Lee posted this on Facebook today. He borrowed it from a pastor friend of his. Now I'm borrowing it from both of them. It's just too good not to pass along. It primarily addresses men but it is just as applicable to women. Listen and let me know what you think.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
An Excellent Follow-Up
Below I have linked a talk by Dr. Al Mohler. This is an excellent follow up of the sermon I posted a few days ago called Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?. It is only about 25 minutes long and WELL worth listening to. Let me know what you think.
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={E9098C4A-EAC3-4CA8-B586-184F99465EE4}
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={E9098C4A-EAC3-4CA8-B586-184F99465EE4}
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Whose Kingdom Are You Building?
Last Sunday our pastor preached a wonderful sermon about building God's Kingdom. It goes so well with what has been on my heart lately. Pastor Brian began his message by asking us: Which one of God's blessings do we often consider a burden when He adds more of that blessing to us? Click the link below to hear the answer.
Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?
Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?
Monday, June 27, 2011
Clarification
It occurs to me that I could have inadvertently hurt some feelings in my So Much More book review post. I would never intentionally set out to hurt anyone especially family members. I cannot be more thankful to my parents and extended family for all that they have been in my life. I have been loved and well cared for throughout my life. I love them very much. As I look back over the years I cannot help but thank God for the path He led us all down. It was that very path that led us to be in right relationship with Him. I sincerely apologize for my words that may have seemed insensitive.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
So Much More - Book Review
I just finished reading a book borrowed from our pastor’s library: So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin. The ideas in this book have occupied my thoughts for over a week now. I’m having trouble thinking of much else. The ideas are very counter culture and revolutionary for the day and time in which we live. To begin with I will write a short review of the book and then venture to give you a little of my own opinion. This may be difficult for me to do; I’ve already mentioned that I have many thoughts on this subject.
The Botkin sisters were teenagers at the time they authored the book. Their intent is to encourage young girls and to beckon them to be right in relationships; first with God and then with their father and within the family. They assert that God had very specific and different roles in mind for males and females when He created them in the beginning. These roles have not changed with the passing of time, just as God does not change. Men are to provide, protect and lead, while women are to be helpers to the men God has placed in their life (brothers, fathers, husbands), be keepers at home, and bear and help raise children. The premise is that if these are the God ordained roles for a woman then her daily choices in life should reflect her obedience to these roles. Throughout the book the sisters teach that this will affect how a girl should dress, how she should be educated, how she should relate to the men in her life (even the would be suitors), where she should live while unmarried and whether she should work outside of the home. This list is not exhaustive. In other words this belief will affect every aspect of life for a young lady.
There is also a strong call for fathers to step up to their God given roles and be provider, protector, and authority to and for his daughter. The proper relationship between father and daughter is spoken of as being crucial in the upbringing of a young girl. Her ultimate success in fulfilling her God honoring role in life primarily rests on her dad’s shoulders. Near the end of the book the sisters enlist the help of their own father to write a chapter in which he instructs fathers of daughters.
The major theme is that we as a society have allowed the ideals of feminism and Marxism to poison our thoughts and lead us to believe that God’s original plan for women is archaic and cruel. Even Christians have let this perverse ideology of feminism creep into our churches and our everyday life because it has become so “normal”. Society as a whole believes that women have made remarkable leaps forward by attaining an equal plane with men. The book goes into great detail to explain the damage that feminism has wrought on men, women, marriage and the family.
Young ladies who wish to honor God with every aspect of their life are instructed to reject feminism completely. They are called to humbles themselves, and with grace and joy accept God’s design for women. In practical terms the Botkin sisters are saying that a girl should remain at home under her father’s roof until she is married and allow him to be her provider. She should be content with her father’s provision and therefore have no need to seek employment outside of the home. Her job during this time is to be a helper to her parents and to prepare herself for her own future family. She will dress modestly and in a way that will not draw attention to herself and will be willing to help in the ministries of her church. Her education ideally will be done at home. The Botkin sisters are far from saying that a girl should not be educated, just the opposite is true. Their assertion is that her education will simply look different than that of a young man’s education, especially after high school. Much emphasis is placed on a young lady gaining more than just an education but wisdom and practical skills are highly valued. A virtuous daughter will also relate to young men differently than is commonly practiced among today’s youth. She will allow God to lead in the area of romance and be very open with her family about the subject, and will trust her father’s wisdom and guidance in this area. In essence, the finding of a husband becomes a family affair.
