Mary Magdalene

Last week in my bible class I started a short series on Mary Magdalene.
When I first started studying her she was just someone I had read about and learned about in church. Sure she was there at the crucifixion, tomb, saw Jesus alive after His death, but I never really thought there was anything special about her (other than the fact that she interacted with the Son of God).
To prepare my lessons I ran all the references in the bible to her and in one fell swoop she's become one of my favourite women in the bible.

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout

every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad

tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with

him,

And certain women, which had been healed of evil

spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of

whom went seven devils,

And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and

Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of

their substance.

Luke 8:1-3

This passage and Mark 16:9 mentions how Mary came in contact with Christ. It's not unique in that He healed many of devil possession but what makes it special is what it did to Mary.

In verse three above it says that she, among others, were with Christ as he went throughout every city and village, and that she ministered to Him out of her substance.

Not only did she literally follow Christ around after her healing but what she had she gave to Christ.

There were also women looking on afar off: among

whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of

James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

(who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and

ministered unto him;) and many other women which 

came up with him unto Jerusalem.

Mark 15:40&41

I haven't been able to figure it out but possibly it was both the Mary's who followed Jesus from Galilee. Either way, she clearly followed Jesus to Jerusalem from somewhere else.

So we know that once Jesus entered her life she followed Him. Then we know:

She stood near the cross:

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and

his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary

Magdalene.

John 19:25

She sat near His grave:

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it

in a clean linen cloth,

and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn

out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door

of the sepulchre, and departed.

And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other

Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

Matthew 27:59-61

(also see Mark 15:47)

She continued to minister to Him even when (she thought) He was in the grave:

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene,

and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had

bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint

him.

And very early in the morning the first day of the

week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the

sun. 

Mark 16:1&2

(also see Matthew 28:1, Luke 24:1, John 20:1)

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the

week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of

whom he had cast seven devils.

Mark 16:9

She was so close to Him, He appeared to her first. 

You can read the full account of how Christ appeared to her in John 20.

What I love about her story is that she stayed close to Christ in everything.

She followed him from place to place, stood by Him in death, followed Him to where they laid Him, and got up early to tend His body.

As I studied all the references to Mary it struck me how much she wanted to be close to Christ. It wasn't simply being near Him but ministering to Him the way He had ministered to her.

Our testimony as Christians should be what hers is: follow Christ in every situation and minister to Him.

Something Satanic

Are you able to be taught?

Are people able to tell you things?

Can you recieve instruction and act according to it?

Are you able to take correction?

Can you admit you were/are wrong?

Are you able to assess your motives for doing something honestly and fairly?

Are you able to learn in any circumstance from any one at any time?

You know what separates the children of God from the children of Satan?

The realization you are a sinner destined for Hell and that you cannot get to Heaven on your own. In my experience, the hardest thing for unsaved people to accept is that they are sinners: they cannot work their way to heaven, and nothing good they have ever done is worth anything in God's eyes.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our

righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade

as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken

us away.

Isaiah 64:6

A wise man said this- God can't save you if you're trying to save yourself.

Jesus is God (John 1) He was there from the beginning, even so:

Though he were a Son, yet learned he

obedience by the things which he suffered;

and being made perfect, he became the

author of eternal salvation unto all them

that obey him;

Hebrews 5:&9

He was perfect yet He still had some things to learn, and those things He learned made Him perfect and brought about our salvation. 

On the other hand:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O

Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou

cut down to the ground, which didst

weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will

ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne

above the stars of God: I will sit also upon

the mount of the congregation, in the sides

of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the

clouds; I will be like the most High.

Isaiah 14:12-14

Instead of humbling himself, Satan exalted himself.

Fast forward through our time, past the tribulation, armageddon, the millennium kingdom, and the judgment seat-

And the devil that deceived them was
cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where the beast and the false prophet are,
and shall be tormented day and night for
ever and ever.
Revelation 20:10

You can't misread that, the devil, Satan, will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
This is the end of self exaltation and the inability to see wrong in yourself.

This account of Satan's judgment has been around for two thousand years give or take. Satan knows this. He knows, better than we do, what his end will be.

So the question is: why does he continue?

Thou art the anointed cherub that 

covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast

upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast

walked up and down in the midst of the

stones of fire.

Thou was perfect in thy ways from the

day that thou was created, till iniquity was

found in thee.

--skip to verse 17--

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy

beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by

reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to

the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that

they may behold thee.

Ezekiel 28:14-15,17

He continues because he thinks he can rewrite the Book. Satan was upon the mountain of God, the anointed cherub that covereth- he knows God, he knows God's power, he knows his destiny in the lake of fire and still he rebels and resists God.

That is frightful wickedness. That is satanic.

So

A high opinion of yourself

One upping people

Always thinking you're right in every situation

An inflated sense of your abilities

Inability to grant others the right to their own opinions

Inability to listen, learn, or obey

Inability to see truth where it contradicts you

Irrepressible disappointment when no one acknowledges the work you did on something

Trying to be in control of every situation

Thinking your way is the best way
High mindedness 

Allowing your assumptions of people to dictate the way you treat them

Lack of personal/spiritual growth

The above list are just a few of the fruits borne by people who, like Satan, will not be told the truth- by themselves or others.

Saved people can be just as guilty of this as unsaved people.

As a saved person, these things will not land you in the lake of fire but they will prevent Spiritual growth by keeping you from walking with God.
Not only that but your testimony will be ruined.

One of the best proofs of humility is being able to learn from others, situations, and being able to 'parent' yourself.

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God

resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the

humble.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the

devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your

hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted and mourn and weep; let your

laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to

heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he

shall lift you up.

James 4:6-10

If you don't humble yourself, God will do it for you and that is the very last thing anyone wants.

I hope this helps in some way!

Gleanings from Hebrews

I recently finished a study of the book of Hebrews. I have never looked at Hebrews in depth before so I found a whole treasure trove of discoveries.
A while back my position as a dispensationalist was questioned. It's not a bad thing to have your beliefs questioned, as you grow in Christ you need to re-examine your stance on things and change according to what the scripture says. When my position was questioned I studied the matter for myself and made sure what I believed was right. I did not have to change my beliefs. In fact, I'm even more persuaded of them now then I was before.
Before you go running off calling me a hyper-dispensationalist, let me explain. I take the whole Bible as the perfect Word of God and I believe it in it's entirety. I believe the whole Bible is written for us but not everything in the Bible is written to us.
I will not skip over books like James, Hebrews, the gospels, even the entire Old Testament just because they were not written to the Church. I will certainly read, study and know them but I will not get my doctrine from there- specifically salvation doctrine.

For whatsoever things were written

aforetime were written for our learning,

that we through patience and comfort of

the scriptures might have hope.

