Welcome to the second issue of Vessels Unto Honour! We trust that the February issue was a blessing to you and that you were touched by it in some way. If you ever have any ideas, comments, or suggestions, please let us know. We want to be a blessing to you, while also honouring and glorifying our Lord. We had hoped to have the newsletter out once a month, but this time around we got a wee bit behind! Nonetheless, we pray that it will be a blessing all the same even if you did have to wait a while to receive it.
I know that you are glad that spring is finally here! It is great to be out of doors once again in the beautiful sunshine. I can't wait to get out in the garden and plant some lovely flowers.
May we all rejoice in the new birth afforded to us by the sacrifice of God's only Son at Calvary!
This publication is free of charge and is available on the Internet or in printed form. Please send all correspondence to:
Julia M. Faulkner
sunshine@nwsl.west.ga.net.
Steve and Marilyn Bove and their four children. The Bove's are missionaries serving the Lord in Venezuela to the Yuana tribe. Both Steve and Marilyn accepted Christ at age six and both grew up in missionary families Steve in Indonesia and Marilyn in Bolivia. Currently Steve's parents are back in the states and have a new work while Marilyn's parents are in Singapore. After going to the same Bible School, this young couple were married. They each knew that they would be missionaries and were seeking out God's will for their missions work. Obviously, they have found it! Steve is presently working very hard to translate the books of Genesis and Mark so that they may begin presenting the gospel to these lost souls. I have had the opportunity to meet this fine family a few times and they are a blessing! If you would like to support them in their work, please send support to:
New Tribes Missions
1000 East First Street
Sanford, Florida 32771-1487.
Last month we discussed the meanings of some words found in I Peter 3:4 and I Timothy 2:9, mainly, "meek" which is "mild, humble, gentle." Let's take each of those words and see how we can apply them to our daily lives. I'll redefine each of them first and then I will share what the Lord has laid upon my heart for the wives this month. Of course, don't wait for me to get around to you if you're not married! I urge you to start applying these principles to every area of your life today!
Now, in review, to be gentle is to be kind, amiable, not harsh, stern, or violent, to be soft, moderate. For "humble" I would like to address the part of its definition that says "having a spirit of deference or submission" (to defer is to submit or yield to another's wish; also, to honour). To be "mild" is to have a gentle nature/character/disposition and to be moderate in action (in other words to avoid extremes of behavior or expression).
Wow ladies! How many of us can say that we are all these things? I know that I am not, but of late, it has become my great desire to fulfill God's will for me as a woman. I don't want to adorn myself with worldly things to be beautiful, but I want to be beautiful from the inside out! I am aware more and more every day of how I conduct myself as His daughter!
Do you ever wonder why God wants us to be all these things? I believe with all my heart it goes back to why the woman was created. In I Corinthians 11:9 we read: "Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." Many women consider that to be an insult but I find it such a beautiful thing! God had a special reason for creating the woman! While we may be under our husband's leadership in the home, we were not created to be slaves but rather as a "help" to him. A slave is one who is dominated by someone else or who has lost control of himself. Does slavery sound like God's plan for marriage? No way! But, since God created us to serve our husbands, He wants us to have the spirit of being willingly submitted to them! Please keep in mind also that when you submit to your husband, it is the same as submitting to the Lord. Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."
Genesis 2:18 "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." In Webster's dictionary, the word "help meet" refers to the word "help mate" . . . which is to be a "helper or companion." A companion is one who lives with and serves another person. To "help" is to aid, assist, relieve, to further the advancement of, promote.
One definition of the word "meet" is to provide for. Just as a man provides for his wife, she provides something in return. What is it that a wife provides for her husband? Food to nourish him, a neat, orderly, and inviting environment that he loves to come home to at the end of a long, hard day providing for his family, and clean clothing are just a few of the things a wife provides for her husband. But there are other things also, such as love, praise, tender affection, kind words, and so on. Does our husband really want to come home to a griping, complaining wife who speaks to him harshly or sternly?
How do most men think of a feminine woman? One who is soft not only in her appearance, but also in her actions and her speech! Proverbs 25:24 "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house." A woman who adorns her body in jewels and fine apparel but fails to adorn her spirit properly is rarely looked upon as beautiful. What man wants to spend his time with a woman who is constantly nagging him? Don't you think that he would much rather be with the woman who has a gentle spirit? One definition of "humble" was absence of wrath. Wrath is violent anger or rage. Kind of scary isn't it? How many of us bestow wrath on our husband's?
