Everyday only the Bible. If you accept this challenge, I'd like you to come back after September 5th and report how much you've learned, changed and grown. I'll do the same. See you then and look forward to hearing from you! God bless!
Showing posts with label Self Esteem/Self help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Esteem/Self help. Show all posts
This Month's Devotion Challenge
Everyday only the Bible. If you accept this challenge, I'd like you to come back after September 5th and report how much you've learned, changed and grown. I'll do the same. See you then and look forward to hearing from you! God bless!
Mental Disorder Or Sin?
Rather than taking our problems to God as the Bible instructs and dying to "self", we become self-focused, take our problems to a psychiatrist or psychologist and down pills to feel better. Rather than being transformed by Scripture and God in renewing our minds (Romans 12:2), the very seat of most of these problems, we conform to the patterns of the world and run after a quick fix. What does the Bible have to say about our emotional and mental well being? Here's a great article on where much of our issues stem from and God's diagnosis and prescription...
Borderline Personality Disorder According To The Bible
The Christian And Prozac
It would also be wise to study how others have dealt with severe depression without the aid of a drug, such as Charles Spurgeon and the Prophet Elijah. Suffering is a part of our Christian walk and God uses suffering to teach, mold us and create us into the image of Christ.
Whatever the case may be if you are taking this drug to treat depression, OCD, anxiety, etc., the goal should not be to block the problems we have with Prozac so we can live "happy" and indifferent to the real underlying problems, but to learn how to deal with the underlying problems aided by Prozac so we can eventually handle them without the need of a mood altering drug.
Stress, depression and anxiety all use up serotonin in great quantities that Prozac balances. More importantly than taking medication to alleviate the low levels, one must consider why they are depressed, stressed and anxious to begin with. More often than not, there are many other ways of calming and restoring healthy levels of serotonin. There may just be a gaping, festering wound caused by sin in our lives that we use Prozac to cover up like a band-aid.
Before taking this drug, please consult the Lord and His word first and foremost. Then speak with your Pastor. While it's nice to have a quick fix, in the long run we only do more damage to ourselves.
Recommended Reading: He's At The Door
An Epidemic Of Terrible Times
During a visit to my local salon for a trim, I over heard a mother telling the hairdresser that her two daughters loved "Jersey Shore". There were two little girls playing with a basket of toys in the seating area where I was. They couldn't have been more than seven years old. As the two played on their knees with dolls and bickered over them, I realized they were that woman's kids. She confirmed it when she yelled at them from her chair, where she was getting a cut, to stop fighting.
She then went on saying that her girls never missed an episode because they scream if they do and she DVR's all the episodes so they can watch them as much as they want. As they went on to discuss how the hairdresser herself was a huge fan, I looked back at the two little girls playing on the floor and was aghast.
I don't have a TV. My husband removed them from the house when we got married, but I know what Jersey Shore is. They're all over news sites and youtube. I have a feeling, judging by how popular the show is, that she's not the only mom raising her kids on shows like that. What can Jersey Shore possibly teach kids let alone adults? Why in the world would any parent want to expose their kids to such debauchery? Garbage in, garbage out. Because of this diet of trash fed to us our entire lives, and because we're taught "self-esteem" to greater extents than math and a writing, we wonder what is happening to our society.
We wonder why there's so much depression, suicide, drug use and violence among our youth. It's because we are a nation of narcissists and we inundate our brains, and our children's brains, with narcissism. Several studies have been done all over the world and found narcissism is an epidemic throughout the world especially among women and teens.
Shocked by the extent to which mothers are violent towards their own children in this nation? Narcissism: a deep sense of entitlement, overblown estimation of self, extreme selfishness and pride. Researchers found it gained momentum during the 70's. Can we really be shocked about that? People all over the world are not just displaying narcissistic traits, but full blown NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder). NPD is extremely dangerous to those around the disordered person.
America is fast becoming The home of the
Instead of hindering the propensity of narcissism in all people and instilling a sense of right and wrong, we're cultivating it, flooding our kids and ourselves with the lie that we deserve the best, are entitled to whatever we want because we're so special, materialism, self esteem, dangerous pride and all sorts of depravity.
We tell ourselves and our kids that our own happiness is much more important than others. If it makes us feel good then we should be free to do. Raping makes a rapist feel good. Should he be allowed to do it then without consequences? Our extreme selfishness and quest for our own happiness at the expense of others does tragic harm to everyone despite the lie, "I'm not hurting anyone by it." It's changed society as a whole world wide and raised up an epidemic so depraved, so evil, we can only view it correctly in light of end time Biblical prophecy.
For further reading:
Narcissism Epidemic
Parents Partially To Blame
Narcissism On The Rise
Take the Narcissistic Personality Test
I scored a '5'. What are your scores?
Awkward Alert
I'll try to be as dignified as I possibly can with this, but I may fail miserably. You might find the topic gross/weird or you may laugh and say to yourself "been there, done that girlfriend!" You're more than welcome to sit across the room, talk about me and stick gum in my hair. In any event, it appears to be one of those things that happens, but no one really wants to discuss for fear of being the weird girl with the funny glasses on the play ground.
Whether you breast feed/fed or not is really irrelevant. If you've been pregnant then you know about milk production. It's a miracle, weird, painful and annoying all at once. If our husbands haven't fully discovered this wonder of God by watching us nurse then they've discovered it during intimacy.
Some men are turned off by it, some find it erotic, others appreciate its value to sustain life while others find it nurturing and comforting for them. They feel it's a deep bonding experience with their other half. Breast milk certainly wouldn't be harmful for an adult, but rather healthy. Weird? Creepy? Maybe, but what I've found in my own research is it's pretty common and there's nothing to suggest it's sinful.
There are a couple of places in Scripture that alludes to a husband drinking from his wife. It can be taken literally or figuratively, depending on how we apply it to our spiritual relationship with Christ or physical relationship with our husbands, which ultimately reflects Christ as well.
"Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
May her breasts satisfy you always; may you ever be intoxicated with her love. Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?" Proverbs 5:18-20
I believe it's entirely up to the couple. There's some who believe milk should only be used to feed a baby. For a man to also drink from his wife is somehow depriving the baby of food. From my own experience, Darian always gets his fill with plenty left over so a famine is never a problem for me. There's some who find it gross and that's perfectly fine. As long as it's exercised in the confines of lawful marriage then there is no sin involved. To each his own, but more importantly, as Believers, we are family and shouldn't carry around burdens out of fear of being ridiculed. We're here to edify, help, pray, bear with and comfort one another safely and lovingly.
*End awkward moment*
Not My Will, But Your Will
Many Christians are familiar with this teaching on prayer Jesus gave. Many read these verses and assume it means no matter what we ask for, what we want, whatever our desire is, if we just ask, seek and knock, God will give it to us. Seriously, does that look like your prayer life? Cause it doesn't look like mine!
