Ms 21st Century
The trends in fashion, lifestyle, conduct, image expressions, moral and values has advanced (or shall I say derailed) tremendously.
I visited my country of birth recently (Nigeria) and observed how my fellow ladies are influenced by everything I see in the country I reside in (UK) and the ones I have visited (Paris, New York). I have always kept myself informed and try not to loose track of what is going on and I think you must know that the western world has greatly influenced our attitude and beliefs in every area-be it marriage, fashion, lifestyle, entertainment, morals, values or religion. Its getting increasingly challenging to live in the ways our Father, GOD, has instructed. Take marriage for example, the amount of friends I got to know who have given up on their marriage was shocking. A good friend even became a divorce lawyer, never married and not looking at walking down the aisle either based on the joke that marriage has been reduced to. The fashion scene is another angle with ladies displaying the essence of womanhood with no apologies, living and engaging in activities more than the age limit allows.
We ladies now have our attitudes to life and morals compliant with the 21st century and its sad how the very younger generation have no role models to emulate. Truthfully, we all don’t have role models to be honest but the damage seems more on the younger generation in my opinion.
Now that we have become Ms 21st century, looking all fab and glam on the trends, a few things I hope we check along the way are how these new age rules of living may impact our children and the younger generation; how the circular world has greatly affected our use and expression of the WORD of GOD in our lives.
As salts, we add flavour. Mathew 5;16 reads
Let your light so shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. Unfortunately, it is getting more challenging to tell the difference between Christ followers and none Christ followers.
We should be striving to ensure we are WORD of GOD complaint first and then Ms 21st century should come later but how can we be this when we have so many distractions? There is nothing wrong in looking glamourous and being on trend but when our need for this over-rides our need for a life of moral value and God sence, that then is a big issue.
21st Century complaint or God Complaint? I chose to be God complaint and daily ask for the grace to remain so.
How about you?
Who’s that Girl?
I remember a statement I heard way back; a teacher of the word was speaking to single men in the congregation and he was saying to them that most are still single today because they focus on the outward appearance of ladies only. He went on to say to them that all we see externally can all be bought and they are all additions. By that he meant a woman you see during the daylight has been modified and different from the one that you see when she is about to go to bed. So during the day, the hair extensions, eyelash extensions, body magic and enhancers, make-up etc has transformed this being to something remarkable but at night, when she goes to bed, all those things come out and the real woman, either in a head wrap, or tie or scarf, all make up off is what you truly see and that is truly who that person is.
I have been humbled by the study in character and person of Mary (Not the mother of Jesus nor the Mother of James and John). One of the interesting discoveries is finding out which Mary was the nameless woman who was the sinner that had 7 demons cast out of her; which Mary was the one that used her expensive oil on Jesus; which Mary is the one who sat at Jesus’s feet to hear him teach the word, and is the sister to Lazarus. Are they one of the same people or are they different people? Is the Mary of Magdala different from the Mary of Bethany (where Lazarus and his sisters lived)?
Who is that Girl? That after it all, was the one that saw Jesus on the day he resurrected? Who is that Girl? That no matter how people thought she wasted her most valuable possession (oil) to anoint the feet of Jesus, she didn’t mind because she clearly understood what Jesus did in her life. Who is that Girl? That chose to sit and listen to Jesus rather than the way of the world.
This Mary was a write off by people but Jesus re-wrote her history. She had a heart filled with love and gratitude and ensured she gave more than she received. In the human eyes, she was a sinner and the bible recorded the demons that were cast out of her where representatives of sins. But look, she was there when Jesus was crucified, she was there as part of the women that ministered to Jesus and his disciples and even was there during the resurrection, she saw the risen Christ!!
One of my many learnings from this study is that when one truly recognizes what has been done for them, the gratitude and appreciation they give is more than commensurate to what they have received. It doesn’t matter who the girl was or is (in some lifes today), what matters is that this person encountered Jesus Christ and where men thought she was a no good, Jesus saw her as a change maker.
Encountering Jesus should be an upward progression. Reminding ourselves of what Jesus has done renews our understanding and our gratitude for the price he paid with his blood. This Mary showed a remarkable change in her life, church, friends, family and community just by her impact with Jesus. She is now the Girl who is with Jesus in Glory.
As we ask or try to figure out who that girl was; we also need an inward evaluation of who we truly are.
Further Study: Luke 8vs 2-3, Luke 7 vs 37, John 12 vs 1-3, John 20 vs 1-18
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Friends, Finding Jesus starts with a simple prayer, say this aloud with me;
Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Find out more about the new life with our Finding You Series
Let us know if you need support, we are an email away. Email us at walkwithme@dvsoul.org.uk
The Women.
When Christ gave the Great Commission, He did not consider gender; just as when the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts, He gives them to both women and men. God has chosen every believing woman to carry His message to her sphere of influence as she is filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit and anointed and equipped with his power (Acts 1:8).
The single woman, the wife, the mother, the grandmother, the widow are called to ‘go into all the world’. ‘Going’ does not necessarily mean leaving home and family, but it does mean making yourself totally available to serve wherever, whenever and however He directs.
The New Testament gives certain requirements for soul winning.
The First is of course a genuine experience of grace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (1 John 1;1-3). A love for Christ and for people is also essential (Ps 126:6), as is a willingness to be used by the Holy Spirit in sharing the gospel (Acts 8:29). An effective soul winner will be determined to live a separated life (2 Cor 2:17) since lifestyle testimony is also a key ingredient. Creativity in using every opportunity for saying a word about Christ is also helpful (1 Peter 3:15), as is a diligence in the study of God’s word which enables the believer to explain more effectively the way of salvation (Ps 51:13, 1 Peter 2:2). All must be undergirded with specific and unceasing prayer (1 Thess 5:17). Any woman who is willing to commit herself to this high and holy responsibility will indeed be rewarded. (Dan 12:3)
Women, as never seen before, hold positions of leadership in the Kingdom of Christ, giving them more opportunities to help fulfill the Great Commission than any time in history. Although with these opportunities often comes with recognition of their God-given gifts, many times, the greatest position for influence in fulfilling the Great Commission isn’t a visible and public one. Women can serve effectively in their own homes, influencing their husbands and disciplining their own children, for the ‘hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’.
As appealing as the ‘marketplace’ is for some women, many find only disappointment and emptiness if they choose to invest their lives solely in fleeting achievements. Even in the work, your greatest satisfaction is to be found in your life in Christ and your sharing that with others, whether from your home or our office. No matter what your position or circumstance, you will find ultimate joy and happiness only in Jesus Christ. (Ps 16:7-11). You will be effective only as you serve in the place and in the manner God directs.
Know that as a woman; absolutely no task is insignificant when God calls you to do it.
Source: The Women Study Bible