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THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN
A RECIPE
STEP #25
WELCOME BACK
|
Today's
Virtuous
Vitamin
is
~WILLINGNESS~
choosing
without
reluctance |
|
Greetings once
again, and welcome.
Glad you're here to
share this very
important step today,
because it addresses a
very important group of
women which we call
widows. Unless you
are a widow,
being one may be the
furthest thing from your
mind, but most everyone
knows someone who is a
widow, and you may be
able to learn something
that will help them in
this Step. We have a few
other topics to cover
before we begin talking
about widowhood, so
let's get down to
business, shall we?
Now you know the fruits
of the Spirit that make
up the recipe for the
perfect Bride. Each one
of them is a virtue that
you've always had inside
of you, but sometimes
the world gets in the
way, and you can't see
way back in the back of
the cabinet, behind all
the ingredients the
world has
given you that are
hiding the really good
ingredients. This Step
is a list of the
ingredients that are
included in the recipe
that we've been
gathering along the way
in each Step of this
program ... Plus some
others. While you read
through the recipe, take
a little inventory of
your cupboard and if
you're running low on
one of your ingredients,
replenish it.
The Recipe
Ingredients:
|
trust |
grace |
joy |
purity |
confidence |
|
faith |
honor |
peace |
loveliness |
sobriety |
|
TRUTH |
honesty |
longsuffering |
dependability |
good works |
|
love |
generosity |
gentleness |
consistency |
contentment |
|
prayer |
charity |
goodness |
reliability |
integrity |
|
praise |
compassion |
meekness |
willingness |
discretion |
|
righteousness |
forgiveness |
temperance |
creativity |
cleanliness |
|
Godliness |
understanding |
submissiveness |
nurturing |
obedience |
|
hope |
wisdom |
reverence |
preparedness |
prudence |
|
humility |
strength |
benevolence |
responsibility |
admonition |
Directions:
Mix all ingredients well
with Fear of the Lord.
Marinate. Simmer with
patience and
willingness.
Don't forget, in all of
your endeavors to be
virtuous, your cookbook
is the Bible, and like
any cookbook, you’ll
refer to it time and
time again for the same
recipes, and lots of new
ones.
LET'S GET COOKIN'!
Now that you have the
recipe, and you know
where to get the
ingredients … The choice
is up to you. Will you
cook?
Recipe substitution tip:
You can always replace
egg on your face ...
With GRACE!
MAKE A LIST
Do you make a shopping
list so that you don't
forget things you need
when you go to the
grocery store? Why not
make a list of virtues
that you want to improve
on! Write things down.
When you write down
something, even if you
don't read it later, you
remember it better. Get
yourself a tiny little
spiral notebook and
write things in it
whenever you think of
them, so that later you
can reflect on them and
it will help you instill
your goals in your mind.
Let me give you an
example. Let's say
you're on your way home
from your Bible Study
group one evening and
it's after dark, and you
notice how many homes
still have their
curtains open. You
realize that nobody has
any business looking
into other folks homes,
but it never dawned on
you that keeping the
curtains open is really
like inviting anyone to
observe. You know that
you yourself forget many
times to draw the drapes
until past dark ... Ahh,
but you don't forget to
turn the lamps on in the
house. Sooooo, WRITE IT
DOWN, to draw the
curtains before you turn
on the lamps in the
evening. Then nobody can
see in, and you maintain
the privacy of your own
home. (Pssssst ... From
then on you'll probably
not glance into other
homes either, though
they should be more
virtuous and close their
curtains.) If the
climate or season is
hot, and you have no air
conditioning, or if the
weather is pleasant
enough to have a window
open, then you can put
up some heavy sheers
behind your curtains so
that air can get in, but
vision cannot.
Another example: Let's
say you have a habit of
saying, "Oh my God!"
when something surprises
you. You're not actually
addressing God, and you
suddenly realize how
awful it sounds. You may
wonder if you're using
God's name in vain
(which means without
good reason) so you
WRITE IT DOWN that you
will say, "Oh my
goodness," or just, "Oh
my," instead.
Anything that is a habit
that you want to break,
or a habit which you
want to initiate ...
WRITE IT DOWN.
A SACRIFICE OF SELF
Don't forget that being
virtuous is a sacrifice
... A gift ... To your
Father. You must give it
willingly.
Not out of fear or
obligation, but because
you want
to. Would you want a
gift from someone if you
knew that they really
didn't want to give it?
By being virtuous,
you're setting an
example for others to
follow ... you're
representing
Jesus. It is a very
selfless, very humble
thing you're doing.
|
1 Peter
5:2-4
Feed the
flock of God
which is
among you,
taking the
oversight
thereof, not
by
constraint,
but
willingly;
not for
filthy
lucre, but
of a ready
mind;
Neither as
being lords
over God's
heritage,
but being
ensamples to
the flock.
