Hosea 14:1-2 “Return O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take with you words and return to the LORD. . .” ESV

I am picky about the books I read and must first determine if its pages are worth the time. My literary preference demands a book have a “happily ever after” conclusion. Despite the anticipated dangerous twists and turns in the plot, sweet satisfaction must come with a beautifully wrapped up final chapter. Honestly, I won’t read the book otherwise and have been known to flip to the back of the book to verify its ending. (I am sure a number of you die-hard literary women just cringed.)

Such can be the books of our lives. Our happy chapters document our peace, patience, joy, love, and faithfulness followed by the dangerous chapters of our gossip, lies, pride, and jealousy. If we stop and analyze our current plot, we may realize the trajectory of our ending is not the one we desire. Inviting God to co-author our stories is our guarantee that the final chapter will reveal a happy ending.

In Joshua 6, we find the story of Rahab, the prostitute, recorded with all the twists and turns of a New York Times best-seller. It is never revealed to the reader what road led this woman to a life of prostitution but her profession causes us to assume her life was a difficult one. Her chapters weave in and out of controversy, secrets, and danger leaving the reader to anticipate Rahab’s certain annihilation along with the destruction of all Jericho. However, when Rahab allowed Jehovah God to co-author the second half of her story, an unlikely ending emerged and despite the chaos at the beginning of her book, the final chapters recorded her “happily ever after.”

Sisters, the story God will co-author with us is far sweeter than any story we write on our own. Our past chapters cannot be rewritten, but our final chapters have yet to be determined. Oh, what a happy ending we can anticipate as we relinquish control and allow the mighty Hand of God to write our story.

Father God, may your holy presence grace each and every page of our life’s story.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

There is a liquid cleaner sold in some stores called “Once and Done.” This cleanser  claims it needs no rinsing. Just mop it once and you’re done. But the cleansing nature of the blood of Christ is something quite different. It is not something that is once and you’re done, or once saved always saved. It requires a life of self sacrifice and daily walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

Paul told Christians, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2). Do we want to please God? If so, we will devote our minds and bodies to obeying Him. This will not happen with casual, random reading of the Bible. We need to dedicate time and effort to dig deeply in God’s Word and allow it to transform our minds.

Christians must be genuine. We cannot be religious on Sunday and be menacing on Monday. Jesus told the ruling Jews,“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matthew 23:25-28). Our Lord pronounced six more “Woe” ’s in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew. In short, Jesus knew that their lives of corruption did not match up with their knowledge of God’s word!

John wrote to Christians this warning to Christians,  This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:5-9). When we sin (none of us are perfect), we have an amazing avenue—confessing our sins will bring forgiveness. But it is contingent on our continuing to walking to walk in the light.

Peter wrote, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:13-16).

James, the brother of our Lord, said we should seek wisdom from above, But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (James 3:17).

Are we pure, are we holy? Do we seek wisdom from above? Are we peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits? Have we cleansed our hearts of partiality and hypocrisy? I am searching my heart, are you?

The apostle John explained the beautiful fellowship we have with the Father which begins when we obey His command to be baptized, and then embark in the Christian walk.  Obeying Christ’s command to believe, repent, confess Him as Lord, and be baptized for the remission of sins is not a “Once and Done” event. It is just the beginning of our journey with Jesus, and what a grand and glorious journey which will culminate with a mansion in heaven!!!

Today’s Verse: Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever… (1 Peter 1:22-24).

By Teresa Hampton

Audios available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com

Psalm 33 begins by saying that praising God befits or is comely for the upright. We can infer from that, that when unrighteous people offer praise to God, even while doing evil in the name of God, it is ugly and uncomely in His holy eyes. We all can recount recent scenarios in which great evil was done by hands of those whose lips were praising. Can you imagine how nauseated God must be when people who are devising evil against innocent people are doing so in the name of—claiming the authority of—God Almighty, for those evil intentions? That’s why Revelation 3 describes God as determined to vomit out those who are claiming to be His, but are not fully committed to seeking his righteousness (Revelation 3:15-20).

The Psalmist goes on to say that this God, the one Who spoke the heavens and their hosts into existence, is the same One who sees all the children of men. When I look at the night sky, it is unfathomable that He sees me! From where He sits enthroned, He does see me! The One who is in charge of every generation, past and future, is also concentrating on me! He fashioned every heart and observes every deed of every man and woman. There is great comfort in that because there is no duplicity when dealing with God. He knows my heart.  He knows both its vast imperfections and its motivating intent. That is what I want Him to know.