I have prayed for things that make me cringe now that I look back at them. David sometimes prayed that his enemies would be slaughtered. That's equivalent to me having a fight with someone and asking that God put them miraculously into freeway traffic so they get mowed down. When we read prayers prayed by famous men and women of the Bible, we're not to always use those prayers as examples. Just because David did it doesn't mean it was right. The point of seeing these men and women in all their warts as well as glory was to show us, though their prayers may have been outlandish and even shocking at times, they were pouring their hearts out to God.
"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah" Psalm 62:8
The good, the bad and the ugly often came out in their prayers as it does with ours as well. God already knows what we're feeling and thinking so when we pour our hearts out to Him we're not shocking Him. It's getting everything in the open so everything can be dealt with in trust, mercy, grace and with wisdom.
When these verses in Luke are taken in to context, the point Jesus is making is actually even better than what we've assumed. It's even more startling than pinning a worldly wants and needs chart onto it. Read those verses one more time. I'll wait....
Do you see it?
"how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus' statement is absolutely astounding. He asks what earthly father would give a scorpion if his child asks for a fish? What earthly father would give a stone if his child asks for an egg? If we, as depraved, sinful creatures, wouldn't do that, how much more will God? The point is, He's going to give us what we ask for or better. He'll never give us worse then our requests such as a scorpion for a fish.
As any father, God knows what is best for us and will do what's in our best interest. He has all the authority and power to turn down our requests or fulfill them. He's turned me down on many occasions. As frustrating as it may have been at the time, now when I look back, I'm so grateful He didn't give me what I asked for. I really had no idea what I was asking for. Though He has said "No" at times, He never once exchanged it for something worse. The end result has always turned out far better. In fact, my silly request would have been far worse than I could have imagined.
Since our entire purpose is to give God glory; since our entire purpose in life, once we're saved, is to be made into the image of Christ, God will answer with what glorifies Him. He will answer with what makes Him conspicuous not just to us, but beyond. God loves to make Himself conspicuous. He loves it when we and others can be in the most horrendous situation and be able to see or look back and see Him at work in it.
When Jesus pointed out "how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” He was telling us: "If you ask for comfort God wants to give you the Comforter. When you ask for provisions, He wants to give you the Provider. When you ask for healing, He wants to give you the Healer. When we need salvation He wants to give us the Savior. He wants to give us Himself. What on earth or in heaven could be better than that?
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26-26
When God gives us food for our bodies do we get hungry again? When he provides any material need does that mean we will never want again? When He heals us does that mean we will never die or get sick again? Lazarus was raised from the dead, but a few years later he died and didn't come back that time. What we must be seeking, asking and knocking for is God. He is the only thing that is eternal. When we line up our prayers putting God at the center of them, asking for Him and to glorify Him, amazing things will begin to happen. When we begin telling Him in our prayers "not my will, but Your will be done." (Luke 22:42) Or "this is what I desire God, but if that doesn't glorify You then I don't want it," God will show up bigger and better than we could have dreamed.
You may be in the worst time of your life right now. You may be begging God day and night to deliver you or your loved one from a terrible situation. You may be losing hope and fearful God won't answer. Understand this, God will never respond to your requests with something worse. God wants what's going to glorify Himself so it will reverberate and have maximum impact on us and beyond. If curing your illness or a loved one's illness will have the impact that glorifies Him, makes Him conspicuous and brings others to Christ then He'll heal. If allowing the illness and even eventual death will glorify Him, then He won't heal.
Sometimes it takes great suffering to wake people up. Sometimes, it takes great suffering to bring us to Christ or bring us closer to Christ. This little vapor of a life we live is not about our temporal and immediate comfort. Our rest will finally come in eternity. It's about building Christ's Kingdom and glorifying God. Not praying is absolutely insane because He wants to give us Himself. There is nothing on earth, in heaven or the entire universe that is greater and more priceless than that. Only God will last forever. He is the greatest treasure.
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."- Matthew 6:10
Not ours...
He Will Finish It
This is probably one of the most powerful Scriptures I've read. In it do we come to understand that our confidence is never in us or should be in us, but in God alone. As imperfect, fallen creatures we are more prone to fall then to rise. There's nothing in us deserving of confidence. Our confidence is in Christ alone. Not only did He seek us out and save us, but He won't give up and will complete the work He began.
If you are a believer then God began a work in you and no matter what, He will finish it. It's all His work and not ours. We did nothing to provoke it and can do nothing to finish it. We were dead in our sins therefore incapable of doing anything. He has done it apart from us for us. His church, His body, all of us, have been built on rock, a solid, sure foundation that cannot be shaken or destroyed. We stand and live on that rock in spite of ourselves because He keeps us standing on that solid foundation.
But He has promised to not forsake us, to not give up and everything He plans He carries through. There is our confidence. Though we fail, though we sin and fall flat on our faces, though we can't lift a finger anymore to help ourselves, He will continue on the good work He began and will not only finish it, but crown it in perfection. He will finish it even if He has to beat the daylights out of us to do so. He has promised a spotless bride and He will deliver.
Are things just spiraling out of control and you feel like a failure? Do you wonder how you will ever get out of the mess you've found yourself in? Are you depressed? Do you wonder how you will ever see another good day? Are you afraid you've crossed the line with God? Do you feel as though you are one sin away from God throwing up His hands and saying "That's it! I can't take you and your failure anymore"?
He will finish it.
Again, He began the good work in all of us while we were still His enemies, depraved and hostile toward Him. We did nothing for Him to begin such a work and we can do nothing for Him to finish it. Thank God for His unconditional love. Thank God His good work is not dependent on us or anything we can or can't do. We may be failures, but He's not. We may not finish things, but He always does. That work He began in you, He will finish it.
Renewing Our Minds
This is a scripture I've read many times, but I remember the day it jumped out at me as if it slapped me across the face with a brick. Ever have those "A ha!" moments? You've read a scripture so much, but you never really got it until...BAM! That's the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. He teaches us, gives understanding of Scripture and how it applies to our lives.
We really don't need false teachers keeping us stuck in the old man to sell books, DVDs and conference seats. We do it just fine on our own. Our own minds are our worst enemies and it's true our minds are a battle ground. Everything begins with a thought. Behaviors, depression, sadness, sin, etc., all have their beginnings in the mind. Action is a manifestation of what's been sitting there.
In Ephesians 5:25-26, husbands are told to love their wives just as Christ loved the church and cleansed her by the washing of the water with the Word. Renewing our minds daily with Bible study is a constant cleansing and changing of our minds. Behaviors, sins and patterns of sin can't survive when they're being washed over and transformed into the image of Christ. When we buy workbooks written by others and DVDs, go to their conferences, pray the prayers they've written for us in their books, they're keeping us locked into our old ways of thinking. Nothing they do, say, promise or sell us can renew our minds and change those patterns. Only Scripture can. The Holy Spirit never operates outside of God's Word or independently of it. He only speaks what He hears (John 16:13) and it's always right in line with Scripture, thus being in the Word daily can't be neglected or replaced.