Romans 15:4

That all being said, the Lord directed me to study Hebrews.
Having been questioned, a few times, about divisions in the Bible, I am ultra-sensitive to the words God uses in scripture. I don't believe God let any word into His Word if it wasn't the right word. This made reading Hebrews really interesting.

There were a few things I studied that further cemented my stance that there are divions in the Bible and that a book named Hebrews would be written to the Hebrews. I thought I'd share some of these things that I've learned. This is not a commentary at all, just comparing scripture with scripture and seeing what the bible actually says about it self.
My study began in Hebrews 1 verse 1:

God, who at sundry times and in divers

manners spake in time past unto the

fathers by the prophets,

(2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by

his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of

all things, by whom also he made the

worlds;

God, right away, refers to the fathers who He spoke to by the prophets.

Is there any question who He is talking to?

The fathers refer to the Israelites who bore sons who bore sons who bore sons that are the nation of Israel. Peter, talking to 'ye men of Israel' elaborates on this Hebrews passage in Acts 3.

So who is the 'us' in Hebrews 1:2? The 'us' are the sons of the fathers in verse one- the jews.

This book is for the Jews- specifically Jews (and those who convert) in the tribulation. At this very moment the Jews (as a nation) do not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. The book of Hebrews clarifies it for them in a way that relates to them- the Priesthood of Christ. God makes it very plain that the sacrifices of animals, made by imperfect Levitical priests cannot take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4).

Jesus, however is

Called of God an high priest after the

order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 5:10

Just a note- the first time the word 'priest' appears in the bible it is a reference to Melchisedec (spelled Melchizedek in the OT) in Genesis 14:18. You can read more about Melchisedec in detail in Hebrews 7. The word 'priest', 'priests', 'priesthood', and 'high priest' does not appear in the bible between the books of Acts and Hebrews. 

Having established that Christ is a perfect high priest, having made one sacrifice for all, and is passed into the heavens, Hebrews 8 describes the need for a new covenant.

For finding fault with them, he saith,

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,

when I will make a new covenant with the

house of Israel and with the house of

Judah:

Not according to the covenant that I 

made with their fathers in the day when I

took them by the hand to lead them out of

the land of Egypt; because they continued

not in my covenant, and I regarded them

not, saith the Lord.

For this is the covenant that  I will make

with the house of Israel after those days,

saith the Lord; I will put my law into their 

mind, and write them in their hearts: and I

will be to them a God, and they shall be to

me a people:

>skipping down to verse 13<

In that he saith, A new covenant, he

hath made the first old. Now that which

decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish

away.

Hebrews 8:8-10,13

He continues in this vein through chapter 9, dealing with the earthly tabernacle as a picture of the heavenly tabernacle and the ordinances of the priesthood.  

For the blood of bulls and of goats,

and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the

unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the

flesh:

How much more shall the blood of

Christ, who through the eternal Spirit

offered himself without spot to God, purge

your conscience from dead works to serve

the living God?

Hebrews 9:13&14

I think that's amazing- it might be obvious to everyone but to me it was the first time I realized that the blood of animals purified the flesh but did not purify the conscience. I did know that the levitical sacrifices were just a stand in until Christ came, but I had not really considered what the animal's blood was cleansing.

By the end of the chapter we know that Christ dealt once and for all for the sins of the world. The Holy Spirit describes it to a Jew in a way the Jew will understand. The tabernacle was given to the Jews so they could have fellowship with God. All us saved gentiles know is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We've never had to know anything about the temple (except to study).

The Holy Spirit describes Christ's sacrifice in Jewish terms- the tabernacle and the sacrifices- the covenant originally given to Moses.

Hebrews 3:

(15) While it is said, Today if ye will hear his

voice, harden not your hearts, as in the

provocation.

(16) For some, when they had heard, did

provoke: howbeit not all that came out of

Egypt by Moses.

(17) But with whom was he grieved forty

years? was it not with them that had

sinned, whose carcases fell in the

wilderness?

(18) And to whom sware he that they should

 not enter into his rest, but to them that

believed not?

(19)So we see that they could not enter in

because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:

(1) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise

being left us of entering in to his rest, any

of you should seem to come short of it.

(2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as

well as unto them: but the word preached

did not profit them, not being mixed with

faith in them that heard it.

(3) For we which have believed do enter into

rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my

wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:

although the works were finished from the

foundation of the world.

There is a lot we can learn here but I'm going to focus on one thing. The phrase 'harden not your heart, as in the provocation' appears three times in the bible, twice in Hebrews 3 and once in Psalm 95:

(8) Harden not your heart, as in the

provocation, as as in the day of

temptation in the wilderness:

(9) When your fathers tempted me, proved

me, and saw my work.

These mentions obviously refer to one event: the refusal of Israel to go into the promised land the first time. The record is found in Numbers 13&14.

Above, in Hebrews 4:2 notice the bolded phrase: unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them.

'Them', evidently, is referring to the Israelites who could not enter into His rest because of unbelief in the day of provocation. There is no one else in the passage who 'them' can refer to.
The gospel was preached, way back, before Christ had manifested Himself in the flesh.

Numbers 14-

(6) And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the

son of Jephunneh, which were of them that

searched the land, rent their clothes:

(7) And they spake unto all the company of

the children of Israel, saying, The land,

which we have passed through to search it, is an

exceeding good land.

(8) If the LORD delight in us, then he will

bring us into this land, and give it us; a

land which floweth with milk and honey.

(9) Only rebel not ye against the LORD,

neither fear ye the people of the land; for

they are bread for us: their defence is

departed from them, and the LORD is with

us: fear them not.

(10) But all the congregation bade stone

them with stones. And the glory of the

LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the

congregation before all the children of

Israel.

(11) And the LORD said unto Moses, How

long will this people provoke me? and how

long will it be ere they believe me, for all

the signs which I have shewed among

them?

>>skip down to verse 23<<

Surely they shall not see the land which

I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any

of them that provoked me see it:

As best as I can figure out, the text I've bolded in the passage above is the gospel preached to the children of Israel in the day of provocation. There is one more verse I should mention in Numbers 13

(30) And Caleb stilled the people before

Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and

possess it; for we are well able to overcome

it.

This was the gospel preached to them:

-Go up and possess the land

-rebel not against the Lord

-fear not the people of the land

-the Lord is with you.

If they had obeyed God in that day, they would have entered into His rest. Please do not tell me that promised land is a metaphor or a picture of heaven, while it is in some cases, in this case it certainly is not. We are talking about a literal, physical occurrence and the book of Hebrews literally tells us that the gospel was preached to them.

I was very excited when I discovered this because it is proof that there is more than one gospel preached in the bible. There is only one gospel for us in the church age, but throughout the entire canon of scripture, there is more than one gospel mentioned.