There is no strength in an army. There is no strength in horses or great human deliverers.

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.”

I know some innocent people who are in a famine right now.   You probably know some, too… real victims in a world in which unrighteousness constantly claims victimization. Some are children. Some are spouses. Some are war-ravaged. Some are persecuted leaders just trying to do the right thing.  The Deliverer is near to the innocent. He will deliver them. My soul waits for Him. My hope is in Him.

If you haven’t read Psalm 33 lately, go there today. Pray with the psalmist:

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Cindy Colley

Sometimes we read a story over and over again, learning some valuable lessons, only later to read the same story and learn something totally different. I find that each time I read the story of Samuel, I learn things that surprise me. That is one of the reasons God’s Word is so profitable.

Hannah’s desire for a child made all of these lessons possible. Had she not consistently prayed for God to give her a son, these lessons might not be there for us today. We find these lessons in the first three chapters of First Samuel. I invite you to read through them as we study these lessons together.

Many years ago, I made notations in my Bible of these lessons. I’m not sure where I found them, but I think they are worth sharing.

The first two lessons we learn are from Hannah’s dismay over wanting a son and not being able to conceive. Lesson number one is, life is not always fair. Peninnah, another wife of Elkanah, had both sons and daughters. It doesn’t seem fair that she should be so blessed, and Hannah was deprived of that joy. James tells us that we should count it joy when we have trials of any kind. This is a testing of our faith, and it produces steadfastness (James 1:3).

The second lesson also comes before the birth of Samuel. Favoritism is never a good thing. When Peninnah, Hannah, and Elkanah went to offer sacrifices to God, Elkanah gave Hannah a double portion. This, of course, caused many issues between the women. The Scripture says that Elkanah loved Hannah more. This only added fuel to an already raging fire of hostility.

Because Hannah felt so wounded by Peninnah’s attitude and verbal abuse, she cried and refused to eat. The indication is that she did not want to worship. Lesson three for us is that ridicule is no excuse for not serving God. In Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus said those who are persecuted for His sake will inherit the kingdom of heaven. We will be blessed if we can endure ugly things that are said about to or about us.

Lesson four is something we learn from the way Hannah speaks to God about her desire for a son. She makes promises to God that we see her carry out once her son is born. She does not fail to keep every promise she makes. Our lesson is simply, be prepared before you have a child. The psalmist says children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:1), so preparation is an essential part of planning for a family.

Hannah gives us a most valuable lesson with point number five. God hears the prayers of the faithful; according to James, fervent prayers are required (James 5:16-17). Being earnest and sincere are necessary, and we see these attitudes in Hannah’s prayer.

So, Samuel was born and lovingly cared for by his mother until he was weaned. As Hannah promised, she took him to Eli, the priest, and gave him in service to God. Eli had sons of his own. Lesson six is found in these sons. Eli’s sons were wicked. They did not minister to the worshippers according to God’s law. They would certainly have been taught the proper way to serve as priests, but they defiled God’s law. This lesson is one many parents have experienced. Being taught the truth does not guarantee faithfulness. Though we wish our children would do what they have been taught, all of us know parents who are struggling with seeing the sins of their children.

Solomon says training up a child in the way he should go will result in his not departing from that training. That is a general rule and is a reinforcement of the command God gave the children of Israel regarding their children. Sadly, we know that some children do not stay faithful forever. Even Isaiah said that he had brought up children, but they rebelled against him (Isaiah 1:2). Later, Samuel’s sons did the same thing.

Lesson seven is found in the third chapter, the place where we find information about Samuel’s growth. He grew in favor of God and men (verse 26). Does that verse sound familiar? It is similar to the one in Luke 2:53 about the growth of Jesus. Given the circumstances under which each grew up, Samuel and Jesus, our lesson is that you can overcome bad influences. We know there were bad influences in the world, yet each of them resisted them.

While living with Eli, God appeared to this young man and asked him to deliver a message to Eli. He was quite surprised to find that the Lord would choose him, but he listened to the message and delivered it just as God had given it to him. Lesson eight is listening when God calls. We know He isn’t going to speak directly to us the way He did to Samuel, but He does speak to us through Scripture. We need to read and study His Word with an open mind and do what He says, not what we choose to do.

