Tag Archives: New American Standard Bible

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, KWT Paraphrasing

Beauty! Give Me Some of That!

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1 Peter 3:3-4 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

3 Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes.
4 Instead, it should consist of what is inside the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes.
via I peter 3:3-4 HCSB – Your beauty should not consist of – Bible Gateway.

Your beauty should not consist of outward things

I got that far and was stopped.

How many outward things do I do to enhance my appearance? How many changes of clothes do I make some days before I leave out my front door? How often do I linger in front of the mirror wishing the reflection looks different? Those questions I am not going to answer – not here in print anyway.  :)

But I am answering them as I read: Your beauty should not consist of outward things

No way do I believe that ABBA is saying that clothing and hair products and colors and even out those tones foundations are inappropriate.

Yet. I am back to this again: Your beauty should not consist of outward things

Beauty? I have beauty? How often have I worked for beauty and was certain I had failed?
I work for the wrong thing when I overtly busy myself with hair and face and clothes.

In this passage, ABBA says you do well my daughter when you attend the beauty of SPIRIT – a gentle and quiet spirit.

Gentle. We know what that means don’t we? Do we? Look with me at this.

Definition

  1. mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness

Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time.

So if I desire to be beautiful I will apply more than fine hair products, more than colors and foundations to my face, more than drape modest classy-looking clothes on my frame, I will consistently refuse to resist the work of the HOLY SPIRIT inside me. I will accept all His dealings with me as good. I will rely on my ABBA when injuries come; whether those injuries, pains, and griefs come at the hands of evil-doing people or just because this world in which I live is hostile to God and me.

But what about quiet? We know what quiet means, right? Look at this from my online Greek Lexicon:

to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to; to be closely joined to a person or a thing

So to be gentle I will not resist the HOLY SPIRIT. To be quiet. I will be closely joined to Him. Not only will I not resist but I will eagerly seek and cling to Him. 

Do this and I will be a woman of beauty, a woman ABBA highly favors and values.
Even when I run to Walmart with NO even-out-the-tones foundation, NO colors or mascara for my eyes, my hair in a ponytail, and my not small enough frame clad in a wrinkled T-shirt and Capri pants with stains.

So next time you see me that way, look for a JESUS smile on my face and His love in my eyes and if that is what you see, I am certain you (and I) will think I’m a woman of beauty.
And you know what?
If you are adorned the same, I will know you are a woman of beauty too!!

Thank You, ABBA, for stopping me short this morning. I pray all my sisters and my brothers will seek this ‘beauty’ that You have for us.  Again, we ask that You heal our sick and afflicted and that You rescue our rebellious and oblivious Ones. I ask, please forgive us, please have mercy, and pour out great conviction and repentance on we the people for JESUS’ sake. Amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Forgiveness, KWT Paraphrasing, Repentance

White Shirt

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I’m having a reoccurring dream. I think there is a message in it. For me and perhaps for someone else.

Old stains.

Old stains. Dirty strains. Strains too deep, too wide, too dark. The white shirt is soiled. I am ashamed to wear it.

But wait.

What’s this?

Water and an iron?

It’s work. Applying water and pressing. More water. More pressing.

Wait this can’t be. Just water and pressing can’t do this!

But it is. It’s working! The strains are lighter. And lighter.  And lighter. They’re gone!

My shirt is white again. It’s beautiful!  I’m so excited to wear it! 

Isaiah 1:17-19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. 

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “ Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow;  Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

19 “ If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land;
source

The BLOOD of JESUS is enough to cleanse every stain of sin; to remove as far as the east is from the west the penalty we have earned for our sins. Yet to remove the ugly stain from our emotions often requires some ironing – applying the WATER of the WORD and the PRESSING of the HOLY SPIRIT into our spirit.

What old stains are spoiling your pretty white shirt?

Perhaps you and JESUS have some ironing to do. We are meant to wear clean white garments!

