Book Review: Twelve Extraordinary Women

I just finished reading John MacArthur's book Twelve Extraordinary Women and I wanted to do a review on it.  I enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend it to anyone.  The writing is very clear and concise, which makes it easily understandable for just about anyone.

MacArthur takes a look at twelve women in the Bible who lived extraordinary lives because "their faith and their hopes were absolutely and resolutely Christ-centered." (page 199)  It really wasn't because they were anything other than ordinary women, but God used them in extraordinary ways because they chose to follow Him above all else.

This book looks at the lives of women like Sarah who followed her husband so willingly, but was not without mistakes.  Her choice to offer Hagar to Abraham was getting ahead of God's plan, but God still used her to bring about the birth of a great nation.

There is also a chapter on Rahab who was a pagan prostitute, but when she was presented with the love of God, she chose to follow Him and ended up marrying into the genealogy of Christ.  She completely turned away from her sinful past and joined the Israelites, which was only possible because of her obedience.

I have always been fascinated by the story of Ruth, which is also studied in this book.  She, like Rahab was from a pagan nation, but after her husband died, she chose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and serve the true God.  You also see her obedience to Naomi which lead to her becoming part of the bloodline of Christ as well.  There is more to Boaz, her eventual husband, than meets the eye, but you will have to read the book to find out what is so special about him.

Another one of my favorites is Anna, the Prophetess.  She lived at the Temple and served God day and night.  She was there when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple shortly after He was born, and she was able to see the Messiah with her own eyes, which was something she had hoped for for many years.  In Anna, we see great dedication to the service of God.  She was married for only seven years when her husband died and she never remarried.  She was now over eighty years old and still serving God faithfully.

Twelve Extraordinary Women takes an in depth look into the lives of many women, such as these.  MacArthur studies the culture surrounding the women, which helps to shed light on their lives in a more complete way than their stories alone could do.  This book is challenging to us as Christians, in that it shows us how we should be living and tries to help us to apply the honorable characteristics of these women in our own lives.  MacArthur has also written two other books along the same lines, Twelve Ordinary Men and Twelve Unlikely Heroes.  I hope to have the time to read both of these in the near future as well.

The Fruit of the Spirit--Love

A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Howard talked a little bit about the Fruit of the Spirit and how Christians should be producing this kind of fruit in their lives.  I thought it would be good for us to take a closer look at each individual fruit and what it should look like in our lives.  So let's start by listing the Fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (NKJV)

LOVE

When I think about love, my mind automatically goes to 1 Corinthians 13.  Let's look at part of that chapter and see what it has to tell us about love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (ESV)

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

I want to break this apart and look at each characteristic of love.  Love is patient and kind.  I won't go into too much detail on these because they will be covered as other Fruits of the Spirit, but someone who loves does not get easily frustrated with others.  He responds kindly to those he comes in contact with.  

Love does not envy and is neither proud nor arrogant.  Covetousness or envy is something that is spoken against in the Ten Commandments.  A person who loves is content with what he has and doesn't desire the things or accomplishments of others.  He is also humble and doesn't go around talking about himself and what he has done.  He knows that all of his accomplishments are due to the help of God.  He does not think himself better than others.

Love is not rude.  That means that he shows due respect to others because everyone deserves to be treated with respect.  I think rudeness also includes course speech.  A person who loves others will be careful to make sure that his words and actions show his respect for others.

Love does not have to have his own way.  A loving person accepts the fact that his idea isn't always the best, that other people's opinions matter.  Love is not irritable or resentful.  Once again, I think this goes back to respecting others and their opinions.  A person who loves others is not irritated by those who do not agree with him, but is willing to work with that person anyway.  He does not hold a grudge.  He forgives and moves on not keeping a count of the ways others have done him wrong.

Love is not joyful of wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth.  The loving person is happy when he sees others do right and speak the truth, not when they lie or do things they know are wrong.  He is grieved by sin.

