A plea to ALL my Christian sisters

(This comes from my personal fb account,but it's relevant even here)

My dear sisters,I really feel I need to say this.It got me awake all night.

As God's daughters we really need to study how God would have us dress so that we can please him and NOT be stumbling blocks to other people,especially our dear brother.God has revealed exactly how he would have us dress.It's really heart breaking to come in God's house and see the same nakedness you try not to look at outside the church.

According to God's standard:the thighs,the legs and the hair should be covered.If they are not,it's nakedness.What breaks my heart even more is when we decide that stockings are a covering and wear the shortest dress in church.Do we know who God is?Do we have any idea how holy he is?Revelation 4 gives an insight and we're told that the angels cover themselves when they come before Him.How much should we?Sinful,mortal souls,ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S A COMMAND FROM HIM.

When we come to God,let us come presentable,NOT in nakedness.When we go to church,people need to see a church woman and not mistake us for loose girls with no morals all because of what we are wearing.We need to consult the Holy Spirit to guide us in this area and believe me he does.I remember wearing my favourite bubble dress which revealed my thighs one Sabbath.I could hear the Holy Spirit telling me it was too short but I replied"I'm wearing stockings".A friend came and told me the same thing but I dismissed her.A terrible Sabbath I had!I felt uncomfortable-having to keep pulling my dress.I could not wait to go home so I could wear something else.

When I started studying about the matter of dress there were many things that made me hurt.The realisation that I was displeasing God by my dress but what hurt even more was the realisation that all these years I was tempting my brothers.It hurt.Males are created differently from us.They get stimulated when they see the woman's body-certain parts:legs.thighs,etc;but this is only meant to happen within the the marriage relation. We certainly don't want to play a part in that.We should cover ourselves not only for God and only allow our husbands to see our nakedness-not every male out there.

No one should be seeing our thighs-whether we are sitting or not-no one should.And wearing those tight,short dresses not only reveals our nakedness but are a stumbling block to the guys.I can almost imagine their frustration-trying to worship and having to turn away every time we stand/walk past because they do not want to think unholy thoughts.

It is not loving of us.There needs to be a difference!People should be able to seperate us from worldly women.Our dress should speak for itself.Please consider this matter.The house of the Lord is NOT a catwalk for us to showcase our nakedness nor a fashion show.Let us dress with this intention:To please God and in return we'll not be stumbling blocks.

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JOY

JOY is:

-cleaning the house and leaving it squeaky clean
-cooking a meal that bro find tasty :D-slowly but surely
-praying for everyone I know and do not know
-Blogging and finding a comment on one of the blog posts-melts my heart
-Reading blogs and finding christian blogs
-teaching a small kid a verse and have them remember it smile emoticon
-making df smile
-Ironing bro's clothes and doing his bed-even though not asked
-discussing the bible/what i've learnt on Sabbath with a dear sister
-meeting someone from fb for the 1st time and trying to stay calm
-when a young sister/any sister pursues holiness
-putting a smile on a patient's face
-making mom laugh
-being a good friend
-hearing Clementine call me "my daughter"
-putting a smile on a kid's face
-sharing
-listening to someone's problems
-mentoring
-helping a classmate with a difficult concept

Just doing a little to bring a change in someone's life.Indeed,joy comes from serving others :-)

In deep thoughts

Maybe just maybe....It all went wrong when girls were told they're equal with boys...and they interpreted this to mean they can do everything boys do.This is problematic-because when girls are corrected they always want to include boys,even if they are NOT part of the equation.It's even sad that it's in the church.You'll tell girls to dress modestly and there's always that one who'll include men and talk about them needing self-control.It's as if there's a race between males and females.Now we have girls who sleep around because they've concluded,"if boys can do it,so can we",some play the initiator,while others bring babies into this world and abandon them.It's a deadly mindset and so much damage has been done.As if true manhood include such behaviour. I agree with Elisabeth when she says:

"It is a naive sort of feminism that insists that women prove their ability to do all the things that men do.This is a distortion and a travesty.Men never sought to prove that they can do all the things women do.Why subject women to purely masculine criteria?Women can and ought to be judged by a criteria of femininity,for it is in their femininity that they participate in the human race and femininity has its limitations.So has masculinity."~Elisabeth Elliot

Sabbath Keeping:Part 2

As we learned in the previous post,we are to refrain from working or doing any work on God's Sabbath and by our acts,thoughts and conversations are to be centered on God in this day. Below are statements  which explain how we can  keep the Sabbath in practical terms.How we are to eat,how parents should teach their children to keep the Sabbath and how to make them treasure it,what to wear etc.

