Psalm 12
Godly people are disappearing verse 1
HELP – LORD – for the godly man ceases
for the faithful fail from among the children of men
Ungodly people seem to be overwhelming verse 2
They speak vanity every one with his neighbor –
with flattering lips and with a double heart
do they speak
LORD will cut off the proud verse 3- 4
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips
and the tongue that speaks proud things
who have said
With our tongue will we prevail
our lips are our own – who is lord over us?
LORD promises protection of afflicted verse 5
For the oppression of the POOR
for the sighing of the NEEDY
NOW will I arise – says the LORD
I will set him in safety from him that puffs at him
LORD keeps HIS word verse 6- 7
The WORDS of the LORD are pure words
as silver tried in a furnace of the earth
purified seven times
YOU shall keep them O LORD
YOU shall preserve them from this generation forever
Wickedness is rampant when vile men are exalted verse 8
The wicked walk on every side – when the vilest men are exalted
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
:1 “LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from
among the sons of men.” NKJV ([פָּסַס] vb. disappear, vanish (si vera l., cf. Assyrian pasâsu, do away, blot out (especially sins));—Qal Pf. 3 pl. פַּסּוּ מִן ψ 12:2 the faithful have vanished (Che Dr) from (among) … men; LagProph. Chald. xlvi Gr We Du read אָֽפְסוּ (Is 16:4). Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 2000), 821.
DEVOTION: Are the faithful disappearing from among the sons of men? If you read some of the articles and research, it does seem like the church of Jesus Christ in the United States is disappearing. Approximately 3700 churches are ceasing to exist each year during the first part of the decade (2000-2005). This is an alarming number and like the psalmist we could cry out to the Lord that the godly man is ceasing! The number that is not reported as often is that 4,009 new churches were started during that same time frame. (The American Church Crisis, p.120) When both figures are presented the picture is not as bleak.
That any church must close its doors is a tragedy and when it happens we cannot help mourn the loss. Villages, communities and cities need the light of the Gospel to continue to pierce the darkness of this society. Have you taken time to pray for the church leaders and families that you worship with? Small, medium or large congregations are facing serious challenges in order to not vanish this year.
CHALLENGE: Take time to pray for your church family today and perhaps write a note to one of the leaders of your body of believers! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. (2509 “flattering” [chalaq] means either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking, sometimes referred to collectively, language, smooth, or slippery)
DEVOTION: There are times when people are faithful to the LORD and each other but there are also times when they are not faithful. Here we have a time period were willing to say nice things to the fact but behind the back they were saying things that were not nice or right.
The LORD want us to be good neighbors and to keep a good testimony with those who live in our neighborhood or in our community if we are going to reach them for the LORD.
Once a church or group loses their testimony for good it takes a long time to get it back. In one of my churches the pastor that was before me had a bad name in the community and the people remember the bad and not the good. It took a long time for the church to regain the respect of the community.
We have talked to some in the community that were part of the fire department who were volunteers. They said that if the church was on fire they wouldn’t save it and if the parsonage was burning they might save it.
We need to make sure that we try to keep a good testimony in the area around the church. If we can keep that then they will listen to our message of salvation. If we seem to be working against the neighborhood it is harder to reach them.
We have to have a Biblical standard but we don’t have to cause the people to dislike us because of it. Jesus met many people who had a false opinion of HIM because of the religious leaders who were not faithful to the LORD.
Our responsibility is to be Christian and not religious and there is a difference that helps us reach our world for the LORD.
CHALLENGE: What type of witness does your church have in the neighborhood? Are they willing to listen when we come to witness to them? Our speech should be one that doesn’t use flattering lips or double heart.
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: 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, says the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffs at him. (6315 “puffs” [puwach] means sneer, to cause to exhale or breath, snort, inflame, blast, to blow through, malign or to rail against any one.)
DEVOTION: There are people in our communities that genuinely need help. They are not able to take care of their needs. They don’t know how to handle many areas of life.
Most of the time we find these people at city mission or other places for homeless people. However, there are people who have a house and family that need help as well in our communities.
These people just need a little help and understanding. There are people who think that anyone that is poor or needy it is because they are lazy which that is not always the case. The LORD wants the church to help those who are in genuine need with open arms and love. This was not happening in Israel all the time and it is not happening in our world by those who claim to know Jesus as their Savior.