The Amplified Bible translates verse 7 this way, " Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]."  Nothing can break down true love, it gives everyone the benefit of the doubt,  its hope does not waver, and it can endure anything.  I think this verse is a beautiful picture of Christ and His love for us.  God continues to love us, even when we fail.  He gives us the benefit of the doubt when we repent that we will truly turn away for our sin.  When Christ died on the cross for our sins, he endured great suffering and agony all because he loved us.  How can anything we could ever face in life compare to the sorrows He suffered on Calvary, yet He endured because of love.  Romans 8:38-39 say this, " For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

That is the kind of love we should be striving for.  We should love others with the love of Christ.  What are some areas where you could use a little bit of work when it comes to loving others?  Ask God to help you work on these areas of your life.  Remember, you can't do it on your own, but all things are possible with God! (Matt 19:26)

35 Reasons Not to Sin

I came across this blog a while back that included a list of reasons not to sin.  It is definitely food for thought.  I had never thought about it in these terms, but these reasons made sense.  I will link to the blog here, but I will also copy the information below.  Think about these reasons and see what they mean for your life.

35 Reasons Not To Sin

• Because a little sin leads to more sin.
• Because my sin invites the discipline of God.
• Because the time spent in sin is forever wasted.
• Because my sin never pleases but always grieves God who loves me.
• Because my sin places a greater burden on my spiritual leaders.
• Because in time my sin always brings heaviness to my heart.
• Because I am doing what I do not have to do.
• Because my sin always makes me less than what I could be.
• Because others, including my family, suffer consequences due to my sin.
• Because my sin saddens the godly.
• Because my sin makes the enemies of God rejoice.
• Because sin deceives me into believing I have gained when in reality I have lost.
• Because sin may keep me from qualifying for spiritual leadership.
• Because the supposed benefits of my sin will never outweigh the consequences of disobedience.
• Because repenting of my sin is such a painful process, yet I must repent.
• Because sin is a very brief pleasure for an eternal loss.
• Because my sin may influence others to sin.
• Because my sin may keep others from knowing Christ.
• Because sin makes light of the cross, upon which Christ died for the very purpose of taking away my sin.
• Because it is impossible to sin and follow the Spirit at the same time.
• Because God chooses not to respect the prayers of those who cherish their sin.
• Because sin steals my reputation and robs me of my testimony.
• Because others once more earnest than I have been destroyed by just such sins.
• Because the inhabitants of heaven and hell would all testify to the foolishness of this sin.
• Because sin and guilt may harm both mind and body.
• Because sins mixed with service make the things of God tasteless.
• Because suffering for sin has no joy or reward, though suffering for righteousness has both.
• Because my sin is adultery with the world.
• Because, though forgiven, I will review this very sin at the Judgment Seat where loss and gain of eternal rewards are applied.
• Because I can never really know ahead of time just how severe the discipline for my sin might be.
• Because my sin may be an indication of a lost condition.
• Because to sin is not to love Christ.
• Because my unwillingness to reject this sin now grants it an authority over me greater than I wish to believe.
• Because sin glorifies God only in His judgment of it and His turning of it to good use, never because it is worth anything on it’s own.
• Because I promised God he would be Lord of my life.

I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in my Heart

 Do you remember that song?  I can't count how many times I sang that song as a kid.  But could I say that it is still true of me as an adult?  Do I really have joy in my heart?  Do you?

Dictionary.com defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation."  I like to think of joy as pure happiness.

When we are living our lives day in and day out, going to work, eating, sleeping, washing dishes, doing laundry, paying bills, and so on and so on, it is easy to forget the reasons that we have been givens to be full of joy.  I believe that remembering these reasons is what makes each day worth living and keeps the mundane, everyday tasks from being so monotonous.

Let's take a look at some of the examples in the Bible where joy is expressed.  Luke 15 begins with the story of the lost sheep.  Any shepherd if he loses one sheep, will leave the rest of his flock to go find that one lost sheep and when he finds it, will throw a party to celebrate.  The last verse of that story says this "Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (v7)  There will be JOY in heaven when a sinner repents.  Salvation is a cause for joy.  Have you accept Christ as your Savoir?  If you have, then you have reason to be joyful.  Anytime we hear of someone repenting of their sins and coming to know Christ as Savoir, that is cause for joy.  

