Peter and Dorcus
Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to learn to trust and obey you. Amen.
Songs
Alive, alive forever more
Stand up and shout it
This is the day
Memory verse: Seek first his kingdom , and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt 6:33
Lesson aim: to show that God has control over death
Lesson: Ref: Acts 9: 36 – 42.
There was a lady called Dorcus who lived in a busy sea side town called Joppa. She would sit sewing in the shade by her house every day. She enjoyed making clothes for people. She helped many poor people by making clothes for them. When people needed help, they would come to her.
One day, Dorcus felt very ill. She had to stay in bed. After a few days she died. Her friends came to her house. They felt very sad.
When Dorcus’ friends heard that Peter was in a nearby town they sent a message with two men to him. “Please come at once!” They said. Peter came to the house and was shown to the room where Dorcus lay.
Peter set everyone out of the room and then got on his knees and prayed. He asked the Lord Jesus to help him. Then he turned to Dorcus and told her, “ Dorcus, get up.” She opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up. He took her had and helped her up. He called the believers and showed them that Dorcus was alive.
This miracle became known all over Joppa and many people believed in the Lord Jesus.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Ascension
Prayer
Almighty Father, thank You for sending Your son, Jesus to die for us on the cross. Thank You for raising Him from the dead. Help us to remember what we learn about You today and help us to hide Your Word in our hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Songs
My God is so Big
Alive, alive my Jesus is alive!
Aim
Teach the children that Jesus has sent His Holy Spirit to be with us.
Acts 1:1-11; 2:1-11
Do you remember what we learnt over Easter? Yes, Jesus was nailed to a cross and died there for our sins. But He did not stay dead, no! On the third day after His death, God made Jesus alive again! He rose!!! He appeared to His disciples for forty days after He rose from the dead.
One day, Jesus took His disciples to the top of a hill outside
When Jesus finished speaking, He disappeared into a cloud and they could not see Him anymore. He had gone back to heaven to be with God.
The disciples went back to
Some time later, there was a special holiday called Pentecost, when many people came from other countries to
The Holy Spirit made them speak in other languages and they were able to tell the people visiting from other countries all about Jesus.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit to help us do the things that please You. In Your name we pray, Amen.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Jesus feeds 5 000
Prayer
Dear Lord God, please help us to listen to the story of the miracle Jesus did and to know that He is God.
Songs
Believe in the Lord Jesus
Praise Him, Praise Him all ye little children
Aim
Teach the children that Jesus performed miracles because He is God.
Luke 9:10-17
Can you remember some of the miracles Jesus did? He healed the paralyzed man, He calmed the storm and He brought Jairus’ daughter back to life!
One day Jesus and his friends, the disciples, were talking in a quiet place. A very large crowd of people came to find Jesus. He told the people all about God and He made the sick people well again. It was late in the afternoon. Jesus’ disciples asked Him to send the people away, so that they could go to nearby towns to buy food. Jesus said to His disciples,” You give them something to eat.” The disciples had no food to give so many people and no money to go and buy some.
There was a little boy in the crowd. He had a basket of five bread rolls and two fish. The disciples took the basket to Jesus, ”This is all the food we have,” they said.
Jesus told the disciples to tell the people to sit in groups on the grass. He took the five bread rolls and two fish and gave thanks to God. He broke them into pieces and told the disciples to give them to all the people. Everyone had enough to eat! And the disciples still collected twelve baskets of leftovers after everyone had finished eating.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that You provide for all our needs. Thank You for our food. In Your name, Amen.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Fearing the Lord
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Proverbs 31:30
Beauty is passing
Are you “Over the hill”? One lady I know referred to being over the hill as a reference to turning 30! I thought this was rather amusing. I am nearing that point in my life. Funny enough, I still feel like I am still eighteen and I am still waiting for the day when I actually feel like a grown up! Since I am nearing 30, I am beginning to think that I will feel like this for the rest of my life. Even though I still don’t feel like a grown up, it does not change the fact that the years are flying past and gravity is doing its job very well and will indeed continue to do so for the next, Lord willing, at least 40 years in the future. Yes it is true that beauty is passing! Here is a sobering verse:
“All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
But the word of the LORD endures forever.”
1 Peter 2:24,25
We can not depend on our beauty to get through life but only on the word of the LORD! The word of God is the ONLY constant in Life.
We have done a very encouraging, enlighten, informative and convicting study of the Proverbs 31 woman. All aspects are important as in them we give God all the glory. However, the beauty of our homes and all the things we make will fade and are only temporary. Things wear and tear, they break, they are lost and even stolen. This is why it is important to remember that Physical beauty in any form is tempory. It may be important to us but to the Lord it is not important!
What is important to God is the next part of the verse, a woman who fears Him. It is a wise woman who fears God.
Types of fear
a. Natural fear:
This is the fear that causes you to be cautious as you live in a fragile human body.
For example, it is wise to check if there is a car coming before you cross a road.
Proverbs 22:3 says, “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naïve go on and are punished for it. This is a natural and healthy fear.
b. Sinful fear:
This is a natural fear that causes you to sin against God. Moses is a good example. He feared man and this cause him to sin when he told God that he could not go to Pharaoh to set Gods people free. The Lord was not pleased by this sinful fear. Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man brings a snare.”
c. Holy Fear:
God commands us to fear. It is a fear that is sanctified and is put to holy use! With out having a Godly fear, we are unable to live Godly lives. Godly fear produces a fear of sin and thus keeps us from sinning. It also leads to knowledge and wisdom.
Proverbs 31:19, “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You.
Is good to fear God?
Yes! Wayne Mack wrote:
“I was impressed, almost surprised, to find that many of the commands to fear God were followed by promises of incredible blessing to people who do so.” There are many verses in the bible that command a fear of God. Please be encouraged to look out for them as you do your own personal studies!
Knowledge:
We have already mentioned that a fear towards God will lead to knowledge. As this is so, you will become wise if you obey God and love Him with all your heart in reverence.
Read Psalm 25:12.
Prosperity:
A Godly, holy fear leads to a prosperous soul. A soul content in the Lord and will be bountiful in the fruits of the spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Read Psalm 25:13
Godly legacy:
A Godly fear is good for your descendants! This is what is said in Psalm 25:13. The impact of your life on your children and grandchildren is astronomical! They watch you, they listen to you, they know what you stand for and they will see if what you say matches what your life is showing. A Godly mother who has a holy fear towards God will be a gem for the descendants to behold.
Blessing for you and your descendants;
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1,2
That is only the beginning of the psalm, you must read the rest of the psalm. The blessing that the Lord gives those you fear Him are so beautiful! Everyone in their right mind would want the best for their own children. As we can see from Psalm 112 and Psalm 25, we can be a blessing to our children and shows that the most important aspect of being a Godly parent is to have a healthy, real, passionate fear towards God.
God knows those who fear Him;
“The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him” Psalm 25:14
God knows those who fear Him. What a blessing to be known by God, to have been set apart for God by himself!
God’s Goodness;
“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; you keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.” Psalm 31:19-20
God’s goodness never comes to an end. Those who fear God are able to partake of God’s goodness now and for the rest of eternity. What are some aspects of Gods goodness towards us? The goodness refers to the attributes of God, to name a few of them; 1)Gods faithfulness; Gods compassion, 3)Gods righteousness and 4)Gods mercy. We all deserve to face Gods wrath for all eternity as we have broken his commands every day of our life, we have sinned against Him! God has had mercy on our lives, He sent His son, Jesus Christ to bear the wrath stored up against us for our sin. Jesus paid the price for our sin, so that those who will believe in Him will be saved and will find Gods mercy. We know Gods faithfulness towards mankind as He has kept true to His covenants in scripture, He also never leaves us when we fall! God shows compassion upon us every time we read His word and discover that we fall short continuously. We also discover that God is righteous and just, we taste of Gods goodness and righteousness when He saves us and makes us righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. What an awesome God who is to be feared and who blesses those who fear Him!
What is the fear of God?
We can see from scripture that it is good and essential to fear God! A healthy Godly fear should impact every aspect of our lives and our children will be blessed through it. We have looked at the blessings of a Godly fear, but what does the fear of God look like?
Trust;
“The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”
Proverbs 29: 25
Trust and fear are used interchangeably in scripture. A woman who fears man is simply not trusting in God. A woman who trusts in God, will not fear man!
“If you are a God-fearing person, you are a person who believes that God’s Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true and righteous altogether (Psalm 19:7-11). You fear God, you trust God, and you know that what God says is trustworthy. You simply can’t fear God and not trust His Word. The two can not be separated.” Wayne Mack
Love;
We are taught through out scripture to fear God and to love God. These two can not be separated either! If you love God, you will fear Him and if you Fear God you will love Him. We have a holy fear towards God so that we may walk in His ways, so that ultimately we do not have to fear His wrath upon us. As we grow in knowledge and wisdom of God, will love the Lord more and more!
Obedience and Service
Those who fear the Lord, obey Him. As I mentioned, a Godly fear will cause you to want to obey the Lord. As you walk in obedience to God, you will be serving Him.
“What does the LORD your God require from your but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways…. And to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12
Hope;
“Behold the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His loving-kindness. Our should waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him…Let Your loving-kindness…be upon us, according as we have hoped in You”
Psalm 33:18, 20-22
Those who fear the Lord will place all their hope in him and will wait for Him!
Awestruck:
A holy fear towards God leaves us Awestruck!
“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.” Psalm 33:8
Pulling it all together by Wayne Mack
“The fear of God is a reflex, an attitudinal and emotional reaction to an accurate understanding and awareness of the glory and majesty of the God of the Bible that causes a person to trust God, love God, obey God, hope in God and be consumed with God - wanting to honor, magnify, glorify, please and serve Him in every area of life. This fear of God will involve your intellect, your emotions and your attitudes and actions.” Wayne Mack
THOUGHTS:
“People who fear God have big thoughts of God, His majesty and His glory. They think of Him as He is described in scripture. Their view of God is not based on their own opinion or the opinion of others, but rather on God’s self revelation of Himself in the Living Word (Jesus Christ) and in His written Word (the bible).” Wayne Mack
EMOTIONS:
“People who fear God don’t act in a flippant manner toward Him; they are not careless, irresponsible or casual before Him. They know the experience described in numerous passages of Scripture: “Worship the LORD in holy attire; tremble before Him, all the earth”(Psalm 96:9); “Tremble, O earth, before the LORD” (Psalm 114:7); “Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling’(Psalm 2:11); “I will bow in reverence for You”(Psalm 5:7); “Tremble, and do not sin” (Psalm 4:4); “My flesh trembles for fear of You” (Psalm 119:120). According to these texts, people who fear God are affected emotionally in at least four ways:
1. They tremble before Him
2. They rejoice.
3. They experience a sense of reverence or awe.
4. They bow down, an outward evidence of something that is happening on the inside. Particularly in their emotions. Wayne Mack
ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS
“An accurate fear of God will motivate you to trust and hope in Him, obey and serve Him, love and admire Him, worship and praise Him, depend and rely on Him, submit and yield to Him and magnify and glorify Him.” Wayne Mack
Cultivating a Holy Fear
We have learnt the blessings of why holy fear is important and how it affects our lives. I have been so encouraged by learning the how’s and why’s. Wayne Mack is so complete in his biblical counselling that he helps us complete our study by teaching how to cultivate a holy fear. I will simply put in a few points how you are able to focus on fearing the LORD more and more in your daily life:
1. A change of heart. Holy fear is not natural, the LORD gives us a heart that will
fear Him reverently. We are to realise through the work of the spirit and through Gods Word, that we have sinned towards God. We are to cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and repentance. The Lord, through His son, Jesus Christ can forgive and change our hearts.
2. Devotion to prayer. Our hearts are to be united to God through prayer. Remember to read Psalm 51.
3. Study Gods Word. His Word teaches you more about who God is, you learn to fear the Lord. Obey Gods Word!
4. Meditate on Gods Word. Discover ways to remind yourself to meditate on Gods word as often as possible! I have discovered that I am in the kitchen a lot these days, so I have started writing out verses from my quiet time in the morning. I stick the cards on the wall above my work surface so that it stares me right in my face and I am able to meditate on Gods word more often.
