BLESSED ARE THE MEEK…WHAT?

 When I finished cleaning up the house this morning, I lay on the floor with a thick quilt over me.  It’s good for your posture and it’s so warm!

 

Praying, I asked the Lord if I please Him.  A Psalm came to my mind, “Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.  Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of your heart…” I memorized this Psalm because I heard my mother say it so many times as I grew up.  It was “her Psalm” so now it is mine.  King James Version, of course, is what I always heard.  My own “version” changes the thee and thou and thyself words to you and yourself now…

 

But then I kept quoting as I lay on the floor, “…but the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace…” and I thought about Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount.  “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Without looking up meek, I began to guess at the meaning of that word.  The meek do not parade themselves (I’ve done that).  A meek person is humble, (I’ve been arrogant).  The meek give room for another’s place, putting themselves after.  In traffic, I remember taking off furiously from a light a few years ago.  A man in a sporty car next to me tried to get into the one lane ahead first.  In my Explorer Sport, (much older than his sports car) I beat him.  I didn’t feel kind after that.

 

Meekness is virtue.  Meekness puts God’s will as priority and others next.  Meekness adjusts desires so that greed, envy, “self-promoting” habits and pride are overcome…at least the prayer is that these evil tendencies are conquered.  It gives room in your soul and mine for peace.  “But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the overflowing of peace.” Psalm 37:11. NKJV.

 

As I was praying on the floor, warm blanket pulled high, the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” I am sure is true.  The earth is more important if it is thought of as the eternal state of the earth.  My spirit, my soul is eternal.   While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL By Charlotte Paris

Guest Author is my sister, Charlotte The Prophecy: Isaiah 7:14; “The Lord himself with give you a sign.  A virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel.” The Fulfillment: Matthew 1:22,23 “Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and they will call his name Jesus. The Love of God: John 3:16;  “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten SON. That whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” 2020 has been a year of turmoil, confusion, of fear and stress. For the whole world! But right now, REDIRECT how you think. Shake yourself. The beacon of Christmas is on display for everyone in the world to see right now. The light and hope that you need is right in front of you!  LOOK AT IT!  It is Waving at you. Trying to get your attention.  Don’t miss it! Look unto Him and LIVE! JESUS SAID: “I am come that you might have LIFE and have it more abundantly.”  Are you living an abundant life? If not, you might be missing a crucial ingredient. Prophecy for-told that a Messiah, a Deliverer, would come one day and save his people. That He would come into the world as a baby, born to a virgin. He would live on this earth as a man so he could understand what mankind goes through. But his purpose was not just to understand us, he came to SAVE US!  To bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful man.  Only a perfect sacrifice was good enough to do that. Only Jesus was perfect!   Because he was God in the flesh, only He could PAY THE PRICE and set us free from our GREATEST BURDEN:  SIN!  Sin separates us from God, and we needed God! So let’s get real ... on this Christmas why do we even need this baby, say nothing of ADORE him?   And what does that have to do with the stress of 2020 anyway! WELL, as it turns out, A LOT! We don’t adore him because he was a cute, chubby baby, or because the manger scene is such a charming tradition with the animals in the stable and that star above it. So, I’ll just tell you The reason I adore him.  It is because HE PAID MY DEBT in my place. He died for Me! He forgave my sins. He made me right with God. I was in bondage and He broke those chains off me.  He made it possible for me to go directly to God in prayer for ALL my needs.  He washed me clean and removed my shame. He healed my wounds. He took the pain out of my scars and turned them into trophies of His goodness. He met my needs when I did not deserve it. He smiled at me and lifted me up when I felt worthless and ashamed. He made me worthy. Now before God there are No barriers, no hinderances, no chains of guilt or fear or dread, no shame.  That debt has been paid!  Jesus paid it all when he gave his life on the cross in my place. He paid MY DEBT! He took my place!!  He said he would never leave me or forsake me. I will never be abandoned. HE LOVES ME! I want you to know that He offers this forgiveness “for free” to anyone who will accept it. Just receive it. It is the best gift ever! …And THAT is why I ADORE HIM!!! And That is the Hope needed for 2021!

 

CHRISTIAN FEMINISM? LET'S JUST BE “BIBLICAL”

When I studied about “myself” in the Bible and who women are created to be I grew into a different person. I understood then that I alone could contribute to our marriage, to our children and to our world in a profound way that no other person could. And it came from inside.

 

I knew about the history of how women lived, laws that controlled them, religion that coerced them.  Then it was thrilling to discover what the Bible teaches about women.  History of cultures and religion and the Bible did not match up.

 

On that “hill” I nearly died . . . so to speak . . . and nearly took my husband and three sons with me. I was unhappy because of what I understood my “silent”, “unimportant” position as a female was. There was so much passion in my head and soul, but there were no expressions in my experience growing up.  Strong opinions in my head and heart: what to do with them. I was frustrated.

 

I guess I knew that I liked myself, I knew there were gifts in me (when I studied Scripture closely on the topic of being created in God’s image).  Giftedness was given me, and surprise of surprises, as I grew, more gifts emerged from within.

 

Five years, I studied and read only the Bible about the doctrine of women; five more years of thinking and study and we published “Submission is Not Silence, Boldness from a Quiet Spirit.”

 

What happened in our marriage is mysterious: but we grew together. He encouraged every thought, every move I made, every idea. Over coffee fifteen years into our marriage, he said, “I never thought I had the right to tell you what to do.” I stared into his serious, thoughtful, loving eyes. He meant it!

 

It was after that comment that I discovered that nowhere in the Bible did God tell a husband to tell his wife what to do. Nowhere did it instruct him to speak for her, tame or train her! And so I began to feel free to think for myself: it was the first time in my life that I did!

 

A lot of things have been said to me about the book, “This is not what women need;” “What about submission? It’s in the Bible?” But along with negative comments, there have been the positive ones which have made it worthwhile.  Eric edited every page.

 

A married woman, with wisdom and courage, is a balance of power alongside her husband. Her compassion, her perspective, her vision for life as a female created in the image of God and her gifts are needed . . . and when shared with courage and love, a man respects her.