Rob, it's not that I don't have anything, I do. I just hope it is not just
for me, Understand? Plus I am used to teaching kids. Not grown ups nor my
superiors (employment wise)
Below is a rough draft of what I am presenting you'll see notes to self and
that it is not entirely finished.
Tell me what you think (remember, work in progress)
Titus Chapter 2
Note to self: Have Jenny Chaney wear her suit with the shoes on it, with
the earrings and bracelet and anything else that completes it.
Scripture:
...nor to pilfer, but to show entire and true fidelity, so that in
everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Titus Chapter 2
Note to self: Have Jenny Chaney wear her suit with the shoes on it, with
the earrings and bracelet and anything else that completes it.
Scripture:
...nor to pilfer, but to show entire and true fidelity, so that in
everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Titus Chapter 2:10
Definitions:
The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Adorn - vb.: to decorate with ornaments.
Ornament: n: something that lends grace or beauty
Ornament can also be a verb - to provide with ornament.
I got excited when I noticed that Adorn is a verb. A word of action. I am,
you are, we are all to adorn the word of God! I am to be an object that
lends grace and beauty to most fantastic living breathing word of God!
I knew I was to be salt, I knew I was to be a temple/dwelling place and the
Bride, but I had no clue that I was to be "an object that lends grace and
beauty to the Gospel. Me?
Surely I'm not the only one that woke up this morning, got up, stretched and
yawned, stubbed my toe on the way to look in the mirror (so much for grace)
looked into the bathroom mirror and said Yikes! No, not me lord. No way
can I adorn you today. It's a bad hair day and no make-up could possibly
cover those flaws!
Kelly, I don't know how this is going to fit but I'm putting this here to
have for later:
In Genesis Chapter 24, when the servant goes to claim Rebekah as a
bride for Isaac 10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels
and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master.
Choice: n- the best part
Choice vb.-worthy of being chosen, selected with care, of high
quality.
"And the servant brought forth jewelry of silver and of gold, and
raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to
her mother costly ornaments.
Abraham so wanted the proper wife, the best wife for his son, that
he provided articles that would lend grace and beauty not just for
Rebekah, but for her family as well. He spread his grace abundantly.
He didn't hold back. He took no chances of not winning the bride he
desired for his son.
So it is with God. He's not holding anything back in winning the
bride he wants for His Son. But are we holding back?
How can we hope to lend grace and beauty to something so pure and lovely as
the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How are we in our humanity to adorn the Gospel
of Jesus Christ? Can you tell me?
Think of a time when ornaments are prevalent. Christmas, right?
There is a time before Christmas every year when we dig in the closet,
garage or the attic and we bring out the crates. We carefully remove our
ornaments from their protective tissue paper nests. Some of these ornaments
are from our childhood and have stories associated with them that we share
with our loved ones, they might even be the last one of a set from grandma
and thus be very special. Then we put them on display on the tree, hanging
them just so (takes me hours) and around the house.
Some of us decorate the outside of our house with hundred or thousands of
lights. Is it any wonder that people flock from all over the place to
neighborhoods where there is a magnificent display of lights?
But most of us decorate just the inside. This means that only a select few,
just friends and family have the privilege of seeing our ornaments and only
for two weeks, maybe a month. Not very long at all.
Then after Christmas is over, we carefully dismantle the tree and replace
the ornaments in their tissue nest and put them away out of sight and harms
way till next year.
If you were to walk into my house right now you wouldn't know I have any
Christmas ornaments much less know that I have at least a 1,000 of them.
You probably wouldn't think about it when you walked in actually. It
wouldn't occur to you that I have ornaments unless you came over in late
November to early January and saw them on display.
Then you would say "Wow! Kelly, do you have some ornaments or what?!"
Let me tell you three years in a row my husband and I were at Michael's MJ
Designs at 6:30 am the day after Christmas and we almost had to fight to get
the ornaments we desired. Have you ever seen the Jerry Lewis movie where he
is a sales clerk and gets attacked by the crazy women and eventually his own
clothes get ripped off of him in a frenzy of buying? It was just like that.
My son went with us the first year and almost got crushed, no apologies
given. I earned my ornaments. We don't go any more as we feel we have
plenty but occasionally one will catch my eye and go home with me.
Well, reading Titus 2:10 got me to thinking that about the kind of response
I want in my spiritual life, "Wow! Kelly, do you have some ornaments or
what?!"
Now the question is what kind or what are these ornaments?
I shared this with my husband and he said "well the first ornament is
forgiving one another."
Forgive: pardon, absolve, to give up resentment of, to grant relief from
payment of.
Now that is an ornament that should probably (sometimes reluctantly) be
front and center. Without forgiveness, we have nothing.
