God's warning against gossip

"Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.  Among them are...[those] who have wandered away from the truth....and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: 'The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.' In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:16-17a, 18, 19-26

READY: May 12, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 24, NIV

What ladies can learn: What a love story! God clearly destined Rebekah and Issac for each other. We can see from Rebekah's actions that she was kind and generous, and that she trusted God. Let's try to do the same.

Highlighted characteristic of God: Maybe Rebekah sometimes felt at a loss. After all, she was getting older, and she still hadn't found a husband! She probably watched her friends get married, and maybe she even had sisters who were happily married. Nevertheless, God knew that He had the perfect husband waiting for Rebekah, and He brought the couple together in His timing.
In two words: God plans.

Highlighted characteristic for us: God's got it all together--so let's trust His plan for the future and focus on serving Him in this moment.
In three words: Trust God's plan.

READY: May 10, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 23, NIV

What ladies can learn: Abraham took care to find a place of respect and value to bury Sarah. Women in the Bible weren't discounted! I don't know if Sarah ever felt underappreciated, but I'm going to guess that she did at some point in her life. What can we learn? Often, people care more about us than we realize.

Highlighted characteristic of God: You might not see God in this passage at first glance. Look again. James 1:17 (NIV) says "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." I would call Sarah's tomb a good and perfect gift, wouldn't you? Not only that, God worked it out that Abraham received the tomb for free. How awesome is that? Just because we can't see God or hear an audible voice doesn't mean He isn't there.
In two words: God provides.

Highlighted characteristic for us: The Bible tells us that Abraham's witnesses were the Hittites. Now, if you believe that the Bible is the whole truth, then you'd believe that Hittites existed whether or not archeology proved their existence (since the Bible is true, accurate science can be trusted to support the Bible).
There was a time that no one believed Hittites existed. People thought that there was no evidence for the existence of the Hittites. Well, of course, I'm sure you know now that the Hittites have been proven to exist--we even study them in our history books! The Bible is always right, even if people haven't found "proof" for everything in it.
In three words: Trust God's word.

READY: May 8, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 21, NIV
What ladies can learn: Hagar is a Biblical example of a single mom. Though her situation differs from that of today's single moms, we can still learn from her example. You see, God understands that guys can be irresponsible leaders. Abraham not only fathered Hagar's child, sent her away, let her come back, and then sent her away again, but also sent Hagar away with too little water to journey to another town. Even though Abraham was irresponsible, God's plan for Hagar wasn't messed up in the slightest! God realizes that some things can come into a life or a relationship that interfere with marriage. Nevertheless, God is still a loving God who watches over each and every one of us: He's leading us, protecting us, giving us what we need to live (and then some), and giving us a future, no matter what our marital status. Yes, let's try to live by God's original plans (unless God speaks to you otherwise)--but if things happen to disrupt our hopes or dreams, let's trust that God has something better in store.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God watches over every person, and He can provide for us.
In two words: God sees.

Highlighted characteristic for us: Take a look at Hagar's life. She lives as a slave, toiling away in the ancient world as a nobody. She has a baby by Abraham at Sarah's request (she must feel pretty used). Sarah gets jealous and sends Hagar away. When Hagar returns, she lives as Sarah's slave for a few more years...and gets sent away again, this time by her son's father Abraham. Enslaved. Used. Rejected...twice. Ouch.

Sometimes, we may feel that we're used the same way by our peers. Maybe we aren't enslaved, and maybe we don't go through the extremes Hagar experienced, but we can be used and rejected all the same. When that happens, we can know that God is still watching over us and that He still has a perfect plan for us.
In three words: God's our friend.

Learning to be Thankful, Joyful, & Content

(Hi! I'm Megan, one of the co-authors on Modern Christian Girls. Please be sure to read my profile, and feel free to visit my other blogs!)

