THE BEAUTY THAT PLEASES GOD

The average person, especially women, likes to be described as beautiful, and usually it is physical beauty (color of the eyes, hair, height, apparel, makeup). It is good to be beautiful physically, however, physical beauty should not be our focus, because it is short-lived, most of the time. We have it one day, and then we don’t. Beauty fades as we grow older and have ill-health. We should strive for beauty that does not change even when our circumstances change. The book of Proverbs cautions us this way, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30 NIV). The key phrase is: ‘fears the Lord.’

The fear (faith, reverence, and obedience) of the Lord makes one wise in one’s approach to life, which leads to transformation of heart and mind that leads to the beauty of the inner person. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, the inner beauty is not altered, as long as we continue to fear the Lord. According to the Scriptures, inner beauty should be our focus and ultimate goal, because He says, “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44 NIV). 

The apostle Peter puts it this way, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful” (1 Peter 3:3-5 NIV).   

As we work on looking beautiful, let’s not forget to work on our inner beauty as well, because that’s what God has in mind for us. Let’s do all it takes to be inwardly stunning!

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE SHOULD WE BE?

 

Every Christian should participate in the discussion about our Lord’s return. It is that important! The apostle Peter described in his letters how things will be when the Lord returns. Based on the information he provided, he asked this very important question: “What kind of people ought you to be?” 

So let’s see what the Day of the Lord (the Lord’s Return) is going to look like. That day will come like a thief (when we least expect). And on that day, “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10 NIV). 

Peter’s question then is, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be” (2 Peter 3:11 NIV)? He then gives the answer: “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat” (2Peter 3:11-12 NIV). 

So we need to:

·        Be Watchful – “If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” (Luke 12:39-40 NIV).

·        Live Holy Lives – be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with God (2 Peter 3:11, 14 NIV)

·        Speed His Coming with Evangelism – “And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (2 Peter 3:12; Matthew 24:14 NIV).

·        Know the Word of God, be on your guard, and do not be deceived (see 2 Peter 3:17).

• Store up our Treasures in Heaven, where there will be no fire, moth, rust, stealing, or any kind of destruction (see Matthew 6:20).

 So what kind of people ought we to be until His return? We need to be living expectantly and watchfully, keeping on the whole armor of God, and evangelizing with zeal and excitement. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus come!

THE PAYMENT FOR SIN IS DEATH

Let’s define the main words in the title of this article: payment, sin, and death.

Payment may be defined as compensation or wages, and it is an indication that some service has been rendered for which one needs to be compensated.

Sin is defined as an offence, a crime, wrongdoing, or transgression deserving some form of punishment.

Death is defined as demise or passing away.

 This phrase, the payment for sin is death, is part of a Bible verse. It says in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This verse is conveying the fact that we do get compensated for our wrongdoings, no matter the type or magnitude. Wrongdoing is wrongdoing, and the compensation is death.

When the Bible talks about death as a compensation for sin, it is not talking about physical/natural death; it is referring to spiritual death -- spending eternity in hell, also known as the second death. The first death is characterized by cessation of breathing and cessation of heart beat. Given time, every living thing dies eventually, but not everyone is going to experience hell/second death.

There are people who like to compare their wrongdoings to the wrongdoings of others, and conclude they are not as bad as those people. That reasoning sounds logical. However, sin is sin, and death is death. No matter which sin you commit, your compensation is death, and when another commits another kind of sin, their compensation is death as well.

I thought like this in my early teens. I attended high school with some very promiscuous teenagers; I had no respect for them, and always thought of them as SINNERS. It wasn’t until someone explained to me what I have just explained in this article that my perspective changed.

A lady named Florence, the traveling secretary for the Scripture Union, explained to me that the wages of being promiscuous were the same as the wages for telling a little lie. The light bulb went on in my heart, and I understood. The reason is that the One (God) who said don’t kill is the same One who said don’t lie. If you don’t kill but lie, you’ve still wronged that someone! 

So do you understand you are a sinner, no matter how insignificant you think your sins are? Do you understand there are consequences for your sins, no matter how insignificant? Are you ready to face the consequences? Let me remind you again; the consequences of sin is death/hell. Would you like to face that?

I’d like to think you'd prefer an alternative, and thank God there is one. The verse in Romans 6:23, continues with, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” So instead of death/hell, you can have life/heaven. How do you pass from death to life? God has made provision for that to happen in your life!