Ok, well that's a start, but that's only one and a tree with one ornament
is, face it, kind of empty looking isn't I?. So I am sure there is quite a
variety of ornaments, large and showy, simple and elegant. What are the
other ornaments?
Could they not be the Fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23?
Just so there is no argument, I understand that the Fruits of the Spirit are
grown or propagated, they are not simply hung on a tree, however, they
should not be put away in storage.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
In the Amplified:
"But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is [the work which His presence within
accomplishes] is love, joy, (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper,
forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence).
Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
Kelly Expound upon the fruits...
Love: 1 a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or
personal ties <maternal love for a child>
4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1)
: the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for
others b : a person's adoration of God
It should be obvious, but how is love exhibited? For me love is my husband,
I asked him to marry me because he is the first man in my life to care about
where I went after I died.
Sometimes love is shown by just listening. Listening for God's voice, to
your child asking you the same question three times in as many minutes
without hollering about their lack of attentiveness.
Love is shown by sharing the Gospel, how long has it been?
Joy: a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by
the prospect of possessing what one desires
I like this one. It is my baby girl's middle name. I believe in the power
of the meaning of a name. Mine means War Woman - see what I mean? I gave
Hannah the middle name Joy as I want Joy to be at the center of her life.
"Joy - the prospect of possessing what one desires. That stirs me up. I
always thought Joy came with the achievement. Now I see I am wrong it comes
with even the prospect.
Peace: 1 : a state of tranquillity or quiet: as a : freedom from civil
disturbance b : a state of security or order within a community provided for
by law or custom
Patience: 1 : the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient
Patient: 1 : bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2 : manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3 : not hasty or impetuous
4 : steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5 a : able or willing to bear
Kindness: 1 : a kind deed
Goodness: 1 : the quality or state of being good 3: the nutritious,
flavorful, or beneficial part of something
Faithfulness: 1 obsolete : full of faith
2 : steadfast in affection or allegiance : LOYAL
3 : firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty : CONSCIENTIOUS
4 : given with strong assurance : BINDING <faithful promise>
5 : true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original <a faithful copy>
What about the Gifts could they not be ornaments as well?
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will
cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up
serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they
will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Only if they are not abused.
Kelly why is this here? (oh I figured it out)
"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then
he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the
nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates
the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand,
but the goats at the left. 34 Then the King will say to those at his right
hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in
prison and you came to me."
The Fruits and the Gifts are somewhat obvious as ornaments but how about
maturity, spiritual maturity?
I get to thinking I have reached a state of spiritual maturity and wham! I
prove myself wrong, someone will say the wrong thing to me before service
and I end up binding Satan throughout praise and worship because of what
someone else piled upon me. Then I get mad a myself cause it's happened
again. I am improving though. A few more firings in God's holy kiln and I
just might be alright. Praise God.
Another ornament is to be found in I Chronicles 16:29
Ascribe to the Lord in the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come
before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array.
Holiness, it's beautiful in the eyes of the Lord.
Holy: sacred, sanctified, consecrated, absolute devotion..
So the price of this ornament is absolute devotion. We must sanctify our
minds, mouths, eyes and ears. We've got to clean house, mentally and
physically. If something convicts you get rid of it, be it a habit, a
thing, a way of speaking or whatever it could be that convicts you.
Remember though, what convicts you may not convict someone else-this a
maturity level and life experience issue. You may bring them down to where
they give up. So be careful.
Tithes and offerings, this is one of those that sort of goes on the bottom
branches kind of tucked underneath. But still you know it's there and it is
lovely. Are you excited about an opportunity to give and bless others?
How about supporting your church body? Do you sing and praise at Church and
then come home and complain during lunch afterwards in front of the kids?
Children Aha! Here's a good one. Do you instill your love of God in your
kids, teach them to participate in service?
My son turned 11, June 22 and about a week before his birthday after evening
service one the way home from church he says to us "Mommy, that was the
first time I really felt like a part of church. I wanted to tell Andrew
(his buddy) stand up, sing, pray, participate." I was so excited I almost
fell out. It made all those years of yes, you have to go, shhhh be still,
stand up, close your eyes worth it.
The Blemishes and Tarnish...found in Ephesians 5:3-8
But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named
among you, as is fitting among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness, nor
silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be
thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one
who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is
because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of
disobedience. 7 Therefore do not associate with them, 8 for once you were
darkness
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one
another.
When you look at tell me what you see. Are my ornaments on display? Or
have I put them in storage? Maybe there are a few cracks or possibly they
are faded from too much light.
If you see they are just out right broken and need to be replaced please, I
charge you to take me aside and show me where replacements are needed. I
know where I can go for more.-----Original Message-----
From: robert a Helfer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2001 4:23 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [RR] Tomorrow
If you don't know what to do ,Read your favorite verse & give your
testimony
Rob
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