Monday Musing: GETTING GOD'S EAR

It has often been said that God answers a prayer with "yes", "no", and "wait". But sometimes God doesn't answer at all. Why is that? Isaiah 59:1-2 says, "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

		But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

The Bible tells us that God does not hear the prayers of the unrepentant. He is still God! He is still all powerful. He has not lost His hearing. But if we protect our sin and refuse to repent he CHOOSES not to hear us. The passage also says "your sins have hid his face from you". So in reality our own choices have everything to do with getting our prayers answered. If we feel we can't seem to get God's attention, we need to search our hearts and repent and confess our sins. If we do this God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 "then will I hear from heaven". God also emphasizes the importance of being right with our fellow man. Jesus deals with this in Matthew 5:23-24 and Mark 11:25. Thank God! When we sin God has made a way for us to get forgiveness and regain His ear. Through His son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, (1 Cor. 15:3) we can confess our sins to God and be cleansed from unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

Blessings!

Lisa

Jesus Christ, Our Unseen Guest

        Do you ever have a dream that while you are asleep it seems real and logical, but when you wake up you realize how ridiculous it really is? Well, I recently had one of those. The other night I dreamed that President George W. Bush came to my house for a visit. Of course I thought it a little strange that someone so famous would come and pay a visit to our home. Wouldn't you know it? My house was not clean. As a matter of fact it was unusually dirty, picture last night's supper dishes still on the counter with scraps of food. Totally gross! I was thinking, "I have got to start keeping the house cleaner for unexpected, important guests!" Then, as I began to put away the dishes, I said something stupid to Mr. Bush like, "I am honored that you would grace our home with your presence." I never talk like that. Another crazy part of the dream was when I looked out the window to check out Mr. Bush's mode of transportation, I saw a large black bus, like a Prevost. The bus had fold-out sides that when opened, the bus and panels formed a room when parked close to the side of our house. And did they enter our home by the door? No! They just tore out that wall and came in. I know! Crazy dream! It made for a good laugh when I told my family the next morning. 

        I don't normally put much stock in dreams, but I couldn't help but think about Christ being the unseen guest in my home. He isn't going to come knocking at the door, or even tearing through a wall. He is here nevertheless. Is my home welcoming to Jesus? If he was here in the flesh, would I be embarrassed? Is there anything in my home that does not please him? What if He opened the movie cabinet, or asked to borrow the computer, or sat down to watch tv with me. He is here just the same as if He was sitting on the couch or at my table. I need to remember this as I interact with my husband and children. Jesus is more important than President George W. Bush or any other unexpected guest we might have. May the Lord help us to make Christ always welcome in our homes.

Rom 14:12  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 

1Pe 4:5  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 

Blessings!

Lisa

PRESSING TOWARD THE MARK OF TITUS 2

        