"Make Friday the Preparation Day—On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness, and that all the cooking is done. Let the boots be blacked, and the baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If you make it a rule, you can do it. The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun, let all secular work be laid aside, and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.4Testimonies For The Church 6:355, 356.

In many families [on Sabbath] boots and shoes are blacked and brushed, and stitches are taken, all because these little odds and ends were not done on Friday. They did not “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” ...

On Friday the clothing of the children is to be looked after. During the week they should be all laid out by their own hands under the direction of the mother, so that they can dress quietly, without any confusion or rushing about and hasty speeches.5Manuscript 57, 1897./Child Guidance,p528

"There is another work that should receive attention on the preparation day. On this day all differences between brethren, whether in the family or in the church,  should be put away.".6Testimonies For The Church 6:356/CG,p528,529

"When the Sabbath commences, we should place a guard upon ourselves, upon our acts and our words, lest we rob God by appropriating to our own use that time which is strictly the Lord’s. We should not do ourselves, nor suffer our children to do, any manner of our own work for a livelihood or anything which could have been done on the six working days. Friday is the day of preparation. Time can then be devoted to making the necessary preparation for the Sabbath and to thinking and conversing about it. Nothing which will in the sight of Heaven be regarded as a violation of the holy Sabbath should be left unsaid or undone, to be said or done upon the Sabbath. God requires not only that we refrain from physical labor upon the Sabbath, but that the mind be disciplined to dwell upon sacred themes. The Fourth Commandment is virtually transgressed by conversing 

upon worldly things or by engaging in light and trifling conversation. Talking upon anything or everything which may come into the mind is speaking our own words. Every deviation from right brings us into bondage and condemnation.9Testimonies For The Church 2:702, 7

To be continued....

Sabbath Keeping : Part 1

I'm grateful that God does not leave us in our ignorant state in the Christian journey,but continuously reveals His will to us so that we can be "perfect as He is perfect" and be fitted to walk in the streets of gold.God has been revealing to me how to keep the Sabbath sacredly and I'm continuosly discovery new things.

I've noticed that when it comes to Sabbath keeping there is still confusion.Some refrain from physical labour and prepare the meals,clothes and the house;while neglecting to prepare the heart and the mind.So this group does no physical labour but will engage in conversation that is not fitted for the Sabbath-whether it's work,school,TV etc.The other group follow the pharasical route-they make the Sabbath a difficult,burdensome day.Like saying improper things like "you can't warm your food".While some take the Sabbath so light that they don't see anything wrong with buying-whereas this could've been done before sunset.

But I'd like people to keep this in mind:

-The Sabbath day is a joyful day,cutting us from the cares of the world and fixing our focus on God-it's all about Him
-It is also a day to fellowship with our brothers and sisters,hence we are admonished to not stay away from church.

The Bible outlines that keeping the Sabbath should be physical(practical) and spiritual.Meaning,not only are we to refrain from our day to day labour but we are to think only of heavenly things and not engage in topics that do not center around God.So,the Sabbath is a balance-physical rest and mental rest,if I may say so,in that the core focus is God,not our work life,school,etc.And the wonderful thing is,God has told us how to keep it and Jesus Himself left us a pattern.

Exodus 20:8-11New International Version (NIV)

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Isaiah 58:13-14New International Version (NIV)

13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

But Why?

There's this spirit that has become so common to Christianity that it scares me and I pray that I do not cherish it.We have become so hardened that when we are corrected we are so quick to cry out "don't judge" and we are so intolerant when we don't understand what someone is saying but the ironic thing is we are quick to attack.I've seen it on fb and it's even happened to me.It's scary.

People always comment to attack and I always wonder: would it kill them to ask?Would it kill them to be kind,even when voicing their own opinions?Would it kill to be slow to comment/not comment at all when they don't have something better to say?I pray that God may give us quickness to obey rather than to see that we're being judged.So what if we're being judged?Shouldn't we fix those areas anyway?We are so quick to say the preacher is harsh!How is he harsh when he is speaking God's word? I think the reality of the matter is we're proffessing godliness while denying the power thereof and these are the fruits.

And this is how the devil would have it.If we are using the same Bible and we are guided by the same Spirit,why don't we always come to the same conclusion?The problem is not with the Bible or the Spirit which inspired it,but with us and may we be mindful that we don't engage in vain debates.