I pray that you may understand just a little more about how important Holy fear is. I would encourage you to buy Dr Wayne Mack and Joshua Mack’s book, “The fear factor, what satan doesn’t want you to know”. It is a brilliant book which takes you through a thorough in-depth study of what I have summarised in this talk!
Proverbs 31 woman
A reminder of our verse:
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Proverbs 31:30
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Proverbs 31:30
Beauty is passing
Are you “Over the hill”? One lady I know referred to being over the hill as a reference to turning 30! I thought this was rather amusing. I am nearing that point in my life. Funny enough, I still feel like I am still eighteen and I am still waiting for the day when I actually feel like a grown up! Since I am nearing 30, I am beginning to think that I will feel like this for the rest of my life. Even though I still don’t feel like a grown up, it does not change the fact that the years are flying past and gravity is doing its job very well and will indeed continue to do so for the next, Lord willing, at least 40 years in the future. Yes it is true that beauty is passing! Here is a sobering verse:
“All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
But the word of the LORD endures forever.”
1 Peter 2:24,25
We can not depend on our beauty to get through life but only on the word of the LORD! The word of God is the ONLY constant in Life.
We have done a very encouraging, enlighten, informative and convicting study of the Proverbs 31 woman. All aspects are important as in them we give God all the glory. However, the beauty of our homes and all the things we make will fade and are only temporary. Things wear and tear, they break, they are lost and even stolen. This is why it is important to remember that Physical beauty in any form is tempory. It may be important to us but to the Lord it is not important!
What is important to God is the next part of the verse, a woman who fears Him. It is a wise woman who fears God.
Types of fear
a. Natural fear:
This is the fear that causes you to be cautious as you live in a fragile human body.
For example, it is wise to check if there is a car coming before you cross a road.
Proverbs 22:3 says, “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naïve go on and are punished for it. This is a natural and healthy fear.
b. Sinful fear:
This is a natural fear that causes you to sin against God. Moses is a good example. He feared man and this cause him to sin when he told God that he could not go to Pharaoh to set Gods people free. The Lord was not pleased by this sinful fear. Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man brings a snare.”
c. Holy Fear:
God commands us to fear. It is a fear that is sanctified and is put to holy use! With out having a Godly fear, we are unable to live Godly lives. Godly fear produces a fear of sin and thus keeps us from sinning. It also leads to knowledge and wisdom.
Proverbs 31:19, “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You.
Is good to fear God?
Yes! Wayne Mack wrote:
“I was impressed, almost surprised, to find that many of the commands to fear God were followed by promises of incredible blessing to people who do so.” There are many verses in the bible that command a fear of God. Please be encouraged to look out for them as you do your own personal studies!
Knowledge:
We have already mentioned that a fear towards God will lead to knowledge. As this is so, you will become wise if you obey God and love Him with all your heart in reverence.
Read Psalm 25:12.
Prosperity:
A Godly, holy fear leads to a prosperous soul. A soul content in the Lord and will be bountiful in the fruits of the spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Read Psalm 25:13
Godly legacy:
A Godly fear is good for your descendants! This is what is said in Psalm 25:13. The impact of your life on your children and grandchildren is astronomical! They watch you, they listen to you, they know what you stand for and they will see if what you say matches what your life is showing. A Godly mother who has a holy fear towards God will be a gem for the descendants to behold.
Blessing for you and your descendants;
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1,2
That is only the beginning of the psalm, you must read the rest of the psalm. The blessing that the Lord gives those you fear Him are so beautiful! Everyone in their right mind would want the best for their own children. As we can see from Psalm 112 and Psalm 25, we can be a blessing to our children and shows that the most important aspect of being a Godly parent is to have a healthy, real, passionate fear towards God.
God knows those who fear Him;
“The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him” Psalm 25:14
God knows those who fear Him. What a blessing to be known by God, to have been set apart for God by himself!
God’s Goodness;
“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; you keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.” Psalm 31:19-20
God’s goodness never comes to an end. Those who fear God are able to partake of God’s goodness now and for the rest of eternity. What are some aspects of Gods goodness towards us? The goodness refers to the attributes of God, to name a few of them; 1)Gods faithfulness; Gods compassion, 3)Gods righteousness and 4)Gods mercy. We all deserve to face Gods wrath for all eternity as we have broken his commands every day of our life, we have sinned against Him! God has had mercy on our lives, He sent His son, Jesus Christ to bear the wrath stored up against us for our sin. Jesus paid the price for our sin, so that those who will believe in Him will be saved and will find Gods mercy. We know Gods faithfulness towards mankind as He has kept true to His covenants in scripture, He also never leaves us when we fall! God shows compassion upon us every time we read His word and discover that we fall short continuously. We also discover that God is righteous and just, we taste of Gods goodness and righteousness when He saves us and makes us righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. What an awesome God who is to be feared and who blesses those who fear Him!
What is the fear of God?
We can see from scripture that it is good and essential to fear God! A healthy Godly fear should impact every aspect of our lives and our children will be blessed through it. We have looked at the blessings of a Godly fear, but what does the fear of God look like?
Trust;
“The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”
Proverbs 29: 25
Trust and fear are used interchangeably in scripture. A woman who fears man is simply not trusting in God. A woman who trusts in God, will not fear man!
“If you are a God-fearing person, you are a person who believes that God’s Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true and righteous altogether (Psalm 19:7-11). You fear God, you trust God, and you know that what God says is trustworthy. You simply can’t fear God and not trust His Word. The two can not be separated.” Wayne Mack
Love;
We are taught through out scripture to fear God and to love God. These two can not be separated either! If you love God, you will fear Him and if you Fear God you will love Him. We have a holy fear towards God so that we may walk in His ways, so that ultimately we do not have to fear His wrath upon us. As we grow in knowledge and wisdom of God, will love the Lord more and more!
Obedience and Service
Those who fear the Lord, obey Him. As I mentioned, a Godly fear will cause you to want to obey the Lord. As you walk in obedience to God, you will be serving Him.
“What does the LORD your God require from your but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways…. And to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12
Hope;
“Behold the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His loving-kindness. Our should waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him…Let Your loving-kindness…be upon us, according as we have hoped in You”
Psalm 33:18, 20-22
Those who fear the Lord will place all their hope in him and will wait for Him!
Awestruck:
A holy fear towards God leaves us Awestruck!
“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.” Psalm 33:8
Pulling it all together by Wayne Mack
“The fear of God is a reflex, an attitudinal and emotional reaction to an accurate understanding and awareness of the glory and majesty of the God of the Bible that causes a person to trust God, love God, obey God, hope in God and be consumed with God - wanting to honor, magnify, glorify, please and serve Him in every area of life. This fear of God will involve your intellect, your emotions and your attitudes and actions.” Wayne Mack
THOUGHTS:
“People who fear God have big thoughts of God, His majesty and His glory. They think of Him as He is described in scripture. Their view of God is not based on their own opinion or the opinion of others, but rather on God’s self revelation of Himself in the Living Word (Jesus Christ) and in His written Word (the bible).” Wayne Mack
EMOTIONS:
“People who fear God don’t act in a flippant manner toward Him; they are not careless, irresponsible or casual before Him. They know the experience described in numerous passages of Scripture: “Worship the LORD in holy attire; tremble before Him, all the earth”(Psalm 96:9); “Tremble, O earth, before the LORD” (Psalm 114:7); “Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling’(Psalm 2:11); “I will bow in reverence for You”(Psalm 5:7); “Tremble, and do not sin” (Psalm 4:4); “My flesh trembles for fear of You” (Psalm 119:120). According to these texts, people who fear God are affected emotionally in at least four ways:
1. They tremble before Him
2. They rejoice.
3. They experience a sense of reverence or awe.
4. They bow down, an outward evidence of something that is happening on the inside. Particularly in their emotions. Wayne Mack
ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS
“An accurate fear of God will motivate you to trust and hope in Him, obey and serve Him, love and admire Him, worship and praise Him, depend and rely on Him, submit and yield to Him and magnify and glorify Him.” Wayne Mack
Cultivating a Holy Fear
We have learnt the blessings of why holy fear is important and how it affects our lives. I have been so encouraged by learning the how’s and why’s. Wayne Mack is so complete in his biblical counselling that he helps us complete our study by teaching how to cultivate a holy fear. I will simply put in a few points how you are able to focus on fearing the LORD more and more in your daily life:
1. A change of heart. Holy fear is not natural, the LORD gives us a heart that will
fear Him reverently. We are to realise through the work of the spirit and through Gods Word, that we have sinned towards God. We are to cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and repentance. The Lord, through His son, Jesus Christ can forgive and change our hearts.
2. Devotion to prayer. Our hearts are to be united to God through prayer. Remember to read Psalm 51.
3. Study Gods Word. His Word teaches you more about who God is, you learn to fear the Lord. Obey Gods Word!
4. Meditate on Gods Word. Discover ways to remind yourself to meditate on Gods word as often as possible! I have discovered that I am in the kitchen a lot these days, so I have started writing out verses from my quiet time in the morning. I stick the cards on the wall above my work surface so that it stares me right in my face and I am able to meditate on Gods word more often.
I pray that you may understand just a little more about how important Holy fear is. I would encourage you to buy Dr Wayne Mack and Joshua Mack’s book, “The fear factor, what satan doesn’t want you to know”. It is a brilliant book which takes you through a thorough in-depth study of what I have summarised in this talk!
Proverbs 31 woman
A reminder of our verse:
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Proverbs 31:30
Written by Natalie Rogers
Source: The Fear Factor by Wayne and Josh Mack
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Plaster of paris workshop
Plaster-of-paris moulds
1. Mix some plaster-of-paris and cold water. The quantity should be 1:1, ie. 100g plaster-of-paris to 100ml water. Sprinkle the plaster-of-paris onto the water, then stir this mixture. Let it stand for 90 seconds. Stir the mixture to a creamy consistency.
2. Pour mixture into moulds. Tap the moulds gently to remove any air bubbles.
3. Let the moulds set for an hour.
4. Turn the moulds over and take the shapes out. Trim any edges off with a knife.
5. Decorate the shapes with acrylic paint and leave to dry.
1. Mix some plaster-of-paris and cold water. The quantity should be 1:1, ie. 100g plaster-of-paris to 100ml water. Sprinkle the plaster-of-paris onto the water, then stir this mixture. Let it stand for 90 seconds. Stir the mixture to a creamy consistency.
2. Pour mixture into moulds. Tap the moulds gently to remove any air bubbles.
3. Let the moulds set for an hour.
4. Turn the moulds over and take the shapes out. Trim any edges off with a knife.
5. Decorate the shapes with acrylic paint and leave to dry.
Road to Emmaus
Road to Emmaus
Songs
Alleluia, praise ye the Lord
This is the day
Lesson aim: Show that Jesus is alive and was seen by witnesses after his resurrection.
Lesson
Verse: Luke 24: 13 -35
Resources: Picture of two men walking along the Emmaus road
On the third day after Jesus was crucified, there were two men walking along the road to Emmaus. They were talking about what had happened to Jesus – his crucifixion and the fact that Christ was not in the tomb where they laid him. As they were walking along the road, Jesus joined them but they did not recognise him.
Jesus asked them, ‘ What are you talking about?’
One of them said, ‘Haven’t you heard the news?’
‘What news?’ Jesus asked
‘About Jesus,’ they answered, ‘he was crucified and we were hoping he would save Isreal. He was placed in his tomb on Friday and now his body is gone!’ We don’t know what to do. We don’t understand.’
Jesus explained to them why he had to die using verses from the bible. Jesus had to die to save lost sinners.
They invited Jesus to join them for supper. While they were eating, he took bread prayed and broke it and gave it to them.
When they took the bread they recognised Jesus. Then Jesus disappeared.
They got up and ran back to Jerusalem where all their friends were. They told them, ‘Jesus is risen!’ they said. ‘We have seen him!’
Memory verse
‘The Lord is risen.’ Luke 24:34
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that you died for lost sinners and that you are alive evermore. Amen
Songs
Alleluia, praise ye the Lord
This is the day
Lesson aim: Show that Jesus is alive and was seen by witnesses after his resurrection.
