i just finished reading this book this weekend. i highly recommend it for anyone, no matter your marital status or sexual history. it is so good! i picked it up because i heard many people talking about it and i really did not think a lot of it would apply to me since i am not married nor have i struggled with sexual sin (or so i thought). but boy did i learn alot! this book does an excellent job of relating sexual sin to our sinful hearts. he also talks about men and women's greatest fears and failures in this and roles we were designed to have in sex. he clearly relates sex to spirituality, something most people do not explain. sex and hte misunderstanding and misuse of it causes every human being some grief on some level. this book helps you see the healthy way god created sex and discern that from the selfish way the world portrays sex. i will save the details for you to learn as you read, but trust me it is a must read!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
a woman's response to the biblical manhood series...[part 2]
the first week of the biblical manhood series that our church has been doing, pointed out many common failures in men today. a good female friend of mine has written a series of blogs that explain common sins among women that inhibit us from biblical womanhood. they are worth your read and a good addition to what we have been learning. check them out here: http://dt1021.wordpress.com/
Monday, February 15, 2010
a woman's response to the biblical manhood series...
yesterday matt taught the first sermon in a biblical manhood series. it was so good! it is something we have been praying about as a staff for quite some time. i think matt did a great job yesterday and i am excited about the rest of the series.
one thing that has been heavy on my heart has been the response of the women in our church as we go through this series. i feel there are 3 types of responses.
the apathetic
some women will think that since this is about biblical manhood that it does not apply to me. the reality is that we all (perhaps unless we are nuns or we live in a women's restroom) have contact with men in some form or fashion. husband. boyfriend. brother. father. son. friend. co-worker. etc. so these principals are good for all of us to know. also, just from yesterday's sermon, there are things that matt talked about that apply to me as a woman. while his focus was definitely on men, the truths were just as applicable to women. i pray that you will tune in and see what the lord has in store.
the egalitarian or feminist
i almost guarantee i just made someone mad by just typing that out. i am not going to argue complementarianism vs. egalitarianism on here. i am just going to ask that all of us would be teachable to what the word says as we learn about how God has designed male and female. that we would not go off our feelings or what we think is fair but we would trust in God's word as that is how he has revealed himself. and that as we live out the roles that he has defined, we may glorify him and lead others to do the same.
the naggers and finger pointers
this third group of women is who has been on my heart most heavily. probably because i am most prone to this one. in fact as i was leaving church last night, i cringed as i heard 2 women talking about how they hoped that "so and so heard" this sermon and they hoped they would have the opportunity to show them all the ways they have failed. i prayed for the couples sitting in the church where the woman was elbowing the husband going, "i told you so!" my heart felt heavy for the men who would not only feel convicted by this message but would then be faced with this sinful, arrogant, and blame-filled response from us women. yes, men have and will continue to fail in many of the ways matt talked about. but as women, i am asking you to pray for them and trust the holy spirit to lead and convict the men. it is not our job to point out all their flaws.
i think if we took some time as women to examine our hearts and take the log out of our own eye, we would not be so quick to point fingers. yes, matt did say that most failures in our world are because men have failed to lead, but that does not excuse our sinful response. we have taken over or become bitter or nag or whatever because we too don't trust god and his leadership and control. so i am pleading to the lord that we as women will be on our knees praying for our men out of love, not condemnation. and i pray that the lord will shut the mouths of us arrogant women who are quick to point out the failures of others, forgetting the grace that has been extended to us through Christ in our failures. i pray that the lord will remind us that he will take care of us and love us and protect us always, just as he does the men in our lives when we fail. i pray that we as women and helpmates will help create an environment where men can feel safe as the lord points out their failures. that we will agents of grace and truth, just as our lord is. that rather than condemnation, we, just like our lord, extend kindness which leads to repentance. help us our god!
i am excited for this series and to see how all of our lives are changed as we help one another fill the roles that we are called to!
one thing that has been heavy on my heart has been the response of the women in our church as we go through this series. i feel there are 3 types of responses.
the apathetic
some women will think that since this is about biblical manhood that it does not apply to me. the reality is that we all (perhaps unless we are nuns or we live in a women's restroom) have contact with men in some form or fashion. husband. boyfriend. brother. father. son. friend. co-worker. etc. so these principals are good for all of us to know. also, just from yesterday's sermon, there are things that matt talked about that apply to me as a woman. while his focus was definitely on men, the truths were just as applicable to women. i pray that you will tune in and see what the lord has in store.
the egalitarian or feminist
i almost guarantee i just made someone mad by just typing that out. i am not going to argue complementarianism vs. egalitarianism on here. i am just going to ask that all of us would be teachable to what the word says as we learn about how God has designed male and female. that we would not go off our feelings or what we think is fair but we would trust in God's word as that is how he has revealed himself. and that as we live out the roles that he has defined, we may glorify him and lead others to do the same.
the naggers and finger pointers
this third group of women is who has been on my heart most heavily. probably because i am most prone to this one. in fact as i was leaving church last night, i cringed as i heard 2 women talking about how they hoped that "so and so heard" this sermon and they hoped they would have the opportunity to show them all the ways they have failed. i prayed for the couples sitting in the church where the woman was elbowing the husband going, "i told you so!" my heart felt heavy for the men who would not only feel convicted by this message but would then be faced with this sinful, arrogant, and blame-filled response from us women. yes, men have and will continue to fail in many of the ways matt talked about. but as women, i am asking you to pray for them and trust the holy spirit to lead and convict the men. it is not our job to point out all their flaws.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. - Luke 6:41-42
i think if we took some time as women to examine our hearts and take the log out of our own eye, we would not be so quick to point fingers. yes, matt did say that most failures in our world are because men have failed to lead, but that does not excuse our sinful response. we have taken over or become bitter or nag or whatever because we too don't trust god and his leadership and control. so i am pleading to the lord that we as women will be on our knees praying for our men out of love, not condemnation. and i pray that the lord will shut the mouths of us arrogant women who are quick to point out the failures of others, forgetting the grace that has been extended to us through Christ in our failures. i pray that the lord will remind us that he will take care of us and love us and protect us always, just as he does the men in our lives when we fail. i pray that we as women and helpmates will help create an environment where men can feel safe as the lord points out their failures. that we will agents of grace and truth, just as our lord is. that rather than condemnation, we, just like our lord, extend kindness which leads to repentance. help us our god!
i am excited for this series and to see how all of our lives are changed as we help one another fill the roles that we are called to!
far away...
here is a video from lecrae about the tragedy in haiti. cried as i watched it. god is near to the brokenhearted!! (psalm 34:18) and he is doing some mighty things in haiti. you can buy the single in itunes.
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