Too often we can think of reasons to not help those who need help. This is not what the LORD wants or expects of believers. Some of those who claim Christ say that “THOSE” people can go to the city mission or some other agency for help. It is not OUR responsibility.
However, those who come to our doors need to know that the local church will TRY to help them in their need. This was not happening during the time of David and it is still not always happening like it should in our churches.
There are always those who will try to take advantage of the local church but we still have to make sure that we are available for those who have a genuine need.
CHALLENGE: The church in a local community should be a place where those who a have genuine needs can go to seek help and love. Who are you helping in your community?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 6 The words of the Lord are pure words: As silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Purified, 2212 זָקַק [zaqaq] to purify, distil,strain, refine.)
DEVOTION: The words of God are contrasted by David with the vile words of mankind. On the one hand, David sees how everything that is churned out by the people around him is filled with evil and vileness. In fact, nothing has changed in regard to this in more than 3,000 years since David reigned. The world is still full of evil and of evil words, and is only getting worse.
On the other hand, God’s words are contrasted with man’s words and are described as pure and purified. God is holy, and so is completely different from man. He cannot be touched in any way by sin, and yet HE sent HIS Son Jesus to live among sinful man, not just to show us how we should live, but to die for our sins.
This should make God’s words all the more special for us. There is nothing about God’s Word that contains error or impurity. They are precious to our hearts and souls. We should be making God’s words a part of our speech, and allowing them to replace the earthly, natural thoughts that we have (Psalm 119:9-11).
What are we doing to get God’s words and thoughts into our minds, speech, and lives? CHALLENGE: Are we being consistent in spending time in HIS Word, and meditating on it? Are we encouraging others by speaking out God’s Word to them? Don’t let the temptation to be busy and not pay attention to the Scriptures crowd them out of your day. (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
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: 6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (2889 “pure” [tahowr] means clean, genuine, flawless, perfect, or without defect.
DEVOTION: WOW!!! Can you ever imagine finding silver in a silver mine. How do you remove all the silver from the rocks around it? The process is to heat up the rocks to a point where the silver melts away from the rocks. Then you have flawless silver worth more money today than it was worth a few months ago. Silver coins are worth more money than their face value. Finding silver coins in change can cause some to get excited.
The word of the LORD is without defect. The Hebrew word is usually connected with the word “gold.” When it talks of “pure gold” it means that all the other metals are taken away and only the perfect gold is left. The same is true of silver. All the flaws are taken away. We should be excited when we find silver in the Word of God.
All the flattery of words is taken away from the speech of the LORD. All the deceit and double meanings are taken away from the speech of the LORD. All the filthiness is taken from the words of the LORD. HIS words are reliable and can be fully trusted. HIS words are without error.
Our Bible has been kept without error for many generations. Every one of the predictions of Scripture is going to come true. David knew that when the LORD spoke, it was going to happen. He wanted the LORD to deal with those who were speaking flattering words that were hurting the poor and needy.
Our society is full of individuals in high places who speak flattering words that hurt the poor and needy. We need to stand with David against such people. We need to let the LORD deal with such people. The Bible has gone through the furnace and come out purified. Our Bible is thoroughly refined. PTL.
Please note that there are two worldviews present throughout the Psalms. One worldview is Biblical and the other is Secular. Under the secular worldview there are many false religions that try to replace the Word of God with belief in a human made god. That god is easier to avoid listening to when it speaks. The Word of God is consistent.
CHALLENGE: Trust in the Word of God should be one of our core beliefs. It is the starting point for the rest of our doctrinal statement. We are not to worship a translation of the Word of God but the God of the Bible. Our beliefs are based on the whole counsel of God not just one verse or proof text. Glorify the LORD!!!
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: 8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted (2149 “vilest” [zulluwth] means worthlessness, the quality of being wicked, vileness, or what has no worth and is useless, as a moral filth, or implied to be a kind of foolishness.)
DEVOTION: Once a community exalts those who are vile in their behavior. There are people who enjoy being evil to others. They are the ones who think they are better than other people and look down on those who don’t fit their social status.