Lesson
Verse: Luke 24: 13 -35
Resources: Picture of two men walking along the Emmaus road
On the third day after Jesus was crucified, there were two men walking along the road to Emmaus. They were talking about what had happened to Jesus – his crucifixion and the fact that Christ was not in the tomb where they laid him. As they were walking along the road, Jesus joined them but they did not recognise him.
Jesus asked them, ‘ What are you talking about?’
One of them said, ‘Haven’t you heard the news?’
‘What news?’ Jesus asked
‘About Jesus,’ they answered, ‘he was crucified and we were hoping he would save Isreal. He was placed in his tomb on Friday and now his body is gone!’ We don’t know what to do. We don’t understand.’
Jesus explained to them why he had to die using verses from the bible. Jesus had to die to save lost sinners.
They invited Jesus to join them for supper. While they were eating, he took bread prayed and broke it and gave it to them.
When they took the bread they recognised Jesus. Then Jesus disappeared.
They got up and ran back to Jerusalem where all their friends were. They told them, ‘Jesus is risen!’ they said. ‘We have seen him!’
Memory verse
‘The Lord is risen.’ Luke 24:34
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that you died for lost sinners and that you are alive evermore. Amen
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Jesus Crucified and Jesus is Risen
Lesson Aim: To teach that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for my sin!
Read: Luke 23:32 - 24:9
Prayer: Lord thank you for another day. Thank you that we can come and learn more about you. Help us to listen. Help us to remember what happened to Jesus while He was here on earth. Amen.
Previous lesson:
Does anyone remember last weeks lesson? Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.
Show the activity page and go over verse. Jesus is King and is worthy of our worship
Songs:
My God is so great
He is risen from the dead
Story:
Jesus never sinned! But everyone wanted him to die. He was beaten. Soldiers used thorny branches to make a crown. They put this crown of thorns on Jesus’ head. After they had finished making fun of Jesus, they led Jesus away. He was given his cross to carry up the hill outside the town called Calvary. There they crucified him. The soldiers did this by nailing his hands and feet into the cross and he was left hanging there to die. They put a sign above Jesus’ head with the charge against him written on it. The sign read: “This is the King of the Jews.“
There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed, crucified. One of the criminals began to shout insults at Jesus. But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “Do you not fear God!, We are punished justly; we should die. But this man has done nothing wrong!” Then this criminal said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!” Jesus said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise!”
It was about noon, lunch time, and suddenly, the whole earth was covered in darkness. There was no sun. During this time of darkness the veil of the temple was torn. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” After Jesus said this, he died.
Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man! All the people who saw what had happened were afraid and returned to the town.
A follower of Jesus called Joseph, a counsellor, went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. He took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was made out of stone. There were also some woman who followed Joseph, they saw Jesus’ body and how it was laid in the tomb. They went home to prepare spices and ointments. The tomb would of then been sealed very tightly with a very big rock so that nobody could steal the body.
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, the tomb. They went to take spices which they had prepared. They found the stone had been rolled away from the tomb! They went inside the tomb to see Jesus’ body and they could not find the body of the Lord Jesus!
They were very perplexed about it. And behold, two men appeared in shining garments. They were very afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth. The men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke to you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
They remembered his words. They returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven disciples and the other followers of Jesus.
* Jesus never sinned
* Jesus was sent to die on the cross
* Jesus faced Gods wrath, eternal punishment for sin on the cross so that whosoever will believe in him will be forgiven for their sins and will have eternal life.
* Jesus died on the cross and He came back to life. He still lives today!!!!
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ to this earth. Thank you that your raised Jesus Christ from the dead and that Jesus paid for our sins. Thank you that when we come to you, we can find forgiveness and repentance. You are the only God, may our lives glorify you and may we fear you.
Amen!
VERSE:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
Read: Luke 23:32 - 24:9
Prayer: Lord thank you for another day. Thank you that we can come and learn more about you. Help us to listen. Help us to remember what happened to Jesus while He was here on earth. Amen.
Previous lesson:
Does anyone remember last weeks lesson? Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.
Show the activity page and go over verse. Jesus is King and is worthy of our worship
Songs:
My God is so great
He is risen from the dead
Story:
Jesus never sinned! But everyone wanted him to die. He was beaten. Soldiers used thorny branches to make a crown. They put this crown of thorns on Jesus’ head. After they had finished making fun of Jesus, they led Jesus away. He was given his cross to carry up the hill outside the town called Calvary. There they crucified him. The soldiers did this by nailing his hands and feet into the cross and he was left hanging there to die. They put a sign above Jesus’ head with the charge against him written on it. The sign read: “This is the King of the Jews.“
There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed, crucified. One of the criminals began to shout insults at Jesus. But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “Do you not fear God!, We are punished justly; we should die. But this man has done nothing wrong!” Then this criminal said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!” Jesus said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise!”
It was about noon, lunch time, and suddenly, the whole earth was covered in darkness. There was no sun. During this time of darkness the veil of the temple was torn. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” After Jesus said this, he died.
Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man! All the people who saw what had happened were afraid and returned to the town.
A follower of Jesus called Joseph, a counsellor, went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. He took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was made out of stone. There were also some woman who followed Joseph, they saw Jesus’ body and how it was laid in the tomb. They went home to prepare spices and ointments. The tomb would of then been sealed very tightly with a very big rock so that nobody could steal the body.
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, the tomb. They went to take spices which they had prepared. They found the stone had been rolled away from the tomb! They went inside the tomb to see Jesus’ body and they could not find the body of the Lord Jesus!
They were very perplexed about it. And behold, two men appeared in shining garments. They were very afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth. The men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke to you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
They remembered his words. They returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven disciples and the other followers of Jesus.
* Jesus never sinned
* Jesus was sent to die on the cross
* Jesus faced Gods wrath, eternal punishment for sin on the cross so that whosoever will believe in him will be forgiven for their sins and will have eternal life.
* Jesus died on the cross and He came back to life. He still lives today!!!!
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ to this earth. Thank you that your raised Jesus Christ from the dead and that Jesus paid for our sins. Thank you that when we come to you, we can find forgiveness and repentance. You are the only God, may our lives glorify you and may we fear you.
Amen!
VERSE:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Jesus Rides into Jerusalem
(The next few weeks will be devoted to stories surrounding the theme of Easter and Christ's passion week)
Lesson aim: Jesus is King and worthy of all our Praise
Visual aids: Palm branches, pictures from Children’s Bible, whenever the word ‘King’ is mentioned the children have to put their hands of their heads in the shape of a crown.
Activity: Make own donkeys with leaves and pieces of material stuck to the base.
Songs: He is the King of Kings; He made the stars to shine; Trust and Obey.
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Memory verse: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.’ Luke 19:38
Do you remember that last week we did the Bible story of the man who was paralyzed? Remind children and do memory verse – ‘Jesus said, Get up, pick up your bed and go home’ Luke 5:24.
Remember that Jesus could do the miracles he did because He is God. Most people who saw Jesus did not know He was God.
Today we are going to see Jesus being worshipped as King. DO you know what a King wears? A crown, yes and Kings rule over many people and those people must obey and respect their King. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem with His friends. Jesus knew everything that was going to happen and knew it was time for Him to prepare to go to the Cross.
When Jesus and his disciples were close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them to go to the village and look for a donkey (what sound does a donkey make?), untie it and bring it back to Jesus. Jesus said if people ask why you are taking the donkey, say because the Lord has need of it. People did ask why and Jesus’ friends the 2 disciples told them because the Lord needs it and they let them go. Wow everything happened just as Jesus said! They brought the donkey to Jesus and put some of their jackets over the donkey for Jesus to sit on. They all went together into Jerusalem and Jesus rode on the donkey with friends behind him. There were lots of people there and as Jesus rode along they placed their coats on the road in front of the donkey.
As Jesus entered Jerusalem the people began to wave palm branches and praise God for all the mighty things they had seen Jesus do.
They said: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.’ Luke 19:38
These people were right to call Jesus King but many of them did not love and obey Jesus so they were saying something with their mouth which was not true in their hearts. Jesus is King, he is King of Kings and we must remember that every day. He was the only King who could pay for our sins! Thank you King Jesus!
Lesson aim: Jesus is King and worthy of all our Praise
Visual aids: Palm branches, pictures from Children’s Bible, whenever the word ‘King’ is mentioned the children have to put their hands of their heads in the shape of a crown.
Activity: Make own donkeys with leaves and pieces of material stuck to the base.
Songs: He is the King of Kings; He made the stars to shine; Trust and Obey.
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Memory verse: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.’ Luke 19:38
Do you remember that last week we did the Bible story of the man who was paralyzed? Remind children and do memory verse – ‘Jesus said, Get up, pick up your bed and go home’ Luke 5:24.
Remember that Jesus could do the miracles he did because He is God. Most people who saw Jesus did not know He was God.
Today we are going to see Jesus being worshipped as King. DO you know what a King wears? A crown, yes and Kings rule over many people and those people must obey and respect their King. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem with His friends. Jesus knew everything that was going to happen and knew it was time for Him to prepare to go to the Cross.
When Jesus and his disciples were close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them to go to the village and look for a donkey (what sound does a donkey make?), untie it and bring it back to Jesus. Jesus said if people ask why you are taking the donkey, say because the Lord has need of it. People did ask why and Jesus’ friends the 2 disciples told them because the Lord needs it and they let them go. Wow everything happened just as Jesus said! They brought the donkey to Jesus and put some of their jackets over the donkey for Jesus to sit on. They all went together into Jerusalem and Jesus rode on the donkey with friends behind him. There were lots of people there and as Jesus rode along they placed their coats on the road in front of the donkey.
As Jesus entered Jerusalem the people began to wave palm branches and praise God for all the mighty things they had seen Jesus do.
They said: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.’ Luke 19:38
These people were right to call Jesus King but many of them did not love and obey Jesus so they were saying something with their mouth which was not true in their hearts. Jesus is King, he is King of Kings and we must remember that every day. He was the only King who could pay for our sins! Thank you King Jesus!
Don't eat too much bread!
Proverbs 31: 27
‘She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.’
Upon looking up the dictionary definition of the word ‘idle’ I came across one of the meanings that seemed very interesting, namely ‘not in use or operation’. Have you ever felt like that? Today I am not going to be in “use or operation” and there will be a do not disturb sign outside my door. Maybe this was possible when you were being looked after by mom but now that the Lord has blessed you with a husband and children to look after it would literally be impossible to be out of operation for a whole day!
Another question: Have you ever eaten too much bread? How did you feel? Eating too much white bread in particular can make one feel very tired and bloated. This is the picture I get in my mind when considering this verse. Don’t sit around and eat too much bread, become idle, not looking to the ways of your household and then wonder why everything around you is decay and difficulty!
The Proverbs 31 woman is effective as a mother and homemaker and you can be sure she is never out of operation unless for a very serious reason. What keeps us as modern day women out of operation so to speak and how do we eat the bread of idleness in our homes. Let us take an honest look at what this Scripture teaches us and pray for conviction in any areas of our life that need correcting.
Idle busyness
The above heading may well seem a contradiction in terms. How can one be idle while at the same time being busy? Have you ever been convicted by God’s Holy Spirit that you are too busy? Too busy with other things. Too busy visiting, too busy shopping, too busy cleaning? Firstly, as we have been encouraged in our book study (Beautiful in God’s Eyes Chapter 20), our first point of scheduling should be around God and our meeting time with Him. This may be difficult with small children and especially when babies wake up earlier than expected. But just because our schedules are bumped off target every now and then does not mean we get to throw up our hands in frustration and say what’s the point. By God’s grace the sun will rise tomorrow at the dawn of a new day and we will get to try and implement our ideal day once again!
