As the World Moves, So Goes the Church

Heading into a new year, there are numerous things on my mind...how I want to improve in devotion to the Lord, how I want to grow in trust and being set apart for Him, and how I do not want to be moved by circumstance. 

I've been pondering being set apart a lot more than usual in recent weeks as I've been blessed to teach on the book of Exodus the past several weeks. Prior to this, I got to spend a fair bit of time in Genesis. 

God was so serious about setting His chosen nation, Israel, apart for Himself. I believe He is still quite interested in His children being clearly set apart for Himself. We are to be in the world but not of it, to be a peculiar people, to be discreet, trustworthy, wholesome, honest, not a stumbling block, a people of God's own possession. The deeper spiritual issues should set us apart, but also our general behavior and speech. We should not lie or steal or gossip, but we should also not destroy the body God has given us or use it how we want. All things should come under subjection to the One who saved us. Areas such as what we listen to, what we read, how we spend our time, how selfless we are toward others, how we wear our hair, how we take care of ourselves, how we dress, how we spend our time and money, how easy we are to deal with (bc of not bullying others or intimidating them or forcing our will...). Whether we're women or men, we should seriously evaluate what we do when we are adults (children should be made to have godly standards, no matter how vexing and draining it is to hold them to them!). 

Israel was to be completely separate from Egypt, and God showed that time and again, particularly with how there was a distinct difference as He brought the various plagues on Egypt and not those in Goshen. The Abrahamic Covenant separated God's men from those outside of the covenant, and what a time of clarity when the men led and determined the families allegiance. Notice how there wasn't a mark the women had to do to show their allegiance. God has a beautiful, patriarchal design for the family. In keeping with the thought of being separated out for Him, when the Exodus came, He separated His own out quite literally. 

Just as we walk through a narrow gate of salvation, one by one, we must all come to our own decisions on what we will do as His followers. Others cannot make us be separated out for a life of service and devotion to Christ. To give lip service or partial service is very different than striving to commit yourself wholly to Him, to aim to die to yourself and take up your cross daily...

We will each have our own challenges to be clearly marked for Him, be they physical, situational, financial, or occupational. We have to decide how we will take those challenges. Will we use them as an excuse to be worldly, or will we see them as helping push us to a greater sacrifice for His name's sake, perhaps having to be even more conservative so as to clearly not cross the line He's laid out before us? Choose you this day Who YOU will serve...

We must decide these things for ourselves. He calls His own by name and no sacrifice on this earth is too great to make for what He has done for us. We do  need to be quiet before Him and pray for wisdom to see what He wants of us. Continual noise and distraction will allow us to remain in our self-righteous sin for far too long. 

In the spirit of being set apart, here are some talks by Elizabeth Elliot that I'll be listening to as 2026 gets underway. I'll be getting in shape and losing weight, and that will challenge me to be modest, and I'm aging and the attitudes of women can be more immodest at this stage of life if not careful. I want to bring glory and not shame to my Lord in 2026, and think these will only help me. 

Modesty: Elizabeth Elliot

Wedding Etiquette-To My Children

The degradation of society is seen through posts I find oddly, and shockingly, necessary to write to you three. In my heart, I feel certain this is unnecessary for each of you, but so that I can rest easy, and incase you marry worse than your father and I hope and pray, here it is.

You invite those to your wedding who will pray for you and support you in your marriage. You invite those who are family members in good standing and who have a relationship with you or dad and I. Honor those who've taken an interest in you in the church family with an invitation. Above all, never invite married couples individually, meaning, without including their spouse. It is rude and insulting, and if you deigned to invite a wife without her husband, particularly if he is known to you, that is the height of matriarchy and insult. I don't care the reasons, fabricated or otherwise, but know that is unacceptable in a Christian setting to do such a thing. Let people decline, but do not presume to decide for them for any reason whatsoever. People make their own decisions based on what they are able to do and based on what is most important to them. 

You include friends and family of you and your spouse, and you include people who mean a lot to your parents. Sometimes it is work friends of your parents--people who care about us and so in turn, care about you. It is a beautiful time of celebrating and realizing that marriage involves support through the years of many, and it often comes about on the prayers of people who have loved you since before you were born, or helped along by those who are involved in our lives the most each week. 

Cut costs where you can and must, but not at the cost of harming relationships with people who rightly expect you to include them in such a happy time. It is better to do small and well, than bigger and foolishly. 