When Christians look to other methods besides God and Scripture that's exactly what the world does. That's the pattern of the world. The world goes to motivational speakers, psychiatrists, doctors, therapists, seminars and gurus. They take drugs and spend hundreds of millions on self help material that do nothing other than keep them harping on the same issues for years and in the same corrupt patterns of thinking. Are they ever transformed? No and they never will be. If they could then Scripture wouldn't tell us to stop conforming to it. Anything the world offers is like sprinkling perfume on a decaying corpse. We're told to be transformed...to be changed by renewing our minds. Put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13) and those deeds come from a sinfully corrupt mind. In order to put them to death, the first thing struck must be the mind.
We're not changed overnight when we're saved. It's a process of conformity to Christ. Christ is the Word of God made flesh (John 1) therefore, we can't be conformed without Scripture. There can be no transformation and cleansing without a washing. If you've been looking to every other method outside of Scripture...therein lies the problem.
Renew Your Mind...
How To Honor Abusive Parents
I don't even speak to him anymore. I love my father despite what he is and has done. I would love nothing more than to have a normal relationship with him and to have him in my life and my unborn son's life, but I also know that's not possible right now unless God intervenes. In order to avoid further dishonoring him and sinning 6 ways to Sunday against him and God, in order to avoid any further emotional and mental abuse, I was forced to cut contact.
God never laid down conditions for honoring parents. Honoring parents is also the only commandment that comes with a promise. He never said "If parents are worthy of honor, then honor them". He simply said "Honor your father and mother". The ramifications of honoring/dishonoring parents are vast and reflects far more than just obeying a commandment. If you are estranged from your parents or parent, you can still honor them despite their sins against us....
1. Don't speak against them in anger or dishonor them in speech to them or to others...
You may struggle with this because your wounds are still very raw. The only option for us is to repent of it and let it go. It's not about them. It's not even about us. It's about God. As Christ didn't slander, gossip or verbally attack His abusers, neither are we to.
2. Don't dwell on it....
"Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:62
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19
This is difficult, but nothing causes more damage to us and our walk with Christ then when we dwell on past hurts and abuses and hold grudges. If we stay focused on that then we are completely unproductive for God, it ruins our witness, ruins our life and keeps up stuck in a rut. All it does is cause bitter roots to spring up and bitterness breeds hate and unforgiveness. The best way and only way to deal with it, is to let it all go. We can forgive, but we can't forget and God knows that. Cast your cares on the Lord (Psalm 55:22). When you hit a snag or feel yourself sinking into self pity and the pain of past abuse, take it immediately to God. Tell Him about it. Pour your heart out to Him (Psalm 62:8). Only He can bring healing and comfort anyway and He promises to do just that.
3. See it for what it is....SIN...
Any abuse we've come out of, whether mental, emotional, physical or sexual, we have to understand it's all sin. It is the wickedness of sin. As man increased so did sin. We also need to understand that if it were not for our salvation and the restraining grace of God, we would be no different then our abusers. Sin spreads sin. Sin spawns more sin and we eventually live what we've learned apart from God. "There, but for the grace of God, go I." (John Bradford)
4. Do not retaliate or lash out against them...
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21
Not retaliating can be extremely difficult, but....
"Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men." Romans 12:17
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.'" Romans 12:19
"Do not say, 'I will repay evil'; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you." Proverbs 20:22
"Do not say, "Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work." Proverbs 24:29
5. Love and pray for them...
"But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36
6. Don't hold it against them....
"But Jesus was saying, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.' And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves." Luke 23:34
"Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them!' Having said this, he fell asleep." Acts 7:60
7. Love them from afar...
Sometimes we just need to love people from afar. If being in contact with them would cause you to sin against God, them and to protect yourself from further abuse, then love them from afar. Pray for them. Fast for them. Hope for them and be rid of all animosity toward them. If you must cut contact then do it, but do it carefully, respectfully and prayerfully.
8. Don't lose hope for them...
God is God. He can do anything. He can change anyone. The Apostle Paul is a good example of this. He was an abuser, terrorist and murderer in every sense of the word, but God was still able to reach him.
9. Understand and appreciate they gave you life. Maybe they didn't do much more than that, but it is enough.
(This post is for adult children of an abuser and not someone who is currently in an abusive home. If that's you then understand that honoring and obeying parents does not mean allowing them to abuse you. When we're in a situation and we know obeying our parents is disobeying God then we are to obey God and disobey our parents (or any others in authority over us). If you're being abused, then reach out to someone...anyone. Call the police. It's not dishonoring to parents to stop atrocious forms of abuse and it's certainly not your fault you're being abused. Putting an end to it is beneficial for you and also beneficial to the abuser.)
Don't Look To Feelings
Mason Vann...
Here A Princess, There A Princess, Everyone's a Princess...
That was the Apostle Paul who wrote that. Despite being an Apostle, despite being a prominent leader in the early church, despite his reputation and great status among Believers, he was clearly expressing he was nothing more than a servant and slave to Christ.
I've noticed a phenomenon among the church. There's appears to be a fascination with titles. Prophetess, Prophet, Evangelist, Bishop, Apostle, Princess, Prince, His Highness, her Highness, his Excellency (no, I'm not kidding) her Excellency. Yet, the one title that Christ gives to His people is nothing more than "Servant" and "Slave". Oddly enough, I have yet to find anyone tacking Servant or Slave onto their name.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him." John 13:16
Yet, this is essentially what these titles do. It's making us greater than our master who never once used these titles for Himself. The word "Master" alone should pop out to us. No slave is given esteeming titles especially by the Master. Jesus gave an example of the day of judgment for His people and not once did he use any prideful term for any of them.
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:23
All this business about titles falls right into line with the popular self-esteem, self-centered, prideful and worldy teachings flooding the church. It is entirely a means to puff up one's self. Christ, who rightfully could have, never once tacked a title onto his name other than what expressed His humility. He never once referred to Himself with any of the silly titles common with professing Christians today and He was God in the flesh.
In the Bible, those who were obsessed with titles denoting importance and power to themselves in the early church were not among true believers.
"And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Mark 10:42-45
Even in the Old Testament, did any Prophet introduce themselves or express their need or desire to be called a Prophet? In fact, it was the exact opposite. The angel speaking with John in Revelation 22:9 even refused any exaltation or worship from the Apostle. Rather, he said "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"
As if Michael himself would ever pass it around and want to be referred to as "Archangel Michael". As a slave or servant wanting to be referred to by other slaves as "Prophet, his highness or Princess". How would their common master react to this self elevation? Would he not take it as a direct affront to his authority? I do know someone who would stamp a title on himself blatantly without regard...Satan.
True leadership is not in puffing oneself up with titles. True leadership is in being a servant, not only to God, but to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in humility thinking more highly of others than themselves. In Matthew 20, the mother of Zebedee’s sons requested her special boys sit on either side of Jesus in heaven. She wanted that special place of honor for his boys. Jesus' ultimate response was rather...
"Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28
People, instead, do the exact opposite. They declare themselves great immediately with a title and want to be served rather then serving and becoming a slave to others inconspicuously in all humility. Giving one's self a title means absolutely nothing to God other than a display of pride, which He hates. The individual who insists on their own greatness by using a title uses them to imply they are important, they can be trusted, they are wise, demonstrates a need to be looked up to and even worshiped by others. It demonstrates arrogant boasting in one's self when they are really nothing.