Acts 15:3 says "So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers."  This verse is just kind of thrown into the middle of a story about one of Paul and Barnabas' trips.  There was some disagreement among the people about whether you had to be circumcised in order to be saved.  Without going into great detail, Paul and Barnabas and some other men where picked to go to Jerusalem to straighten things out.  Then comes verse three. "So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria..."  I don't know if they stopped for a visit or if it was just a place for them to spend the night on their journey, but they ended up in Phoenicia and Samaria.  At each of these stops as they were visiting with the believers there, they began to talk "in detail" about the Gentiles who were coming to Christ.  And these stories caused GREAT JOY for those who heard them.  Are you full of joy when you hear of a sinner repenting?

Another thing that brings joy is praising God.  "My lips will shout for JOY, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed." (Psalm 71:23)  After Jesus ascended into Heaven, the disciples "worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with GREAT JOY, and were continually in the temple blessing God." (Luke 24:52-53) (emphasis mine)  How can you be sad or unhappy when you are praising the One who gave His life for you?  Praise God for your salvation, for the salvation of those you love, for always being by your side.  I'm not saying you will never be sad.  I'm saying, when you are sad, praise God and see what it can do to your mood.

In the Epistles of the New Testament, there are two things that I noticed about joy.  In Philemon, Paul says that it brings him JOY to see the love that Philemon has for the saints because they are refreshed by him. (v7)  Philemon loved his brothers and sisters in Christ and they knew it because his actions showed it and refreshed them.  They were encouraged by him.  It always makes me joyful when I see Christians reaching out to other Christians and encouraging them with their words or actions.  Are you trying to encourage others in their walk with Christ?  Do you have friends that can do this for you?

In 3 John, John is writing to Gaius and he says in verse 4 "I have no GREATER JOY than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (emphasis mine)  John was joyful to see those he had led to Christ doing what is right, walking in the truth, growing in Christ.  Would it be too much of a stretch to say that walking in the truth might also bring us joy?  It can be exciting to see a new Christian growing in his walk with Christ, but more than bringing us joy, it should challenge us to refresh out commitment to become more like Christ.

The last thing that I want to mention that can bring joy is trials.  I know that seems hard to believe, but let's look at a couple of verses found in the book of James.  "Count it all JOY, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3) (emphasis mine) Trials are intended to make your faith stronger.  That is reason for joy, knowing that when you come through the other side of this difficult time, you can be stronger because of an increase in your faith in Christ.  That does not mean that it will be easy, but God has promised to never leave us.  Will you choose to find joy in life by following the truths of the Bible?

Trust in the Lord

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 (all Scriptures are quoted for the ESV unless otherwise indicated)

"And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."  Psalm 28:7

"Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD."  Psalm 32:10

"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"  Psalm 62:8

"O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!"  Psalm 84:12

"Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD."  Proverbs 16:20

"You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield."  Psalm 115:11

"Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever."  Psalm 125:1

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe." Proverbs 29:25

" 'Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.' "  Isaiah 12:2

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."  Isaiah 26:3

" 'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.' "  Jeremiah 17:7-8

Trust in the Lord.  That is a simple enough command to understand, but how easy is it to follow?  How often do we struggle with trusting God no matter what happens?  No matter how unknown the future may be?  No matter how big the trial?  No one said it would be easy, but check out the benefits that we receive when we make the effort to trust in the Lord.

• our paths will be made straight/He will direct us
• we will not be forsaken
• we will be helped
• we will be surrounded by steadfast love
• God will be our refuge
• we will be blessed
• God will be our shield
• we will be steadfast, unable to be moved
• we will be safe
• we will not be afraid
• God will be our strength
• God will be our song
• God will be our salvation
• we will have perfect peace
• we will be nourished when the heat comes
• we will not have worry when there is a drought
• we will still bear fruit

Just in these verses that I listed, I found seventeen things that God promises to give us if we trust in Him.  That's it.  All we have to do is trust in God and he takes care of the rest.  Let's look again at Jeremiah 17:7-8

" 'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.' "

First, it says we are blessed if we trust in the Lord, then it tells us how we will be blessed.  Picture a tree that is planted by a river.  Since roots grow towards water, this tree's roots will grow towards that river.  This means that the tree will have plenty of water when the hot summer days come and will still be green instead of withering and turning brown.  There is no worry when the drought comes along because the roots are not dependent only upon the rain for nutrition, but can draw water from the river.  This way, the tree still bears fruit even through the hot and dry seasons.