In order to pass from death to life, God wants you to admit to Him and to yourself that you are a sinner who deserves death, the due payment for sin. He then wants you to accept life by believing in His only Son Jesus Christ, who died to pay the penalty for your sins. Jesus’ holiness is transferred to you, and when God looks at you, all He sees is Jesus’ righteousness. He has nothing else to hold you accountable for; Jesus paid it all! The chorus to one of my favorite hymns goes like this: Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin has left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Would you allow Him to give you New Life today? Yes? Then call on Him today; tomorrow could be too late!

FINDING GOD

(How to Seek and Find God)

Do you have a difficult time finding God? Really, you shouldn’t. The problem could be your approach. The prophet Jeremiah puts it this way: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)  

What does it mean to seek? With its many synonyms, I think ‘hunt for’ explains it best, implying there is diligence, enthusiasm, and earnestness in the search. That way of searching reveals the desire and intention of the searcher’s heart; it says to God, “I love you; I want to know you better, and have a vibrant, ongoing relationship with you. I will give up anything and everything you ask of me to maintain a relationship with you.”

So what form should the search take? 

·        First and foremost, let’s get rid of lip service! It does not benefit us when we claim we are Christians, go to church, sing in the choir, and on and on, but live contrary to God’s Word.

 

·        Second, in addition to being believers, our hearts should yearn for God and focus on Him. We should desire to know Him better; we should desire and ask to know His mind on issues, and then gladly obey Him.

·        Third, we cannot know more about God without learning about Him.  If we desire to know Him better, our next step should be going to His Word, and wherever else we can, to learn about Him. Head knowledge alone about God is not enough, however. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us how we can apply what we learn in our everyday living. In other words, we should want to be transformed by what He reveals of Himself to us. Like Paul says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).   

Studying His Word comes in different forms: personal study, group              study, listening to sermons, and any other avenue of study God makes              available to us.

·        Fourth is seeking Him in prayer, asking the Spirit to search our hearts and reveal the sins we need to confess and forsake: both sins of commission and omission (see Psalm 139:23-24). We need to hunger and thirst for Him, asking for Him to live through us as Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 NIV). We need to yearn to be closer to Him, to be lost in His love, and then desire to be obedient to Him. 

·        Lastly, when we go to Him in prayer, let us not rush out of His presence, but wait patiently on Him to hear His voice of affirmation and any instructions He might have for us (see Psalm 40:1) .

It is not enough to say to God, “I am seeking you,” because He already knows every heart, so He knows whether or not you are seeking Him; “For the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV). If you are searching, make sure you are searching with ALL YOUR HEART, because it is only then that you’ll find Him; a haphazard search will not yield the needed result. King David admonished his son, Solomon, “Acknowledge the God of your Father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind” (1Chronicles 28:9 NIV).

If we seek God with all our hearts, we will find Him, because He has promised, and He is faithful.

NATURALIZATION

What is naturalization? It is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen in a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. There are numerous reasons why one would desire to be a citizen of a country other than one’s country of origin.  They could range from seeking better opportunities to getting away from persecution, seeking asylum, or marrying someone from that country.  

No matter the country, certain criteria have to be met to be granted citizenship. In addition to requirements for naturalization, there are responsibilities that come with citizenship.  When I became a citizen of the United States, I was admonished to exercise my voting rights to affect changes that will help America continue to be the great country it has been.  

     

Naturalization requirements can be very stringent, and requests are not always granted. Requests get turned down if criteria are not met. There is, however, one country where the requirement for citizenship is straightforward; there is no hassle, and no one is ever turned away, unless they try to come in through a back door other than the prescribed opened door. In fact, all are invited and encouraged to come, and are all welcomed. The requirements are the same for each person, regardless of their background. Politics and partiality play no part in this process. People of all nationalities, cultures, and languages; the educated, illiterate, sick, healthy, rich, poor, male female, adult, and child are all welcomed. As you can see, no one willing to come is turned away. That country is heaven, and the Maker, Founder, King, and Lord of that country is God Almighty.

Why are we invited to seek citizenship elsewhere? Because our current countries of origin are all temporary and full of evil, strife and woe, hatred, wars, and diseases; besides, they will all pass away sooner or later. Only the city built by God will last through eternity. This city is not an ordinary city built by human hands; it is built by God, and its streets are made of gold, like transparent glass, and its gates are made of pearls, and illuminated by the glory of God (see Revelation 21:22-23), and “He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4 NLT). The apostle Paul describes it this way: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT).