     Let me start by saying I am not trying to convince someone to stay home. I am only trying to give encouragement to those who are already doing it. Motivated by Titus chapter 2, I have been a homemaker all of my married life. I believe that the scripture teaches that mothers are to be in charge of the training of the children and keeping the house. (Proverbs 29:15 1 Tim. 5:14) I have been a full-time home maker while my husband was in college as a married student, while he has pastored small rural churches, and while we were in full-time evangelism, and before all that when he was just a commercial painter.
        Even before we married, my husband and I resolved that we would do whatever it took for me to be a full-time wife and mother. It is not just something we decided haphazardly. We knew that it would be a commitment, but God would give us the grace and resources. Has it been easy? Absolutely not. Ask my husband if it was easy for him to work two part-time jobs and run a paper route (which would count as a third) while he also attended college in order to provide for his wife and baby son who were at home. I am so thankful to the Lord for giving me a man who has that kind of courage and diligence. There were many times that we stayed up all night so he could get a term paper hand-written to me so I could type it out on a word processor just in time for him to rush to class and turn it in. Throughout our life together, when funds were low, he would do fencing, concrete, roofing or whatever work he could find to provide for our family. 
        You see my husband never said, "I wish we could afford for my wife to stay home with the kids." Nor did I ever make such a statement. Considering our visible possessions, people may have thought that we could not afford for me to stay home. It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with what one is willing to do to make it happen. For us it was a choice and a commitment to God. It wasn't always easy for us to be so frugal with our finances. But it is possible for families to live on one income. It is possible, if a true desire is there, for a young mother to stay home and rear her own children. You just have to learn to live on less. You have to learn to be frugal. You don't have to keep up with the Jones. The Jones are probably up to their eyeballs in dept. 
        My husband and I took the responsibility of parenting seriously. We knew that when we brought a child into this world that child would be an eternal soul that would spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 is where God described to the Jewish parents their responsibility of training their children to honor God and His word. I believe that scripture is an example to us New Testament believers of how we are to diligently train our children. How can we speak to our children of the things of God as often as we should if we aren't with them? I said earlier it has nothing to do with being able to afford staying at home. It also has to do with trust in God's faithfulness to provide. He is Jehovahjireh. I would love to tell you of the many times our Jehovahjireh came through for us. I will tell you a few. Like the time we were out of groceries, so I mixed a few tortilla chips, some leftover beans, etc. and mixed it up and called it a casserole. We thanked the Lord for it, ate it, and asked the Lord to meet our need for more groceries. That afternoon a man from Thomas Road Baptist Church knocked on our door with several bags full of groceries. We had not asked anyone but God. I couldn't wait for Tony to get home that day so I could show him what the Lord had done. 
        Another thing God did: my husband was about to graduate, and a class ring company was at Liberty University taking orders. My husband was wishfully looking at the brochure. Then the lady told him they were giving out coupons for discounts on the rings, and one "lucky" person would actually get a coupon for a free ring up to a $600 value. While my husband tried to figure out which of the cheaper, even fake gold, rings we could afford, several customers came, got their discount coupons, placed their orders and went. Finally, my husband picked up his coupon, the lady swished it with the special marker that revealed the discount. Well, Lo! and Behold! The revealed message said, "Free ring $600 value!" She told him, and he said, "Well, then, give me the best you got!" So she showed him the executive design, genuine gold with 4 diamonds. I was thrilled when Tony called me to tell me that. It was either my birthday or my spiritual birthday that day. I can't remember; it's been 20 something years. I could not have gotten a better birthday present from the Lord than to see my deserving husband get blessed like that. It wasn't "luck", it was God. He still wears that ring very proudly. There's nothing wrong with bragging on God. He is worthy of our praise. I could go on and on about how God has provided our needs and many wants through the years. 
        If you are a young mother already being a keeper at home, and maybe your curtain climbers are small and driving you nuts sometimes, be encouraged, things will get better. And just in case you feel that you are not doing anything important, remember, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." You could be training up the next Charles Spurgeon, or the  doctor who will discover a cure for cancer, or the president of the United States, etc. Motherhood is a worthy career.
        Here are just some ways to stretch your income, whether you are a one or two income family:

1. Learn to cut hair.
2. Make your own birthday cakes. If you get good enough it could become a home business.
3. Make lunches instead of buying.
4. Grow your own veggies.
5. Learn to do your own hair coloring (if you color.)
6. Use a clothes line.
7. Learn to coupon.
8. File your own taxes.
9. Make and sell homemade jellies.
10. If you are crafty, make something and sell it at a local flea market.
11. Make your own cleaners instead of buying.
12. Shop at thrift stores.
13. Buy off season clothing. You can save boocoodles! (Is that a word?)

Leave a comment about things you do to stretch your income. I know there are some great frugality ideas out there.

Blessings!

Lisa

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THE MINISTRY OF PROPHETS CHAMBERS

        Our church has a ministry that is unique and not-so-unique, the ministry of our prophets chambers. The concept for this ministry comes from 2 Kings 4:10. Many churches have prophets chambers, so that's the not-so-unique thing. The unique part is the design. We have four separate bedrooms, each with it's own full bathroom, and one of the rooms has two beds, the others with one bed. When we built our family life center, our pastor (also my hubby) lead us to put in these rooms for preachers and missionaries and their families.      