Now lets replace the tree in this example with ourselves, Christians.  If we grow our roots towards God, by trusting in Him, when the heat of trials and hard times come, we won't have to fear.  When the drought of unpleasant circumstances comes along, we will have no need to be anxious or worry because our roots are firmly planted in trusting God.  We can still bear fruit for God during the difficult times because we have the proper nourishment.

This is not to say that we will not struggle when we lose our jobs, when someone gets sick, when we are alone, or when we feel like nothing is going right in our lives.  What this does mean is that as soon as we begin to doubt, question, or worry about life, we take it to the Lord and trust Him to work all things together for good.  We trust that He will be there for us each step of the way.  Hebrews 13:5b says "for he (God) has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' "  God does not give us a trial and say, "Good luck!  See you on the other side."  He stays with us each step of the way and promises to love us, comfort us, and strengthen us.  The point of every trial is to bring us closer to God and remind us just how dependent we are on Him.  On our own we can do nothing, but "with God, all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

AZ Free Will Baptist Youth Camp 2012

I had the privilege of attending youth camp as a counselor last week.  It was so much fun and such a blessing to see God working in the hearts of the campers.  I wanted to share with you more about the week.

We left our church at 6:45am and drove over to Heritage FWB Church and rode to Prescott on their bus.  We arrived at Emmanuel Pines Camp about 10:45am just as the other churches were arriving.  We found our lodge building (Thumb Butte) and were assigned our rooms.

Before long, it was time for lunch, so we walked to the cafeteria and found out that we would be eating in the Upper Room (the name of our dining room) for the week.  We all enjoyed the food and the kitchen staff was great!

Each morning we had classes for the teens and the junior campers.  Our theme for the week was No Other Name based on Acts 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."  The teen class watched the DVD series "The Way of the Master" and the junior classes learned many Bible stories related to Acts 4:12.  They learned about the significance of a name, the way that Jesus shepherds His flock, and the parable of the sower.

It the afternoon, we had activity time.  We went hiking, played basketball and volleyball, water games like water sponge dodgeball and had a chance to play horseshoes, frisbee golf, or on the playground during free time.  The tire swing was a big hit.  Just ask Cody!

One day we played a game called Amoeba.  It seemed like the kids enjoyed playing it.  If you want to know how to play, you'll have to ask them.

Each evening we had a worship service with a message that focused on the theme and the gospel was shared.  Several young people accepted Christ as their Savior and others rededicated their lives.  It is always a blessing to see God move.

After the service we had Fun Time.  We played what are called "Up Front" games and basically 1-5 people from each team is selected to come up front and compete in a quick challenge and the winner earns points for his team.  These are always loud, fun games.

Jeremy had to blow up a balloon, tie it, and sit on it to pop it.

Syann had to turn a straw around by using only her mouth.

Ashley had to stand still with her head straight while her partner tried to toss a ping pong ball into the cup on her head.

On Friday morning, we got up, ate breakfast, packed up, and got back on the bus to come home.  We were all tired, but it was well worth it.  We all had a lot of fun and can't wait to go back next year!

What About Our Kids?

Did you know that 70% or people who grow up in church do not stay in church after college?  That number is shockingly high.  Did you also know that the Bible shows us how we can lower this number?  

Check out this sermon that Pastor Howard's son-in-law Ben Gibson preached called "What About Our Kids?".  Using Deuteronomy 6:1-9 as his text, he gives some Biblical principles for parents and grandparents that will help keep their children in church.

Lessons from the Life of Miriam

Last week, I was studying the life of Miriam.  As I was taking a closer look at what the Bible tells us about her, I learned some new things.  Before I get into them, left me give you a little bit of her story.  Miriam was the older sister of Moses and Aaron.  She grew up in slavery in Egypt and was still alive when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.  She was a prophetess (Exodus 15:20) who was sent by God (Micah 6:4) to help lead the people of Israel.

When all the people had crossed the Red Sea and God had destroyed the Egyptians who were following them, Miriam led the women in worship as a response to Moses' song (Exodus 15).  They were praising God for his deliverance from the Egyptians.  She is teaching us, by her example, to have God-centered worship.

A little further down the road, Moses begins to experience burnout.  The people are complaining, again, and he pleads with God to ease his burden by killing him.  He feels that the burden is too great to bear alone.  So God tells Moses to gather "seventy men of the elders of Israel" (Numbers 11:16) and bring them to the tent of meeting.  There, God is going to take some of His Spirit that is on Moses and put it on these elders to help bear the burden of leading the people.  God has heard the pleas of Moses and He is sending some relief. 