Another point regarding being too busy can be visiting friends and socialising. The endless argument from so many quarters with regard to homeschooling is the socialisation aspect. It is never questioned as to whether it is good for children to spend, sometimes up to 12 hours a day together, as opposed to spending a few hours together a week. This can make for some conflicting emotions. Have my children had enough outings or do I need to get them out more? This can lead to endless play dates, outings and visits. In and of themselves there is nothing wrong with these things BUT too much activity outside the home is idleness because we are neglecting things at home. It is idleness, as if we are not at home when are all the tasks going to be completed, tasks like cleaning, preparing nutritious meals which takes more effort, looking after our husbands and setting the right example for our children. Life should not revolve around children’s fun and entertainment. We need to show our children that we are content to be at home and that we actually take great joy in being at home. Scripture is quite clear that we should be teaching our children all the time, when we eat or drink, wake up, go to sleep etc. (Deuteronomy 6) and these opportunities come around while being at home with adults and not only peers. We all love to delight our children and take them on an outing but rather than it being every day, surprise them and they will appreciate it more.
Many children as they get older may complain of boredom at home, this may be us as parents at fault. Firstly, there are worse things to be than bored. Secondly, there is much to be done at home and this includes training children ‘in the way they should go’. One of the ways to do this is to teach children about work from an early age. It is much more time consuming but the rewards later in life will far outweigh any disadvantages. Some chores can be made fun while others just have to be done; all the while we are teaching our children valuable lessons about work so they will not be idle one day. It is your child’s job to help set the table but they are watching a DVD, teach them now that their chores are more important than self-gratification. Can you imagine how valuable this will be for them as they grow older? God’s Word is clear in its exhortation to complete our work properly and to do so for our Lord’s glory. This places a different slant on our work as we should be doing it with a happy heart and attitude. Remember the Proverbs 31 woman works with her hands in delight or with eager hands (v. 13). Look at another verse from Proverbs ‘Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger’ (19:15). In our last study, we also considered Matthew 12:36 as to how every idle word spoken will be judged by God, there is so much to learn for ourselves and teach our children just from a few verses in God’s precious Word.
Yes, being at home is sometimes hard. It can be tiring and lonely but our home is our ‘workplace’ and we need to see it as such. Even with domestic help, which is such a blessing, there will still be loads of tasks ready for completion. Whatever the case we need to teach our children that being at home is great, they won’t find all the fun out there away from home. This will help to ‘keep your (and their) heart/s with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life’ (Proverbs 4:23). Home should be where the ‘heart’ is.
Our Lord’s will be done
Ultimately an excellent wife is one who is endeavouring to live her life in obedience to Christ and doing the will of the Father. This will always be the beginning of any true change that lasts. Many women stay at home while others work and both are miserable. The key is not staying home; the key is walking with our Lord. ‘Lord, what is it You want me to do with my time right now? It may well be that you should go and visit a sick relative or take the children for an outing but it may also be to go and sit and read with your children or start that to do list. Let each one of us ask that question daily as many times as necessary so that we may indeed glorify God and do His will in our homes.
In writing a letter to his son, dated 20th July 1749, Lord Chesterfield had the following to say ‘Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds, and the holiday of fools.’ How true. We as Christians should not have weak minds for they belong to God and let us never take a holiday with fools as we are ambassadors of Christ while on this pilgrimage.
Personal practical points
With being pregnant again – I must admit I am tired! It is increasingly frustrating as when the children do synchronise a sleep I have a ton of things to do yet feel so nauseous and tired I often flake out for half an hour or more. I feel like I am being left behind, if that makes sense. But then I am reminded that this is just for a season and another little one is a great gift from the Lord. A strong cup of coffee at night helps me to get any legal work done but as we have discussed my ‘real work’ is my home and family. So to this end I am going to start a Home Management File. I am sure many of you already have one of these but I still feel I am playing catch up when it comes to home management – teach your daughters well moms – I was saved by God’s grace after some years of rebellion and the Lord is thankfully changing my desires and smoothing over the cracks in my talents J
Lord willing, I am going to do this slowly and not try do everything at once as one of the keys to being organised is doing a little at a time otherwise it is overwhelming.
Some of the titles under the index will be as follows: Devotion & Hymns (Personal & family), Prayer Lists, Menu plans (current for one month), Sunday School (current weekly), Youth club (current weekly), Homeschooling (current weekly), Daily to do list, Joyful Womanhood (current).
I will then endeavour to place all these in other files that are already in place or being opened at the end of each week or month. Even if all these topics are only filed monthly that won’t matter as at least they are being stored in one place. At present I have no proper system and as a result I have lists all over the house. I am hoping to be able to streamline this from now on.
Suggested Reading: -
1. Shopping for Time - Caralyn Mahaney et al
2. Life Management for Busy Women - Elizabeth George
3. Disciplines of a Godly Woman - Barbara Hughes
‘She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.’
Upon looking up the dictionary definition of the word ‘idle’ I came across one of the meanings that seemed very interesting, namely ‘not in use or operation’. Have you ever felt like that? Today I am not going to be in “use or operation” and there will be a do not disturb sign outside my door. Maybe this was possible when you were being looked after by mom but now that the Lord has blessed you with a husband and children to look after it would literally be impossible to be out of operation for a whole day!
Another question: Have you ever eaten too much bread? How did you feel? Eating too much white bread in particular can make one feel very tired and bloated. This is the picture I get in my mind when considering this verse. Don’t sit around and eat too much bread, become idle, not looking to the ways of your household and then wonder why everything around you is decay and difficulty!
The Proverbs 31 woman is effective as a mother and homemaker and you can be sure she is never out of operation unless for a very serious reason. What keeps us as modern day women out of operation so to speak and how do we eat the bread of idleness in our homes. Let us take an honest look at what this Scripture teaches us and pray for conviction in any areas of our life that need correcting.
Idle busyness
The above heading may well seem a contradiction in terms. How can one be idle while at the same time being busy? Have you ever been convicted by God’s Holy Spirit that you are too busy? Too busy with other things. Too busy visiting, too busy shopping, too busy cleaning? Firstly, as we have been encouraged in our book study (Beautiful in God’s Eyes Chapter 20), our first point of scheduling should be around God and our meeting time with Him. This may be difficult with small children and especially when babies wake up earlier than expected. But just because our schedules are bumped off target every now and then does not mean we get to throw up our hands in frustration and say what’s the point. By God’s grace the sun will rise tomorrow at the dawn of a new day and we will get to try and implement our ideal day once again!
Another point regarding being too busy can be visiting friends and socialising. The endless argument from so many quarters with regard to homeschooling is the socialisation aspect. It is never questioned as to whether it is good for children to spend, sometimes up to 12 hours a day together, as opposed to spending a few hours together a week. This can make for some conflicting emotions. Have my children had enough outings or do I need to get them out more? This can lead to endless play dates, outings and visits. In and of themselves there is nothing wrong with these things BUT too much activity outside the home is idleness because we are neglecting things at home. It is idleness, as if we are not at home when are all the tasks going to be completed, tasks like cleaning, preparing nutritious meals which takes more effort, looking after our husbands and setting the right example for our children. Life should not revolve around children’s fun and entertainment. We need to show our children that we are content to be at home and that we actually take great joy in being at home. Scripture is quite clear that we should be teaching our children all the time, when we eat or drink, wake up, go to sleep etc. (Deuteronomy 6) and these opportunities come around while being at home with adults and not only peers. We all love to delight our children and take them on an outing but rather than it being every day, surprise them and they will appreciate it more.
Many children as they get older may complain of boredom at home, this may be us as parents at fault. Firstly, there are worse things to be than bored. Secondly, there is much to be done at home and this includes training children ‘in the way they should go’. One of the ways to do this is to teach children about work from an early age. It is much more time consuming but the rewards later in life will far outweigh any disadvantages. Some chores can be made fun while others just have to be done; all the while we are teaching our children valuable lessons about work so they will not be idle one day. It is your child’s job to help set the table but they are watching a DVD, teach them now that their chores are more important than self-gratification. Can you imagine how valuable this will be for them as they grow older? God’s Word is clear in its exhortation to complete our work properly and to do so for our Lord’s glory. This places a different slant on our work as we should be doing it with a happy heart and attitude. Remember the Proverbs 31 woman works with her hands in delight or with eager hands (v. 13). Look at another verse from Proverbs ‘Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger’ (19:15). In our last study, we also considered Matthew 12:36 as to how every idle word spoken will be judged by God, there is so much to learn for ourselves and teach our children just from a few verses in God’s precious Word.
Yes, being at home is sometimes hard. It can be tiring and lonely but our home is our ‘workplace’ and we need to see it as such. Even with domestic help, which is such a blessing, there will still be loads of tasks ready for completion. Whatever the case we need to teach our children that being at home is great, they won’t find all the fun out there away from home. This will help to ‘keep your (and their) heart/s with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life’ (Proverbs 4:23). Home should be where the ‘heart’ is.
Our Lord’s will be done
Ultimately an excellent wife is one who is endeavouring to live her life in obedience to Christ and doing the will of the Father. This will always be the beginning of any true change that lasts. Many women stay at home while others work and both are miserable. The key is not staying home; the key is walking with our Lord. ‘Lord, what is it You want me to do with my time right now? It may well be that you should go and visit a sick relative or take the children for an outing but it may also be to go and sit and read with your children or start that to do list. Let each one of us ask that question daily as many times as necessary so that we may indeed glorify God and do His will in our homes.
In writing a letter to his son, dated 20th July 1749, Lord Chesterfield had the following to say ‘Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds, and the holiday of fools.’ How true. We as Christians should not have weak minds for they belong to God and let us never take a holiday with fools as we are ambassadors of Christ while on this pilgrimage.
Personal practical points
With being pregnant again – I must admit I am tired! It is increasingly frustrating as when the children do synchronise a sleep I have a ton of things to do yet feel so nauseous and tired I often flake out for half an hour or more. I feel like I am being left behind, if that makes sense. But then I am reminded that this is just for a season and another little one is a great gift from the Lord. A strong cup of coffee at night helps me to get any legal work done but as we have discussed my ‘real work’ is my home and family. So to this end I am going to start a Home Management File. I am sure many of you already have one of these but I still feel I am playing catch up when it comes to home management – teach your daughters well moms – I was saved by God’s grace after some years of rebellion and the Lord is thankfully changing my desires and smoothing over the cracks in my talents J
Lord willing, I am going to do this slowly and not try do everything at once as one of the keys to being organised is doing a little at a time otherwise it is overwhelming.
Some of the titles under the index will be as follows: Devotion & Hymns (Personal & family), Prayer Lists, Menu plans (current for one month), Sunday School (current weekly), Youth club (current weekly), Homeschooling (current weekly), Daily to do list, Joyful Womanhood (current).
I will then endeavour to place all these in other files that are already in place or being opened at the end of each week or month. Even if all these topics are only filed monthly that won’t matter as at least they are being stored in one place. At present I have no proper system and as a result I have lists all over the house. I am hoping to be able to streamline this from now on.
Suggested Reading: -
1. Shopping for Time - Caralyn Mahaney et al
2. Life Management for Busy Women - Elizabeth George
3. Disciplines of a Godly Woman - Barbara Hughes
HOW WEAK ARE YOU?
Proverbs 31: 25
‘Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future.’
As a Christian
The idea that one could smile at the future in the current world that we live in must be quite an alarming thought to most. Even as we encountered in our last study about how the recession we are currently facing can be considered a blessing, so many woman would think this is decidedly strange. So how can a woman who lives in crime-riddled, recession hit South Africa smile at the future?
The answer is found in how weak we are. Weakness is condemned in our world and sometimes rightly so. But in the proper context of being a Christian woman acknowledging our weakness before God can be the most liberating opportunity available to us. Despite everyone telling us that we have to be uber-strong women who accomplish everything on our own this is not the truth of the Bible. The only way for us to be saved is to come to God in sorrow over sin and to ask Him for forgiveness and mercy through the blood of Jesus. So as we come to our Lord we acknowledge we are weak and unable to pay for our sins or take away our guilt. From then on our everyday walk must be one in which we acknowledge our inability to do anything in our own strength but only in our Lord’s. So the correct kind of weakness says ‘God, I cannot do this on my own but I want to please you, please give me strength and endurance.’ This will mean we will not grow weary in well-doing but rather gracefully grow in strength of character. We should be constantly looking at those sinful areas we have not dealt with and ask God to change us and act upon His Word.