        During the planning stages, Tony gave three requirements to the ladies that would take care of getting the furnishings for the rooms, each room must have the four elements from the above Bible passage - a bed,  a table, a stool, and a candlestick. So each room has four basic things, a bed, a table or desk, a chair, and lamps (with regular lighting of course.) Since we were devoting a large portion of the family life center to this ministry, we had plenty of room to do much more, the bathrooms, wardrobes if not a closet, and we added the distinctive decorative elements to each room. Our ladies have the ministry of keeping these rooms clean and amply supplied. There is a large, central seating area that is separate from the bedrooms, with a couch, a love seat, an automatic sleep-inducing recliner, some wing back chairs, a coffee table, lamps and end tables. 

        During construction (in the stud wall stage) Tony showed me a corner of the building that had no plans and asked me what I thought we should put there. I said, "Why not put in a whirlpool tub? Many preachers and missionaries can rarely afford one in there own home or even to rent one in a motel room." He liked the idea, and so did the building committee. So we put an eight jet whirlpool, a stool and a cabinet with towels and washcloths in that corner. The Lord gave Tony the idea of giving each room a name. The whirlpool room is called Bethesda; the bedrooms are The Elijah Room, The Boaz / Ruth Room, The Aquila / Priscilla Room, and the Abraham / Sarah Room.

        Many preachers and missionaries and their families have stayed in our Prophets Chambers over the past seven or eight years since we built them, missionaries to England, New Guinea, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Northwest U.S., Mexico, Cuba, Israel and many others. Preachers and pastors and their families from many different states have also used them. Though our church is small, this is one way we are having an impact for Christ. Our Lord is keeping records, and His Word promises we will be rewarded for what we do for Him. There is a specific passage in Matthew that addresses the rewards we will receive for these prophets chambers, not to mention the reward of the joy we get from helping these men of God and their families. As a preacher's wife, I have had the privilege of staying in several prophets chambers, and I can't say enough about the benefit they are to people in ministry. Often times prophets chambers have saved us hundreds of dollars on motel rooms. This might be a ministry your church could do. Or you could even make one from an extra room in your own home. That's what the Shunemmite woman did. A prophets chamber can be a small room with a bed and a shower. It doesn't have to be elaborate to be useful and appreciated. Are there any of you readers who have a similar ministry? I would love to hear from you. Maybe you have some great ideas for items that need to be included in a prophets chamber.        

Blessings!

Lisa

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

This is a devotion I gave at our monthly ladies meeting.

What's in a name?

You may remember the line from Romeo and Juliet- "What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet;"

Their struggle was that one lived under the name Monteque and the other Capulet ( these 2 families were feuding.)

A name can mean the title by which a person is labeled or a testimony which a person has lived.

Proverbs 22:1  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Notice the word good is added for clarity, but not in the original text because the original word depicted honor, authority and character. Today we talk about someone having a good name or a bad name, but then the word was only used in a good way. Have you ever heard the phrase "He has made a name for himself"? It means he has done something good that merited a good reputation.

This verse is saying that a godly testimony is what we should be working on rather than the accumulation of things.The second part of the verse "...loving favour rather than silver and gold."

It transfers the same verb phrase "is rather to be chosen" without repeating it. So the complete principle of the verse is "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour (is rather to be chosen) than silver and gold."

The word "and" between the two statements is also not original. So the verse is making a declaration in the first statement and then explaining the declaration in the second statement. A good name is equal to loving favour with God and men. Great riches is equal to silver and gold.

So from this verse we see that a name is not only a title but a testimony.

I. Family Name
My last name is Monk. Above is the Monk family Crest. It is my understanding that the lions represent the Motto "bravely, faithfully, happily".

Many times in the Bible a person's name has a meaning that tells something about that person.

Ex. Gen 3:20- Eve- Mother of all living.

      Gen_4:21  And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

Gen_10:25  And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 
Strong's gives the definition of Peleg as earthquake.