God made us to fit a need in our husband's lives! We were created for a purpose and when God created woman, He put all of these wonderful desires within us. You can never convince me that men and women are equal as the world would like us to believe. Each was created with a special purpose in mind and with their own roles within the family. With those purposes/roles came the necessary means by which we are to fulfill them. A woman is a tender, sensitive, caring creation designed in such a way that her desire is to serve her husband. In a sense, this makes her "weaker" than her husband which can cause her to live her life by her emotions. That is why we must keep that "meek and quiet spirit!" That is, to keep moderation in our lives. Don't let your emotions get the best of you. If you think about it, you can often get the same point across by speaking kindly and in a soft voice as you can in a harsh, stern manner. The benefit of the former is that you're more likely to get someone to listen to you and respond in a positive manner.
If you take the words we defined last month and apply them to the role of a wife, you will see that a woman who is in God's will has those qualities about her. A woman was created to be loving and caring but oft times our role becomes overwhelming. We begin complaining and griping, then we take it out on our families, especially our husbands. A woman who remembers that she is here to serve her husband and that she is fulfilling God's plan for her life will, I believe, have that meek and gentle spirit. God knew that being under submission to our husbands would be hard for us but it is possible to do it meekly, quietly, with great joy! Your reward will be great! Proverbs 31:28 "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." Make it possible for your husband to have a reason to praise you!
Sisters, because of the way God made you and me, that is, our emotional make-up being vastly different from our husband's, we must always keep a check on how we treat our husbands (and others). The next time you are tempted to lash out at your husband, remember your "meek and quiet spirit." It is to your heavenly Father of great price! Remember, a meek and quiet spirit benefits not only you, but those around you!
Please call, write, or email all prayer requests to be included in each issue by the first of each month.
We thank the Lord that our daughter had her tonsils out in January has not been sick with sinus trouble or strep throat since her surgery!
A virtuous woman is known by her deeds,
A rose by the wayside surrounded by weeds;
A cup of cold water on desert of sand,
A cloud in the sunset, a jewel in the sand.
She's far above rubies or diamonds that glow,
Her spirit is quiet, so gentle and low;
A breath of fresh air when a storm blows on past,
For Christ living through her will make her work last.
A virtuous woman's a keeper at home,
She's blest by her children; she does love her own;
Her life spent for others, a candle burned low,
Becomes like the sunset's last soft fading glow.
That virtuous woman I pray I may be,
That rose by the wayside, Lord, let it be me;
That cup of cold water on desert of sand,
That cloud in the sunset, that jewel in the hand.
(From "Under Construction" by Viola Walden of Sword of the Lord Publications - written by Angela Poole, The Baptist Bulletin)
I do not have any particulars for this issue but keep in mind that summer is soon upon us and it will be time for VBS! Start planning to be a part of this ministry this summer.
This casserole dish is a favorite of my family. We hope you enjoy it too. Even though it's a breakfast sort of dish, we enjoy it at supper also.
Brown one pound of sausage; drain fat; set sausage aside for use later. Bring to boil four cups of water; add one cup quick-cook grits and one teaspoon of salt; bring back to boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand five minutes. To grits, add one stick margarine or butter and one cup grated cheese. Beat four eggs. Add eggs and one cup milk to grits mixture. Now add sausage. Stir ingredients together very well. Pour into greased pan and cook at 350 degrees for one hour. Yum-Yum!
A Parable for Mother's (From May 1996 Pulpit Helps, by Temple Bailey)
The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is the way long?" she asked. And her Guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."
But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the streams, and the sun shone on them, and life was good, and the young mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then night came, and storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said. "Oh, Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." And the mother said, "This is better than the brightest of day, for I have taught my children courage."
And the morning came and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary, but at all times she said to the children, "A little patience, and we are there." So the children climbed, and when they reached the top, they said, "We could not have done it without you, Mother." And the mother, when she lay down that night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of difficulty. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today I gave them strength."
And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth - clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said, "Look up! Lift your eyes to the Light." And the children looked and saw above the clouds an Everlasting Glory, and it guided them beyond darkness. And that night the mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown by children God."
And the days went on, and the months, and the years, and the mother grew old, and she was small and bent. But her children were strong and tall and walked with courage. And when the way was hard, they helped their mother, and when the way was rough they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond the hill they could see a shining road and golden gates flung open wide.
And the mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."
And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said, "We cannot see her, but she is with us. A mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."