Emotional Strength
Upon discussing this issue with my husband he thought that it would be in the arena of ‘emotional strength’ that most women struggle and I agreed with him. But the root cause of many Christian women’s failure in this area is dependence on self rather than on the Lord which leads to a selfish attitude. How am I going to get through this, who is going to help me and so on, it reminds of little children jumping up and down and asking when it’s going to be their turn! – Prior to salvation we are selfish impatient beings and we therefore need to put off our dependence on self and rely on our Father.
God is pleased when we exhibit the fruit of the spirit and maintain our love for our families and desire to be used of him.
‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.
Prior to these verses the Apostle Paul has discussed what the world is full of and it’s not a pretty picture! Collapsing in a heap under the pressure of life will not cause our families to one day rise up and call us blessed BUT we have the unbelievable opportunity to be ambassadors for Christ in our homes. It will bless your husband when he knows you have had a difficult time but he sees you smiling and happy because this builds him up in the most holy faith knowing that it is not you but Christ within you. How amazing when looked at from this perspective. One of Joel’s memory verses when he whines, cries, complains, gets angry etc has been Proverbs 25:28 ‘Whoever cannot rule his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls’, even as he has recited it with me I have realised that I too need to learn the value of fortifying my own life with God’s strength so that ‘my castle’ is not easily broken down.
Even though the Proverbs 31 woman accomplishes so much and has the busiest days ever, there are still seasons for when she does things and she would not have done all these activities spoken of in the Scriptures every single day. We must be careful not to fall into a perfectionist trap and think that society is how we should measure ourselves as this will lead to all manners of sin including anxiousness, worry, and self-pity and so on. How can we be givers of good council in our homes, if the lives we lead do not illustrate that which would give glory to the Lord?
This woman does not smile at the future in some haphazard whimsical way, she is not throwing caution to the wind and believing whatever she “feels is right”. A Proverbs 31 woman knows that God is in control of this universe and that what is occurring in her life at this time is being worked out according to His will. Let’s acknowledge our utter dependence and weakness before God and ask Him to make us strong for His glory and that those around us may see God’s transforming power.
PRAYER: Lord, please show us where we have been self-reliant and indifferent to You, show us where we can improve. Please be merciful to us in how You correct us and help us to be kind and merciful when we correct our own children. May Your strength and care be mirrored in our own lives that we may serve You first and be faithful to what You have called us to do.
Amen.
'God could quite justly have abandoned us to our fate.He could have left us alone to reap the fruit of our wrongdoingand to perish in our sins.It is what we deserved.But He did not.
Because he loved us, He came after us in Christ.He pursued us even to the desolate anguish of the cross, where he bore oursin, guilt, judgment, and death.
It takes a hard and stony heart to remain unchangedby love like that.It is more than love.Its proper name is ‘grace,’which is love to the undeserving.'
John Stott
Posted by Ruth Phillips
(Apologies for the delay in the post - internet problems)
‘Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future.’
As a Christian
The idea that one could smile at the future in the current world that we live in must be quite an alarming thought to most. Even as we encountered in our last study about how the recession we are currently facing can be considered a blessing, so many woman would think this is decidedly strange. So how can a woman who lives in crime-riddled, recession hit South Africa smile at the future?
The answer is found in how weak we are. Weakness is condemned in our world and sometimes rightly so. But in the proper context of being a Christian woman acknowledging our weakness before God can be the most liberating opportunity available to us. Despite everyone telling us that we have to be uber-strong women who accomplish everything on our own this is not the truth of the Bible. The only way for us to be saved is to come to God in sorrow over sin and to ask Him for forgiveness and mercy through the blood of Jesus. So as we come to our Lord we acknowledge we are weak and unable to pay for our sins or take away our guilt. From then on our everyday walk must be one in which we acknowledge our inability to do anything in our own strength but only in our Lord’s. So the correct kind of weakness says ‘God, I cannot do this on my own but I want to please you, please give me strength and endurance.’ This will mean we will not grow weary in well-doing but rather gracefully grow in strength of character. We should be constantly looking at those sinful areas we have not dealt with and ask God to change us and act upon His Word.
Emotional Strength
Upon discussing this issue with my husband he thought that it would be in the arena of ‘emotional strength’ that most women struggle and I agreed with him. But the root cause of many Christian women’s failure in this area is dependence on self rather than on the Lord which leads to a selfish attitude. How am I going to get through this, who is going to help me and so on, it reminds of little children jumping up and down and asking when it’s going to be their turn! – Prior to salvation we are selfish impatient beings and we therefore need to put off our dependence on self and rely on our Father.
God is pleased when we exhibit the fruit of the spirit and maintain our love for our families and desire to be used of him.
‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.
Prior to these verses the Apostle Paul has discussed what the world is full of and it’s not a pretty picture! Collapsing in a heap under the pressure of life will not cause our families to one day rise up and call us blessed BUT we have the unbelievable opportunity to be ambassadors for Christ in our homes. It will bless your husband when he knows you have had a difficult time but he sees you smiling and happy because this builds him up in the most holy faith knowing that it is not you but Christ within you. How amazing when looked at from this perspective. One of Joel’s memory verses when he whines, cries, complains, gets angry etc has been Proverbs 25:28 ‘Whoever cannot rule his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls’, even as he has recited it with me I have realised that I too need to learn the value of fortifying my own life with God’s strength so that ‘my castle’ is not easily broken down.
Even though the Proverbs 31 woman accomplishes so much and has the busiest days ever, there are still seasons for when she does things and she would not have done all these activities spoken of in the Scriptures every single day. We must be careful not to fall into a perfectionist trap and think that society is how we should measure ourselves as this will lead to all manners of sin including anxiousness, worry, and self-pity and so on. How can we be givers of good council in our homes, if the lives we lead do not illustrate that which would give glory to the Lord?
This woman does not smile at the future in some haphazard whimsical way, she is not throwing caution to the wind and believing whatever she “feels is right”. A Proverbs 31 woman knows that God is in control of this universe and that what is occurring in her life at this time is being worked out according to His will. Let’s acknowledge our utter dependence and weakness before God and ask Him to make us strong for His glory and that those around us may see God’s transforming power.
PRAYER: Lord, please show us where we have been self-reliant and indifferent to You, show us where we can improve. Please be merciful to us in how You correct us and help us to be kind and merciful when we correct our own children. May Your strength and care be mirrored in our own lives that we may serve You first and be faithful to what You have called us to do.
Amen.
'God could quite justly have abandoned us to our fate.He could have left us alone to reap the fruit of our wrongdoingand to perish in our sins.It is what we deserved.But He did not.
Because he loved us, He came after us in Christ.He pursued us even to the desolate anguish of the cross, where he bore oursin, guilt, judgment, and death.
It takes a hard and stony heart to remain unchangedby love like that.It is more than love.Its proper name is ‘grace,’which is love to the undeserving.'
John Stott
Posted by Ruth Phillips
(Apologies for the delay in the post - internet problems)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Blessed Among Woman
“Her children arise up, and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her.”
Proverbs 31:28
Her family rise up and call her blessed! Is this not an aspect of being a woman that we would all thank the Lord for if it happens in years to come? Many woman do not share this privilege with the Proverbs 31 woman whom we are studying, why?
What does it mean to be blessed?
Firstly we have to look at what makes a woman blessed. For a start, a woman is to see how wicked her sin is towards God, who is Holy and Just, through the work of the spirit. Through the knowledge of her sin she seeks for forgiveness and repentance from God. God quickens the spirit, forgives and gives repentance to His child. The woman is so grateful that she now lives her life for the Lord for eternity and she continues down the road of sanctification (fight against sin) for the rest of her life here on earth! Secondly, the woman is to “bring forth Christ” in every aspect of her life. If a woman is blessed, her life would reflect those two things.
How can be bring forth Christ in our families?
So many questions to be asked about this verse. As briefly as I can, I would like to try and simplify what a blessed woman’s work in the family looks like. The areas that we will look at are very complex. What I mean by that is there is so much information available on these topics! I will try and stir up your interest and provide a list of resources to get you to study further, for yourself, in your time.
#1 Meeting basic physical and relational needs, Proverbs, Chapter 31
This obviously goes without saying but I thought I may just remind ourselves, that all we have studied and discussed within this chapter should not only be practiced in word but also in deed. Many of the facets of the Proverbs 31 woman are basically, meeting our families physical and relational needs in an excellent and Godly way.
The Proverbs 31 woman is a great look at what we should look like without the effects of materialism and feminism. I would encourage you to not let everything that we have studied go by the way side but to pursue to better the ways which you do things around your home and always pursue your relationships within your family attentively. If you do this, both your children and your husband will call you blessed.
#2 Family Worship
This is such an important point and in this day and age such a neglected one! What is Family Worship? Family worship is coming together to worship God as a family unit. For some this may only happen if the whole family sits down for a meal and thanksgiving is given to the Lord in prayer with an “Amen” from most members of the family. But there is so much more to Family Worship!
As a family, we are still learning, and still have much more to learn in this area. We have heard of families and have read of other ways in which to worship the Lord as a family. Some ideas for you:
* Regular Reading of Gods Word. This can be done at set times during the day. Find times where you come together as a family and can be still while scripture is read out aloud. Meal times are great times to do this. Let the man of the house decide which book of the bible to read through. You can even alternate eg: Psalms at breakfast, a Gospel at lunch and Proverbs at dinner. If your husband is not at home for a meal, you take his place.
* Singing Together. Cd players can come very useful in some families especially if you are learning words or are not confident to sing with out music. You maybe blessed to have a pianist in your family that can play. You can sing specially selected hymns on Sundays and even during the week. We find it extra special to sing specific hymns by candle light at certain times of the year, at Christmas and at Easter.
* Praying Together: Pray together at a specific time of the day. A good time is at the end of the day. Discuss the days happenings together, the fun parts and the difficulties. The man of the house concludes in prayer for each person.
* Family Devotion: This is where the man of the house must share with the family what he has studied in his personal devotion time that morning. It is a very good thing for the husband to do. By doing this he is washing his family with the Word of God daily. It can be 5mins long or even half an hour. Up to the husband! Even if it requires you to get up earlier in the morning! Encourage him to study Gods word and share it with the family.
Remember to not be embarrassed if you have guests, try continue as you would normally. It is a great way to encourage other believers and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved.
As a woman, we are not the head of the home, the husband is. Providing that the husband is saved, it is good for him to take the lead of family worship. Our role is so encourage our husbands to be fulfilling his role. We can do this by getting the children ready and waiting to hear from “daddy”. This is important and key for a wife to encourage her husband to take the lead of the home.
How ever. This does not mean that the responsibility to be having spiritual input into your children’s lives diminishes! Certainly not! As a mother who is fulfilling her Godly role as a mother, should in fact be having more (time wise) of an input into the children’s lives that the father does. You may also help your husband in the careful selections of hymns to be sung and other little special touches for these special times.
#3 Personal Devotion
Your own personal devotions with the Lord are very important! You should make it a habit to share your personal devotion with someone most days, even every day! If you have children you can share it with them. Then as you go through the day, as you face trials and temptations, you can share it with them and show them how to apply what you have learnt.
It is also very important to teach your children how to have their own devotions. You can start at a very young age! We started with a good picture bible, the pictures helped explain the stories and held their concentration. As they begin to understand more, you can start reading portions out of the bible. Explain the story in great detail, children love detail, and give them application. Tell them how they can apply the portion of scripture to their lives that day. Very important to never forget to bring out an attribute of God in each sitting. You can even teach them to memorise scripture from very young. The more the better!
Pray with them at the end of the devotion. Pray what they have learnt and pray for things that are going to happen that day. Ask them to tell you at the end of the day what they learnt in their bible devotion.
#4 Praying
It is important to teach your children how to pray. The only way to do this is to show them. Pray when ever you can, out aloud with them. When they can formulate words, you can ask them to repeat after you have said a few words. It is important that we depend on the Lord for every little thing that we do! We need to show our children our dependence on the Lord!