We named our first child, our son, Tony: after his Daddy who was proud to give his son his name. Our daughter, Natalie's name means Christmas Child. She was born close to Christmas. Our youngest child, we named Bethany because we liked the sound of it. Her name means house of God. Incidentally, she was born while we were in our first pastorate. The church paid the medical bills because we didn't have healthcare coverage at the time. We called her the church baby. Her middle name, Danae, we had heard from Dr. James Dobson's daughter. We were hesitant at first to use the name because it means Diana (like the pagan goddess.) Then we acknowledged that God is sovereign over all, so we were not going to let the devil keep us from using a name we liked. We weren't worshiping Diana. We just thought it sounded pretty. Naming a child properly is a worthwhile pursuit. You don't pick just any name.

To avoid confusion name a child what you will call him/her. I had trouble all through school because my legal name was Donna Alicia, but my parents decided to call me Lisa.

II. Faith Name

A new name is given to persons who have spiritual adoption. 
Isa 62:2  And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. To Abraham Gen_17:5, To Sarah Gen_17:15, To Jacob Gen_32:28 ,To Paul Act_13:9

Jesus, is our ultimate example lived Prov. 22:1

Luke 2:52 says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." 

Jesus did not seek riches while on earth, but rather humbled himself and obeyed the will of the Father.

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow

We are ambassadors for Christ.

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

We are called "Christians." We need to live up to the name. This takes us back to Proverbs 22:1

III. Future Name

We have a new name in Glory.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Even Jesus will have a name that we don't know.

Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

A Family name and crest was something people were proud of.

We should be proud to be called Christians. And we should live in a way that people think well of the name Christian.

Because we have a family title or name, a faith title or name and a future title or name, we should guard our testimony so that we bring glory to the Name that is above every name because one day we will bow before him.
Blessings!

Lisa

LET THEM LIVE!

Many years ago I read a tract called DIARY OF AN UNBORN CHILD. I am not sure where it originated, but I felt it was appropriate for today because of Initiative 26 that will be on our ballot today in Mississippi.
OCTOBER 5 Today my life began. My parents do not know it yet, I am as small as a seed of an apple, but it is I already. And I am to be a girl. I shall have blond hair and blue eyes. Just about everything is settled though, even the fact that I shall love flowers.
OCTOBER 19 Some say that I am not a real person yet, that only my mother exists. But I am a real person, just as a small crumb of bread is yet truly bread. My mother is. And I am.
OCTOBER 23 My mouth is just beginning to open now. Just think, in a year or so I shall be laughing and later talking. I know what my first word will be: MAMA.
OCTOBER 25 My heart began to beat today all by itself. From now on it shall gently beat for the rest of my life without ever stopping to rest! And after many years it will tire. It will stop, and then I shall die.
NOVEMBER 2 I am growing a bit every day. My arms and legs are beginning to take shape. But I have to wait a long time yet before those little legs will raise me to my mother's arms, before these little arms will be able to gather flowers and embrace my father.
NOVEMBER 12 Tiny fingers are beginning to form on my hands. Funny how small they are! I'll be able to stroke my mother's hair with them.
NOVEMBER 20 It wasn't until today that the doctor told mom that I am living here under her heart. Oh, how happy she must be! Are you happy, mom?
NOVEMBER 25 My mom and dad are probably thinking about a name for me. But they don't even know that I am a little girl. I want to be called Kathy. I am getting so big already.
DECEMBER 10 My hair is growing. It is smooth and bright and shiny. I wonder what kind of hair mom has.
DECEMBER 13 I am just about able to see. It is dark around me. When mom brings me into the world it will be full of sunshine and flowers. But what I want more than anything is to see my mom. How do you look, mom?
DECEMBER 24 I wonder if mom hears the whispering of my heart? Some children come into the world a little sick. But my heart is strong and healthy. It beats so evenly tup-tup tup-tup. You'll have a healthy little daughter, mom!
DECEMBER 28 Today my mother killed me.
Today in Mississippi we will be voting on Initiative 26. Following is the question that will be on the ballot:
"Should the term 'person' be defined to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof?" 
The only right answer is YES!
   Unfortunately, there has been so much debate over this issue, and much propaganda has been spread by liberal groups such as Planned Parenthood, disguising themselves as Mississippians for Healthy Families. Yet they are funded by many organizations outside Mississippi. See, abortion is more than just a woman's choice. It is an industry that fills the pockets of greedy abortion doctors and other businesses that use the parts of the babies to make products for profit. 
   What I can't understand is why any true christian would not see that invading the womb and attacking an innocent, unborn child is murder and breaks the 6th commandment. Ex. 20:13 Yet, I know people and have even attended church with a few of them in the past, that say they are voting NO. Unbelievable! Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us some things that God hates, and specifically, verse 17 mentions "hands that shed innocent blood". Can you get any more innocent than an unborn child? Twenty times in nineteen verses, the Bible speaks against the shedding of innocent blood. God hates abortion, and we are told in Psalm 82:3 that we are to "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy." Unborn children doomed to abortion are poor and fatherless. Wouldn't you agree? 
For the past 38 years the blood of 53,000,000 babies (some sources say) has been crying out to God from the ground like the blood of innocent Abel. I don't want any of that innocent blood on my hands. I plan to vote yes, which is a vote for the defenseless children. I only have one vote, but if I vote yes, I will have a clear conscience. Please, if you live in Mississippi, seek the wisdom of God, not men. What does Jesus want?
If you are not in Mississippi, please pray for this amendment to pass and end abortion in Mississippi. God will bless our state if we pass this, and hopefully other states will follow. 