Search for yourself: is there anywhere in any of the applicable passages to the provocation that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is even mentioned?

Before you count me accursed consider this:

I marvel that ye are so soon removed

from him that called you into the grace of

Christ unto another gospel:

Which is not another; but there be some

that trouble you, and would pervert the

gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven,

preach any other gospel to you than that

which we have preached unto you, let him

be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, If

any man preach any other gospel unto you

than that ye have received, let him be

accursed.

Galatians 1:6-9

This passage in Galatians is talking about the gospel of Christ

The first time the gospel of Christ is mentioned is Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of

Christ: for it is the power of God unto

salvation to every one that believeth; to the

Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The gospel of Christ is salvation to everyone that believes. The gospel Paul preached to the Gentiles is found here: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

Paul, the apostle to the gentiles (Romans 15:15&16), in the first book to the gentiles, in the first chapter to the gentiles, tells us what the gospel is for this age. Not only that, the term gospel of Christ is only mentioned from Romans to 1 Thessalonians, it fits neatly into the books written to the church in the age of Grace.

This business of the different gospels in the bible is for another post, one I do intend to write if I ever have the time.

Suffice it to say this: 

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you

the gospel which I preached unto you,

which also ye have received, and wherein

ye stand;

By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in

memory what I preached unto you, unless

ye have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received, how that Christ died

for our sins according to the scriptures;

and that he was buried, and that he rose

again the third day according to the

scriptures:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

That is our gospel, that is how you will be saved. Once more:

That 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

Back to my study of Hebrews:

It is becoming more and more prevalent to believe that the 'age of grace' started way back in Genesis with Adam and Eve. People are leaving off rightly dividing. If you study scripture, desiring God's truth, you will come across division after division. For example: there's an Old Testament and a New Testiment- DIVISION.

God did not just put the word 'gospel' in Hebrews 4 because He had no better word. He used 'gospel' because it was a gospel that was preached.

I continued my study and a few days later I was in chapter five verse eleven:

(starting in verse 8 for context)

(8) Though he were a Son, yet learned he

obedience by the things which he suffered;

(9) And being made perfect, he became the

author of eternal salvation unto all them

that obey him;

(10) Called of God an high priest after the

order of Melchisedec.

(11) Of whom we have many things to say

and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull

of hearing.

Verse 11 struck me because it did not fit the way the writer had been writing up to this point. To my memory at least he had not just thrown out a reproof to his audience. Why would the Holy Spirit move him to tell the subject they are dull of hearing?

So I looked up the phrase dull of hearing

This phrase is mentioned three times total in the bible. First in Matthew 13:15-

For this people's heart is waxed gross,

and their ears are dull of hearing, and their

eyes they have closed; lest at any time they

should see with their eyes, and hear with

their ears, and should understand with

their heart, and should be converted, and I 

should heal them.

This is Jesus talking about the Jews. Read Matthew 13

Next mention is in Acts 28:27-

For the heart of this people is waxed

gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,

and their eyes have they closed; lest they

should see with their eyes, and hear with

 their ears, and understand with their heart,

and should be converted, and I should heal them.

This time it is Paul speaking to the Jews. Read Acts 28

The third mention is Hebrews 5:11 seen above.

Jesus, Paul, and the Holy Spirit writing in Hebrews are quoting Esaias (Isaiah):

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear

ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye

indeed, but perceive not.

Make the heart of this people fat, and

make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes, and hear with

their ears, and understand with their heart,

and convert, and be healed.

Isaiah 6:9&10

You know who he is talking to? The Jews.

After the Holy Spirit tells THE JEWS that they are dull of hearing He goes on to tell them:

For when the time ye ought to be

teachers, ye have need that one teach you

again which be the first principles of the

oracles of God; and are become such as

have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Hebrews 5:12

They rejected Christ (Acts 28:28) so the gospel of Christ went out to the gentiles and-

blindness in part is happened to Israel,

until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Romans 11:32

This proves, once again, that Hebrews is written to the Hebrews.

What advantage then hath the Jew? or

what profit is there of circumcision?

Much every way: chiefly, because that

unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Romans 3:1&2

I think I'll leave it at that for now. There is so much to get into but so little time.
I hope this was enlightening and helpful to you in some small way!

Rules For a Spiritual Life

My recent post 'Rules For Life' contained rules I *try* to abide by to keep myself from getting into too much trouble with people here on earth.
What's way more important is my relationship with God.
This post, I want to share some of the things I do to keep myself walking with God in the Spirit.
As long as I am walking with God, I am effortlessly able to keep myself from unnecessary trouble and maintain all my personal rules.

1) Read your bible and pray everyday.
This is a no brainer. Everyone knows you cannot have a relationship with someone without talking and listening to them. A relationship with God is the same way- reading your bible is reading His Word, praying is talking to Him. Yes He knows everything, but He wants us to talk to Him about it. Praying strengthens you in ways you'll never know until you start making a decisive effort to bend your knees and pray.

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is

written, That man shall not live by bread

alone, but by every word of God.

Luke 4:4

That's not hard to understand: we need the Word of God to live.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere

milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1 Peter 2:2

We need it to grow. The more you read it, the more you desire it, the more you grow. Nothing bad comes out of reading God's Word.

This is something, my pastor's wife's father pointed out-

And it came to pass in those days, that

he went out into a mountain to pray, and

continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 16:12

Jesus found praying more comforting than sleep! That is our example! If you are a Christian that does not think it's necessary to set time aside for prayer, there's something wrong.

2) Study your bible.

Reading is great! It is great for a baby Christian, it is great when your mind is tired, it is great to read as a family, but an older Christian needs strong meat. Strong meat comes from studying.

For when for the time ye ought to be

teachers, ye have need that one teach you

again which be the first principles of the

oracles of God; and are become such as

have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

For everyone that useth milk is unskillful

in the word of righteousness: for he is a

babe.

But strong meat belongeth to them that

are of full age, even those who by reason of

use have their senses exercised to discern

both good and evil.

Hebrews 5:12-14

Studying the bible means cross referencing, line upon line, comparing spiritual things with spiritual to find out what the bible really says. Something Paul may write two lines about in Ephesians may be given a full chapter in Romans.

In 1 Peter it says, 'for charity shall cover the multitude of sins', you wouldn't know the depth of what charity is unless you read about it in 1 Corinthians 13.

Lastly, and most importantly, God tells us to study:

Study to shew thyself approved unto

God, a workman that needeth not to be

ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

3) Apply what you've learned

Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well

doing.

And if any man obey not our word by

this epistle, note that man, and have no

company with him, that he may be

ashamed.