#5 Discipline
This is so important! Disciplining children is not about sending children to the bathroom to get a hiding, a hug and then being told what they should of done instead. We are not moulding our children in to perfect angels! Discipline is about disciplining the heart, the actions will reflect what is in their hearts. We need to be disciplining as Gods word instructs us. Using Gods word to identify sin, to correct it and then to encourage the children to do what is right. Their own personal battle to meet Gods standards will lead them to see their own need for Christ. The woman who teaches her children their need for Christ and teaches them scripture which will make them wise to the salvation of the Lord will be blessed!
#6 Teaching around the clock
“..And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deut 6:7
As the mother, you spend more time with the children at home and should therefore have more time to teach your children about the Lord.
We need to ask the Lord for wisdom to see each moment as a teaching moment about the Lord. For example, picking flowers in the garden could lead to a lesson on creation. You could rejoice when your little one gets covered in mud as dirty laundry could be a lesson on “filthy rags”, our sin! Fruit, Adam and Eve sinning etc.
#7 Family Traditions
This could be under the previous point of teaching your children every day about the Lord. But I thought that family traditions can be narrowed down to particular events such as Easter and Christmas…..and many more! These two events are vital opportunities to teach our children even more, it really helps to focus on the birth, the death, the resurrection and the ascension of Christ. There are so many important lessons that should not be missed. Find ways in which you can teach these things to your children in memorable ways so that they will never forget Christ!
Her husband also, and he praises her.”
Proverbs 31:28
Her family rise up and call her blessed! Is this not an aspect of being a woman that we would all thank the Lord for if it happens in years to come? Many woman do not share this privilege with the Proverbs 31 woman whom we are studying, why?
What does it mean to be blessed?
Firstly we have to look at what makes a woman blessed. For a start, a woman is to see how wicked her sin is towards God, who is Holy and Just, through the work of the spirit. Through the knowledge of her sin she seeks for forgiveness and repentance from God. God quickens the spirit, forgives and gives repentance to His child. The woman is so grateful that she now lives her life for the Lord for eternity and she continues down the road of sanctification (fight against sin) for the rest of her life here on earth! Secondly, the woman is to “bring forth Christ” in every aspect of her life. If a woman is blessed, her life would reflect those two things.
How can be bring forth Christ in our families?
So many questions to be asked about this verse. As briefly as I can, I would like to try and simplify what a blessed woman’s work in the family looks like. The areas that we will look at are very complex. What I mean by that is there is so much information available on these topics! I will try and stir up your interest and provide a list of resources to get you to study further, for yourself, in your time.
#1 Meeting basic physical and relational needs, Proverbs, Chapter 31
This obviously goes without saying but I thought I may just remind ourselves, that all we have studied and discussed within this chapter should not only be practiced in word but also in deed. Many of the facets of the Proverbs 31 woman are basically, meeting our families physical and relational needs in an excellent and Godly way.
The Proverbs 31 woman is a great look at what we should look like without the effects of materialism and feminism. I would encourage you to not let everything that we have studied go by the way side but to pursue to better the ways which you do things around your home and always pursue your relationships within your family attentively. If you do this, both your children and your husband will call you blessed.
#2 Family Worship
This is such an important point and in this day and age such a neglected one! What is Family Worship? Family worship is coming together to worship God as a family unit. For some this may only happen if the whole family sits down for a meal and thanksgiving is given to the Lord in prayer with an “Amen” from most members of the family. But there is so much more to Family Worship!
As a family, we are still learning, and still have much more to learn in this area. We have heard of families and have read of other ways in which to worship the Lord as a family. Some ideas for you:
* Regular Reading of Gods Word. This can be done at set times during the day. Find times where you come together as a family and can be still while scripture is read out aloud. Meal times are great times to do this. Let the man of the house decide which book of the bible to read through. You can even alternate eg: Psalms at breakfast, a Gospel at lunch and Proverbs at dinner. If your husband is not at home for a meal, you take his place.
* Singing Together. Cd players can come very useful in some families especially if you are learning words or are not confident to sing with out music. You maybe blessed to have a pianist in your family that can play. You can sing specially selected hymns on Sundays and even during the week. We find it extra special to sing specific hymns by candle light at certain times of the year, at Christmas and at Easter.
* Praying Together: Pray together at a specific time of the day. A good time is at the end of the day. Discuss the days happenings together, the fun parts and the difficulties. The man of the house concludes in prayer for each person.
* Family Devotion: This is where the man of the house must share with the family what he has studied in his personal devotion time that morning. It is a very good thing for the husband to do. By doing this he is washing his family with the Word of God daily. It can be 5mins long or even half an hour. Up to the husband! Even if it requires you to get up earlier in the morning! Encourage him to study Gods word and share it with the family.
Remember to not be embarrassed if you have guests, try continue as you would normally. It is a great way to encourage other believers and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved.
As a woman, we are not the head of the home, the husband is. Providing that the husband is saved, it is good for him to take the lead of family worship. Our role is so encourage our husbands to be fulfilling his role. We can do this by getting the children ready and waiting to hear from “daddy”. This is important and key for a wife to encourage her husband to take the lead of the home.
How ever. This does not mean that the responsibility to be having spiritual input into your children’s lives diminishes! Certainly not! As a mother who is fulfilling her Godly role as a mother, should in fact be having more (time wise) of an input into the children’s lives that the father does. You may also help your husband in the careful selections of hymns to be sung and other little special touches for these special times.
#3 Personal Devotion
Your own personal devotions with the Lord are very important! You should make it a habit to share your personal devotion with someone most days, even every day! If you have children you can share it with them. Then as you go through the day, as you face trials and temptations, you can share it with them and show them how to apply what you have learnt.
It is also very important to teach your children how to have their own devotions. You can start at a very young age! We started with a good picture bible, the pictures helped explain the stories and held their concentration. As they begin to understand more, you can start reading portions out of the bible. Explain the story in great detail, children love detail, and give them application. Tell them how they can apply the portion of scripture to their lives that day. Very important to never forget to bring out an attribute of God in each sitting. You can even teach them to memorise scripture from very young. The more the better!
Pray with them at the end of the devotion. Pray what they have learnt and pray for things that are going to happen that day. Ask them to tell you at the end of the day what they learnt in their bible devotion.
#4 Praying
It is important to teach your children how to pray. The only way to do this is to show them. Pray when ever you can, out aloud with them. When they can formulate words, you can ask them to repeat after you have said a few words. It is important that we depend on the Lord for every little thing that we do! We need to show our children our dependence on the Lord!
#5 Discipline
This is so important! Disciplining children is not about sending children to the bathroom to get a hiding, a hug and then being told what they should of done instead. We are not moulding our children in to perfect angels! Discipline is about disciplining the heart, the actions will reflect what is in their hearts. We need to be disciplining as Gods word instructs us. Using Gods word to identify sin, to correct it and then to encourage the children to do what is right. Their own personal battle to meet Gods standards will lead them to see their own need for Christ. The woman who teaches her children their need for Christ and teaches them scripture which will make them wise to the salvation of the Lord will be blessed!
#6 Teaching around the clock
“..And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deut 6:7
As the mother, you spend more time with the children at home and should therefore have more time to teach your children about the Lord.
We need to ask the Lord for wisdom to see each moment as a teaching moment about the Lord. For example, picking flowers in the garden could lead to a lesson on creation. You could rejoice when your little one gets covered in mud as dirty laundry could be a lesson on “filthy rags”, our sin! Fruit, Adam and Eve sinning etc.
#7 Family Traditions
This could be under the previous point of teaching your children every day about the Lord. But I thought that family traditions can be narrowed down to particular events such as Easter and Christmas…..and many more! These two events are vital opportunities to teach our children even more, it really helps to focus on the birth, the death, the resurrection and the ascension of Christ. There are so many important lessons that should not be missed. Find ways in which you can teach these things to your children in memorable ways so that they will never forget Christ!
#8 Homeschooling
A mother who homeschools her children has a wonderful opportunity to teach her children a biblical world view. She can show her children that everything comes from God and the proof for all things (subjects) are found in Gods Word! What a precious gift from a mother to her children!
Concluding:
There are so many more ways to bring forth Christ in our families! I haven’t even touched the iceberg! We obviously are limited with our time with our children and it will go by very quickly. This is why it is so important to seek the Lord urgently in prayer on this matter. Start disciplining your life in such a way that you may teach your children more about who Christ is, why we need him, his provision to us and the way in which we must now walk.
We must also keep in mind that next to the bible, a mother is the book that shows them how true obedience, love and honour to the Lord is actually carried out. We have so much influence in our children’s lives, please be encouraged to make it a Godly, God honouring influence, with humility and wholeheartedly.
Our aim as mothers is to give our children a good understanding of Gods Word, to give them a correct understand of who God is and to show them their desperate need for Christ!
As such a high standard is expected of us, it is only by the Grace and Strength of the Lord that we are able to attain to it. Not all in one day or even in one year but over our life time! Our motive for doing so is to Glorify the Lord because we love Him.
And remember that the Word of God will not return void! Its amazing that Gods word will live on in children’s hearts right until the day that they die. Gods word is quick and powerful, use your opportunity to write Gods Word in their hearts. This is why they rise up and bless us, because we labour to instil Christ into their lives! The woman who does this could see the day when her children and husband rise up and bless her!
(It is the work of God to save a person in His time, but still our responsibility to teach Gods Word! We are not forcing children to “Ask Jesus into their hearts“! No, not at all, we labour in prayer and nurture, we wait to see the evidence of salvation in our children’s lives. Until then, many closet tears will be shed from the compassion of mothers to see God saving their children from their sin! )
All for the Glory of God!
Written by Natalie Rogers
Appendix A
An extract of a mothers life whose children could of called her blessed!
Mrs Savage and her children
Mrs Savage loved home, and as the head of a family, aimed, by setting a pattern of cheerful, serious piety, to walk “as becometh the Gospel.” For the spiritual welfare of her domestics she cherished a holy zeal, and discovered it by regular and patient instruction, as well as fervent prayer. “Oh!” she writes soon after her marriage, “that the family might be the better for me. As far as I know my own heart, U earnestly desire the salvation of every should under our roof. Oh, that they did but see what I see of the Excellency of Christ, the sinfulness of sin, and the vanity of creatures.”
She was the mother of nine children. The care and tenderness she discovered in their infancy did not exceed her concern for their souls. As they advanced in years, her pious anxiety increased, and no pains were spared to teach them the things of God. A considerable portion of the evening of the Sabbath was devoted to family instruction. She excelled in the happy art of recommending religion to the young. She gained their attention, and encouraged them to be inquisitive in divine subjects. To her instructions were added the most affectionate prayers; and her children, who were not immediately under her inspection, were visited with such letters of piety and love as, with the blessing of God, were calculated to produce the happiest effects. Her diary abounds with expressions of concern for her children. “Oh!”” she writes, “” that I could be every day travailing to see Christ formed in them. This week I was much affected when, reading in my daily course, Proverbs 30:8, ‘Remove fr from me vanity and lies.’ Methinks it is a very proper prayer for children. I have earnestly begged of God to remove from mine vanity and lies. “At another time, “I read in my daily reading in my closet, Isaiah 54, with the exposition; I was much affected with the 13th verse, ‘And all they children shall be taught of the Lord.’ Though it is spoken of the Church’s children, I could apply it to my own children in particular, and desire to act faith on it. I am caring and endeavouring that they may be taught and instructed in the good way. This is the inward desire of my soul. ‘Now, ‘ saith God, ‘they shall be taught of me, and all thy children shall: be a sweet promise; it much satisfies me. ‘ Lord set in with poor parents, who desire nothing in the world so much as to see their children walk in the ‘narrow way that leads to life. “
Taken from ‘The Christian Lady of the Seventeenth Century; or the Life of Mrs Savage.’ By Sir J.B. Williams. London: Religious Tract Society.
Appendix B
Suggested Reading:
*Mothers of the wise and Good by Jabez Burns (Testimonies and short biographies of famous children and their mothers!)
*Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent and Barbara Hughes
*Family practice by R. C. Sproul and Elisabeth Elliot
* Treasuring God in our traditions by Noel Piper
*When you rise up by R. C. Sproul Jr.