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Romans 12:3
It puts them in a position of authority over others just by using a silly word because all these self appointed titles are indeed titles of authority. Instead of pointing to Christ in their lives, speech, thinking and character, they point to themselves. That's very dangerous to the easily deceived, broken, damaged person whose looking for answers and will fall prey to this. It's also dangerous for the self-important person because, in a lot of ways, this is elevating one's self next to Christ. Since we are to be servants and humble, what do these kinds of titles tell us about the individual? Humility is what marks a true Believer, not insistence on one's own greatness by giving them self a title. That's not humility, that's pride, worldly, and a serious red flag.
Christ is the Master and we are just His servants. If we're in such need to boast about something then it should be only this...
"but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD." Jeremiah 9:24
Julie Clinton And The Extraordinary Special Flower Bandwagon
I realize pointing out the problematic teaching of these popular women's teachers is going to make a lot of women angry and most will gloss over this post, brush it off and keep following them. I wish it weren't so, but, according to the Bible, most people will flock to heretics, believe every word they say and follow along because they're hearing exactly what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). But if just a few women will begin comparing what they're paying to learn, from those like Julie Clinton, to the Bible then that will be a good thing.
Most professing Christians in the States alone don't even read their Bibles. Statistically, only 10% of professing Christians read their Bibles regularly. Therefore, most have no idea what kind of teaching they're getting from teachers like Julie Clinton. Even people who read their Bibles more than the average person can be easily deceived because these teachers spin worldly philosophy and pop-psychology, slap a "Christian" tag on it and pass it off as Biblical. We think because they used scripture it's kosher. Satan used Scripture (and twisted it) all the time too and had the audacity to do it on the Word of God Himself. Why would we ever think he wouldn't do it to us?
We judge by popularity and use a "follow the herd" mentality. We'll follow them just because they call themselves "Christian", most are flocking to them and/or what they're teaching kinda sounds like the Biblical story we're sorta familiar with so it must be all good. It's not. Following the herd is beneficial in the animal kingdom, but it spells death to the Christian considering Satan has dominion over the world and controls all of its philosophy.
We're so inundated with Bible Teachers who all have a product to sell us, special secrets and revelations from God and who all claim to be changing lives and making a difference, but a few questions keep coming up for me...
1. Up until modern times with the explosion of so called "Bible" teachers, how did Christians grow and mature in the faith without Julie Clinton, Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Sheri Rose Shepherd, Joel Osteen, etc.,?
2. If these teachers really have all the secrets to living how God wants us to live then why do their teachings, supposedly from God, so horrendously contradict God's Word? And does that mean the millions of Christians dealing with atrocious persecution in the rest of the world are out of the loop and not blessed? (For a tiny idea of the enormity of Christian persecution see: Sheri Rose Shepherd - God's Warrior Princess Apparently Graphic Pics and NSFW)
3. How do those persecuted, suffering Christians handle it all without Julie Clinton and yet have astounding maturity in the faith that makes us in the west look like preschoolers?
Julie Clinton, President of EWomen, sounds like all the other popular teachers out there. It's an extraordinary bandwagon they want us to jump on. She even peddles a skin care line on her site. Obviously God wants us to have great skin too. Poor saps out there with genetically bad skin...well it just stinks to be you apparently.
"Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from Me. Jeremiah 23:30
Julie Clinton and all the others share the same pop-psychology, worldly philosophy and doctrine that we can actually get cheaper (and wouldn't have to get out of our jammies) from watching a few episodes of Dr. Phil and Oprah. Julie Clinton, like all the others, claims she's unlocked secrets to living better and living how God wants us to live. I guess her teachings are mystical secrets when people don't read the Bible. 66 books written over 1500 years and God left stuff out? Did He suddenly remember, therefore plucked Julie Clinton out of the bunch and whispered them to her? Since when are "secrets" meant to be sold? Give me a break! There were plenty of people doing the exact same thing in Paul's day that we're warned about. They're called Gnostics, children of the devil, false Christs, false prophets and false teachers.
Here's a few experts from Julie Clinton's book Extraordinary Women: Discovering the Dream God Has For You ( I'll write more on her in the future)...
"you'll learn how the supernatural person of Christ gives us the ability to see with different eyes..."Supernatural? Is he the Son of God sacrificed on the cross for our sins that were sending us straight to hell? Did He pay the penalty for our offenses against a Holy God who demands the wages of our sins be paid with or without Christ? Did He offer us His righteousness and merit for eternal life because even our best, most "extraordinary" efforts God compares to a woman's used menstrual cloth (Isaiah 64:6)? Or is Christ a genie in a bottle?
Different eyes? Are these a separate set that we mount on our foreheads? How, exactly, do we get this ability to see differently? Just more "motivational jargon" that makes Julie Clinton no different than any other motivational speaker out there that comes and goes Christian or not.
Don't worry everyone! Don't panic! Julie Clinton risked it all for us and shook her fist at the enemy. She bravely and defiantly picked the lock to some secret chest, only she knew about, and pulled out The Secret Dream of God! Don't forget to buy something from her skin care line. You can't be extraordinary if your face looks like its melting."Julie has unlocked the secrets to capturing the dream God has in mind for you."
Here's the real "secret" that's not a secret and I won't charge you for it either. You just need to read the Bible...
Romans 8:29 "For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,"
"Thinking of yourself as an extraordinary woman might seem arrogant to you, but that's how God designed you. You are a one of a kind woman, with a distinct personality, unique gifts, and the potential to make a mark in this world that is different from any other."Sounds good on the surface. Makes me feel good about me. Makes me want to give myself a great big squeeze because God needs me. I have all these unique gifts, personality and my pedicure is unlike any other I've seen in months. I ♥ me! So does God. AWESOME!
Since God's intentions for us are to make us into the image of Christ and NOT a better us, how is Julie Clinton teaching women to do that? How is she teaching women to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, walk the narrow path and prepared for His return as He warns us about several times throughout the New Testament particularly in Matthew 25. Instead, Julie Clinton keeps us fixed on us and all our problems, insecurities and failures which are ultimately our weaknesses, because keeping us fixated is making her money. Satan wants us fixed on us too because that keeps us unproductive. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that when we are our weakest then does God work through us so we have nothing in ourselves to boast in because everything about us is extraordinarily wicked.
What Julie is teaching is arrogant. In fact, all her teachings do is encourage us to puff ourselves up even more with self pride and God hates pride. What part of the following scriptures make me extra-ordinary? Where in the following scriptures does God even imply we are extraordinary, wonderful, beautiful, special things?