PASTOR APPRECIATION

Pastors are a gift from God to the church. See Ephesians 4:11. October is pastor appreciation month, so I thought I would give some ideas of how you can show your pastor that you love and appreciate him and his family. This list is not exhaustive, so please put your ideas in a comment if you like. Some passages that teach the principle of pastor appreciation are I Kings 17:9-17 and Matthew 10:40-42.

1. Plan for different families in the church to feed the pastor and his family Sunday dinner for all five Sundays of October. 
2. Plan a certain week of the month for people to send cards and flood his mailbox. Better if done by surprise.
3. Plan ahead for several people to give words of appreciation during a church service.
4. Take up a secret love offering and present him with a card with a check enclosed. 
5. Secretly collect money and present him with a money tree. Just get a tree branch and clip money to the limbs with clothes pins.
6. Send him on a paid vacation (including gas money.) This could be simple or extravagant. Do whatever your church can afford. It could be just a weekend getaway, or a trip to Disney World, or a cruise, or a trip to the Holy Land.
7. Give him a gift certificate to his favorite restaurant.
8. Gift certificate to http://www.christianbook.com
9. Make some repairs to his house.
10. Drive by blessings. When you know he is home. Leave a goody basket, a card, or some other thoughtful gift on his porch. Blow the horn and leave before he comes to the door.
11. Give him a pounding (with groceries, not a club.)
12. Many pastors do not live near their extended families. Help him with expenses so he can visit them, and  give him a service off and pay for pulpit supply.
13. Upgrade your pastor's office. Does he need a new office chair, or file cabinet, etc.
14. Start a library fund for the pastor's personal library. 
15. Is he a sports fan? Buy him tickets.
16. Get him tickets for a Christian comedian or music concert.
17. Give him some Christian comedy DVDs. Ex. Dennis Swanburg, Tim Hawkins, Jeff Allen, etc.
18. Have his church shoes resoled or buy him some new shoes and socks, and attach a card that has the scripture Romans 10:15 or Isaiah 52:7 about his "beautiful feet."
19. Buy him a new suit to preach in or give him a gift certificate or money and specify that it is for a suit and nothing else. Most pastors are very unselfish people and will end up spending the money on a family need if you don't give him an ultimatum, but if you tell him the money is for a specific thing, his integrity will not let him spend it on anything else.

I know this post is kind of late in the month, but don't worry, if you have not shown pastor appreciation yet, he will definitely agree with the "better late than never" statement. So get busy loving on your pastor. I promise, you will be blessed in many ways if you do.

NO PAIN NO GAIN

This is a chart similar to the one I was shone in the hospital after my knee surgery. It helps the doctors and nurses to know your pain level.