For a place this magnificent, one would expect the entry requirements to be very tough to meet, but they are rather very simple and straightforward: First and foremost, an applicant must be a sinner, seeking forgiveness of sins and freedom from the power of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Anyone who does not have the need to be forgiven does not qualify to apply.  An applicant has to understand that he or she is a sinner and needs a Savior.  Once a person is forgiven, he or she becomes a citizen of heaven, in training on earth. 

 The training continues until God decides it is time to go and enjoy citizenship to its fullest. Jesus comforted His disciples by saying to them, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:2-3 NLT). Nothing will disqualify anyone who has been granted citizenship, because the Bible tells us, “Now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:1-2 NLT).

While here on earth, our responsibility is to maintain fellowship with our Father through prayer, reading and studying the Word, and working at being more and more like Jesus every day, evidenced by the way we behave and interact with society. Also, while we are still here, we have the responsibility to encourage and build up others who are also on their way to the magnificent city, and to help those who are not to understand how urgently they need to naturalize. When we finally relocate to heaven, we will see our Father face to face (see 1 Corinthians 13:12); and we will be with Him forever (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17). 

GOD’S TRUTH IS THE ONLY TRUTH

Truth is defined as that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. There is something very refreshing and freeing about truth, because it does not change. Truth is non-negotiable; it is not affected by peoples’ view of it, and it does not take other positions into consideration; it stands alone. If it took other positions into consideration, there’d be no truth; it will cease to exist, and sadly, there’ll be only conflicting ideas that lead to chaos.  Consequently, there will be no need for law enforcement of any kind in society; everyone will be free to live out his or her own truth. What a messy world that would be! 

The Bible says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1 NIV). Will this fact change because someone insists there is no God? Of course not! If a child says to his parents, “You are not my parents,” would that change the fact that they really are, and could produce documents to prove it? Certainly not!

If you live on planet earth, anywhere in the world, you belong to God, and it behooves you to listen to what He says. One of the most basic things He wants us to pay attention to, has to do with our relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus. In reference to Jesus, the Bible says, “To those who believed in His (Jesus) name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:14 NIV). Do you believe in His name? Until you believe in Him, you are not His child; you are His creation, and of course, you are free to disagree with His claim of ownership on your life.

If you do not wish to be a child of God, then you are all set; you don’t have to do anything different from what you are already doing. On the other hand, if you’d like to be a child of God, you’ll need to ask God for forgiveness of your sin through Jesus. Disagreeing with this process of adoption is very unproductive, because disagreement is not an acceptable excuse for unbelief. It won’t exempt you from accountability. It will only place you in the category of unbelief for which the consequence is already spelled out. It goes like this, “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18 NIV). 

God is Truth; He does not change, and He does not take His words back (see Malachi 3:6, Isaiah 31:2). So we are the ones who need to change. Our way of thinking needs to come into alignment with His Word. If He says our relationship with Him will be restored only through faith in Jesus, then that is the only way to go. Please don’t waste time going around in circles, and coming up with seemingly-cute arguments, because His Word will never change to accommodate your unbelief and disobedience. You are free to choose what you want to believe, but also, be aware that what God says is final! Time is running out; do it God’s way by placing your faith in Jesus today for salvation! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). Which would you choose, perishing or eternal life? I encourage you to choose eternal life through by placing faith in Jesus, today!

MOTHERS

In general, mothers have the responsibility of caring for their families, and to raise their children to be responsible citizens. The Christian mother’s role however, goes beyond that. She is empowered by the Holy Spirit to also raise God-fearing children, by biblical instruction, and also by example.

King Lemuel’s mother, mentioned in Proverbs 31:1 instructed her son on godliness, but she also lived an exemplary life.  She was God –fearing, hardworking, generous and kind, industrious, trustworthy, and never idle.

In addition, a Christian mother has the privilege and the responsibility of praying with, and for her children. Being able to move the hand of God in the lives of our children is truly a wonderful privilege that all mothers should embrace, and take seriously.

Moses instructed the Israelites on how to handle the Word of God: “Commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your foreheads as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish …” (Deuteronomy 11:18-21 NLT).

What an amazing responsibility! It even comes with a promise—that the family will flourish! A mother cannot retire from the responsibilities of motherhood, no matter how old her children get. We might not be able to instruct them, but we can and should encourage and pray for them and their families. Until we each take our last breath we will be on prayer duty! In addition, we can adopt spiritual children and pray for them as well.

Mothers, God bless you for all you do, both seen and in secret. May our children arise and call us blessed! Happy Mother’s Day!