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23
"What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;" Romans 11:2
"As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." Romans 3:10-11
"There is no one who does good." Psalm 14:1
Sin is filthy and vile to God. Sin is Satanic. Sin is absolutely contrary to the nature of God. Sin has infected us and made us depraved creatures and hostile toward God at conception. There is no one good, but God (Luke 18:19) nor anyone who does good. The only good in us after regeneration is the Holy Spirit who immediately sets out to change us into Christ's image because even a "better us" is vile to God. Of course Julie's not going to tell her followers that. She wouldn't be making money with the truth.
Since the standard of testing teachers and their teachings is Scripture, I'm not getting how I should love me, feel good about me and think I'm extraordinary from those Scriptures or any other Scripture. I'm not getting how feeling good about me and my failures (ie. sin), sorrow over sin and genuine repentance can co-exist? They simply cannot. Genuine repentance and salvation can only come when one's eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit and they finally see how vile, bankrupt, corrupt and lost one is when faced with God's holiness and righteous standards. God doesn't bend to meet our standards. He demands we meet His (ie. the purpose of the Law). Since we can't because of our corrupt nature and have, in fact, broken every law He ever made, hence our desperate need of Christ.
I can't stress enough that any gifts or talents we have are given to us by God alone for the distinct purpose to glorify Him. To esteem Him. To point to Him not us. To serve Him. But like all the other popular teachers, Julie Clinton wants us focused on us, esteeming us so we can feel like special flowers. We didn't develop any talent all on our own and for our own esteem and edification. Not a single human being is anything without Christ other than fuel for a fire. I can't even change a single hair on my head (Matthew 5:36)
Her book is written in such a way as to make women feel as if they've joined an exclusive club. Unless you are an extraordinary woman, like she is, you'll never do all these great things she's discovered that God wants for you. She has all the secrets and we must listen to her and buy her material in order for us to become anything.
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13
"And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (Not Julie Clinton)
"that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man," Ephesians 3:16
"for 'In Him we live and move and have our being’" Acts 17:28
Everything outside of Christ doesn't even matter. Everything outside of Christ is worthless. We all exist, move and have our being in Him. Outside of Christ none of us can do anything no matter how many workbooks we buy and conferences we attend or how many secrets Julie Clinton claims to have. We are nothing without Christ and even in Christ we are desperately dependent on Him for all things from salvation to even the very next breath we take in. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 we're told God's power is perfected in weakness not in being strong, independent, extraordinary women.
Why are we looking for secrets when we don't even read God's Word? Everything we need to know, everything God wants us to know about Him is already in His Word. There are no secrets. If you belong to Christ then you're being changed into His image and all things in your life whether good, bad or downright awful are used for the sole purpose to conform you to that image.
Lastly, Julie Clinton's teachings are worldly not godly. She's preaching to women everything the world preaches, floods us with and keep the focus off of Christ and on us. That is a man-centered philosophy, "Self" idolizing doctrine and it's everything Satan wants for you and not God.
There is one thing we actually can feel good about, that if you're in Christ...that you're in Christ. He chose you and didn't pass over you.
Becoming a Virtuous Woman
Did you know the man should always pursue the woman? Did you know in Scripture if a woman pursues a man she's considered immoral?
If You're Not Suffering....Start Worrying.
When that was written, the people were suffering. They'd been rounded up like cattle, their homes and city conquered and destroyed and carted off to Babylon as exiles. Are you suffering? Does it seem unending? Have you known affliction so long and so much you don't think you'd know how to even live without it? Sinking fast?
Good! That's not only great news, but it's also a good sign.
No, I'm not crazy or heartless. I've been through it too and will probably be thrown in the crucible several more times before it's over. Iff you've been following around prosperity teachers and others whose teachings are full of worldly philosophy, pop-psychology, coddling and a watered down Gospel, "Good" isn't exactly what you expected or wanted to hear. I probably do come off as heartless. Nevertheless, God does have control over our suffering. It didn't come without His knowledge and He allows it for specific purposes.
God uses suffering to teach and discipline. He also uses it to draw us to Him. God will not only make us marinate in suffering, but He expects us to do it silently. As humans, it's natural for us to complain, whine, freak out, try to fix things ourselves or be confused, but as Christians all of these things are sin.
"For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." Romans 8:29
God predestined us to be built into Christ's image, nothing else. He didn't choose or predestine us because we have great hair, a way with words, charismatic, pretty or have specific talents He can utilize. He chose for His own reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with us or about us and it's for the sole purpose to conform us into the image of Christ. That conformity can only come through suffering.
When have you ever been changed or learned valuable lessons when times were good? When times are good we always become complacent, lazy and indifferent. We learn very little. It's when things go down the drain does the real education and change happen. We're always willing to accept good from God, but when He brings trials and affliction for purposes of discipline and training, we sulk, whine and lose faith. When is discipline from any stand point "fun"? Any time I was ever disciplined I never thought "Man this is great! Tack on another week to my groundment Dad! I love it!" or "Hit me again grandma! I wanna see the pretty stars again!"
All discipline is necessary and vital. If we are Believers then we should expect trials and suffering for discipline and training. But if you don't face much suffering or affliction then I say to you: examine yourself to see whether you really are a genuine Believer. If your life is just peachy and successful most of the time that is a serious cause to worry about your relationship with God according to the Bible. Not suffering is a red flag that a relationship with God is non-existent.
“'My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.'”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:5-11
King Solomon offered good advice for us...
"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." Ecclesiastes 7:14
Affliction makes us re-evaluate. It makes us think, examine ourselves and consider, not just our situation and lifestyle, but also our relationship with God. Then it moves us closer to God, dependent on Him and that bond is strengthened. Only that relationship is eternal. Everything else is uncertain and temporary. If you've been met with one struggle after the other, it's temporary. This life is the closest you or I will ever get to Hell. That puts trials in a whole new perspective. When we consider what millions of other Christians go through daily and how they suffer, our suffering will seem small and insignificant in comparison.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." 1 Peter 1:6-7
God never promised an easy life to anyone. That's what counting the cost of following Christ was. (Luke 14:28-34) It's a hard life, it's a disciplined life, it's a struggle, full of trials and affliction and will cost you everything. It may even cost you your life. The crucible is not a play ground. That fire is going be hot when we get plunged in and it's going to hurt, but there's no other method for removing impurities from gold like fire. It's absolutely necessary.
Lastly, since we are being conformed to the image of Christ and we're to follow His example...
"Although he was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered" Hebrews 5:8
Christ, though the Son, learned obedience through suffering as to be an example to us and the firstborn among many. If Christ suffered to be taught obedience, how can we not expect to suffer? Obedience is only taught through discipline and sometimes that discipline must come through a harsh rod. If it seems that God has been beating the daylights out of you lately, don't whine or complain to others. Don't freak out or throw a tantrum. Rejoice! It means you're His. But if you haven't really experience suffering or affliction in your walk, now's the time to worry.
What a wretch I am!
Afterall, it's ingrained in us that we're chosen for everything on our own merit. We're rewarded based on our own works. With God, that's not the case. He doesn't choose anyone to do anything based on how they look, behave, upbringing or any other works or human achievement. I think it takes people a long time to fully realize this. But when we finally do...how liberating it is!