2 Thessalonians 3:14

But be ye doers of the word, and not

hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

For if any be a hearer of the word, and

not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding

his natural face in a glass:

For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his

way, and straightway forgetteth what

manner of man he was.

James 1:22-24

Those are just a few verses of many that talk about obedience, submission, and following after God.

The fact is, you cannot grow if you refuse to apply what you've learned. The more you exercise self control, the more 'natural' it becomes.

Tools to help with the three things above:

1- Set a specific time to read, study, and pray

You will not do it if you leave it up to 'if I have time'. You'll never have time. You'll keep coming up with things to do.

Get up early and do your devotions. If you can't, set aside a specific time during the day to study.

You must come to the realization that your relationship with God is THE priority in your life. If you have your relationship with God straight, all other areas of your life fall into order. My life is a testament to this; my pastor, pastor's I've listened to on this internet have preached on this.

2-Write down prayer requests and collect missionary prayer cards

I have a little book I write down prayer requests in and I get a hold of as many missionary prayer cards as I can. This helps me put thought and effort into praying for others. If I don't write it down I will forget. I've noticed too, if I'm not particularly interested in praying, I can't help but pray more and more because of all the requests given to me. I am constrained to pray about all of them. Make it a particular priority to pray for each request that comes up.

Praying always with all prayer and

supplication in the Spirit, and watching

thereunto with all perseverance and

supplication for all saints;

Ephesians 6:18

Confess your faults one to another, and

pray one for another, that ye may be

healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a

righteous man availeth much.

James 5:16

Those verses say it all.

3- Fast

This is actually a whole blog post in one point- one I do intend to write. For now, suffice it to say that fasting helps teach you to control your flesh. A great chapter on fasting is Isaiah 58. Here is a bit of it:

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to

loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the

heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go

free, and that ye break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:6

Notice what fasting does: loose bands of wickedness, undo heavy burdens (are you hurting about something? fast), let the oppressed go free, break every yoke- fasting liberates us and builds our relationship with God.

4-Listen to sermons

I have learned so much from listening to sermons while doing chores, knitting, and so on. I've learned how to pray from hearing preachers pray, I've been reminded of hymns I once knew, I've been reproved, rebuked, exhorted, edified, strengthened, and blessed through preaching. If nothing else, it keeps my mind from wandering to places it should not.

5-Sing praises

If you're wondering how to make melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19), this is how. I take time, ideally every day but that hasn't been possible lately, to sing songs to God. Sometimes I go through a hymn book, sometimes I sing scripture songs, but I make sure to listen to what I'm singing and mean it. I find that at least one of the songs I sing remains in my head the rest of the day or through the week.

If you think this isn't important then you haven't read the book of Psalms at all.

Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto

the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy

endureth for ever.

Psalm 106:1

6-Memorize scripture

Knowing scripture will get you through every situation you will come across. The first year of my marriage I memorized Proverbs 31:10-31. I intend to be a virtuous woman and that passage has it all. I quote it to myself a lot because sometimes I really need to remember it.

I've quoted scripture to myself during scary situations in doctor's offices and hospitals, when I have trouble sleeping, and when I don't know what to think.
When I was in labour and my contractions were getting unbearable I would close my eyes and quote Proverbs 31. The pain was still there but it kept me from going crazy.
The more you read the bible the more you will know it the more it will come up every day.

Don't underestimate the power of knowing scripture. 

7-Go To Church

This isn't just a Sunday thing, it's a Wednesday thing, and every other time there is an activity or service at church.

Fellowship helps keep you faithful. If you don't believe me, stay away from church for a month and see what that does to your relationship with God. There is a lot you cannot control at church, and that is a good thing. To be exposed to preaching that God gave a preacher to preach to you is special. Not only that, there are people there willing to pray for you. Prayer is powerful and we all need as much of it as we can get.

There has been many times I have not felt like going to church but I've gone and never regretted it. God gave church to us for our benefit and His glory. Don't shun it.

BEWARE!!! If you find yourself too tired or busy to have personal time with God because you're too involved with church, cut down your church activities. It is very easy to go through the motions and look spiritual when you are actively involved at church but if you don't have a relationship with God that goes before those things, your work is dead. Being faithful to God and being faithful to church are two separate things.


I hope this was a help to you in some way!

Spirit vs Flesh

One of the greatest struggles of the Christian life is the war between our flesh and the spirit.

Most often, we want to do right but our flesh is too strong for us to resist.

For example: there is a television show that I really really like to watch. It contains most things I am fascinated by and then some.

The problem is, there is not one edifying thing in that show. There is nothing good in it. Nothing good at all.

I am tempted to watch it from time to time and my flesh's argument for watching it goes something like this: 'You're mature enough to know what's wrong, you have discernment, it's not like you will be doing those things'.

The flesh is right. I do have discernment and I know what to accept and reject but God's Word on the matter is this:

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:

Psalm 103:3a

That settles it.

Now, if you think that does not settle it, consider this:

I watch an episode or two then go and clean stuff. What do you suppose is on my mind?

That show and it's wickedness.

What you watch, you think about. You may not be 'thinking' about anything but I find I play scenes in my head when I'm not 'thinking' about anything. 

The thought of foolishness is sin:

Proverbs 24:9a

I have enough trouble with sin as it is, why should I aggravate that by watching a show that makes me sin even more?

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are

true, whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just, whatsoever

things are pure, whatsoever things are

lovely, whatsoever things are of good

report; if there be any virtue, if there

be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

That show does not fit any of those things that Christ tells us to think on.

Casting down imaginations, and every

high thing that exalteth itself against the

knowledge of God, and bringing into

captivity every thought to the obedience of

Christ;

2 Corinthians 10:5

That show, promotes covetousness, which I have a tendency towards, and is a grievous sin. Like I said, there's nothing edifying in it, the people in it live like there is no God, and no accountability for your actions.

It is evil. I do not watch it anymore.

My husband went away last week, my son was in bed, I decided to spend most of the night sewing. I really REALLY wanted to put that show on. It's on Netflix, I'll be entertained and productive, it will be great!

Oh man, I was soooooo close to putting it on. I signed into Netflix, clicked on the show, was just about to click on the episode I left off at... then I exited the whole thing and watched a sermon on Youtube.

I just couldn't do it.

The reason I couldn't watch it is this: the Spirit in me is too strong. I would be backtracking in my walk with God- which I absolutely do not want, and I could possibly destroy my chance of bearing fruit in the future.

As Christians we have two natures: our sin nature, which we will be rid of at death or rapture, and the new man, which is Christ in us. (For more on this please read Romans 6, 7,8) 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead

because of sin; but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.

Romans 8:10

According to Romans 6, 7, and 8, we can live after the flesh or after the Spirit. Here's a tidbit from chapter 6:

For in that he died, he died unto sin

once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto

God.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be

dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let not sin therefore reign in your

mortal body, that ye should obey it in the

lusts thereof.