2 Timothy 2:23-24New International Version (NIV)

23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

May we not be like the Israelites and end up saying:

Isaiah 30:10King James Version (KJV)

10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

What God is teaching me about godly parenthood

I am currently reading Child Guidance by Ellen White and I can conclude:

-There's one out of 30 parents who is training her children for heaven according to the way God would have the children trained.Children only get to hear about God in family worship.God is not the subject in the home,even in Christian homes and His principles are not entirely governing factors in the home;hence we see children who are born with Christian parents going astray-they have not led to understand who God is and what are his requirements because the parents themselves aren't converted.
-It is the devil's trick to make parents think that are to start teaching their children about God when they are around 7 or so;by that time the devil has placed his stamp upon them.The training of the child should start from infancy and they are to be taught by words and example daily.
-It is a sin to neglect raising your child in God's ways.Parent's first priority isn't putting food in the table;but training their children so that they accept Jesus as their personal Saviour while young and if properly trained,by the age of 7 or so they can be Christians.
-God will help every sincere parents who have the desire to raise their child(ren) in his ways;but he will not play their part.
-Most terrible acts such as murder,rape,robbery etc are to a certain extent the result of neglect in training up the children;but we also examples in Joseph,Samuel,Daniel and his friends of children of the fate of children whose parents have made it their priority to raise them in the Lord.
-Mothers have a great work to do and sadly only a few realize their responsibility and sadly many have neglected their first and foremost duty-mothers are to work for their salvation of their children.
-Parenthood needs repentance-it is only when the parents themselves are repented that children can be drawn to Christ-children need to see the spirit of Christ in action-love,kindness,humility,industry and more;but sadly in most houses arguments,harsh words etc are the order of the day YET these families have the thought that they will make it to heaven-if we cannot live peacefully and in harmony and are governed by God's law,heaven is not a reality
-It is evil and a sin for parents to let children have their way;this is preparing them to be selfish individuals and ruined,leading to eternal loss
-Parents should raise their children in an environment that is conducive for purity of heart and mind-that is,they are not see,hear,read that which is contrary with the principles of God

If we want to see better churches filled with people who SINCERELY love the Lord and are governed by every word spoken by God,then parents are to be study the Word of God earnestly and apply it in their lives first-so that their children can learn by word and actions.

As the youth we need to look beyond the wedding day and think of the children we'll raise-whether they will be fitted for heaven and serve God faithfully.We need to prepare now because parenthood requires converted parents who will lead their children by example.

"The law of God is the foundation of all enduring reformation. We are to present to the world in clear, distinct lines the need of obedience to His law. The great reformative movement must begin in the home. Obedience to God’s law is the great incentive to industry, economy, truthfulness, and just dealing between man and man."15Letter 74, 1900./Child Guidance,p489

“The Lord is not glorified when the children are neglected and passed by.... They require more than casual notice, more than a word of encouragement. They need painstaking, prayerful, careful labor. The heart that is filled with love and sympathy will reach the hearts of the youth who are apparently careless and hopeless. Parents should seek to comprehend the fact that they are to train their children for the courts of God. When they are entrusted with children, it is the same as though Christ placed them in their arms and said, “Train these children for Me, that they may shine in the courts of God.” -CG,p488

Pictures:scattering or gathering for Christ

I've been thinking about the pictures that are often posted on facebook and I have concluded that they are either drawing others to Christ or away from him.Or they tell something about us.There are certain individuals on my fb whose pictures tell of the gospel without them having to say something.Just by looking at their pictures a desire to be sincere to Christ and to live for him has is evoked.Their pictures never draw attention to themselves,behind it all you see God's love.

But at the same time,some give an idea of self-love/self-exaltation and I've been a victim of this and God is helping me :-)!Some,while they may be showing off a modest outfit,the picture still is all about them.They'd pose in various styles in the same outfit and at the end of the day you end up being drawn to the individual rather than the sincere desire behind the picture.Some pictures seem to be an announcement of "look at my closet,I have  many beautiful clothes" and sadly that is not the Spirit of Christ.Then there are those who brag about everything they get-how I pray I do not fall into this trap.Ever posting pics of what dear bf bought her,of what dear husband bought and did-and to a certain extent this is sweet,but not when it's overdone.I personally believe some pictures should be kept in one's phone and not seen by the whole world.