     I have been thinking alot about pain lately. That's because I've been feeling alot of it! Ouch! With my recent horse riding accident and following knee surgery, pain has been my ever present companion.

My prescription says take one every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain. I tried to cut back to every 6 hours, but the pain was just more than I could stand. I am now back to every 4 hours.

     When I went to the emergency room, the first thing they did was give me a shot for the pain. Once the pain was taken care of, they could proceed with X-rays, etc.

     Pain is something that we humans try to avoid. Ever since pain entered the world, I guess we have been running from it. Gen. 3:16,17  speaks of pain. The word is translated "sorrow". Pain was part of the judgement of God on Adam and Even for their rebellion.

     Many times we must endure pain to experience a good end result. For instance, if I had refused to have surgery on my broken knee, which would bring more pain to my body, I would not get the benefit of the healing that would come later. I'll be honest with you, when I awakened from the surgery, the excruciating pain brought tears to my eyes and down my face. But with that pain was the very real prospect of a better day with little to no pain and a knee that works properly.

     With these things in mind I want to mention some blessings that we could not have without pain.

1. New Life- We must experience labor pains before we can have children. Gen. 3:16 Even with epidurals, there is still going to be some pain. But there are no spiritual epidurals when it comes to conviction of the Holy Spirit.

2. Growth - We experience growing pains in our spiritual as well as our physical life. Sometimes life brings painful experiences to help us grow in our faith and trust in God.

     Pain was good for me because had I not experienced pain when I fell off the horse, I would have just got back on and kept on riding with a broke knee. That would have caused more damage than I already had.  If we had not experienced the pain of conviction of the Holy Spirit, we would have continued on as a lost person without God.

     One of the joys of Heaven will be the absence of pain. There will be no need for pain in Heaven.

Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

What a day that will be!

THE BINDING OF UNITY (conclusion)

Today is my last in a series of posts on unity. 

The following is the Outline:

I. The Blessings of Unity.

II. The Basis for Unity.

III. The Benefactors of Unity. (Things that promote unity)

IV. The Breakers of Unity.

V. The Becoming of Unity.

VI. The Binding of Unity. (Like the binding of a book)

Today we are looking at The Binding of Unity.

What holds the Bible in the picture together? The part that holds a book together is called the binding. Just like the binding that holds the pages of a book together, the Holy Spirit holds believers together in fellowship and love.

There are many passages in Scripture that speak of fellowship and unity, but today I want to focus on Philippians 2:1-11

 ¹If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

 ²Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

 ³Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

 ⁴Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

 ⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

 ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

 ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

 ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This is the kenosis passage. It speaks of the emptying of oneself. Christ emptied himself, not of his Deity, but of his glory. That is the most significant aspect of this Scripture. However, did you notice all of the words in verses 1 and 2 that denote unity. Then we are told in the remaining verses how to accomplish that unity. We can be bound together like a book and have unity in Christ when we behave like him, when we empty ourselves, putting away selfish desires, putting others needs before our own. The Holy Spirit is constantly at work in our lives maintaining that unity and fellowship in His Churches.

The following link is a fitting song. I hope you will listen and be blessed.

Broken and Spilled Out by Steve Green

THE BECOMING OF UNITY (PART 5 OF 6)

Over the last several weeks we have looked at some biblical principles about unity. 
The following is the Outline:


I. The Blessings of Unity.
II. The Basis for Unity.
III. The Benefactors of Unity. (Things that promote unity)
IV. The Breakers of Unity.
V. The Becoming of Unity.
VI. The Binding of Unity. (Like the binding of a book)


This week we will look at Part Five, The Becoming of Unity. We can have a good measure of unity in our churches and homes if we seek to follow the biblical principles that promote unity. However, there is coming a time that we will forever have perfect unity. 


A. At the Rapture we will be "caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." I Thess. 4:16-17 
We shall all be like Jesus. 1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

B. At the Revelation of Jesus Christ all the saved will praise Him in one accord with one voice.
In the following verses the Bible uses the terms one voice, great voice, the voice. Rev. 14:2, 7; Rev. 19:1,5,6 
We will defy the rules of singular and plural from English class at that day because a multitude of us will sing and shout with one voice.