And when the
chief
Shepherd
shall
appear, ye
shall
receive a
crown of
glory that
fadeth not
away. |
THE WIDOW'S WALK
Now, you know that the
Lord has much compassion
on the widowed and the
fatherless. Here are
just a few examples:
|
Exodus 22:22
Ye shall not
afflict any
widow, or
fatherless
child. |
Psalms 68:5
A father of
the
fatherless,
and a judge
of the
widows, is
God in His
holy
habitation. |
Psalms 146:9
The LORD
preserveth
the
strangers;
He relieveth
the
fatherless
and widow:
but the way
of the
wicked He
turneth
upside down. |
Proverbs
15:25
The LORD
will destroy
the house of
the proud:
but He will
establish
the border
of the
widow. |
For most people, even
the mention of the word
widow,
invokes compassion in
our hearts.
In a moment, we’re gonna
study some things that
Paul says about widows,
and in advance, I feel
compelled to ask you to
be open minded to the
TRUTH about women who
are alone. What happened
to Eve when she was
alone in the Garden of
Eden? Also, take into
consideration Eve's age
at that time. We don’t
know exactly how old she
was, but she didn’t have
any children yet, and
she was created to help
Adam, who God placed in
the Garden of Eden to
tend it, which was
probably at the very
least, moderately
strenuous, so it’s a
good guess that she was
fairly young. Now, think
about women throughout
history and the women
that you know today.
Would you say that young
women or older women are
more likely to stray
from their faith?
Okay, while you ponder
on those things, let’s
look at something that
may help you a little.
Paul was alive somewhere
around 4,000 years after
Adam and Eve, and
apparently young women
then were still easily
lured ... As Eve was.
The TRUTH is, painful
childbirth and being
under man’s rule aren’t
the only things that
women inherited from
Eve. If you hide and
watch, today, 2,000 year
later, women STILL have
the same reputation.
Why? Because it’s the
TRUTH.
You see, Paul wasn’t a
chauvinist. He wasn’t a
woman hater either. Paul
had insight. The
intuition that women
brag about having, isn't
true Spiritual intuition
most of the time. Most
of the time it's just
self willed motivations,
not guidance of the Holy
Spirit. When you realize
where a woman’s
characteristics actually
stem from, you won’t
want to claim this so
readily. What Paul had
was Spiritual intuition.
Don’t get me wrong here.
I’m not saying that
being a woman is a
shameful existence by
any means. I’m saying
there are challenges
that are beyond anyone’s
control, and that if you
understand them better,
it will make many of
your actions, reactions
and instincts much
easier to understand and
deal with as well.
Okay, just to remind, we
started by talking about
women when they are
alone. Now let’s look
and learn what Paul has
to say about widows in
his first letter to
Timothy.
|
1 Timothy
5:3-4
Honour
widows that
are widows
indeed. But
if any widow
have
children or
nephews, let
them learn
first to
shew piety
at home, and
to requite
their
parents: for
that is good
and
acceptable
before God. |
Honor widows that are
widows indeed.
Indeed. In deed ... Or
in other words ... In
fact. Meaning ...
Respect widows that live
according to God’s
expectations. But if any
widow have children or
nephews (the term nephew
at that time, meant
grandchildren, but is
now obsolete), let them
learn first to show
piety (fidelity to
natural obligations, as
to parents,
grandparents, etc.) at
home, and to requite
(repay) their parents:
because that is good and
acceptable in the sight
of God.
SECOND CHANCE
|
1 Timothy
5:5-7
Now she that
is a widow
indeed, and
desolate,
trusteth in
God, and
continueth
in
supplications
and prayers
night and
day. But
she that
liveth in
pleasure is
dead while
she liveth.
And these
things give
in charge,
that they
may be
blameless. |
Now she that is a widow
indeed,
and alone, trusts in
God, and continues in
supplications and
prayers night and day.
But she that lives in
pleasure is dead while
she still lives.
So ... A woman who is
happy to be a widow, is
dead while she lives.
What does this mean? It
doesn’t mean that you'll
never live another
joyful moment in your
life. It doesn’t mean
that you should grieve
every day for the rest
of your life either.
Even Jesus said, Follow
me, and let the dead
bury their dead.
|
Matthew
8:19-22
And a
certain
scribe came,
and said
unto Him,
Master, I
will follow
thee
whithersoever
thou goest.
And Jesus
saith unto
him,
The foxes
have holes,
and the
birds of the
air have
nests; but
the Son of
man hath not
where to lay
his head.