Lord willing, Dad and I will be here to help guide you through one of the best days of your life. 

Love,

Mom 

mustaches

I'm not sure why there is this craze of young men growing mustaches, but they don't look good. A quite handsome young man shifts to a rather unattractive young man because of one. 

You may ask how I have come to this opinion? I can think quickly of 3 examples that I've known personally. Then there are countless in the cyber online dating app world. 

What is up with mothers not telling their sons they look far less cute with a hairy upper lip? Lest you think this is just my opinion, think again. It's a view attractive young women I know have, as well as an attractive mature man.

Please, if you are actually looking to find a beautiful young bride, shave!! Shave it all!

When A Battle Ends

There are situations that God allows us to be in which take us to our ends...our wits' end, the end of our patience, the end of our mercy and grace, the end of our understanding. Situations that frustrate us to no end, and which torment us because we want to be gracious and kind, but the offense to our Lord is too great. The offense is more than should be borne. And yet, when others' do not know the story, we must rely on God alone to carry us through. For many years this was a story for us, and it wasn't until the 11th hour that I began to seek help in prayer from trusted, mature, Christian women. In times, as the end drew nigh, and my strength and resilience were at the brink of failure, my soul poured forth it's anguish. At times we struggle to pray because the challenges are great, and it is by God's design that we need the fellowship of believers to be fellows in our suffering. We bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 

This might be one of the only times in my life where I see us having lived through something of biblical proportion. Picturing how it would be written in the Holy text. How years of failure would be penned, how years of toil would be recorded, and then the swift victory and how that would be said. Many hours of pain, prayer, anguish, disbelief in what was happening, injustice, infuriating disappointment, love for His church, love for Him, love for the brethren...and pressing on and pressing on and pressing on. And it would be said in a sentence. Maybe two.

Our lives and the hours spent wrapped up neatly with,  "And then he was gone." Just like that. Cain killed his brother Abel. But all the details in the midst we aren't told...and Enoch walked with God...but all the things we aren't privy to. And God slew him...and God smote him...and God's anger was kindled. Many day in and day out details are not said or known, but the high points where we see God's hand of power, God's direction of the destiny, stated. And we know all things work together for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose. How humbling to be a part of history like that. God is too good and mysterious, and yet, He is known and wants us to know Him...those He called before the foundation of the earth was laid! How can it be?

Oh my King, how powerful You have shown Yourself to be! How great and mighty is Your hand! How you bring justice! Even when You do make it right, it is still painful as we're torn between sadness and joy. Why do we force Your mighty hand to act? When you answer our prayer to do what must be done because evil acts prevail and Your creation is suffering...why must it hurt to witness? You have wrought us as so frail we cannot handle Your justice without a mix of emotions. But God, I praise You for Your deliverance! My heart is so full and so fearful of Your just hand. We have seen Your salvation. We have seen You defend what is Yours. It is You who lifts up and puts down! How can my soul ever despair when men come and go as powers and kings? It cannot! You are too great! Too Sovereign! Too Almighty! My soul exalts the Lord who made Heaven and earth! You have done it! You have redeemed and freed, and cast down what must be cast down. You have seen, You have heard our cry. Be magnified Oh Lord in Your church! Be magnified in all the earth! We are but clay, mold us and make us, move us and use us for Your honor and good pleasure and glory ALONE. Now to Him who is ABLE to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, Amen and amen!

How do we live our daily lives, making decisions, living and dying, building and tearing down, and all the while it is under the umbrella of your Sovereignty and perfect will? You are too great for me. Holy, HOLY, HOLY is the Lord God Almighty. I am Yours. Do with me what you will. Amen. Thank you, Father. You have saved us. 

excellent free resources on gty.org

 If you know me, or read this blog, you know I've learned a great deal from John MacArthur over the past 30 years. I'm not on websites much, but when ordering a free resource tonight, noticed that the site has several terrific devotional options free to read and learn from daily! I love this! We give one of these books to graduating seniors in our church, and I use it when having a group over monthly. I'm happy to see this hear and hope you will share it with others. 

Devotional Reading Options:

Strength for Today

Drawing Near

Daily Bible Readings 

Daily Readings

The Stupidity of Virginians

https://notthebee.com/article/democrat-who-wanted-his-opponents-and-their-children-murdered-becomes-top-law-enforcement-officer-in-virginia?utm_source=Not+The+Bee+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11062025