This is not something that those who are genuine believers should ever feel. They should be willing to help those who are in need without feeling superior to them.
If we know of people who enjoy putting others down and not helping those who are in need of help we need to make sure that they don’t also claim to have Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
If we have these individuals in our church or as friends we need to confront them in love to understand that the LORD is not pleased with their behavior.
There have been deacons in churches that look down on people who they know are living together in the community who don’t what “those people” in THEIR church. This is not a biblical attitude.
Jesus was called the friend of sinners by the religious elete in the community. They didn’t think HE should waste HIS time on THOSE types of people. HE told them that it for this reason that HE came into the world to help those who were downtrodden.
Jesus wanted to help those who knew they needed help. HE knew that the Pharisees thought they were better than other people and HE told them that they didn’t represent HIS Father in Heaven.
This was true then and it is true now. We are here to help those who need help. The first priority should be their salvation, as well as, their physical needs.
CHALLENGE: Don’t let people think that genuine believers are wicked. Make sure the community knows that you are willing to help those who have genuine needs especially the need of salvation.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
David prays for help verse 1
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 3 – 7
LORD shall cut off all flattering lips verse 3
LORD shall cut off the tongue that speaks
proud things verse 3
Words of the LORD are pure words verse 6
LORD keeps verse 7
LORD preserves verse 7
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Children of Men verse 1
Neighbor verse 2
Poor verse 5
Needy verse 5
Wicked verse 8
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Godly man ceases verse 1
Speak vanity verse 2
Flattering lips verse 2, 3
Double heart verse 2
Speak proud things verse 3
People who say “who is LORD over us? verse 4
Oppression of the poor verse 5
Sighing of the needy verse 5
Puffs at poor verse 5
Wicked verse 8
Vile men verse 8
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Help verse 1
Godly verse 1
Faithful verse 1
Lips are our own verse 4
Safety verse 5
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
David – king of Israel verse 1-
Godly man verse 1
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
Verse 4.—“Who have said, With our tongues will we prevail; who is Lord over us?” So it was: twelve poor and unlearned men on the one side, all the eloquence of Greece and Rome arrayed on the other. From the time of Tertullus to that of Julian the apostate, every species of oratory, learning, wit, was lavished against the church of God; and the result, like the well-known story of that dispute between the Christian peasant and the heathen philosopher, when the latter, having challenged the assembled fathers of a synod to silence him, was put to shame by the simple faith of the former “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be dumb.” Who is Lord over us? “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?” Ex. 5:2. “What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?” Job. 21:15. “Who is that God that shall deliver you?” Dan. 3:15.—Michael Ayguan, in J. M. Neale’s Commentary.
Verse 4.—“Our lips are our own.” If we have to do with God, we must quit claim to ourselves and look on God as our owner; but this is fixed in the hearts of men, We will be our own; we will not consent to the claim which God makes to us; “Our lips are our own.” Wicked men might as well say the same thing of their whole selves; our bodies, strength, time, parts, etc., are our own, and who is Lord over us?—John Howe.
Verse 4.—From the faults of the wicked we must learn three contrary lessons; to wit: 1. That nothing which we have is our own. But, 2. Whatsoever is given to us of God is for service to be done to him. 3. That whatsoever we do or say, we have a Lord over us to whom we must be answerable when he calleth us to account.—David Dickson. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 1-26 (Vol. 1, pp. 146–147). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.