Religion brands our brains somehow that God, being holy and righteous, is just waiting for us to mess up. He's like a lion waiting to pounce and rip us to shreds if we do something wrong. Religion turns God into a mean Being. But nothing could be further from the truth. God realizes what He's dealing with in each of us long before He chooses us. He's fully aware that even our greatest efforts and greatest deeds we do for Him are going to a big stinky mess.
God is so holy and we are so sinful that anything we do for Him or give to Him will be stained (Isaiah 64:6). It's like putting a 4 year old in charge of carrying a priceless gift to someone. If there's a puddle that kid will find it and jump in in. If there's dirt, that kid will find a way to get it stuck to him/her. Not to mention you can also guarantee that gift will be kicked around like a soccer ball at some point or fallen on. It's just gonna be a mess and God knows that with us.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
We're incapable of doing anything totally right and completely pure. Somewhere our own nature is going to make a gross mess of it. Motives, pride, behavior, thoughts, etc. We're never pure. No matter how hard we try to do the right thing we're gonna mess it up somewhere. He knows this. He didn't choose any of us based on how well we perform or our potential. He chose for His own reasons. Paul wrote...
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do," Romans 7:15
Paul wrote this several years after his own conversion so he wasn't a new convert beginning to notice the sin nature in him that he never noticed before. Paul still struggled with his own sin. What he wanted to do (good) he didn't do. What he didn't want to do (sin) he did. Just like us Paul found himself repenting of sin several times a day, hating his own actions, but realizing though he was a new creature the sin nature wasn't quite dead yet and continued to raise it's ugly head.
"For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing" Romans 7:18-19
Paul couldn't escape it and neither can we. Like us, he became frustrated with himself, angry with himself, hated his own actions and thoughts, but no matter what, he was still continuing to battle it. I'm positive Paul even wondered if he was truly a Christian at times because of the sins he still committed. He was still just human.
One night around 4 am I was in the bathroom sitting on the edge of the tub crying quietly. My husband woke up and noticed I was gone and came looking for me. When he came in and saw me he started to panic thinking something terrible happened. He asked what was wrong and I cried "I don't think I'm saved." He stared at me totally confused, half asleep and trying to understand what my problem was, but then kinda laughed at me and did his best to comfort me at 4 am and half asleep.
I had just woke up from a dead sleep and suddenly realized just how many times that day I had blown it and for some reason I managed to convince myself in a matter of seconds I wasn't a Christian and was going to hell. It may sound ridiculous and pretty funny (I laugh about it too now) but when you consider the gravity of heaven or hell it can put you into a panic. If you base eternity on your own actions and merit it will throw you into a panic because you know, as all people do, there really isn't anything you can do to deserve something so awesome as Heaven. Even if you could obtain it through your own works, you're too lazy to do it all as we all are.
God doesn't expect perfection from us and thank God! He does expect humility. Humility makes us teachable, pliable, able to be built and shaped into whatever God wants. Pride makes us hard, unteachable therefore we don't repent because we think we have no sin. God can do nothing with pride except smash it. Like David whom God called a man after his own heart, David wasn't sinless. He was humble therefore teachable.
Like the Apostle John said ...
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8
If you're a genuine Christian than you know all to well the sin in you and you hate it. But God's love isn't based on any of that. He doesn't love us because of us. He loves us in spite of us. Like Paul, we can lament, but understand...
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:15-25
It's not what you or I do that deserves Heaven or God's love and approval. It's what Christ did. It's His righteousness we wear not our own. God has delivered us from the exhausting, frustrating, endless work of attempting to gain salvation through our own works. That is religion. That is Law. This is why He made the call to all people...
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Religion is a heavy and exhausting burden with no guarantees, but in Christ is freedom. That's the Gospel and glaring difference from religion. As Paul Washer said "If you don't have a new relationship with sin, you don't have a new relationship with God." To find yourself loving righteousness more and more and hating the sin in you more and more proves you are a Christian.
The American Female - Beautiful Diasters
I'm in no way attacking my fellow American females out there so don't take this wrong. I'm attacking the system fed to us since birth. The problem with American girls isn't looks. It's true American females are some of the most beautiful girls in the world. But no matter how beautiful we are...let's face it our attitude and ideas can really suck and that's what can cost us dearly.
If you've been reading here a while then you know I am not an advocate of feminism. I despise feminism. The word "feminism" is completely deceiving itself. Feminism's inception was valuable, but what it's morphed into hasn't only damaged American men, but damaged the American girl and her reputation. We're not viewed as we like to think we are. What we've become in most places are obnoxious, fake, simple minded, gold digging, easy feminists. But there's a lot of irony in this that makes us look a little moronic.
Feminism has raised us females. It's been fed to us our entire lives in every area and every aspect. American females posture in masculinity. We've been taught to. From the moment we even meet a guy we're already asserting ourselves as on par or more dominating than he is. Combined with looks, this can be a poisonous mix for any man who will probably eventually be found sneaking out the backdoor with his suitcases. Men are visual creature and we know this so we use that to our advantage to reel them in. And, like the visual creatures they are, they ignore the masculinity and domination in the beginning, but it always comes back to bite us. This posturing is so foreign to us that we just look mental eventually. It's like trying to wear daddy's boots to school and expecting everyone to envy us and want to be us. They don't fit no matter how cute we are.
In all this posturing, in all this manipulation and show of strength, we're most inclined to go for someone who makes a lot of money/is stable and is respected, feared and dominating to other males. We are going to gauge a male and go for an alpha status. Such as being attracted to the captain of the football team, business owner or head of corporation, bad boys etc. It's just in us to do no matter how much we front or fight it. The money makes him the provider. The domination and respect by other males makes him the protector and guardian. Genetically females instinctively go for the strongest male she has access to for survival purposes and reproduction. Tied to the physical strength is the male that offers the best stability/provisions. As often as we try to dominate the male, which is simply out of selfishness, when men stand up to us we wilt.
So I gotta ask...does this make any sense? Do we not look crazy? Why do us American girls waste so much time putting up this front when everything else we do by instinct shows us for what we really are? This behavior isn't even in our genetic makeup.
We'll sleep around because we think that's all the value we have to men. Or we'll want to sleep around because feminism tells us "if it's ok for a man to do it then it's ok for a woman." But the problem is...it's not ok for men to do it. So why are we selling ourselves so short and cheapening ourselves? Another example is that our stimulation is not based on visuals like men, but women will gather at male strip clubs and act like crazed maniacs not because they're turned on by what they see, but because they think that's how men act in that situation.
Ever hear the "nice guy" complain that he can't get a girl? It's because he's not being the alpha male. It's not that he's nice. "Nice" is valuable. The problem is he's too sensitive which is characteristically a female trait. He's too subservient and frankly a pushover. By nature that's not what we females want.
So in all this what are we competing for? What exactly are we hoping to obtain? What message do we want to send? We may have certain ideas about it, but looking at the message we're sending and what's being received is the exact opposite. I know just with myself when I've used a dominating style the reception has been equivalent to looking a lion in the eyes. It's instinctively taken by the male as a direct challenge and affront to nature and his genetic makeup. But when I'm feminine and true to my female nature it's received quickly and happily. By nature men are attracted to and desire feminine females. There's no way around it.