And then there are married couples who post pictures of themselves kissing.I'm personally against pictures of too much public display.I personally believe there's a time and a place for everything.As much as it's okay for MARRIED people to kiss,I don't see how doing it in public/posting such pics is glorifying God.I see it as bragging of some sort:"hey look at me I can finally kiss since I'm married".I feel like there's much more to display about married life other than kissing,since the TV is all about it and the marriage relationship has been dragged to such a low level of uncontrolled passion and lust.

Then there are those who post selfies about themselves-constantly and these selfies have negative connotations-usually they seem to be seeking for attention and usually the selfie  showcases a certain feature.And I've realised people relate to us in the way they interpret our pics.I've often read statuses of girls asking males to stop inboxing them-and of course they may be innocent;but what if the pictures are inviting the males and they are actually screaming "can you see me,i need your attention!" through their pics.

Other pics are the result why some men are tempted and are struggling with sin and I now realize that I even have to be mindful of the pictures I post,lest I misrepresent Christ or I increase while he decreases.It's so easy to misrepresent Christ,hence we are to seek counsel even when we post pics.

Home Religion

"The work of sanctification begins in the home. Those who are Christians in the home will be Christians in the church and in the world. There are many who do not grow in grace because they fail of cultivating home religion."7The Signs of the Times, February 17, 1904./Child Guidance,page481

For so long I struggled with this concept.I thought home religion begin at church.I became a total different person in church-sweeter,respectful and not moody.And sadly this is the state of the church.The mothers and fathers,children and even leaders  play Christians at church,while at home they are monsters or inflict harm.Isn't it interesting that God created the family first and there he communed with Adam and Eve and they were learning about God?Jesus also served in the home before serving outside the home.We are told that he served his parents before serving outsideThe home is a missionary field on its own. 

The family is the core of the church.We first have to live out Christianity in the home.The home is where we learn to be Christians/we're supposed to learn to be Christians.It is in the home that we learn of the spirit of Christ-serving,it is in the home that we learn to be kind,loving,patient and to speak softly.It is God's plan that even in this sin-filled world,the home should be the representative of the heavenly home and as each family gathers we will join together in the love of Christ and be a blessing to each other.The state of the church is the representation of our homes.

I'm learning that repentance starts at home and it is only when we practise Christianity in the home that we are true to God.Isn't it interesting that God commanded the Israelites to communicate the commands in the home-when they woke up,lied down,set on the table etc?This shows us that God was and is it to be in the minds of the family members daily and momentarily;and God's commands shouldn't be revisited only in family worship.

And  this is the problem in most homes.God's commands are not the government of the household nor are his principles.He's not really part o the home,he's a visitor.But this is not how it should be-the principles of God are to be th e governing factor of every activity taking place-whether it be raising the kids,entertainment,finance management,food eaten etc.And by doing this,we'll have a taste of heaven on earth and our families will draw others to Christ.

That which will make the character lovely in the home is that which will make it lovely in the heavenly mansions. The measure of your Christianity is gauged by the character of your home life. The grace of Christ enables its possessors to make the home a happy place, full of peace and rest. Unless you have the Spirit of Christ, you are none of His and will never see the redeemed saints in His kingdom, who are to be one with Him in the heaven of bliss. God desires you to consecrate yourself wholly to Him and represent His character in the home circle.6The Signs of the Times, November 14, 1892./Child Guidance,p481

The daily acts of life tell the measure and mold of our disposition and character. Where there is a lack of home religion, a profession of faith is valueless. Then let no unkind words fall from the lips of those who compose the home circle. Make the atmosphere fragrant with tender thoughtfulness of others. Only those will enter heaven who in probationary time have formed a character that breathes a heavenly influence. The saint in heaven must first be a saint upon earth.5The Signs of the Times, November 14, 1892./CG,p481

Every family in the home life should be a church, a beautiful symbol of the church of God in heaven. If parents realized their responsibilities to their children, they would not under any circumstances scold and fret at them. This is not the kind of education any child should have. Many, many children have learned to be faultfinding, fretful, scolding, passionate children, because they were allowed to be passionate at home. Parents are to consider that they are in the place of God to their children, to encourage every right principle and repress every wrong thought.1Letter 104, 1897./CG,

#Learning

A Letter To A Self-Indulged Daughter

It's my prayer that we as ladies professing godliness would not be found in the same category as this girl and we see similar traits with her we may repent.