Our last two lessons are found in the second chapter of First Samuel. As a mother, I find it difficult to imagine turning a small child over to anyone. Hannah begged for a child, God answered her prayer, and she gave him back to God. Later, the Lord gave Hannah three sons and two daughters. That should say to us, when you ask God in the right way, He will give you more than you ask for. That does not mean we will get everything we request. Remember, I said we need to ask in the right way. He will give us what is best for us no matter what.

Our final lesson is found in verse 29 of chapter 2. When we see wrong, we have to speak up for what is right. Eli saw the sins of his sons, and he didn’t do anything about them. God said that he honored his sons above Him. Read Second Timothy 2:15 and First Peter 3:15-17. We need to always be ready to defend the truth.

It is now time to put our lessons learned into practice. This story serves as a great example of how we should live and thus be pleasing to God.

Sandra Oliver

Ezekiel 6:7 “You shall know that I Am the Lord.”

Ezekiel 6:9 “Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive…”

Have you ever considered the importance of remembering? In Ezekiel’s time, the memory of God’s faithfulness to Abraham, Joseph, and Moses had vanished. Amazingly, they had forgotten it was Jehovah who protected and blessed Abraham as the Father of all nations. They had forgotten it was God who preserved His people as He placed Joseph in the seat of Egyptian power. And they had dismissed a God who unleashed His mighty power to part the sea.

The book of Ezekiel is far removed from a Hallmark “feel-good” moment. The destruction Ezekiel pronounced upon Israel as their hearts forgot their loving and protective God must have spread an impending sense of calamity. But on the heels of their doom, a merciful and loving Jehovah unexpectedly reached out and beckoned Israel to remember His faithfulness and return to Him. Surely if Israel would recall the protection and goodness of the Great I Am in their past, they would rediscover the God of hope for their future.

Perhaps it would be wise if we too pause to REMEMBER. If we recalled the times God granted spiritual healing, would we discover a hope for future wounds? If we looked back at the peace God provided in the midst of our trials and grief might we be able to confidently reach out and travel rough roads with others, knowing God will sustain? And if we could remember just how God showed-up in our fiercest confrontations of the past, perhaps it would grant us courage to mend any broken relationships in our future.

So much peace resides in remembering. Our precious gift of Hope brought down from heaven and lovingly laid in the manger by The Great I AM assures us of our eternal inheritance. (1 Peter 1: 3–5 NIV).  Remembering the many ways God revealed Himself in our lives allows us to trust in His future promise to redeem us. (Ephesians 1:7) Sisters, today abide in peace remembering God’s faithfulness in the past is the same as God’s faithfulness in the future.

Father God, may we never forget your faithfulness to us. May we connect the ways of your goodness in our past to the promise of goodness in our future.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

“RETURN TO ME.”  God repeated this plea over and over when His children turned away from Him.  He told them that He would not be angry with them if they would only acknowledge their sin against Him (Jeremiah 3:12,13).  He promised to heal them if they would return to Him (v. 22).  Perhaps the saddest words of all regarding Israel are found in Jeremiah 3:7.  “And I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’  But she did not return” (emphasis mine).

Are you worried about someone who has yet to return?  Have you spent hours pleading and praying?  God understands.  Remember, He loves the soul of the wayward even more than we do.

Excerpts from the book RETURN TO ME:

From chapter five, “Keep Praying”–

Prayer is the ultimate litmus test because it is colored by our attitude.  The command to pray in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is sandwiched between the commands to rejoice and be thankful.  We’re to have a joyful, prayerful, thankful mentality, especially when working with others, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (v. 18).  It’s too easy to get caught up in the exact opposite.  Perhaps we feel unable to rejoice because we are filled with anxiety or discouragement.  After praying endlessly for someone without seeing any “results,” it’s tempting to think God no longer hears or cares.  And instead of being thankful, we become resentful.  What can we do?  Rejoice, pray, give thanks anyway.

From chapter six, “Let Go of the Guilt”–

“The soul who sins shall die.  The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.  The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezekiel 18:20).  This entire chapter in Ezekiel is about some confusion the Israelites had about sons bearing the guilt of their fathers and vice versa.  God wanted them to understand that each one will be held accountable for his own actions, and his alone.  Notice also, “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity…shall he live?  All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die” (v. 24).  The Lord concludes with “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways” (v. 30).  Just as children cannot stand in judgment on the basis of their parents’ goodness, parents will not stand in judgment on the basis of their grown children’s waywardness.  