Of course if you're a feminist you'll hate me for pointing this out, but there's absolutely nothing I wrote that isn't true. Do we want to stay splashing around at the shallow end believing we're the envy of the world when the truth is we're just beautiful disasters? Desired for a moment then brushed off like dandruff off a shoulder. Not attractive.
God Wants Us To Fail
I thought it was to show the world God is real and on my side by how much He blessed me and how healthy I was. The more successful I could become, the more I had would show others God really was on my side. Then I realized Jesus didn't have much, Paul gave up wealth and esteem and was often sick and those who are greatest in the Bible many didn't have much of anything at all and suffered terribly. What about those in countries where Christianity is illegal and they're persecuted? They're neither wealthy or healthy. In fact they suffer terribly for the faith, but suffering is what we're called to endure and will be richly rewarded. If Christ learned obedience through suffering (Hebrew 5:8) even though He was perfect and the Son how much more are we, imperfect, sinful creatures to learn obedience through suffering.
I thought God just wanted me happy because He loved me. If I could love me and be happy with me that's what He's most concerned with. Then I realized I was sinful and could never be happy with myself and more often than not I was thoroughly disgusted with myself. I realized as a father disciplines his kids so God disciplines us. Sometimes He has to beat the daylights out of me to get me back on track! I realized if He doesn't discipline me then he doesn't love me therefore I'm not one of His.
Then I realized what God is most concerned with as I stumble through this life falling flat on my face so often...it's to conform me to the image of Christ. I'll never reach perfection here and neither will you, but that is God's only purpose for us once He calls us. I don't have to be successful by worldly standards, rich, powerful, beautiful, intelligent or anything else. He loved me anyway not because of anything I had done or ever will do. He loved me for what He has done. I was looking for all the wrong things, an abundant life now when I realized He was working death in me...death to myself and to the world to gain life in His Son. Everything we suffer or have ever suffered, every failure, every pain, every disappointment is working death and conforming us to the image of Christ. That's not something that brings discouragement. That's a beautiful thing and gives us hope.
I can't do anything. Everything I do, everything I say, everything I plan...even just waking up in the morning or taking another breath depends on Him. God wants us to face failure so we eventually look up, become dependent on Him and realize we have nothing else but Him. Everything we are, do, all of our joy, hopes, dreams, peace, actions, comfort comes from Him alone. But here's the beauty of it...in our failures He still loves us.
That may not line up with your idea of reaching God. You may not like that...but to someone like me it means everything.I don't know of anything I do well. Sometimes I can't even walk into a place without smacking into a doorway. Sometimes I can't say anything right or do anything right but He still loves me. What he did for me wasn't something I earned so I can boast about myself. It was a gift...a gift I could never come close to earning no matter how many lifetimes I lived or what I ever do.
When we have been emptied of ourselves and our own efforts is when God works greatest through us. When we are at our weakest then He shows Himself strong.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God, He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be Just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith." Romans 3:23-27
God lets us face so much failure in every area so that we eventually realize that there is absolutely nothing we can do, say or think for Him anywhere or in anything where we don't need Him. We need Him just to pray, to read the Bible, to serve Him, to praise Him, to think about Him. Everything good inside of us is Him. There is nothing in our flesh deserving of confidence, security or trust. All we have is Him.
Do you feel like a total failure? Do you feel like a total loser? Have you realized that everything you try to do for God or just in life you fail in? Do you feel like you are just one sin away from Him deserting you because you've failed so many times? Let me tell you something...God loves you. He not only loves you, He likes you. His love isn't dependent on how well we perform or what we can do like human love is often. That's Law not grace. He loved you and me long before we were even saved or even knew of Him. He proves it in that while we were yet sinners, while we were depraved and hostile toward Him, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). And He still loves you despite all your failures. God knew what He was getting Himself into with you long before you were called. He will never leave you or forsake you. Believing Him when he says He loves you, even if you don't know or understand how He still could, is faith. Even that faith comes from Him and therein lies your confidence.
God wants us to fail. He wants us to realize just how unholy, unrighteous, weak, lacking and unstable we are. In that do we understand our deep need of Him and begin to depend on Him for all things as Christ lived every moment fully dependent on Him. No matter how many mistakes you've made and how many failures you're facing, He still loves you, and me and every other huge failure walking around in Christ. Our walk, our lives, our service, our obedience is completely and wholly dependent on Him. He has upheld you your entire life even before you knew Him and He will continue to. That's what His love is. That's the Gospel and it's beautiful...
Sheri Rose Shepherd- God's Warrior Princess Apparently
For more on titles such as "Princess" see: Here A Princess, There A Princess, Everywhere A Princess
Sheri Rose Shepherd is a best selling author and speaker and much of what she writes is centered around being a princess for God. She spends lot of time on "revelations" and very little on Scripture. She also writes "love letters" that God supposedly gave to her and has a couple of books devoted to them. One of her several books is titled "How To Build A better You." How Joel Osteenish. How deceitful. God has no interest in building us into "a better you". It's building us into Christ. (Romans 8:29, Philippians 3:21) There is no where in Scripture God even implies he wants us to be better people or to have self esteem, self confidence, to love ourselves, feel good about ourselves. In fact, it's the exact opposite. But this is the kind of weak, worldly, false doctrine we're being fed.
Sheri Rose talks about her past as being a girl over weight and plain looking at best and going on to be Miss USA. After winning, photos of her popped up as an over weight ugly duckling and this traumatized her. Apparently, this spurned her on for a later ministry to help women feel good about themselves.
Sin affects us all. Not a single human being is not deeply scarred by sin whether it's our own or was thrust on us. Not a single one of us hasn't faced humiliation, mortification, trauma, struggles, depression, etc.What part of Sheri Rose Shepherd makes her a warrior princess? Is it her taking a stand against sin in her life and cutting it off to become holy? (Colossians 3:5, Galatians 5:17, 1 Cor 9:25, Romans 8:13) Or is it that she battled blows to her self confidence and self esteem and thinks this makes her a warrior princess?
My husband's from Iran and he and his family suffered severe persecution when they converted from Islam. They didn't, nor do they, worry about their self esteem. Their focus was on God alone and esteeming Him, holding Christ up even in persecution. They didn't worry about their weight or how they felt about themselves. They worried over whether or not they were exalting and glorifying God in the worst trials. They rejoiced in their suffering. It was the hallmark and seal of God's hand on them. Only in America, folks do we find this weak, worldly, disturbing teachings for profit. We need the refining fire of persecution to reach our doorsteps here in the West. Compared to Christians in other nations, we, in the west, are spoiled, self centered, shallow, ignorant, cows of Bashan (Amos 4:1-2) and Sheri Rose Shepherd helps cultivate it.