Romans 6:10-12

My body, the one I am employing right now to type out these very words, is dead. We cannot do right by feeling things out, following our hearts, and acting on our emotions:

For I know that in me (that is, in my 

flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is

present with me; but how to perform that

which is good I find not.

Romans 7:18

Fortunately, we do not have to live in sin:

Knowing this, that our old man is

crucified with him, that the body of sin

might be destroyed, that henceforth we

should not serve sin. 

Romans 6:6

We can either feed our flesh, by watching dirty movies/TV shows, speaking wickedly, thinking wickedly, spending time with ungodly people, or we can feed our spirit, by reading the Bible, praying, singing hymns, going to church, fellowshipping with believers, and filtering the things we allow on our TV's.

The more you feed your flesh, the harder it is for you to say no to it when you want to get out.

The more you feed your spirit, the easier it is for you to say no to the flesh when it is acting up.

The best thing you can do to start feeding the spirit, is reading your Bible.

I used to have trouble praying. I'd get uncomfortable, tired, uninterested, and I knew it wasn't right. I just couldn't help the way I felt about it but I would force myself to pray, focus on it, and ignored my discomfort. The more I desired to follow Christ's example of prayer, the more time I spent reading, studying in depth, and taking time to sing hymns the more I wanted to pray. It has become something I crave. Sometimes God wants me to spend my devotion time praying instead of reading.

Did I do that? No. The Holy Spirit inside me gives me the grace, strength, and desire to pray. The Holy Spirit does that for me because I've made it clear that I will sow to my spirit no matter how my sinful flesh felt about it.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap

in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for

it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and

rain righteousness upon you.

Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have

reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of

lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in

the multitude of thy mighty men.

Hosea 10:12&13

I know that's an Old Testament passage but it rings so true for us today: God does not want us to sin. He will help us if we just show the willingness to follow Him.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for

whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he

also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of

the flesh reap corruption; but he that

soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap

life everlasting.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for

in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Galatians 6:7

It does not get any clearer than that.

What to do:

The Bible says in James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

When you go to the gym and lift weights, what are you doing?

You are resisting, are you not? The weight will come down on you, that's the easy part (also dangerous,  if its really heavy), but pushing it up- resisting gravity, that's what increases your strength.

It's the same thing with the flesh and the spirit. Resist the devil, resist your flesh and you will be strengthened in the spirit.

I promise you, the more you resist your flesh, the easier and easier it gets. To the point, for me, there are things I cannot do simply because I said no so often the Spirit is too strong in that area.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did

predestinate to be conformed to the image

of his Son, that he might be the first born

among many brethren.

Romans 8:29

Jesus could not sin- He was God, He was holy, and thus He could not sin. We will never be perfect on this side of heaven, but it will be a lot easier to keep ourselves from sin if we make it a point to heed the Spirit every time we have a decision to make.

One more example and I am done:

I used to be terrified of handing out tracts and talking to people about the bible.

Frankly, that's ridiculous since I have the truth it is nothing to be ashamed of, but that's the flesh for you.

One day I put a stop to that foolishness, made sure I had tracts with me all the time, and made a point that my priority whenever I left home was to give tracts out and to talk to people about Christ. If I s prevented from either of those things, while I'm driving for instance, I would show the love of Christ by being kind, forgiving, and peaceful.

I was nervous but I started giving out tracts to everyone. I give them to people at Starbucks, the grocery store, and I give them to people in the parking lot at the park if they are just sitting in their cars.

I have no doubt I'll see some of those people in heaven, why? Because God said, 'look Grace, there's a man in his car, waiting for someone to be done at the park, he has nothing to do, give him a tract to read' and I obeyed.

The more I do it, the less nervous I am, the easier it is, and more natural it becomes. The new man inside me is beginning to take precedence over my natural sin nature.

The Spirit points out people to me, and I give them the gospel.

God will bless that obedience.

Let me encourage you to obey the Spirit. The more you obey, the louder the Spirit will speak to you, and decisions become easier and easier.
Remember, sin is bondage.

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:

but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the

deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Romans 8:13

Paul is talking to saved people there. Think about it.

I hope this was a blessing and a help!

Pants

Tonight we had a gym night at our church.

I wore loose crops, made for women, and a t-shirt.

Gym nights always remind me of a gym night I once attended.

I was there, playing with my son, in loose women's pants when a family walked in.

This family is known in the Independent Baptist church circle of the greater Vancouver area because they've attended church for a long time, have many children, I believe one or two may be in the ministry, and I suppose they are an upstanding family.

As they walked into the gym I looked over at them, the mother looked over at me, mmediately her eyes went to my pants and this scornful look came across her face. In fact, I got funny looks from the whole family.

Honestly, I'm kind of used to getting looks for wearing pants when I'm at church events. I don't wear pants unless they're activity appropriate. Gym night is definitely  pants appropriate if I want to play, church picnics if I want to get really involved, and that's about the extent of pants appropriate church activities..

So I get these dirty looks, which coloured my opinion of them a little but I tried to smile and be kind.

I did not enjoy that gym night. That family was no fun to play with.

The last game we played was dodge ball. Their daughter, a teenager, squatted down to pick up a ball rolling towards her. She was wearing spandex under her skirt so no one saw anything. Nevertheless, there she was, legs wide open, squatted down to pick up a ball.

And I wonder, is that better than just wearing pants?

I went home that night very angry. Besides the dirty looks when they walked in, there was a few other things that just turned me off the family. I wanted to write a long, scornful post against people like them.

Then I had to remember that I am commanded to love them. God does not want me ranting and railing at His children.

I'm not sure what it is about Independent Baptists and pants. I certainly have no idea why some of them think that their manner of dress sanctifies them. The fact is, we as Baptists think everything sanctifies us: we homeschool our children, keep ourselves separate from the world, go to King James, hymn singing church's three times a week, keep ourselves from liquor, smoking, worldly movies, and deprive ourselves of activity appropriate attire all in an effort to be better than everyone else.

WAKE UP, BAPTISTS!

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags-- Isaiah 64:6

The things we do in life, all of it is garbage, only the things done through Christ will last.

Every man's work shall be made

manifest: for the day shall declare it,

because it shall be revealed by fire; and

the fire shall try every man's work of what

sort it is.

If any man's work abide which he hath

built thereupon, he shall receive a reward

1 Corinthians 3:13&14

If I am wearing pants while I lead someone to the Lord, will my work be burned? If I smoke before going to church, will God not speak to me? If I send my child to a public school, will he go to Hell?

The answer to all those questions is no.