Chapter seven is entitled “Warn the Wanderer” and deals with what our responsibility is and what our responsibility is not as we reach out to the wayward.  It also covers our objectives, what we hope to accomplish with the warnings.  Excerpt from chapter seven–

The Israelites thought their punishment would be brief.  Their hearts remained hard because they couldn’t believe God would allow them to remain in captivity.  After all, they were His people and He loved them.  Jeremiah, also writing to the Israelites in Babylonian captivity, pointed out their delusion.  He told them to build houses, plant gardens, marry, and have children because they had seventy years of captivity ahead of them (Jeremiah 29:5,6, 10).  But why did the Israelites believe, in the first place, that God would be easy on them?  Because they were deceived by false prophets who simply told them what they wanted to hear (Jeremiah 29:8,9).  How frightening to think that there are those who will tell our wayward loved ones what they want to hear!  They will offer false peace.  The wayward may relax, convinced that God just wants them to be happy, that His grace covers everything.  We must warn the wanderer that there are those whose teaching leads to destruction, whether intentionally or not (2 Peter 2:1,2).  

This concludes the excerpts I’ll be sharing from the book.  Thank you to all who have offered your encouragement!  And to those who have requested prayers for your wayward loved ones, know that I will continue praying for them and for you.

Kathy Pollard

“And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

What do you need? A bigger house? A new car? Wellness and health of body and mind? Perhaps it is in everyone’s nature to desire material things that he thinks he needs. Many covet things that will make life easier or give them a longer and more comfortable life. But what do we really need?

Philippians 4:19 promises that God will supply our every need. We have to remember that this is God talking, not man. God does not view things as we do. He did not send His Son to give us things. Jesus did not come to make man rich, or healthy, or sane, although He did lots of healing of people’s bodies and minds while He was on Earth.

Jesus came to give our soul everything it needs. If we were hungry, we would think we need food. If we had no house, we would believe we need a place to live. If we were so poor we could not pay for the comforts of life, we would desire money.

But what if the doctor told you that you had a week to live? Or what if Jesus were to come today? What would you need? Would it be something material? No. Your biggest need would be for God—for His presence, His comfort, His care, and His promise that you will be with Him for eternity. In the end, all that would matter is that you have God.

The most precious possession we can have is friendship with God. Psalm 118 says, “Oh give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his lovingkindness endures forever.” The rest of the psalm tells why. We cannot live without God. He is our greatest need.

Hymn: “I Need Thee Every Hour”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, let us never forget that we need You and to know that You are there for us and that You will help us when we call on You in prayer. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

– Donna Wittlif

We have just celebrated Memorial Day. We have remembered, recognized, and honored our service people of the past and the present. We do this with parades, picnics, visits to cemeteries, band concerts, and in many other ways. The goal is for us to remember the sacrifice of life and limb from all the conflicts that have plagued our country since its existence.

Memory doesn’t always come from experience. Viet Nam and the Persian Gulf wars are present in the minds of a great portion of the population, both in the United States and abroad. Most, however, do not remember World War I and World War II, except through stories and history books.

Memories bring about sadness and joy, but remembrances of conflict carry only sadness for pain and suffering. Only the joy of friendships and thankfulness for survival offer comfort.

Our Lord spent approximately thirty-three years on this earth, during which time He gave of Himself every day. He healed the sick, cast out demons, fed hungry people, raised people from the dead, and loved a sinful nation. He suffered much from being verbally abused, insulted, betrayed by those closest to Him, and lied about. Finally, He was arrested, tortured, and crucified.

Just before His arrest, the Lord asked His disciples to remember Him. He didn’t want parades, picnics, or band concerts. He didn’t want visits to the tomb where He was buried because He wouldn’t be there. He would be with God, the Father. What He asked for is found in Matthew 26. “Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:26-28 ESV).

Later, the apostle Paul had to confront the church at Corinth because they were abusing the Lord’s Supper in two ways. They were eating it as a fellowship meal, and they were mistreating some by doing so. He reminded them of what Jesus had said when He instituted this sacred worship. He reminded them that they were to do this in memory of Him—His death, burial, and resurrection. He then followed this with a warning. “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself” (First Corinthians 11:26-29).

The Jews of the Old Testament sacrificed for many reasons. One of the most important events in their memory, first through having lived it and later from stories past down through generations, was their deliverance from Egypt. Their sacrifice and eating the Passover was like our Memorial Day. It helped them be thankful for being free. Memorial Day helps us remember the sacrifices made for us and our freedom.