ABBA, I’m putting this out here, it’s sketchy I know; yet it speaks to me. Perhaps You can use it to speak to just one someone out there whose remembering some old stuff that You want to clean and press and allow her to wear Your Beautiful Testimony before the world. Perhaps some memories are hanging on and dirty-ing up his heart that You have long ago washed away; help them believe and put on their white shirts and live as the citizens of Heaven here on earth You desire us to live.  As this day is stretched out before us with its many, many things to do I pray we will put on our white garments, the full armor You have provided for us and live this day for Your glory and our own good. We come with our sick and afflicted and ask that You heal them. We come with our rebellious and wayward and ask that You rescue them. We come with this Nation and ask You to raise up Statesmen and Heroes of Christian Faith to lead the people to repentance and forgiveness. I come with Israel asking for Her peace and for the subduing of all Her enemies and I ask, we ask, all these things in JESUS name.  amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Kathie

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

Boundary Lines

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5 Lord, You are my portion

and my cup of blessing;

You hold my future.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me

in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

via Ps 16 HCSB – Psalm 16 Confidence in the LORD – A – Bible Gateway.

Boundary lines.

In pleasant places.

The boundary lines that GOD has drawn for those who love Him are in pleasant places.

Do you believe that today? Yes?

Then in this day you will have the JOY of His Presence.

11 You reveal the path of life to me;

in Your presence is abundant joy;

in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.

via Ps 16 HCSB – Psalm 16 Confidence in the LORD – A – Bible Gateway.

We see it written, ABBA, all we have to do is keep believing it until we actually experience it and we shall. For You, O LORD, always answer the prayers of Your People when we pray Your Word.  Thank You, ABBA. I rejoice in You this day and thank You for Your Presence with us in JESUS name.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

Christian Living, Forgiveness, Repentance, Salvation

Power Washing

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The Summer is passing quickly. And ABBA is answering many prayers. The GRANDS and I are enjoying each others company and we each are learning from the other. It’s good! I do miss gathering here at The White Stone as often as before.  But I am so glad to be here today. :)

As I write, it is a rainy late Saturday afternoon, a load of laundry is washing beyond the wall to my left; and alternative dinner plans seem to be in our future. As accommodating and willing to please as hubby is I don’t believe he will be inclined to grill in this downpour – neither would I be willing for him to do so.

He’s been using afternoons this week to power wash the back deck and I wish I had thought to take a before picture. I do have an after. As I was watching from the window (prior to the rain) as he was working on the last part I marveled at the power of water to clean. And you know what came next don’t you?

The washing of the Water of the Word.

Ephesians 5:25-27 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
via Ephesians 5:25-27 NASB – Husbands, love your wives, just as – Bible Gateway.

I went looking and found a before; actually this was taken in the Spring of 2011; however, it gives some idea of how dark the wood had become.  And to the right here? Well that’s after washing – power washing!

From experience and from the Word I can testify to you that an even more drastic change occurs in the life of a Soul who has been power washed by the Water of the Word. 

Prior to applying the water my beloved applied a cleaner especially designed to lift the stains from the wood; without any disrespect the analogy is the BLOOD of JESUS – designed to lift and take away every sin, every stain of every Soul who will repent and trust Him. Next when we submit ourselves to JESUS on a daily basis those dark stains that had been so stubborn and so easy to ‘practice’ before are now no match for the power of the HOLY SPIRIT as He applies the Water of the Word.  

Anyway that’s just what came to mind – thought I’d share it with you.

Find your way to a House of Bible Practicing Worship tomorrow and get plugged in for some washing.  :)

Thank You, ABBA, for lessons in everyday things. Thank You for Your Goodness and Mercy. For forgiveness and the washing away of every sin and stain and for saving us now from the practice of sin day by day. I pray that each one who comes here to read and pray today will worship You in spirit and in truth, not only today but corporately tomorrow with brothers and sisters of Christian Faith and I pray our worship will be such that You will be pleased and will inhabit our praise. Thank You, LORD JESUS. Amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,