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Ver. 4. Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail, &c.] Either through the eloquence of them, or the outward force and power with which they are backed. The sense is, as we say, so shall it be; our words are laws, and shall be obeyed, there is no standing against them; our edicts and decrees shall everywhere be regarded: or we will make one to prevail, or have the dominion; meaning antichrist, the man of sin; for all this is true of the tongues of the antichristian party, and of their laws, edicts, and decrees; and which have obtained everywhere, and by which the wicked one has been established in his tyrannical power and authority. Our lips are our own, or with us: we will say what we please, and make what laws and decrees we think fit, and impose them upon men; and so change times and laws without control, Dan. 7:25. Who is Lord over us? which is the very language and conduct of antichrist, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, 2 Thess. 2:4 and is indeed the language of the hearts and lives of all wicked and ungodly men, sons of Belial, men without any yoke or restraint; who walk, and are resolved to walk, after the imagination of their own evil hearts; not knowing the Lord, and being unwilling to obey him, or to be restrained by him; see Exod. 5:2. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 573). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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12:2–4 These smooth-talking sinners verbally abuse the remnant (vv. 2, 3) and verbally defy their Sovereign (v.4). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 12:2–4). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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12:3, 4 The age-long sigh of God’s true saints is that the Lord Himself will silence the ungodly’s flattering lips—that He will immobilize the tongues of those who boast that their principles will prevail, that they have full freedom to say whatever they want, regardless of what anybody thinks. (MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 562). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)
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The Wicked—Deceptive words (vv. 2–4)
One mark of a Spirit-filled believer is the ability to detect lies and liars and avoid them (1 John 2:18–29), and David knew that he was living in a society controlled by deception. It wasn’t that only a few people were telling lies; deception was a major characteristic of the whole generation. (See 5:9; 28:3; 34:13; 55:21; 141:3.) What would David say if he were alive today and witnessed the propaganda and promotion that make up what we casually call “the media”? He would probably describe today’s “communication” as he did centuries ago: empty and useless words (“vanity”), smooth talk (“flattery”), double-talk from double hearts, and boastful talk or “proud words.”
Saul used lies to deceive his leaders about David, and Absalom used flattery to poison the minds of the naïve people of Israel against David. Flattery is not communication, it’s manipulation (see Prov. 26:28; 28:23). Even in Christian ministry it’s possible to use flattery to influence people and exploit them (1 Thess. 2:1–6; Acts 20:28–31). Flattery plays on the ego and especially influences people who want to appear important (Jude 11). You can flatter yourself (36:2), others (5:9; 12:2), and even God (78:34–37). Of course, what the lips speak comes from the heart (Matt. 12:33–37), and that’s why David accuses these liars of duplicity, which is a divided heart (literally “a heart and a heart”). This is the opposite of the “perfect heart,” total loyalty to God and His truth (86:11; 1 Chron. 12:33, 38; Rom. 16:17–18).
As for “proud words,” this describes boastful speech that impresses people by its oratory and vocabulary. “Great swelling words” is the phrase used in 2 Peter 2:18 and Jude 1:16. Daniel (7:20, 25) and John (Rev. 13:2, 5) both tell us that the Antichrist will speak in this way and rule the world. This kind of speech is motivated by pride and is used by people who think they’re in control and will never need to answer to anybody, including the Lord. Their lips are their own, and they can speak just as they please. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., pp. 53–54). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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12:3–4. So the psalmist prayed that the Lord would cut off … flattering, lying lips. These people were filled with pride (they were boastful), assuming that through propaganda, flattery, and deception they could achieve their goals. Saying, we will triumph with our tongues, they assumed they could do as they pleased: Who is our master? David wanted God to destroy them and end their arrogant boasting. (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 801). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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3, 4. The Bible does not underrate the power of big talk; it is the Lord who must silence it. James 3:5 may have verse 3b in mind, and the Old Testament illustrates the potency of the weapon from beginning to end: from the serpent in Eden to the predicted persecutor whose ‘mouth … spoke great things’ (Dan. 7:20, 25). The New Testament takes up the theme, e.g. in 2 Peter 2, Revelation 13. It is not for nothing that the ally of the apocalyptic beast is the false prophet (Rev. 20:10). (Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 92). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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I found that if one church failed to do what it should financially, the Lord always made up the deficit somewhere else. I have never made any stipulations as to finances – not even carrying special envelopes. Remuneration has come in many ways, from a love offering to a flat honorarium. I do not object to a flat honorarium if it isn’t to flat! I often tell what Sam Jones once said, “When I started out, I always said with regard to finances, ‘I leave that with the brethren.’ I did – for when I left the brethren still had it!” (p. 61, Three Score & Ten by Vance Havner)
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Hannah dedicates Samuel to the service of the Lord.
INSIGHT
We rarely give God sufficient thanks and praise for the things He does for us, and we rarely give Him adequate worship for who He is and for His significant answers to prayer.
By contrast, notice Hannah’s song of thanksgiving. She prays earnestly for a child, and when the Lord gives her one, she expresses her gratitude in full-blown poetic praise. Her response is fitting for the gift. (Quiet Walk)
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INEVITABLE DEDUCTIONS
He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.