Appeal to an Indulged Daughter [Note: these are extracts from a letter to a self-willed girl who was practicing secret vice.]—Your mind is impure. You were relieved from care and labor altogether too long. Household duties would have been one of the richest blessings that you could have had. Weariness would not have injured you one tenth as much as have your lascivious thoughts and conduct. You have received incorrect ideas in regard to girls and boys associating together, and it has been very congenial to your mind to be in the company of the boys. You are not pure in heart and mind. You have been injured by reading love stories and romances, and your mind has been fascinated by impure thoughts. Your imagination has become corrupt, until you seem to have no power to control your thoughts. Satan leads you captive as he pleases....
Your conduct has not been chaste, modest, or becoming. You have not had the fear of God before your eyes. You have so often dissembled in order to accomplish your plans that you bear a violated conscience. My dear girl, unless you stop just where you are, ruin is surely before you. Cease your daydreaming, your castle-building. Stop your thoughts from running in the channel of folly and corruption.
You cannot safely associate with the boys. A tide of temptation is roused and surges in your breast, having a tendency to uproot principle, female virtue, and true modesty. If you go on in your willful, headstrong course, what will be your fate? ... You are in danger, for you are just upon the point of sacrificing your eternal interests at the altar of passion. Passion is obtaining positive control of your entire being—passion of what quality? Of a base, destructive nature. By yielding to it, you will embitter the lives of your parents, bring sadness and shame to your sisters, sacrifice your own character, and forfeit heaven and a glorious immortal life. Are you ready to do this? ...
You are forward. You love the boys and love to make them the theme of your conversation. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Habits have become powerful to control you, and you have learned to deceive in order to carry out your purposes and accomplish your desires. I do not consider your case hopeless; if I did, my pen would not be tracing these lines. In the strength of God, you can redeem the past....
Keep clear of the boys. In their society your temptations become earnest and powerful. Put marriage out of your girl’s head. You are in no sense fit for this. You need years of experience before you can be qualified to understand the duties and take up the burdens of married life. Positively guard your thoughts, your passions, and your affections. Do not degrade these to minister to lust. Elevate them to purity; devote them to God.
You may become a prudent, modest, virtuous girl, but not without earnest effort. You must watch, you must pray, you must meditate, you must investigate your motives and your actions. Closely analyze your feelings and your acts. Would you, in the presence of your father, perform an impure action? No, indeed. But you do this in the presence of your heavenly Father, who is so much more exalted, so holy, so pure. Yes; you corrupt your own body in the presence of the pure, sinless angels and in the presence of Christ; and you continue to do this irrespective of conscience, irrespective of the light and warnings given you. Remember, a record is made of all your acts. You must meet again the most secret things of your life....
Again I warn you as one who must meet these lines in that day when the case of everyone shall be decided. Yield yourself to Christ without delay; He alone, by the power of His grace, can redeem you from ruin. He alone can bring your moral and mental powers into a state of health. Your heart may be warm with the love of God; your understanding, clear and mature; your conscience,illuminated, quick, and pure; your will, upright and sanctified, subject to the control of the Spirit of God. You can make yourself what you choose. If you will now face right about, cease to do evil and learn to do well, then you will be happy indeed; you will be successful in the battles of life and rise to glory and honor in the better life than this. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”6Testimonies For The Church 2:559-565.

And the following quote shocked me while confirming some of my thoughts(hopefully I'll share them when I can):

"If a young girl just entering her teens is accosted with familiarity by a boy of her own age, or older, she should be taught to so resent this that no such advances will ever be repeated. When a girl’s company is frequently sought by boys or young men, something is wrong. That young girl needs a mother to show her her place, to restrain her, and teach her what belongs to a girl of her age."~Child Guidance,p455

Regardless of the struggles

We all face struggles and they vary.But I'm learning that we shouldn't let struggles determine how we relate to others.I'm the type who turns to look inward and ignore people when I'm going through something.But one thing that remains constant:there'll always be people with more struggles,whom I can help.

I'm learning that joy and peace comes when we look towards others and instead focus on being a blessing on others-even if it means offering a shoulder to cry or listening to someone's problem.At the end of it all you realise how blessed you are and how much you have to be grateful for.It's a pity that we get so absorbed in our struggles instead of God's loving kindness towards us.It always helps me to focus on the good things the Lord has done and how he has led me in the past.

Indeed we have nothing to fear unless we should forget how the Lord has led us in the past..and I   realise we don't even have to mourn considering how he has led us and all that He has in store for us.After all,the fact that God allows it means it is for our own good.And it is important to remember that God is NOT responsible for the bad/pain we go through-it's not His fault.He created a peaceful world without a struggle but because of our yielding to sin,we are suffering the consequences!

Everything that God allows us to go through,He does it out of love!