True Joy

Are you frustrated? Utterly discouraged because of how life is going? What did you expect? Did you believe the lie that life was all about you and your desires? ?Yes nowadays we are taught to indulge, be "ourselves" 

(whatever that means) seek pleasure at all cost but is that really what life is all about? Is it really pleasurable to live in such a manner or does living this way just rob us of joy? Being sinful, indulging in what seems pleasurable to us and seeking to fulfill our own desires only leads to sin and sin to death. So how are we to live then? The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it simply 

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? 

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

So What is the point of life? How are we to live you ask? Scripture tells us that we ought to live for the glory of God. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) Instead of seeing all things through the lenses of whether or not whatever we are thinking about doing will be pleasurable for us, we ought to ask instead whether whatever we're considering doing pleases the Lord and will bring Him the most Glory. 

Life is hard, we live in a fallen world. We are constantly met with disappointments. We cannot live for the "pleasures" in  this life. Things in this life are fleeting and passing away. We must set our gaze on Christ and the things above. When we are self absorbed not only are we in sin but we rob ourselves of joy.

R.C. Sproul wrote a book Titled Can I Have Joy in My Life? in it he writes: "The enticement of sin is that we think it will make us happy. We think it will give us joy and personal fulfillment. But it merely gives us guilt, which undermines and destroys authentic joy."

This book has really helped me in my walk. It was extremely difficult for me to transition from living for my own pleasures to living for the Lord and finding my Joy in Him. The Lord has used this book to put everything in perspective for me and teach me to imitate Christ and lay down my life for others not to mention live to do the Will of my Father in heaven rather than doing my own will and whatever I perceive will bring me joy in this life.

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The Modesty Issue

Written by my wonderful husband :)

Yesterday, on my way home from work I saw a young dolled up girl with a questionable looking guy at the Branch Ave subway station having sexual intimacy with their clothes on. They groped each other, sat on each others' laps, and mimicked very sexual gestures for at least 20 minutes. They were off some way in the distance from where most of the travelers were seated, but very much in view. In fact, as many walked right pass them there seemed to be no indication that they were embarrassed or even took notice of those walking by.

I immediately thought to myself, "she has no shame." Well, he has no shame either, but that wasn't as surprising. I kept thinking, "She doesn't even understand how she's degrading her self...or how she's being degraded. This guy is basically parading her around as a whore...in public...in broad daylight. At least cover your shame" I thought to myself.

God's word tells me not to marvel, not to even look on such wickedness, though I found it hard not to be captivated by such a sight.

Before I was too deep in my own self-righteousness I was reminded of myself when I was a teenager...doing the very same things...in public even. I was no stranger to this and yet I couldn't help but wonder why this young girl was so ignorant, so careless of her own dignity. I mean, I do understand of course, how sin blinds, how sin doesn't actually make any sense, how when we become so deep in sin we are oblivious to how foolish it makes us look...even as one person noted that sin is "self inflicted nonsense" Yes, I know these things but I'm always surprised.

This guy was disgracing her in public...AND SHE WOULD PREFER IT THAT WAY.

You know, it's fitting that I should talk about the modesty issues that plague the church right now. It's really no strange thing that unbelievers would be so immodest in their conduct but when we have professing Christians engaging in such conduct or "wearing" the part is an entirely different thing. This girl was merely behaving as a prostitute. Is this not what a girl does when she dresses in clothing that brings attention to her body and not her character?

We live in a culture that prizes beauty and self-esteem. We find our value in how we look and appear to others. (HOW CHEAP). If we do not fit the image of the media woman then we are not confident in who we are. Instead of finding one's confidence in what Christ has done for us, we'd rather place that confidence in how we look. Christian women are caught in a stronghold here. Where scripture tells us ""Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"(Proverbs 31:30), women would rather be praised for their good looks or their sexy clothing. And then other professing believers, some even in ministry would come along side them and praise them. THIS IS COMPLETELY BACKWARDS!

In our generation, what was considered ONLY the attire of a prostitute is now everyday wear. What was considered underclothes is now the casual bathing suit. Women find their glory in looking skinny, sexy, and showing off skin. Does not scripture tell women to find their glory in godliness?

"Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:3, 4)

Sisters, are you disgracing yourself in what you wear just like that young woman I mentioned earlier?

"likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works." (1 Timothy 2:9, 10)

"And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him,

With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death." (Proverbs 7:10-13, 21, 25-27)

Are you dressing like the women who lead men to Hell? Let it not be so...let this not be said of you.

HUSBANDS!!! IS THIS YOUR WIFE??? Are you loving your wives? Are you caring for her purity on facebook and Instagram? Are you protecting her honor by not allowing her to post scandalous photos of herself? Or are you standing right next to her in those photos as she flirts with your brothers through her clothing...as she leads them down to Sheol? Are you smiling and liking her photos as many men also take delight in her?

Modesty For Men

We hear a lot of talk nowadays when it comes to young ladies and dressing modestly but not enough about men. What is modesty? Let's go to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It defines modesty as the quality of not being too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities and as the quality of behaving and especially dressing in ways that do not attract sexual attention. Now it's time to examine ourselves. When dressing up to head out, let's examine our thoughts. Are we fixing ourselves up in such a way to receive attention and praise when we head out? or even worst are we purposing to attract sexual attention by the way we dress? 

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NKJV)

Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: 

that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

Single Men - Biblical Conduct Towards Women