John 5:23
What has the Son of God done to me by coming into this world? What difference has He made? Now it seems to me that there are certain inevitable deductions, and here they are.
My relationship to God is determined solely and entirely and absolutely by Jesus Christ. If you tell me that you believe in God, I say to you that it is of no value if you do not believe in Christ. I say again with Martin Luther, :I know of no God save Jesus Christ.”
“He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which hath sent him.” All things have been committed to Him. You cannot know God without Jesus Christ. “Neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsover the Son will reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). I cannot know God as my Father apart from the Son. I would have no forgiveness of sins if He, the Son of God, had not come and if He had not died for me on the cross. But because He has, I know my sins are forgiven. He and He alone can give me life anew; He imparts to me His own life, and He makes me a child of God. He came to do that, and He has done it. My eternal destiny is determined solely by my relationship to Him. I assure you in the name of God and of the Bible that when you come to the great day of judgment “for it is coming; we all have to die and meet God” I solemnly assure you that you will have only one question to answer. You will not be asked about the good you have done, or about your learning and knowledge, or about your political party; none of these things will matter. There is only one question, which is: “What think ye of Christ?”
A Thought to Ponder: I cannot know God as my Father apart from Christ, the Son.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 141-142, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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On All the Heathen
“For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.” (Obadiah 1:15)
The book of Obadiah was possibly the earliest of the prophetic books of the Old Testament and is certainly the shortest, with its single chapter. Its theme is God’s coming judgment on the Edomite nation, not only because of their general wickedness but particularly because of their abusive treatment of their Israelite relatives (Jacob’s brother Esau was the father of the Edomites).
The prophecy of Obadiah contains (in our text) the first mention (chronologically) of the coming “day of the LORD.” Although it appears at first to focus especially on the Edomites, it is really looking far ahead to the end times, when the judgments of that day will be “upon all the heathen.” There have been many precursive and partial fulfillments of this prophecy, as nation after nation has been brought down throughout history under God’s judgmental hand. Edom, in particular, has long since vanished as a nation.
There is a great day coming, however (actually a period of time), called in the Bible “the day of the Lord” (also “that day,” “the great day of His wrath,” and other such terms), when all the heathen (that is, the “Gentile nations,” including the U.S.) will be judged by the God who created them, who died to redeem them, and who has been repudiated by them. “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: . . . and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15). Our own heathen nation has been spared thus far because of our biblical foundations, our care for God’s people, Israel, and our missionary efforts, but these are fast disappearing, and our time, like that of Edom, will surely come. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Outer Wear or Inner Spirit?
Your adornment must not be merely external . . . but let it be the hidden person of the heart. 1 PETER 3:3–4 I’ll never forget that spring Sunday when our church was honoring our graduating high-school seniors during the service. A couple of the students had been asked to speak to the congregation. The first was a young man, sharply dressed, who made an articulate statement about his faith and confidence in Christ. He was followed by a young lady who presented an equally strong message—but her dress was so skintight and seductive that I imagine it was hard for any of the male gender to pay attention.
I want to be quick to say that we men are fully responsible for where we allow our gaze and our thoughts to go. One hundred percent responsible. But I must ask today’s Christian woman and teenage girl, what thought process goes into your clothing choices? And dads, if your daughter dresses immodestly for church (or school, for that matter), are you willing to ask her to please go put on something more appropriate?
It’s important to help our daughters understand how God hardwired a man. Barbara and I have four daughters, so you can be sure we had many conversations around this subject as they grew up. We know what it means to raise young women in a culture that’s increasingly promoting immodest dress. We know what it’s like to wander the stores, losing hope of ever finding anything suitable to wear.
We need to help our daughters (and sons) be more concerned with cultivating their inner spirit rather/more than their outer wear. Their appearance says a lot about who they really are. And it says a lot about the kind of man they are trying to attract. Do they really want their neckline or hemline to be what lures a guy?
DISCUSS
What are the dress codes in your family? What have you determined about how to address and enforce these?
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AJ writes (MD): 5 things to quit:
1. Trying to please everyone
2. Fearing change
3. Living in the past
4. Putting yourself down
5. Overthinking
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