Allow me to preface my own thoughts on the book with just a little bit of background information. I was raised in the 1970s. Like so many of the girls of my generation, we were raised by mother’s who were right smack dab in the thick of the feminist revolution. At every turn women were being told to break free of the tyranny of children and husbands. Moms began to buy the lie that they could have it all, be true to themselves and that their families would be stronger and happier for it. Men were dazed and confused at having to suddenly share roles with their wives that had traditionally always been a woman’s arena. I recall at the age of 11 being told by my own grandmother that I had better get myself educated in order to be self sufficient. She said that I was NEVER to depend on a man because they are all scoundrels! “Look out for number one” she advised. Fast forward a few years. Through a series of events and nothing short of the grace of God I saw feminism for exactly what it is -- A Big Fat Lie! I resolved in my mind that things would be different for me. I determined to not become a bitter, disillusioned old woman surrounded by nothing but broken or patched up relationships. I wanted more. Thankfully the Lord drew me to Himself, saved my life and set me on the path of joy and contentment. He has blessed me beyond measure with relationships that are deep and loving.
It has not always been an easy path to walk. There have been times when I’ve been full of pride and wanted to tell Lee that I know better than he does. I’ve been angry in the past because of his authority over me. I’ve been belittled by people and accused of laziness for wasting my abilities by “just being a housewife and mom.” I’ve been ridiculed for teaching my daughters at home. I’ve endured well meaning folks who have doubted that my sweet girls would ever amount to much because I’ve taken a “normal” life from them. When money gets tight I’ve been known to panic and think seriously about finding a job rather than trust in God and my hard working husband. I’ve even been accused of taking this “God stuff” too seriously.
So, here is my take away from the book. Living a life of obedience to the Lord is 1) not easy, and 2) it will look vastly different from what is standard operating procedure of the world. I want to focus in on that second point. Today in my quiet time the Lord led me to read Titus 2:1-5.
in his commentary, John MacArthur has this to say about the phrase, “not be blasphemed.” He says, “This is the purpose of godly conduct- to eliminate any reproach on scripture. For a person to be convinced that God can save from sin, one needs to see someone who lives a holy life. When Christians claim to believe God’s word but do not obey it, the word is dishonored. Many have mocked God and His truth because of the sinful behavior of those who claim to be Christians.”
I was struck by the fact that not obeying God’s instruction in these verses on how we are to conduct ourselves would actually malign or blaspheme God. We think that we can without consequence choose for ourselves what commands from scripture suit our fancy and fit into our modern day lifestyles. No! We cannot! Obedience glorifies God, however disobedience drags His name through the mud. I’m not talking here about legalism and abiding by a strict set of rules. I’m talking about loving your Heavenly Father so much that you are happily obedient because you’d never want your actions to malign His Holy Name.
I encourage those of you who have daughters to read So Much More. Examine it for yourselves, search the scriptures regarding the principals contained in the book. Pray and ask God for wisdom on how He would have you apply it in your family. We are still in that process of thinking it through and praying about it for ourselves. I will tell you this though, I want So Much More than what the world has to offer for my daughters. I want His best for them. I want them to choose obedience to Him, and if that choice means that they will be ridiculed and treated badly for being different then I will do my best to help them learn to endure it with grace knowing that God’s ways are BEST.
The Botkin sisters were teenagers at the time they authored the book. Their intent is to encourage young girls and to beckon them to be right in relationships; first with God and then with their father and within the family. They assert that God had very specific and different roles in mind for males and females when He created them in the beginning. These roles have not changed with the passing of time, just as God does not change. Men are to provide, protect and lead, while women are to be helpers to the men God has placed in their life (brothers, fathers, husbands), be keepers at home, and bear and help raise children. The premise is that if these are the God ordained roles for a woman then her daily choices in life should reflect her obedience to these roles. Throughout the book the sisters teach that this will affect how a girl should dress, how she should be educated, how she should relate to the men in her life (even the would be suitors), where she should live while unmarried and whether she should work outside of the home. This list is not exhaustive. In other words this belief will affect every aspect of life for a young lady.
There is also a strong call for fathers to step up to their God given roles and be provider, protector, and authority to and for his daughter. The proper relationship between father and daughter is spoken of as being crucial in the upbringing of a young girl. Her ultimate success in fulfilling her God honoring role in life primarily rests on her dad’s shoulders. Near the end of the book the sisters enlist the help of their own father to write a chapter in which he instructs fathers of daughters.
The major theme is that we as a society have allowed the ideals of feminism and Marxism to poison our thoughts and lead us to believe that God’s original plan for women is archaic and cruel. Even Christians have let this perverse ideology of feminism creep into our churches and our everyday life because it has become so “normal”. Society as a whole believes that women have made remarkable leaps forward by attaining an equal plane with men. The book goes into great detail to explain the damage that feminism has wrought on men, women, marriage and the family.
