psalm 139

We Are Women of a Different Status, 31 to be Exact…

~ mbard ~ Leave a comment

This one’s for all the beautiful ladies:

 As women in 2012, we are haunted by messages from society telling us we have to be a size 0, heavily endowed, and covered with makeup while flaunting our figures, but what is God telling us about who we are and how we should behave? He encourages the exact opposite. He thinks modesty is the best policy, makeup is unnecessary, and wants us to flaunt our inner godliness rather than our outer “hotness”. We are beautifully created in His image and our bodies are a temple for His Holy Spirit. He created beauty in all shapes and sizes and hates the lies about our “imperfections” that society feeds us. It saddens Him when we behave in the manner society encourages. When we fall to those lies it causes us to forget who we are in Him and we inadvertently assist our brothers in stumbling in their walk with Christ. I don’t want to be a stumbling block, I want to be a building block (A little side note – the man you really want will love you for your inner beauty and godliness rather than for how you look on the outside…the guy who loves you for that is a keeper!). My prayer for myself and my sisters in Christ is that we continue to be molded into Proverbs 31 women and overcome the lies of this world!

As I have struggle with society’s lies and am working towards embodying Proverbs 31, the following verses have encouraged me and helped me battle the lies:

“So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.” -Genesis 1:27

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalm 139:14

“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but the woman who fears the Lord will be praised.” -Proverbs 31:30

“You are absolutely beautiful, my darling, with no imperfection in you.” -Song of Songs 4:7

“Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes; instead, it should consist of the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very valuable in God’s eyes.” -1 Peter 3:3-4

I encourage you to watch this video and embrace your Proverbs 31 status!

Mission to Memphis: Day 3

~ mbard ~ Leave a comment

Psalm 139 – who’s read it?! If not get your Bible out NOW! 🙂 It’s such an awesome scripture that speaks to me in a different way every time I read it.

Tonight as we closed out a day full of powerful messages, organizing, painting, playing with kids, fellowshipping, crying, and laughing, Jenny shared with us her take on Psalm 139.

Surrender. That’s what God wants us to do. Surrender every aspect of our lives to Him and trust He will lead us in the right direction.

I’m a control freak. I organize my schedule daily and each hour I pretty much know what I’m going to be doing. Naturally, one of my struggles is surrendering everything to the Lord, which is why Jenny’s tie-in to scripture hit home. Psalm 139 explains why we should surrender our lives to God’s plan!

Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself:

“Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord. You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. [This] extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to [reach] it. Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon [or] settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night” – even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You. For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know [this] very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all [my] days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me [to comprehend]; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You.b God, if only You would kill the wicked, you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me- who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear [by You] falsely. Lord, don’t I hate those who hate You and detest those who rebel against You? I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” -Psalm 139:1-24

Praying this scripture moved you like it did me.

Grace and Peace,

Mer 🙂