In light of reality, these teachers and their message just seem silly and disgusting. What Sheri teaches is not the Christianity of the Bible. One only needs to read their Bible to know that. What she teaches is vanity, sin and of the world. Can you look at these pictures and say you've suffered far more? I know I can't. What if this happened to Sheri? How fast would she desert Christ? Fat pics rocked her world pretty hard. If being overweight and an ugly duckling is the worst that's ever happened to Sheri Rose Shepherd or any of us, we all need a serious reality check.
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| Indonesian Christian woman beheaded for the Gospel |
Here's a Christian woman killed by Muslims in Nigeria for being a Christian. This is no anomaly. This happens every single day while Sheri Rose Shepherd and other teachers get on a stage in their pretty designer dresses, shoes and nifty little workbooks they wrote and sell to teach us how to love ourselves, diet, feel pretty, have self confidence and cling to some sort of idea of self worth that's not even Biblical. This Nigerian woman is beautiful to Christ. As when Stephen was being stoned (Acts 6 and 7) and saw the God and King of the universe literally rise from His throne to greet little old Stephen as a means of honoring and welcoming him, I'm sure this woman got the same welcome into Heaven. While I write this all I can think of is "How dare we? How dare these teachers?"
Sheri's entire ministry is based on a feel good message with a heavily watered down Gospel much like Beth Moore with very little mention of sin or repentance and a lot focused on "Self". She has no clue about expository teaching, exegesis or even a basic grasp of hermeneutics. She's just a talented motivational speaker, another proponent of pop-psychology, worldly philosophies and man-centered theology so prevalent in our society and churches. What part of these teachings and us flocking to them constitutes "Seek first the kingdom of God"? (Matt 6:33) What part teaches denying ourselves, taking up our crosses and following? (Mark 8:34) Or throwing off all that hinders and running that race with our eyes fixed on Jesus? (Hebrews 12:1-2)
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| Nigerian Christian woman and baby murdered by Muslims |
God's main concern for us is not whether or not we feel good about ourselves. It's not our self esteem or confidence. It's molding us into the image of Christ and all our suffering, whether we were 10 or 50, is used for that purpose. Christ learned obedience through suffering and He was the Son (Hebrews 5:8) so how much more will we?
For someone like me, and millions of others, who've come out of bad families, destructive lifestyles, false religions, depression, etc., this all seems good in the beginning. What human being doesn't want to focus all their attention on themselves and make themselves idols? It's already ingrained in us in the sin nature. This is why Shepherd and all those like her are so successful. They appeal to the sin nature. What makes Sheri's messages different from Dr. Phil and Oprah besides the Christian lingo she uses?
Here's an example taken from her website
The "Beauty" is the image of Christ and that doesn't come without suffering and obedience. Only Christ has life and she doesn't use much Scripture to feed her followers. What she does use is twisted, distorted and taken way out of context to force it to line up with her silly ideas. All the while she's betting that the women who follow her never read their Bibles, won't even look those Scriptures up and compare what she teaches to Scripture. Her bet is valid though. They don't look them up and read surrounding text let alone study their Bibles.His Princess Love Letter
Beautiful
My Beautiful Girl
I know you don’t see yourself the way I do because you compare yourself to beauty idols that will soon be forgotten. If you could see how beautiful you are in My eyes, then you would see that your eternal beauty is a breath of heaven! When I look at you, I see a treasure ready to be discovered, a princess ready to shine. I have given you the kind of beauty that is everlasting. I lined your lips to speak words of life; I have given you beautiful hands to reach out to your hurting friends. The beauty I created you to be is a reflection of Me. The beauty you possess will leave eternal beauty marks on the hearts of all who were loved by you.
What of these "love letters"? Where are these in Scripture? I can write a love letter to myself and others too and sign it "God". That doesn't mean it's from Him especially when they go against Scripture. That would just make me weird, possibly a little psychotic, but definitely Gnostic. Are we to just trust Sheri and not God? Are we to just throw out Scripture altogether and follow her love letters? Obviously she has more authority on Scripture than God.
His Princess Prayer over you
The Lord’s greatest Treasure! I pray that you will know how highly your Father thinks of you. May you feel His love and acceptance in everything. I pray that you will treat yourself as an irreplaceable jewel, because that is how He sees you. May you not settle for anything less than you’re worth, and may you see yourself the way that God sees you: perfect in His eyes. I pray that you will never allow anyone to tell you who you are except for your heavenly Father, who knows the real you. May you shine for Him! In Jesus’ name, Amen. (emphasis in bold is mine)
A Prayer for Identity
Frankly, feeling good about me and sorrow over my sin severely clashes. I know my sin and it's ever before me. My sins reminds me how much I need Christ. I have no confidence in my flesh and know there is nothing good in me or any other Christian, but Christ. Our worth is dependent on Him alone. We can do nothing apart from Him. We can't even control waking up in the morning or how many hairs we'll lose when we brush. If we're to treat ourselves as we're worth and in light of Scripture wouldn't that make me like Satan, elevating myself in Christ since the only worth I have is Christ in me? That's exactly what she's telling women to do.
Furthermore, why does He see us "perfect in His eyes"? Could it have something to do with sin that made us filthy and vile before God, being condemned and going to hell except for Christ's perfectness and righteousness? Or is it because God thinks we're great just the way we are and He wants us to feel good about ourselves because we're His little princesses? Which is it Sheri?
Honestly, all this does is make me want to sing Christina Aguilera's "I Am Beautiful" while waving a lighter in the air. What is a prayer for identity? Identity in what? In who? For what? Where in Scripture is it ever mentioned or implied Christ intercedes for us to gain an "identity"? There's not a lot of focus on Christ and His finished work. There's no focus on sin, shining a spotlight on people to what they really are and their need for a Savior. Just being princesses like a bunch of Paris Hiltons with our little dogs running around and convincing ourselves this is what God wants. Just a lot more man-centered garbage so "in" these days.
This self centered doctrine absolutely repulses me because it does so much damage to our relationship with God and to knowing the real God....the God of the Bible. Not a god Sheri Rose Shepherd and those like her have conjured up to serve "Self". That's an idol. But we like that kind of god who caters to us because he's not threatening and allows us to continue in the sin we love instead of cutting it off as Christ demanded (Matt 5:30). So much apostasy and blasphemy filling the churches. But we "feel" like we're saved and Sheri is teaching good doctrine. Feelings have nothing to do with it especially when Jeremiah 17:9 tells us the heart is deceitfully wicked. Do you want to put your trust in a heart that's deceitfully wicked?
It's good for Sheri Rose Shepherd though! She's making a lot of money off shallowness and encouraging shallowness. She's getting her ego stroked by ignorant, flocking professing Christians and mending her own hurt pride and inferiority complex through this false teaching. I got news for you Sheri, you're no warrior princess. You're not even Biblical. You're just another fake, worldly, false teacher. For the rest of us truly believing females...shake them off, turn away and follow Christ.
As for Sheri and others like her, they should heed Scripture and quake in their designer heels the next time they get on a stage to teach..."Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more severely than others." James 3:1
What the Bible really teaches on "self esteem" and "feeling good about ourselves"...
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