Do you remember the illustration I told you earlier about the pianos? Pianos should be tuned to the tuner, rather than each other. If we are in tune with the Lord and pleasing Him we will have unity. In these verses, where we have perfect unity in heaven, guess where we are focused! We are focusing on the one that is worthy of all our praise, the Lord Jesus.


What a grand and glorious day that is going to be! Please come back for the conclusion of this series on Unity, when we look at the Binding of Unity. Like a book is bound together to the cover by glue, Christians can be bound together.

Blessings,

Lisa

THE BREAKERS OF UNITY

This is the 4th Part in the study on Unity. Today we are looking at some breakers of unity.
A. Pride - Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

B. Carnality - 1 Corinthians 3:3 - For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

C. Disobedience

1. To Parents - We all know most of the verses on this. Those of you who have children know from experience how much discord can be brought into the home because of disobedient children.
2. To God  
3. To Husbands
4. To Pastors - Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. There is a persecution, and it is inside the "church". Acts 13:50 says, "But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts." Unfortunately, I have seen this happen too many times in churches. Unregenerate people in churches can wreak havoc. Too many times churches have split because a few people rise up against the pastor without a biblical cause, and persecute the pastor and anyone who stands with him. We've even had people accused of trying to win brownie points for being nice to our family. It's childish and carnal! 

Matthew 10:41-42 says, "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." Ladies, it is a good thing to love and be good to your pastor and his family. God will reward you for that in this life and the life to come! Any church that takes good care of it's pastor, God will take good care of. It is the Elijah principle. (Read 1 Kings 17)

Next Tuesday Tapestry will be Part 5 of this study on Unity, The Becoming of Unity . Thank you for reading.

Blessings,

Lisa

THE BENEFACTORS OF UNITY (Part 3 of 5)

For the last 2 weeks we have studied about Unity.


Today it's about the III. The Benefactors of Unity (Things that promote unity)


I Peter 3:8 says "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:"
There is a list of benefactors of unity in this verse.
A. Compassion

B. Love

C. Pity

D. Courtesy

Another promoter of unity is obedience.

E. Obedience

     1. In the Home

         a. Wife to husband- Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18, I Peter 3:1

         b. Child to parent- Ephesians 6:1, Colossians 3:20, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16

     2. In the Church

         a. Believer to God- James 4:7-8

         b. Believer to Believer- I Peter 5:5

         c. Believer to Pastor- Hebrews 13:17, Jeremiah 6:16-17

The Bible says our pastor is a watchman for our souls, why would I want to rebel against someone who watches for my soul? But sadly, many do. Pastor and Bishop are synonymous in the New Testament. The definition of bishop is "an overseer, a man charged with the duty of seeing that things being done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or superintendent; the superintendent, head or overseer of any Christian church." I Peter 5:2 says, "Feed the flock of god which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind"

F. Deacons

Did you know that the purpose of the first deacons and the purpose of biblical deacons today is the promote unity? Read Acts 6:1-7.

There was murmuring because some of the Grecian widows were being neglected. So the apostles told the people to choose seven men full of the Holy Ghost that the apostles could appoint to distribute food to the widows. The word deacon as defined by Strong's Concordance is (1) One who executes the commands of another, especially of a master (2) a servant, attendant, minister, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and distributes the money collected for their use, a waiter, one who serves food and drink.

My, my! Roles in the church have totally flip flopped in our day. Now, who is right tradition or the Bible?

So deacons should be a benefactor or a promoter unity. Incidentally, there are qualifications for deacons as well as pastors and for their wives in I Timothy 3, but that is another study.

We can promote unity by living the principles of these Benefactors of Unity.

Please visit next week for part 4,

Blessings,

Lisa

        

THE BASIS FOR UNITY (Part 2 of 5)

We began a series last week on Unity.


Here is the basic outline:
I. The Blessings of Unity.
II. The Basis for Unity.
III. The Benefactors of Unity. (Things that promote unity)
IV. The Breakers of Unity.
V. The Binding of Unity. (Like the binding of a book)


Our focus this week is on II. The Basis for Unity.