Young ladies who wish to honor God with every aspect of their life are instructed to reject feminism completely. They are called to humbles themselves, and with grace and joy accept God’s design for women. In practical terms the Botkin sisters are saying that a girl should remain at home under her father’s roof until she is married and allow him to be her provider. She should be content with her father’s provision and therefore have no need to seek employment outside of the home. Her job during this time is to be a helper to her parents and to prepare herself for her own future family. She will dress modestly and in a way that will not draw attention to herself and will be willing to help in the ministries of her church. Her education ideally will be done at home. The Botkin sisters are far from saying that a girl should not be educated, just the opposite is true. Their assertion is that her education will simply look different than that of a young man’s education, especially after high school. Much emphasis is placed on a young lady gaining more than just an education but wisdom and practical skills are highly valued. A virtuous daughter will also relate to young men differently than is commonly practiced among today’s youth. She will allow God to lead in the area of romance and be very open with her family about the subject, and will trust her father’s wisdom and guidance in this area. In essence, the finding of a husband becomes a family affair.
Allow me to preface my own thoughts on the book with just a little bit of background information. I was raised in the 1970s. Like so many of the girls of my generation, we were raised by mother’s who were right smack dab in the thick of the feminist revolution. At every turn women were being told to break free of the tyranny of children and husbands. Moms began to buy the lie that they could have it all, be true to themselves and that their families would be stronger and happier for it. Men were dazed and confused at having to suddenly share roles with their wives that had traditionally always been a woman’s arena. I recall at the age of 11 being told by my own grandmother that I had better get myself educated in order to be self sufficient. She said that I was NEVER to depend on a man because they are all scoundrels! “Look out for number one” she advised. Fast forward a few years. Through a series of events and nothing short of the grace of God I saw feminism for exactly what it is -- A Big Fat Lie! I resolved in my mind that things would be different for me. I determined to not become a bitter, disillusioned old woman surrounded by nothing but broken or patched up relationships. I wanted more. Thankfully the Lord drew me to Himself, saved my life and set me on the path of joy and contentment. He has blessed me beyond measure with relationships that are deep and loving.
It has not always been an easy path to walk. There have been times when I’ve been full of pride and wanted to tell Lee that I know better than he does. I’ve been angry in the past because of his authority over me. I’ve been belittled by people and accused of laziness for wasting my abilities by “just being a housewife and mom.” I’ve been ridiculed for teaching my daughters at home. I’ve endured well meaning folks who have doubted that my sweet girls would ever amount to much because I’ve taken a “normal” life from them. When money gets tight I’ve been known to panic and think seriously about finding a job rather than trust in God and my hard working husband. I’ve even been accused of taking this “God stuff” too seriously.
So, here is my take away from the book. Living a life of obedience to the Lord is 1) not easy, and 2) it will look vastly different from what is standard operating procedure of the world. I want to focus in on that second point. Today in my quiet time the Lord led me to read Titus 2:1-5.
“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; that the older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God may not be blasphemed”.
in his commentary, John MacArthur has this to say about the phrase, “not be blasphemed.” He says, “This is the purpose of godly conduct- to eliminate any reproach on scripture. For a person to be convinced that God can save from sin, one needs to see someone who lives a holy life. When Christians claim to believe God’s word but do not obey it, the word is dishonored. Many have mocked God and His truth because of the sinful behavior of those who claim to be Christians.”
I was struck by the fact that not obeying God’s instruction in these verses on how we are to conduct ourselves would actually malign or blaspheme God. We think that we can without consequence choose for ourselves what commands from scripture suit our fancy and fit into our modern day lifestyles. No! We cannot! Obedience glorifies God, however disobedience drags His name through the mud. I’m not talking here about legalism and abiding by a strict set of rules. I’m talking about loving your Heavenly Father so much that you are happily obedient because you’d never want your actions to malign His Holy Name.
I encourage those of you who have daughters to read So Much More. Examine it for yourselves, search the scriptures regarding the principals contained in the book. Pray and ask God for wisdom on how He would have you apply it in your family. We are still in that process of thinking it through and praying about it for ourselves. I will tell you this though, I want So Much More than what the world has to offer for my daughters. I want His best for them. I want them to choose obedience to Him, and if that choice means that they will be ridiculed and treated badly for being different then I will do my best to help them learn to endure it with grace knowing that God’s ways are BEST.
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