today's topic - fighting for beauty - flawed but authentic - fighting with accessories.
why all the emphasis on ageless beauty? - there is a desire for the old to become new, actually a God-given desire to see old become new. the world shows a mere shadow of what God wants to happen, the church should be experiencing old becoming new. (all the make-over shows, we see something have a wonderful change - whether it is a person or home, something that is needing a change gets improvement.)
why all the emphasis on ageless beauty? - there is a desire for the old to become new, actually a God-given desire to see old become new. the world shows a mere shadow of what God wants to happen, the church should be experiencing old becoming new. (all the make-over shows, we see something have a wonderful change - whether it is a person or home, something that is needing a change gets improvement.)
we often believe that if we have beauty we will be loved - there is a connection between the longing of being loved and beauty. we want to be surrounded by beauty - seeing it in everything around us.
1 Corinthians's 2 :9-10 says that "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." we have not gotten the picture of what God is trying to do. we watch but do not see, we listen but do not hear. again what we experience is only a shadow of what God has prepared to come. the longing for beauty and youth calls us back to Him. we long for the eternity and immortal. the qualification is that we love Him - YEA!!! everyone has that ability. if it depended upon Him loving us we would tend to not FEEL worthy or qualified - we would miss seeing the fullness of what God is doing simply because we would listen to the lie that we are not qualified.
Ecclesiastes 3: 11-12 "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." it doesn't say He will make everything beautiful, but HE has made everything.... all things, not just some, everyone, not just some, are seeded with beauty. the hope and promise is that we each ARE beautiful.
we need someone with a different perspective to face what is overwhelming. He gave us the wise Counselor - Holy Spirit, His Spirit, Wisdom... etc. John 14:16 "and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever..." anything overwhelming can be handled/faced with the strength and abilities God has provided us in the Holy Spirit.
each day should be better than the last. many times we focus on the day we accepted Christ as Savior. we stay there and believe that was the best day of our life. it should be the beginning of a life full of wonders. (we are living on a plane that is so base most of the time. we do not realize the power that comes with freedom from our situations, attitudes, and the junk that keeps us prisoners.) as we grow closer to Him each day should be brighter. Proverbs 4:18 "the path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day."
DON'T BE DECEIVED. the greatest poverty comes when we fail to realize what we have, (the very Creator and all at His disposal.) and who we are (joint heirs, sons and daughters of the most high God, royalty). we should look differently on every level and not live in the shadows - we should have a fear of being in the shadows (allowing our life to be in shambles) and not living in the light. (place where life is in God, even when the conditions seem out of sort - that peace that comes only from Him.)
the last enemy is death - scripture also says that we have eternity in our hearts - causing us to desire life and want to live. our bodies were never meant for death, destruction, loss, disease, pain - we have a hard time accepting these conditions. death is uncomfortable because we are made for life. we were never meant to perish. God knew death was scary to us. He even changed the terminology, used for death, in the Bible - He used the word "asleep". death means lost/gone, sleep means rest. being asleep takes the sting out of the word "death" - for those who know they are God's children there is nothing to fear. being asleep we will wake and experience eternity in God's presence. there is no loss when you sleep, there is a time to wake.
we naturally tend to fight death, loss, destruction, illness, etc on every plane we can - we hate these things. they are actually the opposite of God - He is life, provision, restoration, health, etc.
a side note here - God finishes something first then gives the answer, before the problem exists. He did not wait until man sinned to offer Jesus as our sacrifice (Jesus was the lamb slain before the foundations of the world. Jesus was set in place before the beginning of the fall.). this goes to show that God provided answers before there were problems. He knows of the depravity of mankind and offered a solution - Jesus, the perfect sacrifice for us. 1 Corinthians 15:26 "the last enemy to be destroyed is death." 1 Corinthians 15:54 "...then the saying that is written will come true: death has been swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:51 "listen, i tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed." by sleep it means death not actually sleeping - changing the word. we will all be changed - altered, transformed, or revolutionized.
1 Corinthians 15:54 "...when the perishable has been clothed with imperishable, mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'death has been swallowed up in victory.'". we are destined for victory, beauty is in our future. the enemy is afraid i will look in the mirror and see who i really am, become who i am. 2 Corinthians 4:16 "therefore we do not lose heart. though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." i am being renewed day by day, not to remain the same and in the same mess... He makes us over and flips us inside out. christian women can be lovely throughout their entire lives, beauty doesn't mean i look like everyone else. God loves uniqueness, wants us to be exactly who He made us. the enemy doesn't want me to see who i really am - yet the world is waiting and expecting someone to be who they really are. the beautiful, free, lovely woman.
FLAWED BUT AUTHENTIC
God is not looking for perfect people - but people with a perfect heart - BIG difference (so glad, because i keep trying to be perfect and it just is not working out well.... but He can change my heart and there is such goodness there because of Him. shout out to God.. )
real vs. authentic. God wants more than real from us. real wood becomes real ashes - this is likened to a christian acting against the nature of God "carnal". heat and pressure only make them act ugly. authenticity comes from the fire - refined and stronger. fire authenticates us. it will make us refined and stronger - but more ugly or beautiful in our actions???? when you ask God to have His way in your life it will bring His fire. (i DO remember asking for this.... shoot. it was a dangerous prayer - He answered it and it is not comfortable....) who you are in the uncomfortable fire is who you are. (i thought this was soooo cool because i just blogged about what God showed me with the wood in the fire and i wanted to liken it to a diamond and not just ashes. God has been preparing my heart and confirming things in multiple ways... not that it makes any of this stuff easier mind you, just that He is here with me...)
