"Staying Pure"

http://www.pursuantgroup.com/hudson/audiodevo/0706-w4.htm

Emotional Purity

Webster's dictionary defines pure as "unmixed with any other matter -- free from dust, dirt, or taint -- spotless, stainless -- being thus and no other: sheer, unmitigated."

Physical purity has always been stressed in the Church. Have we ever stopped to consider that there is more than just sexual purity to preserve? We focus so much on saving the body for marriage.

But what of the heart?

I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2-3, ESV)

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:22-23)

Sarah F., a good friend of my family wrote this about emotional purity...

When I was in college and was in an accountability group, I remember coming across a verse that struck me hard. "Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless..." (1 Peter 3:14)
I was profoundly aware of my spots. I had been emotionally involved with guys through dating for several years and longed for emotional purity. How I wished to turn back time and do things differently! My sincere desire is that you do not make the same mistakes I did.
My advice to you would be to fall in love with the Savior. Place Him in the highest place in your heart. Once you withdraw your worth and satisfaction from Jesus, you will no longer be in as much danger of drawing value from other people.
If you have become emotionally wrapped up in other people, as I did, there is still hope! God is faithful and is able to make all things new. He can renew your heart. Its never too late to choose purity! (Beauty From the Heart: Thoughts on Purity)

For us women, it is all too easy to become emotionally entangled (see "Guarding Your Heart"). Each one of us has a built-in desire to be loved, but so often do we forget our heavenly Bridegroom and compromise our emotional purity! I do not suggest that we do not become emotionally involved, but that we be careful not to become emotionally entangled. Emotional involvement is inevitable for us women -- that is the way we are built.

To my unmarried female audience: Would it not be wonderful to tell your husband someday, "You are the first, the last -- the only man I have ever loved or will love"? I have held emotional attachments for the opposite gender before -- out of sisterly love -- but never anything serious. Once I fall in love with someone -- that's it. Period. It's all or nothing.

Ladies, that is why it is so important -- and I repeat -- so important that we consistently offer our hearts to our Bridegroom Jesus Christ for His keeping. We must be at all times surrendered to His will -- our hearts in His hand -- so that we may keep His commandment of total purity.

Purity requires all of you -- body, mind, heart -- without total surrender to Christ, there is no purity. I exhort you, my sisters, to render yourselves living sacrifices to the Lover of your soul.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2, ESV)

Hannah

I don’t necessarily have a favorite Bible character; I only have many favoriteS, and Hannah is most certainly one of my favorite ladies in the Bible. I had posted this on my own blog months ago, and I decided to archive it and edited it a little bit.

1Samuel 1:10-18 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

Hannah is a Godly woman, and just like prior to other Godly women in the Bible, she had to wait on the Lord for her heart's sole desire. She was barren. Not only so, but she was provoked by her adversary (1 Samuel 1:10), mocked because the Lord had shut up her womb. That caused her great sadness, so much so, she would not eat (v.7). In verse 10, we are told that she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.

She was a smart woman, what I like to call "a prayer warrior", quick to get on her knees and unashamed of pouring her heart out at the altar of the Lord. She speaks, reasons and makes a vow with Him (v.11), that if He would look on her affliction and give her a man child she would dedicate Him unto the Lord all the days of His life.

She prayed with sincerity and didn't hold back anything. She prayed in her heart, probably with an attitude of humility. Hannah certainly did not lack belief in the Lord. After having prayed and having received a blessing from Eli (v.18) Hannah gets back on her way, eats and her countenance was no more sad!

Two verses below, she conceives Samuel and Hannah remembers to keep her vow unto the Lord:

1Sa 1:21-28 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

In chapter two, we read a most beautiful prayer by Hannah. Not only does she keep her vow unto God but gets right back on those prayer knees which served her well. In verse 5, she says "so that the barren hath borne 7". Just a few verses below, in verse 21, Hannah conceives again and bares three more sons and two daughters!