I don't think we should smoke because it is not good for us and it's hazardous to others. I don't think we should send our children to public or private or even Christian schools because they are our children, it's our job to educate them, and no one will put real love, thought, and care into educating our children. However, there are Christian's who can't afford mom staying home to teach, there are Christian's who, for some reason can't stop smoking, there are baby Christian's, fresh out of the world that have higher things to focus on than what they are wearing. Should they be shunned and given dirty looks because of it? 

NO.

We are not sanctified by our clothes, church, family, home, and everything else we do in life.

Husbands, love your wives, even as

Christ also loved the church, and gave

himself for it;

That he might sanctify and cleanse it

with the washing of water by the word.

Ephesians 5:25&26

Jesus said:

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy

word is truth.

John 17:17

We are sanctified by the Word.

Our standard is the Bible.

Now, speaking of standard, what does the Bible say about pants?

Nothing. The word 'pants' is not in the Bible.

The verse that many use to promote their no pants theology is this one:

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

I'm just going to say it: they make pants for women. They make immodest pants but they also make loose modest ones.

I had a conversation once with a girl who had just finished her first year at Pensacola Bible College and I asked about the dress code. Among other things, she told me that some girls wore skirts so tight they may as well have been wearing nothing at all.

Are tight skirts better than loose pants?

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

According to verse 9, our apparel must be modest, and inexpensive. The whole matter of broided hair, gold, pearls, and costly array is that it feeds pride and creates division.

Whose adorning let it not be that

outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and

of wearing 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.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Clearly, God doesn't want us focused on what we are wearing whether it be clothes, jewelry or hairstyle. He's focused on the inside and the fact is, your inside will manifest on your outside.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

Proverbs 23:7a

I had a conversation with my pastor's wife, who I love, about the matter of wearing pants.

She was not allowed to wear pants growing up. She told me that when her and her husband got into the ministry she wondered at Christian women who wore pants. She thought they were rebellious but then she realized that that was not true. She asked herself why she never wore pants and realized that it was the way she was brought up. It was not wrong for her to be brought up that way, she just couldn't put that on anyone else. She told me that skirts and dresses are not always appropriate- especially for young active girls- and she told me that some people just can't afford to change their whole wardrobe.

In turn, I gave her my testimony concerning the matter. A few years ago I deeply considered switching to just dresses and skirts. I prayed and read about it. I came out fully persuaded that I didn't have to limit myself to just dresses and skirts. I could wear women's pants as long as they were modest.

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before

God. Happy is he that condemneth not

himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Romans 14:22

I am so thankful I get to wear modest pants, shorts, and crops. I can freely run around and play with my son without worry. 

I don't need to justify what I wear before anyone.

This being said, I must make sure to always be modest lest I cause a sister in Christ to stumble.

Let us not therefore judge one another

any more: but judge this rather, that no

man put a stumblingblock or an occasion

to fall in his brother's way.

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord 

Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of

itself: but to him that esteemeth anything

to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

But if thy brother be grieved with thy

meat, now walkest thou not charitably.

Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom

Christ died. 

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and

drink; but righteousness, and peace, and

joy in the Holy Ghost.

Romans 14:13-17

This holier than thou attitude about not wearing pants causes division and discord. Me, I can handle it. I was mad at first but I calmed down quickly. Other, younger Christians may not be so willing. For someone to leave church because people treated them differently just for dressing different would be a terrible, unnecessary shame.

Do you look down on people for what they wear? Do you think it makes you better than them?

You are just a sinner saved by grace. You deserve Hell and would go there if it wasn't for God's free gift to 'whosoever believeth in Him'. We have no right to judge others in these matters. We have the right to judge sin, yes, but in these things, we are free.

I hope this was a help and a blessing to you in some way.

Devotions Part Three- What

Okay, so I've covered how and why I do devotions.
Now the question is what do I get out of it.

I sort of covered this in my last post- strengthening the New Man and making right decisions which yields fruit and wins souls.

There are many ways to study the bible- doctrinally, practically, historically, and so on.
When you study verse by verse you have to look at all those things- you're forced to.
As I began to study the Bible, God started to show me things missing in my life.

Confessing my sins was one of the very first things.
I was reading Psalm 34 one day and came across this:

The eyes of the Lord are upon the

righteous, and his ears are open unto their

cry.

The face of the Lord is against them

that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of

them from the earth.

Psalm 34:15&16

Then I was listening to a sermon series on 1 Peter and the preacher was talking of this verse:

For the eyes of the Lord are over the

righteous, and his ears are open unto their

prayers: but the face of the Lord is against

them that do evil.

1 Peter 3:12

It is clearly a quote from the Psalms but as I listened it struck a cord with me:

I need to confess my sins to God.

I need to acknowledge when I've sinned before him.

Sin is no joke.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:

but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them

shall have mercy.

Proverbs 28:13

How about Job?

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose

name was Job; and that man was perfect

and upright, and on that feared God, and

eschewed evil.

Job 1:1

And his sons went and feasted in their 

houses, everyone his day; and sent and 

called for their three sisters to eat and to

drink with them.

And it was so when the days of their 

feasting were gone about, that Job sent and

sanctified them, and rose up early in the

morning and offered burnt offerings

according to the number of them all: for

Job said, It may be that my sons have

sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.

Thus did Job continually.

Job 1:4-5

Job was indeed a sinner but God calls him 'perfect and upright'. How is this so?

He dealt with sin the way God required him to.

Behold, the Lord's hand is not

shortened, that it cannot save; neither his

ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

but your iniquities have separated

between you and your God, and your sins

have hid his face from you, that he will not

hear.

Isaiah 59:1&2

I was led to all these verses and God showed me that I needed to confess my sins. I needed to acknowledge the wicked things in my life and forsake them.

Thanks to our merciful heavenly father, we can plead the blood of Christ and are cleansed from all sin.

The fact is, our sin nature is still very much inside us: it is impossible for us not to sin.

There are some sins you do once, learn your lesson, confess, forsake, move on. Then there are besetting sins- sins we have a very hard time controlling.

One of my besetting sins is covetousness. I find myself confessing to God about it daily. He still forgives, He knows I know, and He's working with me on it.

So you see, God used my studying, listening, reading to teach me that I need to confess my sins to Him. 

That's just one, small, inadequately explained example of how God taught me something through my study.

Remember this verse:

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh

to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and

purify your hearts, ye double minded.

James 4:8

To draw nigh to God we must first cleanse our hands of sin, and focus our hearts on him (ye cannot serve God and mammon).

As you study, read, listen, God will draw nigh to you.

As you apply the Word to your life, you'll get to know God better, and He'll teach you how to draw even closer to Him.

God is on our side. He's not mean. He has not left us to figure this whole life thing on our own.

He knows we need help. He knows we can't tell back from front and left from right.