authentic children of God respond differently. (my flesh wants to lash out and push my point and get people on my side and, and, and, and. but since i am a child of God i WILL respond differently.) we have been given the grace to respond differently, but we have to be disciplined (that is the word i have been running from for - umm...... ever...). the world should see that we are different and should be drawn to us. Romans 8:12-14 "...you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature (emphasis mine.) urges you to do. for if you keep on following it, you will perish. but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. for all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." (beautiful promise - i want to be disciplined and take responsibility, turning from my ways..) Luke 6:28-29 ".... bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. if someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. if someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic." umm not a natural human reaction, it is of the spirit tho. never return evil for evil, but give good instead... Matthew 5:44-45 "but i say, love your enemies! pray for those who persecute you! in that way, you will be acting as true (authentic) children of your Father in heaven. for He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too." our reactions to our enemies proves our authenticity. something authentic is always authentic (consistent). who you are in private is who you are in public. the thing that authenticates the diamond is its flaws - they allow God a chance to facet something that is flawed, causing it to capture light. a flaw in our life can become a place of beauty though Him (AMEN!!! so be it!!! what has been a flaw in my life - may it become a place of beauty though Him.!!!)
and there is a message for husbands and wives - do not however go to your spouse and demand they treat you in a certain way. God does not come to us and show us how someone else is to behave toward us. He deals with the individual - me, i change...
just because something is refined it is not more durable. take crystal and glass as an example. both breakable, but the more refined is actually more fragile. women are to be fragile, to be vulnerable and tender enough that we can break easily. (this actually allows us to be compassionate and loving. not because we are broken people but because we can be broken - understanding of situations... that is a type of brokenness. also there is the simple fact that we must be broken before God so He can put us together for the best.) we are more fragile, more refined.
1 Corinthians 15:54 "...when the perishable has been clothed with imperishable, mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'death has been swallowed up in victory.'". we are destined for victory, beauty is in our future. the enemy is afraid i will look in the mirror and see who i really am, become who i am. 2 Corinthians 4:16 "therefore we do not lose heart. though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." i am being renewed day by day, not to remain the same and in the same mess... He makes us over and flips us inside out. christian women can be lovely throughout their entire lives, beauty doesn't mean i look like everyone else. God loves uniqueness, wants us to be exactly who He made us. the enemy doesn't want me to see who i really am - yet the world is waiting and expecting someone to be who they really are. the beautiful, free, lovely woman.
FLAWED BUT AUTHENTIC
God is not looking for perfect people - but people with a perfect heart - BIG difference (so glad, because i keep trying to be perfect and it just is not working out well.... but He can change my heart and there is such goodness there because of Him. shout out to God.. )
real vs. authentic. God wants more than real from us. real wood becomes real ashes - this is likened to a christian acting against the nature of God "carnal". heat and pressure only make them act ugly. authenticity comes from the fire - refined and stronger. fire authenticates us. it will make us refined and stronger - but more ugly or beautiful in our actions???? when you ask God to have His way in your life it will bring His fire. (i DO remember asking for this.... shoot. it was a dangerous prayer - He answered it and it is not comfortable....) who you are in the uncomfortable fire is who you are. (i thought this was soooo cool because i just blogged about what God showed me with the wood in the fire and i wanted to liken it to a diamond and not just ashes. God has been preparing my heart and confirming things in multiple ways... not that it makes any of this stuff easier mind you, just that He is here with me...)
authentic children of God respond differently. (my flesh wants to lash out and push my point and get people on my side and, and, and, and. but since i am a child of God i WILL respond differently.) we have been given the grace to respond differently, but we have to be disciplined (that is the word i have been running from for - umm...... ever...). the world should see that we are different and should be drawn to us. Romans 8:12-14 "...you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature (emphasis mine.) urges you to do. for if you keep on following it, you will perish. but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. for all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." (beautiful promise - i want to be disciplined and take responsibility, turning from my ways..) Luke 6:28-29 ".... bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. if someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. if someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic." umm not a natural human reaction, it is of the spirit tho. never return evil for evil, but give good instead... Matthew 5:44-45 "but i say, love your enemies! pray for those who persecute you! in that way, you will be acting as true (authentic) children of your Father in heaven. for He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too." our reactions to our enemies proves our authenticity. something authentic is always authentic (consistent). who you are in private is who you are in public. the thing that authenticates the diamond is its flaws - they allow God a chance to facet something that is flawed, causing it to capture light. a flaw in our life can become a place of beauty though Him (AMEN!!! so be it!!! what has been a flaw in my life - may it become a place of beauty though Him.!!!)
and there is a message for husbands and wives - do not however go to your spouse and demand they treat you in a certain way. God does not come to us and show us how someone else is to behave toward us. He deals with the individual - me, i change...
just because something is refined it is not more durable. take crystal and glass as an example. both breakable, but the more refined is actually more fragile. women are to be fragile, to be vulnerable and tender enough that we can break easily. (this actually allows us to be compassionate and loving. not because we are broken people but because we can be broken - understanding of situations... that is a type of brokenness. also there is the simple fact that we must be broken before God so He can put us together for the best.) we are more fragile, more refined.
men are like a coffee mug - they can be knocked around and not destroyed, women - crystal, that needs special care. 1 Peter 3:7 "husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." (side note - women are to be treated as more fragile because the additional refinement of their nature, physical, and their emotions, not because they are weak. God/Jesus was actually a HUGE proponent of women's rights. He acknowledged them and their roll in society. the society was very dominant to women - no rights at all. all - men and women both - are joint heirs. the 5 oz coffee mug holds the same as a 5 oz crystal flute..) it is not about the vessel, but what the vessel holds. men need to speak tenderly, women are not to provoke men.
God wants to do an authentic work. He wants to impart His beauty. He wants us to respond authentically in our relationships, He wants us to be refined. We are to love those that hate us and curse us. God will make beauty of our ugliness, He will put our life in order. Beauty is our portion.
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