 In theme w/ Mondays post, & what I have been learning this week, my first post on Modern Christian Girls will be on learning how to be thankful, joyful, & content in all circumstances, & becoming a  godly woman who honors God. Now, it is MUCH easier said than done; believe me! These are 3 traits that God has been sanctifying me in these past few months. (Along w/ patience)

I am in the middle of reading the book "Created to Be His Help Meet" by Debi Pearl. So far it is great!  The book is on learning to be a godly woman, & how to honor your husbands, & God. Now, I'm not married, but this book is great in helping to prepare young ladies & teach them how they can honor their future husbands, & God by honoring your father (or those who are in authority over you,) while you are still under his authority, & roof. It's not directed towards un-married women necessarily, (I'm only on chapter 9) but we can still learn from it so we are prepared for when that time comes!

The first several chapters are on learning to be thankful & joyful in ALL things! (Hebrews 3:15, Psalm 27:6, 1 Chronicles 16:8, 29:13, 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 33:1, Colossians 1:11-12 3:15 . That's just a few! Search on Bible Gateway, or in your Bible for more verses.) This really got me. Our present living situation isn't ideal, but God has us here for a reason, & I need to stop complaining, & instead, ask God to give me the patience to endure it, and to be thankful we are all together, healthy, & we have shelter!

" ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude(which is thankfulness) in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV - emphasis & definition mine)

READY: April 22, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 12, NIV, courtesy of BibleGateway.com
What ladies can learn:

• Submission. When God told Abram "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you," Abram left--and Sari went with Abram. She could have complained. She could have argued. She could have resisted. Maybe she did; it isn't recorded. But if the Bible did record Sari complaining, arguing, and resisting, wouldn't it make Sari look bad? The same goes for our lives. When God leads through a husband or an authority figure--and when we're sure it's God leading--we need to follow.
• Honesty. A half-truth isn't truly a half-truth. A half-truth is a whole-lie, and a lie that could cause a whole lot of trouble.
  This passage shows us more than the importance of honesty, however. It shows us an important fact about following: the ultimate "following goal" of each lady's life should be to follow God. Sometimes--many times--husbands, parents, or other authority figures "represent" God's authority. God tells Adam not to eat from the tree, and Adam tells Eve not to eat from the tree. God tells Abram to travel, and Abram tells Sari to travel. That's why it's important to submit to the leaders God has placed in our lives. Nevertheless, sometimes these leaders don't represent God's authority. In this passage, Abram tells Sari to lie. God never told Abram to tell Sari to lie; God never told Abram it would be okay to lie to protect himself; in fact, God commands us to stay away from dishonesty! Therefore, in this case, Abram was not representing God, and Sari would have done better to not follow. Perhaps Sari was not aware that God was anti-dishonesty, or perhaps she assumed God would rather have her follow Abram's guidance. We will never know. But here's the interesting part: even though Sari suffered the consequences of dishonesty along with Abram, Abram was ultimately held responsible for her dishonesty because he was her spiritual leader. This is yet another situation showing the hierarchy of the family.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God doesn't always tell us what He's planning, but we have to be okay with that. Sometimes, God will ask us to go somewhere without telling us why He wants us there. Sometimes, God will ask us to talk to someone without telling us much more. Nevertheless, it's important to follow God no matter where He leads (just make sure you're following God, not some other voice in your head).
In two words: God leads.

Highlighted characteristic for us: I'm going to re-state my point about honesty: a half-truth is really a whole lie. If we're lying for protection, we're basically telling God, "God, I don't believe You can protect me, so I'm going to lie. I know You said not to, and I know You know everything, but I need to have some extra help right now." God would have protected Abram even if Abram and Sari had told the truth about their marriage, and God can protect us, too. On the other hand, if we're lying because "we want to be nice"...well, I know that when I ask peoples' opinions, I want them to be honest, even if that means the truth is hard to take. If one of your friends is wearing an ugly pair of plaid pants that clash with their shirt, and they smile and ask, "What do you think of my outfit?" you don't have to say "It's so cute! I love it!" or "Man, that's UGLY. Can't you match colors?" You can tell them it's unique, it's their style, it's creative, or other similar things, but don't lie and tell them you love their outfit if you don't. Trust me, they'll thank you in a few years. If you're getting ready with your friend, and they're trying to decide what to wear, that's a better time to say "That shirt doesn't really match" or "Plaid isn't really my thing...you can wear it if you want, but I kinda liked the jeans better."
In three words: Just be honest.