It starts will salvation:

But now in Christ Jesus ye who

sometimes were far off are made nigh by

the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:13

From there God shows us how to get even closer to him. He purges us, cleanses us, and removes the dross.

This is an amazing blessing when you discover this and live it for yourself. To see how God cares and loves you so much that He takes time to point out things in our lives that will help us be closer to him, bear more fruit, and have more peace.

I really hope this devotion series has helped you in some way.

Take the time to read God's Word. Even if it's just a chapter a day, you will grow tremendously. God rewards those who seek His face.

A Virtuous Woman- The Strange Woman Part 3

For the lips of a strange woman drop as

an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother

than oil:

But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp

as a twoedged sword.

Her feet go down to death; her steps take

hold on hell.

Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of

life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst

not know them.

Hear me now therefore, O ye children,

and depart not from the words of my

mouth.

Remove thy way far from her, and come

not nigh the door of her house:

Lest thou give thine honour unto others,

and thy years unto the cruel:

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth;

and thy labours be in the house of a 

stranger;

And thou mourn at the last, when thy

flesh and thy body are consumed,

And say, How have I hated instruction,

and my heart despised reproof;

And have not obeyed the voice of my

teachers, nor inclined mine ear o them

that instructed me!
Proverbs 5:3-13

Someone once asked me what the point of the book of Revelation is. Why tell us the ending?

It's so we know who wins. God is very open with us. He gives us more than enough information to help us make informed decisions.

He does the same thing here with the strange woman. He tells us her end:

Her end is bitter as wormwood

Word study: Bitter

Mentioned 38 times in 36 verses

First mention: Genesis 37:34-

And when Esau heard the words of his

father, he cried with a great and exceeding

bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless

me, even me also, O my father.

Bitter here has to do with deep unhappiness and torment (see Exodus 1:14 for second witness)

Word study: Wormwood

Mentioned 9 times in 8 verses

First mentioned: Deuteronomy 29:18-

Lest there should be among you man, or

woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart

turneth away this day from the LORD our

God, to go and serve the gods of these

nations; lest there should be among you a

root that beareth gall and wormwood;

Clearly, whatever wormwood is, it is not good.

Last mention: Revelation 8:11-

And the name of the star is called

Wormwood: and the third part of the

waters became wormwood; and many men

died of the waters, because they were

made bitter.

These waters become poisonous because of wormwood.

Since wormwood makes water bitter I looked into bitter water in the scripture.

The law of jealousies in Numbers 5 came up. If a woman is suspected of adultery, her husband must bring her to the priest who will make her drink bitter water. If she is guilty her belly will swell and her thigh will rot. If she is innocent then she is free and can bear children.

I think it's interesting that bitter water is connected to adultery.

Sharp as a twoedged sword:
Phrase study: Twoedged sword
Mentioned: 4 times in 4 verses
First mentioned: Psalm 149:6-

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them

sing aloud upon their beds.

Let the high praises of God be in their

mouth, and a twoedged sword in their

hand;

To execute vengeance upon the heathen,

and punishments upon the people;

To bind their kings with chains, and their

nobles with fetters of iron;

To execute upon them the judgment

written: this honour have all his saints.

Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 149:5-9

God likes twoedged swords- they are his weapon of choice and connected to judgement. There is nothing sharper than a twoedged sword except God's Word:

For the word of God is quick, and

powerful, and sharper than any twoedged

sword, piercing even to the dividing

asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints

and marrow, and is a discerner of the

thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Lastly, Jesus' tongue is described as a twoedged sword:

And he had in his right hand seven

stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp

twoedged sword: and his countenance was

as the sun shineth in his strength.

The end of this woman is bitter and sharp- like Jezebel. Read 2 Kings 9 for that story.
God's judgement on her was to be eaten by dogs- who return to their vomit (Proverbs 26:11)- and her remains were as dung upon the earth (2 Kings 9:37). Not only that- her name went from meaning 'purity' to meaning 'whore'. The name has such terrible associations, no one gives it to their daughters.
A bitter ending for a woman judged by the Lord.

Her feet go down to death; her steps take

hold on hell.

This passage is the second passage in Proverbs that mentions the strange woman. It is also the second time God points out this woman's connection with death.

First mention: Proverbs 2:18

For her house inclineth unto death, and

her paths unto the dead.

This woman makes her life in death.

What does that mean?

Word study: Death (in the book of Proverbs)

Mentioned: 18 times in 18 verses (6 times 3)

First mentioned: the verse above

I will not go into every mention of this word but I will hit the ones most relevant to our study:

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing:

but righteousness delivereth from death.

Proverbs 10:2

Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but

righteousness delivereth from death.

Proverbs 11:4

There is NO righteousness in this woman's life.  Think there may be an itty bitty bit of righteousness in her life?

In the way of righteousness is life; and

in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Proverbs 12:28

Those two paths: righteousness and evil do not mingle. They go opposite directions: one to life, the other to death.

The strange woman's path is very plain.

As righteousness tendeth to life: so he

that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own

death.

Proverbs 11:19

Do you realize that things we do are either evil or righteous?

For example: I love shopping

I will shop for anything

I am always in the mood to shop

I will spend all the money I have on things, clothes, yarn, books, toys, gifts, you name it

For me to pursue shopping is me pursuing death. I would be giving myself over to my flesh and spending my husband's hard earned money on fripperies.

That's right. Fripperies.

Of course, I'm a housekeeper and a caretaker: I need to shop. There is a very fine line, however, that I need to watch so that I do not fall into sin.

The end of me pursing shopping would be bitter unhappiness for my family.

What about you?

Maybe it's food- like chocolate.

Maybe it's gossipy magazines.

Maybe it's television.

Maybe it's social media.

Maybe it's a person who is a bad influence.

No matter how innocent something may be, pursuing anything to much will lead into apostasy and death. Be careful how much time and effort you put into your hobbies. Not only that, what thoughts do they produce? Are they edifying?

There is a way which seemeth right unto

a man, but the end thereof are the ways of

death.

Proverbs 14:12

Her steps take hold on hell.
Proverbs 5:5b

This reminds me of skis. You put the boots on then step into the boot binding and click them into place.

The boot binding takes hold of your ski boot- where the ski goes, your boot goes, you go. The strange woman clicked her ski boots onto hell bound skis.

Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of

life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst

not know them.

Proverbs 5:6

This is the only time the word 'moveable' is mentioned in scriptures.

This verse is incredibly straight forward- she is inconsistent. There is no rhyme or reason to her ways- habits, decisions, thought process- she has no foundation to guide her.

Which forsaketh the guide of her youth,

and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

Proverbs 2:17

I was reading Proverbs on the 24th and came across the following passage:

Fret not thyself because of evil men,

neither be thou envious at the wicked;

For there shall be no reward to the evil

man; the candle of the wicked shall be put

out.

