will cost you of your time and convenience. What is your relationship with Jesus costing you?  What are we willing to count as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ? (Philippians 3:7-12)  These are valid questions for those of us who call ourselves followers.

While so much of the church is screaming about the moral decline in our country, and to be sure it is shocking where we find ourselves as a society.  Sexual perversion, abortion, and the devaluing of God-breathed human life through murder and addictions, permeate the moral fiber of the human condition.  Yet, I believe that condition has been true of us as humans since sin entered in and broke everything.  God has always been about rescuing and redeeming a people for Himself to show that there is another way.  His way.  I do believe we are to stand up and speak up for what God says is right and for those that have no voice of their own.  But, I do not believe our culture will reflect God, until the people of God reflect Him.  His plan has always been His people, His church.

"You will be to Me a kingdom of priest and a holy nation.  You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God.  You are a chosen generation a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  You will be named the priests of the Lord they will call you the servants of our God.  Priests of God and of Christ.  Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.  By Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God,that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. The temple of God is holy, which temple you are. "
(Ex.19:6,Rev.5:9-10,1 Pet 2:9,Isa.61:6,Rev.20:6,Heb.3:1,Heb.13:15,Eph2:10,1Cor.3:17)
From Exodus to Revelation, His plan reveals that He has been calling a people out to be His,to be set apart for Him, to show Him, and His story to the world.

It begs the question, are we?  Are we living as His?  Is our following reflected in everything from our time, to our families, to our churches, and those around us?

I'm urging women, by the mercies of God, to present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices, acceptable to God which is  our spiritual service of worship.  I'm calling on us as women to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect! (Romans 12:1-2)

Living counter culturally must start by us saying yes, and presenting ourselves to surrender to God's ways instead of our own, or what our culture says, or even our church culture says is acceptable.  It is what God says is good and acceptable and perfect that we are after.  Then we MUST  renew our minds.  That only comes through the study of God's word.  Please do not hear condemnation in my words, I'm a woman, I have raised littles, and I have had many plates spinning at the same time and questioned where I was going to fit in time to study! But as gently as I can, I want to say I understand, but I must also say this is not an option.  We don't get on to being women of God any other way except through renewing our minds. The consuming of God's word is not reading a devotional or what others have said about a particular verse.  This time is marked by consuming the word of God, looking into it like a mirror, looking up words that you don't understand, looking at other scripture with the same thought, and then knowing how to apply what you are studying.  We will never be able to be women of the word and possess the ability to confront our lives and our culture with theology if we don't know Him and His word more and more.  If I could encourage you with anything it would be to ask God to give you a love and hunger for His word.  Ask for help.  If you lack understanding on how to study ask someone who you know studies God's word to help you.  I would love to send you tools and resources to aid you in the study of God's word! (Just ask!)

One more thing I want to ask you to pray.  Would you ask God to show you how much He loves you and would you ask Him to show you how to love Him more?  You see we can do many things out of obligation and because we think it's the "Christian" thing to do, but that's not what our Father is after.  He has loved us with an everlasting love, drawn us into a relationship with Himself through the completed work of Jesus, and called us His. (Isaiah 43:1)  He wants us to learn to live in that love relationship.  "Any obedience that isn't motivated by His great love is nothing more than penance." Elyse Fitzpatrick (in Because He Loves Me)

One of the most used women theologians in my life came in a little 4'10" package, riddled with arthritis, and always dressed to the nines. She never taught a bible class, or led a retreat, or wrote a blog, or a book.   Her name was Miss Naomi and she was in her late 80's when her life intersected with mine. Miss Naomi came faithfully to a small group that my shepherd husband led when we were so very young and "wet behind the ears". I am convinced she came to love and encourage us in our following of Jesus.  Every week when it was time to pray, she would take her arthritic body and bring it to her knees in front of her chair, when it was her turn to pray she would utter two simple sentences, "Lord Jesus, let me know you more today than I did yesterday . And, oh Lord show me how to love you more." That's it!  She knew Him, she studied His book, and she faced her life and her culture with what she knew to be truth.

Stand up women of God and let's let the word of God form us, instead of letting our culture conform us.

I'm walking this out just like you.

Still learning to abide,
Kim
kimday1964@gmail.com

P.S.  Through the years that I have been teaching bible study, I have always seen those women that it doesn't seem to stick with them.  There is some kind of disconnect.  The quote from Elyse Fitzpatrick above I believe addresses the disconnect.  The word of God is not being approached out of love but duty.  If you have never read any of Elyse's books I encourage you to do so, she is one of my favorites!  I have also linked a link to an article written by Jen Wilkins that also addresses the disconnect in approaching the word of God and why it doesn't transform us.  It resonates with my soul, I pray it does with yours as well!
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-bible-study-doesnt-transform-us
Jen Wilkins has many free bible studies on line and has written a new book called, Women of the Word.  It's on my reading list for this fall! Email me if you would like some tools and resources to study God's word.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing Kim! I am thankful for your encouraging words....calling women (like myself) to live in deep intimate connection with God and to live gospel centered lives of sacrifice. Love you friend!

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