Unity should not be based on circumstances. There can be union without unity. 
Two cats tied together by their tails and thrown over a fence would have union but not unity.


So what is the basis for unity?


A. God 
In John 17:21 Jesus prayed about the church being in unity with God and with one another.


A.W. Tozer employed the analogy of piano tuning to describe how it works. He said, "If a hundred pianos were merely tuned to each other, their pitch would not be very accurate. But if they were all tuned to one tuning fork, they would automatically be tuned to each other." Similarly, unity in the church isn't trying to be the same as everyone else. It is not uniformity! We are individuals with different personalities, strength, weaknesses, preferences, gifts etc. In short, we are like a group of many different pianos. Without abandoning our "unity on the essentials of our faith" we can retain our individuality and still be joined together in a way that will please and glorify God by becoming like Jesus Christ. We must all be, "tuned to His likeness." When all is said and done it is not "my way" or "your way" that matters, it is "His way." Jesus having "His way" in all of our hearts is the key to church unity and unity in our homes.


B. Salvation
Acts 2:41 says, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.


Before they experienced the unity of verse 26, they had to be saved and add to the church.


C. Doctrine
Act 2:42a  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine 


Trying to have unity without common doctrine is like trying to mix oil and water. A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. What they are saying is , "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!"
I agree with Charles Haddon Spurgeon who said "such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous. Truth alone must determine our alignments. Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous. Our Lord's prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context. Look at John 17:17: 'Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.' Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ. To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel."


D. Prayer
Act 2:42b and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.


The early church prayed together on a regular basis.


We know the early church had unity because Acts 2:46 says, "they, continuing daily with one accord,..........and singleness of heart,"


Please visit next week for part 3,

Blessings,

Lisa

THE BLESSINGS OF UNITY (Part 1 of 5)

A few years back I was asked to speak at a ladies conference that had the theme of unity. I will spend the next several weeks giving you the study that I pursued on unity. I hope it will be a blessing.


Here is the basic outline:
I. The Blessings of Unity.
II. The Basis for Unity.
III. The Benefactors of Unity. (Things that promote unity)
IV. The Breakers of Unity.
V. The Binding of Unity. (Like the binding of a book)


A single word opposite of unity is division. When we think of division in the church, we think of the negative connotation. 1 Corinthians 1:10 says that there should be no divisions among the people of God.


But what about where the Bible says Christ came to bring division?Matthew 10:34-37 and Luke 12:51-53 are two such passages. Jesus is saying that light and darkness have no fellowship. Those people who have entered the kingdom of light through salvation in Jesus Christ and those who are of the kingdom of darkness cannot agree, though they be of the same biological family.


Then there is the passage with a commanded division, the division between believers and unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” Imagine two oxen yoked together that refuse to move in the same direction. That would be a mess! Saved and lost people are moving in different directions. A saved person should not marry a lost person. The purpose of dating or courting is to find a spouse, so a believer shouldn’t date or court a lost person. I have also heard this verse used to say that a believer should not enter into a business agreement with an unbeliever. That is not a bad principle to live by.


Now that we’ve talked about the opposite of unity, division, let us get to the subject of unity.
The first thing I want to look at is


I. The Blessing of Unity.


Dwight L. Moody said, “There are two ways of being united – one is by being frozen together, and the other is by being melted together. What Christians need is to be united in brotherly love, and then they may expect to have power.”


Psalm 133:1-3 There are four things implied.
A. Unity is Pleasant.
B. Unity is Precious.
C. Unity is Peaceful.
D. Unity is Propitious.


Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Native American warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, “What are we going to do? Tonto replied, “What you mean ‘we,’ Whiteman?”


Unity can change suddenly.


E. Unity is Powerful.


Acts 2:47 shows the power God gave the early church because of their unity, "the Lord added unto the church daily." The Lord worked mightily through the early church because they were in one accord.


When we are in one accord, the Lord can work through us, too.



Please visit next week for part 2,

Blessings,

Lisa