And another
of His
disciples
said unto
Him, Lord,
suffer me
first to go
and bury my
father. But
Jesus said
unto him,
Follow me;
and let the
dead bury
their dead. |
The Lord doesn’t want
anyone to be sad, but to
enjoy being a widow ...
To be pleased about it
... That your soul-mate
is gone ... That's what
Paul was speaking of.
This doesn't count
honorable widows that
have walked the walk of
faith.
|
1 Timothy
5:9-10
Let not a
widow be
taken into
the number
under
threescore
years old,
having been
the wife of
one man.
Well
reported of
for good
works; if
she have
brought up
children, if
she have
lodged
strangers,
if she have
washed the
saints'
feet, if she
have
relieved the
afflicted,
if she have
diligently
followed
every good
work. |
But don't support the
younger widows that seek
a different walk other
than the Christian walk.
|
1 Timothy
5:11-12
But the
younger
widows
refuse: for
when they
have begun
to wax
wanton
against
Christ, they
will marry;
Having
damnation,
because they
have
cast off
their first
faith. |
They have
cast off their
first faith
... They abandon their
first faith. What does
that mean? It means that
before women married,
they served the Lord.
They were holy,
prayerful, pure. When
they married, they
served their husband and
children and home. But
when they became
widowed, they didn’t
return to their first
beliefs, their first
faith, their first
love, and
instead they were more
interested in worldly
matters.
|
1 Timothy
5:13
And
withal they
learn to be
idle,
wandering
about from
house to
house; and
not only
idle, but
tattlers
also and
busybodies,
speaking
things which
they ought
not. |
Paul describes what
worldly women since
creation until now have
done and still do today
when they are alone,
single, widowed. Be sure
to check out the
Christian Walk Study
entitled
BUSYBODY to
gain more insight on
that subject and what
the Bible says
concerning it. And now,
you know the difference
between a widow and a
widow indeed.
One turns to the
world(ly) and one turns
back to the Lord.
Undoubtedly, there are
many reading this right
now that are
experiencing that urge
to defend your own
actions, and at the same
time, you know deep
inside that you're
guilty of this very
thing. Dear woman,
whoever you are, God's
Grace is waiting for you
to just sigh heavily and
say ... I'm sorry Lord.
I was wrong. Please
forgive me. And then you
will feel Him lift up
your chin, dry the tear
from your eye, kiss your
forehead, and tell you
you're forgiven and that
every moment is a new
moment to begin afresh,
serving Him
INDEED! It's a
sacrifice ... A gift, of
selflessness. A
second chance to
serve the Lord with the
kind of devotion you
offered (or had the
opportunity to) before
you married.
Now, knowing woman’s
natural tendencies, Paul
says: I wish that the
younger women would
marry, have kids, be
housewives, don't give
the enemy of their souls
a chance to accuse them
to God shamefully,
because some have
already been led away by
the devil.
|
1 Timothy
5:14-15
I will
therefore
that the
younger
women marry,
bear
children,
guide the
house, give
none
occasion to
the
adversary to
speak
reproachfully.
For some are
already
turned aside
after Satan. |
In addition, Paul,
knowing that there are
people that have been
conditioned by the world
to think that they are
owed something for
nothing, warns that if
any believer has a loved
one who is a
wandering widow,
to take responsibility
and assist them
themselves, as he said
several verses ago:
|
1 Timothy
5:3-4
Honour
widows that
are widows
indeed. But
if any widow
have
children or
nephews, let
them learn
first to
shew piety
at home, and
to requite
their
parents: for
that is good
and
acceptable
before God. |
... So that the church
can assist those who are
widows indeed.
We're not through yet my
friend, there are still
some great things in the
Steps ahead! Until we
meet again, don't forget
to praise your loving
Father for His
comforting and generous
grace!
|
STEP #25
Meditate on:
WILLINGNESS
Related
Study:
Music
Selection:
Don't forget
to write in
your
Personal
Journal!
Go back over
each Step
often to be
sure you
have not
missed
anything.
|
If you have any
questions about the
program, contact one of
the FEMALE CHRISTIAN
TEAM LEADERS in the
Christianity Oasis Chat
Room.
Or you can contact us
at:
VirtuousWoman@ChristianityOasis.com
To
continue our program,
select:
STEP #26
I’ll meet you there!
Take care and have a
SON-sational day.
|
If you have any
questions about the program, contact one of the FEMALE CHRISTIAN TEAM
LEADERS in the Christianity Oasis Chat Room.
Or you can contact us at:
VirtuousWoman@ChristianityOasis.com
|
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