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king:

and meddle not with them that are given

to change:
For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

Proverbs 24:19-22

As I read this I was immediately reminded of this study.

God tells us not to fret because of evil men but to fear the Lord and the King. He then, in the same vein, tells us not to meddle with them that are given to change.

Word study: Meddle

Mentioned: six times in six verses

First mentioned Deuteronomy 2:5

And command thou the people, saying,

Ye are to pass through the coast of your

brethren the children of Esau, which dwell

in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take

ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:

Meddle not with them; for I will not gie

you of their land, no, not so much as a foot

breadth; because I have given mount Seir

unto Esau for a possession.

And when thou comest nigh over

against the children of Ammon, distress

them not, nor meddle with them: for I will

not give thee of the land of the children of

Ammon any possession; because I have

given it unto the children of Lot for a

possession.
Deuteronomy 2:19

Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and

thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of

this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest

thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou 

shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
2 Kings 14:10

You can find the rest of this story here and in 2 Chronicles 25. What winds up happening is the king who was given the above warning, Amaziah, does not listen. All the gold, silver and vessels found in the house of the Lord and the treasures of the King were taken to Samaria because of Amaziah's meddling.

He that goeth about as a talebearer

revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not

with him that flattereth with his lips.

Proverbs 20:19

Proverbs tells us to not meddle with two kinds of people: talebearers (who are also flatterers), and those that are given to change. The bible never uses 'meddle' positively.

Do not place yourself in other people's issues. Unless it directly affects you and your family, it is none of your business.

Pray for them and shut up.

We know the strange woman is a flatterer and her ways are moveable. Moveable as in never the same as in ever changing.

Here is God's relationship with change:

For I am the LORD, I change not;

Malachi 3:6a

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to

day, forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Did you know we can rely on God to be the exact way He describes himself in His Word?

It does not matter that it's 2015 and the world is changing.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME.

What He wrote before, he means now. His Word is complete, He is complete, and He is holy. That means perfectly whole.

God is not one way today and a different way tomorrow. He is always the same.
Despite 6000 years of sin, tragedy, and death, He is still merciful, forgiving, and loving.
That is a huge blessing.

Back to Proverbs 5-

The Lord warns us:

Hear me now therefore, O ye children,

and depart not from the words of my

mouth.

Remove thy way far from her, and come

not nigh the door of her house:

Proverbs 5:7&8

God tells us to stay far from her, don't even come close, don't do business with her, don't stop by for a chat, don't hang out with people who hang out with her, just stay far far away. Clearly this woman is powerfully attractive. It is not physical attraction, it is her lips, mouth and words.

To deliver thee from the strange woman,

even from the stranger which flattereth

with her words.

Proverbs 2:16

For the lips of a strange woman drop as

an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother

than oil:

Proverbs 5:3

With her much fair speech she caused

him to yield, with the flattering of her lips

she forced him.

Proverbs 7:21

The mouth of strange women is a deep

pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall

fall therein.

Proverbs 22: 14

Men seem to be most susceptible to this woman but in Proverbs 5 God addresses the warning to 'ye children'. That means women and children can be taken in by her too. I do not mean in a perverted sexual way, but in friendships and influences.
Hollywood is full of beautiful strange women who can influence you without saying a word to you.

Notice what happens when you ignore and depart from God's words:

Lest thou give thine honour unto others,

and thy years unto the cruel:

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth;

and thy labours be in the house of a 

stranger;
Proverbs 5:9&10

It occurs to me that this could be you if your wife or husband leaves you because of foolish meddling with a strange woman. You could lose your children, money, home, and all you hold dear. Your children could grow up in the house of a stranger. Your 'wealth' doesn't have to be money or precious items. It can be the life God blessed you with before you became entangled with the world.

My husband and I are not wealthy people but I consider myself richly blessed.

I have a home, a husband, a son. That is my wealth. I would hate to lose it because of foolishness.

And thou mourn at the last, when thy

flesh and thy body are consumed,

And say, How have I hated instruction,

and my heart despised reproof;

And have not obeyed the voice of my

teachers, nor inclined mine ear o them

that instructed me!

Proverbs 5:11-13

That is a sharp end, bitter as wormwood.

To be in torment as you die wishing you had done everything differently.

That is a terrible thing.

Word study: Instruction:
Mentioned: Thirty-three times in thirty-three verses
First mentioned: Job 33:16
Here are some verses more relevant to our study:

The proverbs of Solomon the son of

David, king of Israel;

To know wisdom and instruction; to

perceive the words of understanding;

To receive the instruction of wisdom,

justice, and judgement, and equity;

Proverbs 1:1-3

The proverbs were written to give instruction- it's obviously important.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of

knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and

instruction.

Proverbs 1:7

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not

go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Proverbs 4:13

versus

Her feet go down to death; her steps take

hold on hell.

Proverbs 5:5

Receive my instruction, and not silver;

and knowledge rather than choice gold.

Proverbs 4:13

Poverty and shame shall be to him that

refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth

reproof shall be honoured.
Proverbs 13:18

Hear counsel, and receive instruction,

that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Proverbs 19:20

versus:

Proverbs 5:11

And thou mourn at the last, when thy

flesh and thy body are consumed,

For the commandment is a lamp; and

the law is light; and reproofs of instruction

are the way of life:

To keep thee from the evil woman, from

the flattery of the tongue of a strange

woman.

Proverbs 6:23&24

God says it over and over again, the way of instruction is life. The way of the strange woman is death. If you want to avoid this woman, if you do not want to become this woman: take fast hold of instruction.

All scripture is given by inspiration of

God and is profitable for doctrine, for

reproof, for correction, for instruction in

righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect,

throughly furnished unto all good works

II Timothy 3:16&17

Fools despise scripture. Fools mock it, take it lightly, and cast it behind them.

My favourite preacher once said:

 'Christian's who do not take the Bible seriously should not be taken seriously as Christians 

and that's the truth.

One of the most frustrating things is trying to talk to a 'believer' who does not take the Bible as the pure Word of God. You can't see eye to eye on anything! 

But unto the wicked God saith, What

hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or

that thou shouldest take my covenant in

thy mouth?

Seeing thou hatest instruction, and 

castest my words behind thee.

Psalm 50:16&17

Right there God is telling us that people who hate his Word and pay no heed to them have no business even speaking God's words.

In conclusion:
It took me a long time to finish this study. I kept learning and adding to it. I think I could have written more but I'd like to move on.
This particular part focused a lot on the end of this woman. It is not pleasant. It is destitute, poor, and shameful. Her life may look glamorous and happy but it will come crashing down.
She has no foundation, everything she has, is, does is for her own pleasure and purpose.
It is superficial and vain.