The Lord’s Supper represents a Christian’s freedom from sin through the blood of Christ. The Lord asks us to remember this on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) when we meet to sing, pray, listen to the Word, and cheerfully give back some of the physical bounty we have.

For some, the first day of the week is just another day, but to the Christian it is a day to show honor and respect to the Lord who gave His life for us. How can we possibly miss a chance to remember Him?

Sandra Oliver

Introduction

Matthew 7:18-20 reads, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (NKJV). Do you really know someone the first time you meet her? Of course not. It takes a while to become acquainted with a person. Sometimes we meet someone who seems to be what we would want in a friend, but later we find out she is not at all the person we thought her to be. Other times, we seem to have hit it off right away, and we have made a sound judgment. This woman is what we would call the real deal.

It is amazing to me how many people are watching us. We go about our lives not thinking about who we are influencing for good or for evil.

Let us look at Molly for instance. She was a devout Christian wife. She took care of her husband when he had cancer until she had to finally resort to hospice for help. The nurses saw how lovingly she cared for him. One day the nurses were talking among themselves, and a male nurse who had only seen Molly and her husband a few times described her as a unique and impressive woman. Her purity was shining through as the beautiful sun to others who did not even know her. She was demonstrating how our lives should be seen by others. Ladies, this is how we want to let there be sunshine in our lives as Christians for all to see. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Now let’s look at Proverbs 11:2, which says, “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.” Can you imagine seeing a fat pig covered in mud with a gold ring hanging from his snout? What do you see first? Yes, the muddy pig and then maybe the gold ring. Even if the gold ring were not covered, you still would see the filthiness of the pig. A beautiful woman who does not use good common sense acts foolishly. She gives up all modesty and good behavior, instead to wallow in the filth of impurity and sin.

In Proverbs 30:12 we find, “There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness.” Sometimes, we have blinders on when looking at ourselves. Perhaps, we compare ourselves to others. “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12). We should make sure we look at our lives with open eyes and an honest heart. We should not compare ourselves to others around us. They are not our standard! The Word of God is our only standard, and by it we will be judged.

Coming Clean

Remember the story of Charlotte’s Web. Wilbur the pig was going to be taken to the county fair to be entered into a contest. His prize was going to be a blue a ribbon. Since Wilbur was going to be judged on cleanliness and many more characteristics, the farmer’s wife gave him a bath in buttermilk. This was for his cleansing. We will be judged on the Day of Judgment, but it will not be for a blue ribbon. It will be for our eternal reward or eternal punishment. How do we want to be seen? Do we want to be clean and pure or covered with mud? Let’s discern from the following passages spiritual cleanliness versus the muddiness of sin that we ought to avoid.

“It is good for a man not to touch a woman” (1 Corinthians 7:1). Ladies, a woman must keep herself pure and clean for her future husband. Men do not want a used up, old washrag (impure woman) for a wife.

 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8-9). We are to live our lives close to God, and He will stay close to us and help us to have pure hearts.

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22-23). If we truly love the brethren, we will treat them with respect, and expect to be treated with respect in return.

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil” (Isaiah 1:16). We need to wash and cleanse ourselves spiritually every day. This way, we will help to keep ourselves from doing evil. We will fill our lives with righteous living.

Psalm 19:9 reads, “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” If we have an awesome respect for the Lord, we will not have a fear (being afraid) of His judgment to come. This is not to say that we are permitted to believe we are right even if we are not right with God. We know God’s judgments are always true and righteous.

Psalm 19:12 says, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.” If we look closely for our errors and impurities, the Lord will help us cleanse ourselves. We really must be honest with ourselves. I know this is hard because sometimes we think of ourselves more highly than we ought. As Christians, to cleanse ourselves, we must repent of our shortcomings and sins.

God is aware when we are trying to live our lives in purity and to be pleasing to Him. In Psalm 18:20-22 we find, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands, He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me.” What did the Psalmist say the Lord did for him because he was trying to live uprightly?

I am sure we want to be seen as pure, faithful Christian ladies who glorify our God and set the best example for both Christians and non-Christians. Remember, we are watched by many around us.

Living Pure & Holy Lives

We are to live holy lives of purity because God commands this of us. God also tells us why in 1 Thessalonians 4:7, where it reads, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” God has called us to righteous holiness. He wants us to have pure hearts, and therefore, we will have clean lives. “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:18-19).