Have you ever wondered if there are any web sites specifically for Independent, Fundamental Baptist? Well get ready cause have we got some sites for you! We think you'll really enjoy surfing these sites because we received such a blessing from them. As with anything a Christian reads or studies, please remember to measure it all against God's word. Due to the many sites available on the web, it is difficult, if not impossible, to read absolutely everything on every page! Happy surfing!
www2.bitstream.net/~thebible/FBNSLinks.html - This URL takes you to a link from David Cloud's Way of Life page. He has taken the time to compile a list of dozens of sites of interest to the IFB. A word of caution! You will spend a long time here and figuring out what link to take first will be difficult! There are even some home schooling URL's here and links for kids.
www.globalserve.net/~rapture/dtrinity.html - This site is titled "In Defense of the Trinity." I have not had time to read completely through this study about the Trinity, but I believe that you would find it helpful.
www.mindspring.com/~mamcgee/gracelife.html - Want to learn more about God's grace? Then this is the site for you! I printed out one of the studies to share and it was quiet a blessing. One word of caution: NIV is used so if you are KJV only just be aware.
www.tftruth.com - This is one of my very favorite sites for the IFB! Be sure you don't miss this one.
See you around the net!
A dear sister in the Lord has suggested
that we try something a little different with this month's
newsletter. Instead of me addressing questions, I will ask
a question and you will respond! I
think that this will be a wonderful way for each of you to share
with other sisters in the Lord. In the next issue of Vessels Unto
Honour, we will publish your answers! Please send your responses
to: sunshine@nwsl.west.ga.net.
Or write it on a piece of paper and give to me in person. I look
forward to some participation in this column!
This month's question is: In II Thessalonians 3 we read the following, beginning in verse 14: "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15: Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." The Bible also tells us not to judge others. Now, we know that God's word does not contradict itself, so how are we to have no company with an erring brother (or sister) without judging them?
God says we are to study His word to
show ourselves approved. I think that knowing the meaning of
words is helpful so that we might have a better understanding of
what God is saying to us. I pray that this feature of the
newsletter will be a blessing to you! Let us know if there is a
particular word that you would like to know about. We will be
using a Strong's Concordance and a Webster's Dictionary to
research the words and their meanings.
This month we will look at two words from the same verse: Deuteronomy 22:5: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God."
Pertaineth is to belong as a part, member, accessory, or product; To belong as an attribute, feature, or function.
Researching attribute, we found in the Webster's Dictionary that it means an object closely associated with or belonging to a specific person, thing, or office.
Feature has the meaning of structure, form, or appearance, especially of a person; a prominent part or characteristic.
An accessory is a thing/object of secondary importance that is not essential in itself but adding to the beauty, convenience, or effectiveness of something else. An example of an accessory is earrings. Earrings are definitely something that pertains to a woman, something of secondary nature that she uses to add beauty to her appearance. But, unfortunately, these days it is very common for men to also wear earrings. However, if you take into account the meaning of the word pertaineth, you will see that this practice makes those men an abomination to God.
What is abomination? It is something that is abominable (worthy of or causing loathing or hatred; detestable). It also has the meaning of extreme disgust and hatred.
Loathe is a great dislike or to detest. Extreme is existing in the highest or the greatest degree; exceeding in the ordinary, usual, or expected; maximum.
The word disgust has a few different meanings. First, it means marked aversion excited by exposure to something highly distasteful or loathsome; repugnance. It can also mean to provoke to loathing; repugnance, or aversion; be offensive to.
God wants men and women to be distinctive in their appearance and if a woman puts on something that pertains to a man, that distinction is marred. The same as if a man puts on a woman's garment. I realize that what a person wears is determined by the culture in which they live but if a certain garment or accessory is associated with a particular gender, than the opposite gender should not wear it! God wants a man to dress in a masculine way, and when he rebels against God by wearing something of a feminine nature, that person becomes an abomination to the Lord. This same thing applies to a woman . . . if she puts on anything that pertaineth to a man, she is an abomination to God. Some articles of clothing or accessories certainly are not intended only for men or women such as shoes, socks, undergarments. However, the style of these articles or the way in which they are decorated should determine if they are a man's or woman's garment.
Things such as purses, earrings, stockings, slips, etc. are expressly feminine garments/accessories and should never be worn by a man. These are things which a woman uses to appear more feminine and cause much confusion when a man wear's them.
Earlier this century women began wearing a garment that had always pertained to men . . . pants. Remember that one of the meanings of pertaineth was attribute and feature. It used to be that a feature of a man was that he wore britches. That was one of the distinctive markings of a man. Pants were closely associated with men and they were a garment that belonged to men! Why women wanted to start wearing pants is beyond me but I believe that it was a great abomination to God and still is today.
Ladies, I know that you do not want to be an abomination to your Lord, so please prayerfully consider what you put on your body! It does matter to God!
Please see Proverbs 6 for more things that are an abomination to God.
The End
© 1997 by Julia M. Faulkner, Sonshine Publications