Well, it seems that Miriam did not like having to share the role of leader with all of these men, and that she became jealous.  She began to lash out at Moses by criticizing him to the people around her.  She even managed to pull Aaron into her sin.  At this point God becomes angry with Miriam and He strikes her with leprosy.  When Aaron sees this, he repents and begs Moses to plead with God on behalf of Miriam.  So Moses prays and asks God to heal Miriam from this disease.  God responds by saying, "If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again." (Numbers 12:14 ESV)  So they put Miriam outside the camp for seven days.  When she was accepted back into the camp, they picked up and moved on toward Hazeroth.

Now, here's what I learned.  My response to those in authority over me has not always been what it should have been.  As I was listening to a radio broadcast about Miriam's attitude towards Moses, I was reminded of a couple of specific instances in my past where I had been very critical of some leaders who weren't doing things exactly how I felt they should have been done.  I realized now how wrong my attitude was and how I needed to "take every thought captive" the moment it enters my mind and make sure that it is obedient to God's Word. (2 Corinthians 10:5)  If Miriam had not let these jealous thought stay in her mind, she would have never acted upon them and would have avoided be excommunicated from the camp.  If I had stopped the moment I began to think that these leaders were wrong and got on my knees before God, I would have never gotten to the point where I sinned by becoming angry and judging these people.

As I continued to focus on what God had taught me in order to prevent a repeat of the same incidence, I began to realize that the problem at the center of my sin was a lack of trust in God.  I knew these leaders were seeking God's will for their own lives and I was not trusting that God would speak to them and guide them to make the right choices and decisions.  I know they are human and can make mistakes just as I can, but I have to trust that God will work through them and me, imperfect as we are, and still be honored and glorified.  It is our place, as Christians to support godly leadership, even when we don't agree with the decision that is being made, as long as it is not sinful.

Miriam was instrumental in God's work, even though she wasn't perfect.  I think it is important for us to learn from the characters of the Bible because God has put them there as an example to us.  I want to challenge you to study the men and women of the Bible.  What does God want to teach you through their successes and failures?

To read the story of Miriam, check out Exodus 1:1-2:10, Exodus 15:1-21, and Numbers 11-12.  I also used the resources in my study: Life Principles from the Women of the Bible and a radio broadcast series from Revive Our Hearts Ministry entitled Remember Miriam.  The link will take you to the website where you can listen to the broadcast or you can download the podcast on Itunes under the Revive Our Hearts podcast.

Making a Habit of Daily Bible Reading

I came across this blog last week, I thought that the author had some good ideas for developing a daily time for Bible reading.  It is often very difficult to discipline ourselves to do something everyday, "but with God all things are possible." (Matt. 19:26) Check out Brushed Your Teeth Today? written by Kimberly Wagner.

I know that it is written on a blog for women, but the suggestions that she makes would be helpful to both men and women.

LIKE I WISH I'D LIVED

In some of my recent conversations with people in our church, the subject of regrets has come up.  We all have them, and we can't go back and change them, but we can choose to act differently now because of what we have learned through them.

I think that this song written by Rodney Griffin is an excellent prayer for every Christian to pray.  Check out this video to hear the song

LIKE I WISH I'D LIVED

May I be so honest, could I share from my heart,

You see, I'm so far from perfect, that today I bear the scars

There is no one here among us, who doesn't live without regret

So may we use the pain behind us to walk in victory up ahead

Lord, help me to live like I wish I'd lived in the past

May I stay in the way of the narrow and free of regret

And may I surrender whatever is holding me back

Lord, help me to live like I wish I'd lived in the past

Now each day's another journey, with choices I must make

There are two roads before me, but only one that I must take

So help me walk the path that's holy and help me choose what is right

May I leave a testimony that is pleasing in your sight

Lord, help me to live like I wish I'd lived in the past

May I stay in the way of the narrow and free of regret

And may I surrender whatever is holding me back

Lord, help me to live like I wish I'd lived in the past

And may I surrender whatever is holding me back

Lord, help me to live like I wish I'd lived in the past

Lord, help me to live like I wish I'd lived in the past