READY: April 6, 2010

Today's passage: Mark 4, NCV, courtesy of BibleGateway.org

Highlighted characteristic of God: God is willing to share His love with those who will stay growing strong in Him (the subjects of His kingdom, if you will). God's kingdom is always growing, even if we don't always see it. God, like a true Divine regent, has power beyond what we could imagine--and He's willing to use that power to help us, if we ask and if it's His will.
In two words--God rules.

Highlighted characteristic for us: We can read the Bible all we want, but if the Holy Spirit isn't explaining it to us, we won't truly get the full meaning and the full benefits...but that's why it's important to ask God questions about what He means by His words and how He's working in our lives.
In three words--Listen to understand.

Mark 4 (New Century Version)

A Story About Planting Seed

¹ Again Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him, so he sat down in a boat near the shore. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water. ² Jesus taught them many things, using stories. He said, ³ "Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed.⁴ While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up.⁵ Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn't much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep.⁶ But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots.⁷ Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce a crop. ⁸ Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more."

⁹ Then Jesus said, "Let those with ears use them and listen!"

Jesus Tells Why He Used Stories

¹⁰ Later, when Jesus was alone, the twelve apostles and others around him asked him about the stories.

¹¹ Jesus said, "You can know the secret about the kingdom of God. But to other people I tell everything by using stories ¹² so that:
'They will look and look, but they will not learn.
They will listen and listen, but they will not understand.
If they did learn and understand,
they would come back to me and be forgiven.' " — Isaiah 6:9–10

Jesus Explains the Seed Story

¹³ Then Jesus said to his followers, "Don't you understand this story? If you don't, how will you understand any story? ¹⁴ The farmer is like a person who plants God's message in people.¹⁵ Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like the people who hear the teaching of God, but Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.¹⁶ Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy.¹⁷ But since they don't allow the teaching to go deep into their lives, they keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they quickly give up.¹⁸ Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching,¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the temptation of wealth, and many other evil desires keep the teaching from growing and producing fruit in their lives. ²⁰ Others are like the seed planted in the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce fruit—sometimes thirty times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes a hundred times more."

Use What You Have

²¹ Then Jesus said to them, "Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand. ²² Everything that is hidden will be made clear and every secret thing will be made known. ²³ Let those with ears use them and listen!

²⁴ "Think carefully about what you hear. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you, but God will give you even more. ²⁵ Those who have understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding, even what they have will be taken away from them."

Jesus Uses a Story About Seed

²⁶ Then Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is like someone who plants seed in the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether the person is asleep or awake, the seed still grows, but the person does not know how it grows.²⁸ By itself the earth produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head. ²⁹ When the grain is ready, the farmer cuts it, because this is the harvest time."

A Story About Mustard Seed

³⁰ Then Jesus said, "How can I show you what the kingdom of God is like? What story can I use to explain it? ³¹ The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, the smallest seed you plant in the ground. ³² But when planted, this seed grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. It produces large branches, and the wild birds can make nests in its shade."

³³ Jesus used many stories like these to teach the crowd God's message—as much as they could understand.³⁴ He always used stories to teach them. But when he and his followers were alone, Jesus explained everything to them.

Jesus Calms a Storm

³⁵ That evening, Jesus said to his followers, "Let's go across the lake." ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him in the boat just as he was. There were also other boats with them.³⁷ A very strong wind came up on the lake. The waves came over the sides and into the boat so that it was already full of water.³⁸ Jesus was at the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a cushion. His followers woke him and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we are drowning!"

³⁹ Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind stopped, and it became completely calm.

⁴⁰ Jesus said to his followers, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

⁴¹ The followers were very afraid and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"