*How to bring your children to Christ by Ray Comfort
*What the bible says about parenting by John MacArthur
*Teach them diligently by Lou Priolo
*Shepherding a childs heart by Tedd Tripp
*Instruments in a redeemers hands by Paul David Tripp
*Don’t make me count to three by Ginger Plowman
*Spiritual parenting by Charles Spurgeon
*A mom after Gods own heart by Elizabeth George
*Disciplines of a Godly woman by Barbara Hughes
Concluding:
There are so many more ways to bring forth Christ in our families! I haven’t even touched the iceberg! We obviously are limited with our time with our children and it will go by very quickly. This is why it is so important to seek the Lord urgently in prayer on this matter. Start disciplining your life in such a way that you may teach your children more about who Christ is, why we need him, his provision to us and the way in which we must now walk.
We must also keep in mind that next to the bible, a mother is the book that shows them how true obedience, love and honour to the Lord is actually carried out. We have so much influence in our children’s lives, please be encouraged to make it a Godly, God honouring influence, with humility and wholeheartedly.
Our aim as mothers is to give our children a good understanding of Gods Word, to give them a correct understand of who God is and to show them their desperate need for Christ!
As such a high standard is expected of us, it is only by the Grace and Strength of the Lord that we are able to attain to it. Not all in one day or even in one year but over our life time! Our motive for doing so is to Glorify the Lord because we love Him.
And remember that the Word of God will not return void! Its amazing that Gods word will live on in children’s hearts right until the day that they die. Gods word is quick and powerful, use your opportunity to write Gods Word in their hearts. This is why they rise up and bless us, because we labour to instil Christ into their lives! The woman who does this could see the day when her children and husband rise up and bless her!
(It is the work of God to save a person in His time, but still our responsibility to teach Gods Word! We are not forcing children to “Ask Jesus into their hearts“! No, not at all, we labour in prayer and nurture, we wait to see the evidence of salvation in our children’s lives. Until then, many closet tears will be shed from the compassion of mothers to see God saving their children from their sin! )
All for the Glory of God!
Written by Natalie Rogers
Appendix A
An extract of a mothers life whose children could of called her blessed!
Mrs Savage and her children
Mrs Savage loved home, and as the head of a family, aimed, by setting a pattern of cheerful, serious piety, to walk “as becometh the Gospel.” For the spiritual welfare of her domestics she cherished a holy zeal, and discovered it by regular and patient instruction, as well as fervent prayer. “Oh!” she writes soon after her marriage, “that the family might be the better for me. As far as I know my own heart, U earnestly desire the salvation of every should under our roof. Oh, that they did but see what I see of the Excellency of Christ, the sinfulness of sin, and the vanity of creatures.”
She was the mother of nine children. The care and tenderness she discovered in their infancy did not exceed her concern for their souls. As they advanced in years, her pious anxiety increased, and no pains were spared to teach them the things of God. A considerable portion of the evening of the Sabbath was devoted to family instruction. She excelled in the happy art of recommending religion to the young. She gained their attention, and encouraged them to be inquisitive in divine subjects. To her instructions were added the most affectionate prayers; and her children, who were not immediately under her inspection, were visited with such letters of piety and love as, with the blessing of God, were calculated to produce the happiest effects. Her diary abounds with expressions of concern for her children. “Oh!”” she writes, “” that I could be every day travailing to see Christ formed in them. This week I was much affected when, reading in my daily course, Proverbs 30:8, ‘Remove fr from me vanity and lies.’ Methinks it is a very proper prayer for children. I have earnestly begged of God to remove from mine vanity and lies. “At another time, “I read in my daily reading in my closet, Isaiah 54, with the exposition; I was much affected with the 13th verse, ‘And all they children shall be taught of the Lord.’ Though it is spoken of the Church’s children, I could apply it to my own children in particular, and desire to act faith on it. I am caring and endeavouring that they may be taught and instructed in the good way. This is the inward desire of my soul. ‘Now, ‘ saith God, ‘they shall be taught of me, and all thy children shall: be a sweet promise; it much satisfies me. ‘ Lord set in with poor parents, who desire nothing in the world so much as to see their children walk in the ‘narrow way that leads to life. “
Taken from ‘The Christian Lady of the Seventeenth Century; or the Life of Mrs Savage.’ By Sir J.B. Williams. London: Religious Tract Society.
Appendix B
Suggested Reading:
*Mothers of the wise and Good by Jabez Burns (Testimonies and short biographies of famous children and their mothers!)
*Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent and Barbara Hughes
*Family practice by R. C. Sproul and Elisabeth Elliot
* Treasuring God in our traditions by Noel Piper
*When you rise up by R. C. Sproul Jr.
*How to bring your children to Christ by Ray Comfort
*What the bible says about parenting by John MacArthur
*Teach them diligently by Lou Priolo
*Shepherding a childs heart by Tedd Tripp
*Instruments in a redeemers hands by Paul David Tripp
*Don’t make me count to three by Ginger Plowman
*Spiritual parenting by Charles Spurgeon
*A mom after Gods own heart by Elizabeth George
*Disciplines of a Godly woman by Barbara Hughes
Jesus heals the paralysed man!
Lesson Aim: To learn that Jesus can forgive sins because his is God!
Read: Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26
Prayer: Lord thank you for today. Thank you that we can come and learn more about you. Help us to listen. Amen.
Previous lesson:
Does anyone remember last weeks lesson?
Show the activity page and go over verse.
Songs:
My God is so great
Standing in the need of prayer
Story:
One day, Jesus went to his own City, It was called Capernaum. After some days, it was heard that Jesus was in the house. Immediately many people gathered together. There were many people at the house, so many that no body else could fit through the door and find a place to stand or sit! As Jesus was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting near by.
Then behold, men brought a bed a man who was paralysed. Do you know what it means to be paralysed? It means that the man could not walk, or even move his body! His paralysis was so bad that he had to stay in bed all the time! The men who where carrying the paralysed man on the bed, wanted to take him to Jesus inside the house so that Jesus could heal him.
When they could not find a way to bring him into the house because of the crowd of people., they went up on to the housetop. They made a hole in the roof by removing the roof tiles. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. The bed came to rest before Jesus.
When Jesus saw the mens faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone? “ God knows our thoughts! Jesus knew their thoughts! Jesus said, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you “ or to say, “Rise up and walk?” But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins!
Only God can forgive our sins!
Jesus then said to the paralysed man, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
Immediately he rose up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house. He was glorifying God!
Everyone was amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”
* Jesus is God
* Jesus forgave the man for his sins first as that was more important than his health.
* Jesus declared that he was God
* Jesus healed the man
* Everyone glorified Jesus
* Everyone feared God!
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ to this earth. Thank you that your raised Jesus Christ from the dead and that Jesus paid for our sins. Thank you that when we come to you, we can find forgiveness and repentance. You are the only God, may our lives glorify you and may we fear you.
Amen!
VERSE:
Jesus said, “Get up, pick up your bed, and go home!” Luke 5:24
Read: Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26
Prayer: Lord thank you for today. Thank you that we can come and learn more about you. Help us to listen. Amen.
Previous lesson:
Does anyone remember last weeks lesson?
Show the activity page and go over verse.
Songs:
My God is so great
Standing in the need of prayer
Story:
One day, Jesus went to his own City, It was called Capernaum. After some days, it was heard that Jesus was in the house. Immediately many people gathered together. There were many people at the house, so many that no body else could fit through the door and find a place to stand or sit! As Jesus was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting near by.
Then behold, men brought a bed a man who was paralysed. Do you know what it means to be paralysed? It means that the man could not walk, or even move his body! His paralysis was so bad that he had to stay in bed all the time! The men who where carrying the paralysed man on the bed, wanted to take him to Jesus inside the house so that Jesus could heal him.
When they could not find a way to bring him into the house because of the crowd of people., they went up on to the housetop. They made a hole in the roof by removing the roof tiles. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. The bed came to rest before Jesus.
When Jesus saw the mens faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone? “ God knows our thoughts! Jesus knew their thoughts! Jesus said, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you “ or to say, “Rise up and walk?” But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins!
Only God can forgive our sins!
Jesus then said to the paralysed man, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
Immediately he rose up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house. He was glorifying God!
Everyone was amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”
* Jesus is God
* Jesus forgave the man for his sins first as that was more important than his health.
* Jesus declared that he was God
* Jesus healed the man
* Everyone glorified Jesus
* Everyone feared God!
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ to this earth. Thank you that your raised Jesus Christ from the dead and that Jesus paid for our sins. Thank you that when we come to you, we can find forgiveness and repentance. You are the only God, may our lives glorify you and may we fear you.
Amen!
VERSE:
Jesus said, “Get up, pick up your bed, and go home!” Luke 5:24
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A Good Woman vs a Godly Woman
“She opens her mouth with wisdom;
and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
Proverbs 31:26
and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
Proverbs 31:26
The verse we are looking at today describes the Proverbs 31 woman’s speech, the words that she says and the way in which she communicates. She is wise in knowing when to open her mouth. Do you sometimes open your mouth and later kick yourself as you know that you should of kept your mouth shut. I do find myself in that situation sometimes. Very often after you have opened your mouth it is very difficult to stop in the middle of the sentence! A Godly woman is wise. She thinks through her words before saying them out of turn and will assess words to see if they should be said.
Her words are kind. Are all your words kind? Are all your words spoken out of love in a controlled manner? How many times do we err on the words we say? Many times during the day. We do not only err but we sin against God with our words!
Have you ever noticed how many times the Word of God deals with our speech? After studying this verse, I have been amazed at how many times it is dealt with in scripture! Why do you think our communication is so important to God? Read the following verse:
“The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life..”
Proverbs 10:11
The reason why our words are so important is because it reflects what is in our hearts. The Lord is most concerned with what is going on in our hearts! When a righteous person speaks, words of life should be spoken. What are words of life? Gods word is Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is life. Therefore, Gods word is life. Our words should reflect Gods wisdom.
Now for an issue that I have been wondering about concerning our Proverbs 31 woman. I know many woman who would fit the Proverbs 31 profile BUT ARE NOT SAVED! Their husbands trust them, they are good at managing a home, they handle money well, they do everything for their family, they give to the poor etc. The list goes on and many woman make a perfect match of our Proverbs 31 woman.
The verse that we are looking at today is actually the key to differentiating the difference between a worldly, domestic goddess and a godly, Proverbs 31 woman. Our actions may look good, but it is actually the heart which God sees. This verse shows that what is in the heart will come out of the mouth. When a woman is about her daily “to do list”, which would be a very long one, her words and how she says them will reveal much about the condition of her heart.
Continuous sinning in our communication would cause much concern to make a serious issue of pray with the Lord. We find mercy and grace at the feet of Jesus, don’t hesitate to run to the Lord and cry out for wisdom in your speech. It is important.
Do you remember everything that you have said since your day began this morning? How about since the beginning of the year? There is no ways that we remember everything that we say! But God does remember every thing that we say.
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36
Please understand the importance of wisdom in knowing when to open your mouth and knowing the law of kindness. I have included two studies for you to do in your own time. They will help you to examine many verses in Gods word and will help assess where you may be sinning. Do not be discouraged and shut up completely! Let me encourage you to cling to the Word of God and to flee to the feet of Jesus, the more the better! All for Gods glory! Enjoy the studies!
Written by Natalie Rogers
Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling Youth,
by Patricia A. Miller and Keith R. Miller, Pg 204,205,206
Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling Youth,
by Patricia A. Miller and Keith R. Miller, Pg 204,205,206
Write out verses.