Prayer is a must, but for Hannah (and for us), it would have been in vain had she not trusted that the Lord would hear her cry and fulfill her heart's desire in due time. There comes that belief again! There was a change in her attitude, in her countenance, prior to the answered prayer.

Moreover, it is so important and crucial to keep our vows and to remember the Lord who beheld our affliction, just as Hannah accomplished, and in return, the Lord blessed her yet more!

"Tribute"

Carey's Journal: "Tribute"

Isaiah 55:8-11*

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. "

I find this passage particularly comforting. God's thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are higher than mine. So often do I find myself worrying over things that I should not even be concerned with. As if Satan or man could change God's plans! When I think of this Scripture, my worries suddenly seem very small and almost childish. God's Word does not return void, and His promises will come to pass. I can rest in that! Isn't that a wonderful comfort to know for the believer? God will accomplish what He set out to do -- not only that, but it will prosper!

*New King James Version

A Gracious Woman

~A gracious woman retaineth honour. Proverbs 11:16

To be gracious is to have generosity of spirit marked by kindness and courtesy, to retain is to keep in possession, and honour is to merit respect. As daughters of the King, we eye to merit honour from our King Jesus. If then, we are gracious and welcoming to those who are in need, we will obtain favor from our Master.

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and remember that we are not trying to please men and each other, for all this is vain, but we desire to be the apple of the eye of our great God and Saviour.

We can be gracious to the things that are dear to the Lord, such as little children. (Matthew 19:14). And it a bit more difficult, we can even be gracious and extend a gesture of kindness to our enemies, such as the Lord commanded in Matthew 5:44.

After all, no one will ever be more gracious to us than the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life a ransom for ours on the cross of Calvary.

Certainly a beautiful verse for the Proverb of the Day for the 11th of the month.

"Wait"

Carey's Journal: "Wait"

The Path of Obedience

If there's one thing I gained from this nanny job it is insight -- I will have a better idea of what I'm getting into than most young women. No idealistic dreams of having well-behaved children and how I think parenting should be done (with my vast years of life experience... haha). It is just plain hard (and a full-time job).

For the past two days Taylor (age four) and I have been dealing with obedience issues. Sure, she's cute and sweet, but wow is she stubborn. I have to be even more stubborn, but I also realize that for a young child obedience is one of the most important lessons she can learn. Really, obedience is the most important lesson for anyone to learn, but it becomes harder for an adult to learn.

For people like myself with a rebellious streak, obedience can be a hard (and sometimes painful) lesson to learn. If you're like me, it sometimes takes several "lessons" (or a 2x4 over the head) to get the message across, but the more you practice obedience the easier it becomes. The path of obedience is not often chosen because it is difficult, it is hard, and it is lonely. The path of obedience will not make you happy -- but it will bring you the greatest joy.

Just a few days ago, I was presented with a clear-cut choice to obey God or do my own thing. By the sheer grace of God I chose the path of obedience this time, even though it was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make yet. In my journal, I compared it to jumping off a cliff...

(03 July) ... I don't know what will come of this. I jumped off the ledge and I cannot see the bottom -- neither have I hit it. It's as though I am suspended with naught but the invisible hand of Christ holding me -- but He caught me when I jumped. Now I have to entrust the landing to Him, [even though] it may be a while before I land.

Obedience is like jumping off a cliff: God often calls us to obey when we cannot see the outcome of the situation. We have the choice to jump or turn around. Often we turn around, but do we not realize that though it may be a bottomless abyss before us, that the Almighty is there to catch us. Just think of Peter walking on the water to Jesus (Matthew 14).

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! (Psalm 119:1-2)

Resignation

http://careysjournal.blogspot.com/2006/07/resignation.html

New Team Member!

Everyone please welcome our newest team member to Far Above Rubies -- Barbara (justified51)! I've known this special lady all my life (and she just happens to be my mommy). So now we have two mother-daughter teams posting on this blog. Justified51 will be posting soon!