1. Positive qualities to develop in speech:
Building up: Ephesians 4:29
Gentleness: Proverbs 16:24, Proverbs 25:15
Speaking truth: Ephesians 4:25
Speaking after listening: James 1:19-20, Proverbs 15:28
Communicating knowledge: Proverbs 20:15
Appropriate words: Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 15:23
Kindness: Proverbs 12:25; Ephesians 4:32
2. Negative qualities to avoid in speech.
Obscene, foolish, raw jokes: Ephesians 5:4; Ephesians 4:29
Falsehood, lying: Ephesians 4:25
Answering before listening: Proverbs 18:13
Foolish, stupid arguments: 2 Timothy 2:23-24
Slander: Titus 3:1-2
Lack of self control: James 1:26
3. Speech can both grieve and please the Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 4:29-31
4. Summary of the tongue’s power potential
Proverbs 18:21
James 3:5-8
James 3:9-12
5. Many contrasts are provided in Proverbs
Proverbs 12:18
Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs 15:4
Proverbs 10:20-21
*Biblical illustration - Abigail (1 Samuel 25)
______________________________________________________________
Obscene, foolish, raw jokes: Ephesians 5:4; Ephesians 4:29
Falsehood, lying: Ephesians 4:25
Answering before listening: Proverbs 18:13
Foolish, stupid arguments: 2 Timothy 2:23-24
Slander: Titus 3:1-2
Lack of self control: James 1:26
3. Speech can both grieve and please the Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 4:29-31
4. Summary of the tongue’s power potential
Proverbs 18:21
James 3:5-8
James 3:9-12
5. Many contrasts are provided in Proverbs
Proverbs 12:18
Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs 15:4
Proverbs 10:20-21
*Biblical illustration - Abigail (1 Samuel 25)
______________________________________________________________
A homework manual for biblical living, By Wayne A Mack
Vol.2 family and marital problems
COMMUNICATION WORKSHEET
Vol.2 family and marital problems
COMMUNICATION WORKSHEET
A. List five things that you could discuss with your mate. Now plunge in and seek a good time to actually communicate.
B. Evaluate your conversation. Answer the following questions about your conversation by using this rating scale: 0 = never, 1 = seldom, 2 = sometimes, 3 = frequently, 4 = always. Circle the questions where improvement is needed.
1. Do you really show an interest in what others are saying (__) or are you interested in what you are talking about? (__)
2. Are you a know-it-all? (__)
3. Is your voice pleasant, gentle and friendly? (__)
4. Do you say things clearly and simply so that others can understand? (__)
Are you lovingly honest or evasive and untrue? (__) Are you open or secretive?(__)
Do you often send backdoor messages? (__)
5. Are you predominantly appreciative and affirmative (__) or critical and negative(__)
6. Do you encourage others (__) or belittle them? (__)
7. Is your family better because of your involvement with them? (__) How?
8. Does your family feel free to be honest and open with you? (__) Is it safe for them to tell you the truth about you as they see it (__) or do they have to fear speaking the truth to you? (__)
9. Do you tend to dominate a conversation in which you are involved? (__)
Do you ever “whip into silence” by your tone or reaction? (__)
10. Are you willing to listen to opinions that are different from yours and not be threatened by them? (__) Are you a highly opinionated, prejudiced person? (__)
11. When others want to talk to you, do you give them your undivided attention (__) or are you usually too busy? (__)
12. Do you consider communication with your family to be a priority matter? (__) Is it more important to you then watching TV? (__) Than reading the newspaper? (__) Than taking a nap? (__) If you had to choose between talking to your family and doing one of the aforementioned things, would you usually choose talking to your family?
13. Are you often not in the mood to talk? (__) Do you give in to your moods (__) or deny yourself and focus on the needs of others? (__)
14. Are you frequently sarcastic and nasty in your speech (__) or do you usually use wholesome gracious, considerate, and respectful speech? (__)
15. Are you usually cheerful and bright (__) or overly serious and somber? (__) Do you usually have a merry heart (__) or a sullen spirit? (__)
16. Do you nag? (__)
17. Do you lecture or moralize? (__)
18. Do you sometimes exaggerate problems , read into the other person’s faults,etc (__)
19. Do you sometimes mind read, read into the other person’s words and accuse him/her of meaning things he/she didn’t really say? (__)
20. Do you insist on having the last word? (__)
21. Do you make time to communicate on a daily basis? (__)
22. Do you often bring up the other person’s past mistakes? (__)
23. Do you often refuse the other person’s suggestions or advice without really thinking about what he/she is saying? (__)
C. Study the following verses; ask God what they say about communication; write down what they say and how you need to apply them in your circumstances.
1. Matthew 12:34-37
2. Ephesians 4:25-27
3. Ephesians 4:29-32
4. Ephesians 5:18;19
5. Colossians 4:6
6. 2 Timothy 2:24,25
7. Titus 3:1,2
8. 1 Peter 3:10,11
9. James 1:19,20
10. Proverbs 12:25; 15:1; 15:28; 17:14; 20:5; 25:9, 11, 12, 15
11. Proverbs 12:16,18; 15:5; 16:21; 24:27; 17:9; 18:6,13,17,23
D. Select two or three areas in which you need to improve to become a better communicator with your family. Confess your failure to God in this area, ask Him to help you to change and then go to work on them. Begin every day by reaffirming your desire to change, ask God for help, memorize Scripture that speaks to the practise you want to change,, and deliberately throughout the day seek to be different, At the end of every day, review your progress, ask God for forgiveness where you have failed, and again commit yourself to becoming different in the areas you are seeking to change. Write out the changes you want to make and plan how you will bring them to pass.
E. As incidents happen, examine what you did wrong and check how you should of handled the situation.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Recession is a blessing!
"She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies sashes for the merchants."
Proverbs 31:24
We are privileged to be living in a western culture. Let us have a look at how a typical day goes:
The alarm clock wakes us up, maybe more than once because we have a convenient lazy tool called the 'snooze button'. We switch the lamp on. In our own time, we force ourselves to get out of bed and walk a few meters to the bathroom. We turn on the tap, wait a minute until the water is the desired warm temperature and flow. We lather ourselves in all sorts of soaps and oils. We reach out to our lovely bought fluffy towel and head towards our large wardrobes. We open the door and view the piles of bought clothing and shoes. We change. Off to the kitchen we go, we switch the kettle on, grab cereal, open long life box milk and eat. We may open a carton of yogurt and a bottle of fresh fruit juice. Eventually when ready, we grab car keys, lock the house up, set the alarm and ride to our destination in our air conditioned car!
The rest of the day consists of instant coffee, restaurants, coffee shops, quick meals, cell phones, email, Internet, computers, printers, hairdressers, doggy parlors, clothing stores, fridges, light switches, toilets, the list goes on.
The Proverbs 31 woman did not have all these luxuries! She was forced to get up much earlier and do everything herself. Let us have a peak at what her live may have looked like.
Wake herself up, ensure that the lamps did not run out of oil. Ensure that the outside "sewerage system" was functional and clean. She walked far to get water, she had to make a fire to heat the water, make soap for the family to clean themselves with, make the towels for everyone to use, make all the clothes and even maybe the shoes. Grow the oats and cook it, milk the cow or get fresh milk from nearby, make the bread, walk to her destinations. Make all her food by hand and from scratch, plan carefully and ahead as there were no phones, post letters weeks in advance, seek out learned men and woman when requiring information, write everything out, cut every ones hair, groom animals and keep food fresh with out a fridge. This list keeps on going!
Today, we really do not have anything to complain about!
The TRUTH: We have become lazy
Can you see how much harder the woman had to work years ago? Woman in third world countries still live as most did a few hundred years ago. I have to say that all our luxuries have made us lazy. Its hard to admit but it is so true. I have heard it sad that all our new technology makes our mundane chores quicker and easier so that we have more time to do other things. This statement could be true. BUT, because all the hard work is done by our machines, we become lethargic and we place our newly found spare time into more "me time". As a result, we become lazy, we misuse our time and we forget how valuable time is.
"Look carefully the hoe how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" Ephesians 5:15-17
The LIE: We don't have to go back to the past when new technology is improving our lifestyle!
How do we explain to woman today, that it is important to work hard for her family. Why should woman today have to work so hard? We are so used to just running down to the shops and buying what we need.
The answer lies in the fact that we have to be realistic and remind ourselves of the world that we live in today. A materialistic world! A world which is forgetting God, feminism is getting stronger and people have strayed so far from the truth of God's word in knowledge and in deed!
The result of luxurious living
I would say that our priorities have become selfish. Wealth has caused us to be self centered and lazy! That is the hard reality of materialism. We begin to live for ourselves. We do not extend our hand to the poor and needy as we ought. We do not depend on the Lord for our basic daily needs.
In the light of our materialism, our laziness and the forgotten art of a hard working woman, we stop and ponder why we have to do all the hard work when it is already done by someone else, but with a high price. Where is the link to being a Proverbs 31 woman in a materialistic world?
The link is simply this. Love the Lord your God and to love your neighbors. If we are driven by the materialistic world, we will be self orientated in many ways. If we are driven by the love of the Lord, our situation would be much different. We would sacrifice many convenient ways of doing things in order to produce more by the sweat of our brow to be able to reach out our hands to the needs around us.
God's Providence
God has ordained a recession. Our finances are getting tight, we are panicking as we are battling to make ends meet. In many cases, we are unable to buy what we need and see as necessities. The recession has brought many to their knees! We are in desperate need of Godly wisdom!
The more that I think about our current economic situation from a biblical view of a Proverbs 31 woman. I see our need to return to Gods design of a true biblical woman. Our materialistic world has distorted and even destroyed biblical womanhood. Materialism has fueled the feminist movement!
It is imperative that our dependency is in God and not our materialism and our selfishness. I have realised through our study that if I apply myself more and get my hands dirty. My family will benefit so much more. Let me explain and give some brief simple examples.
My budget for veggies were at a minimum. We managed to get through the week with a few meals with some veggies. Now that the "veggie patch" at the back of the garden is underway, we are going to be able to have all sorts of lovely, unmodified, organic, delicious veggies and fruit to eat. Lord wiling! Fresh garlic, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, onions, butternut,onions, gem squash, radish, carrots, patty pans, strawberries, gooseberries, basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, may types of mint and the list can go on. It can cost a little to get things going but once I get into the hang of the veggie and herb gardening, I will be able to continue growing without having to buy seed!
Then there are eggs which were becoming a luxury with the prices getting sky high. My dad made a plan with a friend who owns a large plot to buy chickens and share the eggs. There will soon be an abundance of eggs. Real eggs, eggs which are actually free range (not like the shop varieties!) They have the beautiful golden yellow yolk. Delicious and much more healthier!
I have to conclude that I am grateful that money has become tight due to the recession. It has certainly forced me to become more industrious at home. It has also made me appreciate the Proverbs 31 woman more!
How will the recession affect our daily lives
Now in regard to our industrious woman seen in Proverbs 31:24, she is a woman working hard at home with not many luxuries that we have today. Let the recession cause you to rethink how you do things at home. Once our mind set is changed from an instant world to a 'sweat from the brow' world. Our priorities will change.
We will have to do a large amount of research to learn how to make bath oils, make clothing, make candles etc. As we learn individually and apply ourselves, we will start to help one another a lot more. We will start discovering our God given womanly talents and abilities. We will start to realise that people around us maybe battling to get something done and you can help. This is how we become industrious. We also start loving in the way that God has intended us to love each other by helping each other by deed and not just by word. You will also notice another thing, when you have to work hard at the simple things in life, you are sensitive to those around you who are poor and needy.
"For this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brother. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him,, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
1 John 3:16-18
Life indeed has become to fast and instant and we have become lazy in all spheres. I can see a facet of God's providence in the current recession that we find ourselves in. Let us praise the Lord for what we have. Let us carefully examine where we can ditch the fast, easy, costly and search for a slower, harder and cheaper way of doing things. Let us use what we have to glorify the Lord. By Gods grace, let us teach, bless and love others with the work of our hands. The Lord will bless the abilities that He has given you. Be faithful in using them and praise the Lord if any goods or money is given to you for your hard work, your industry which is God centered, home based and blessed!
So is a recession in our day and age a blessing? Of course!
Discussion question: How doe the recession impact the feminist movement?
Developing Godly excellence by Elizabeth George (1)
We are most generally in charge of the choices we make. What are some of those choices illustrated in these proverbs and what principle(s) does each teach us:
* Proverbs 6:9-11
* Proverbs 10:4
* Proverbs 12:11
* Proverbs 14:23
* Proverbs 18:9
* Proverbs 28:19
* Proverbs 31:27
_____________________________________________________
Sources used:
(1) Discovering the treasure of a Godly woman by Elizabeth George. pg96,97
Written by Natalie Rogers
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