~Loyalty~

 One of the biggest components in a relationship has got to be loyalty! First and foremost loyalty to God, then you can truly be loyal to your spouse, fiancé or whomever you’re courting. What does it truly mean? Is it simply to refrain from flirting with someone outside of your relationship? Although the main meaning is to be devoted to someone, there really is a lot more to it.  God’s Word is the only place that you can find the real, true qualities and definition of loyalty.

     Proverbs 18:24 – “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Study and meditate on that verse for a few minutes without any distractions, I PROMISE you that it will have a significant meaning. Think hard, and apply it to your life. “A man that hath friends,” (anyone who has friends,) “must shew himself friendly,” (must be a friend.) God’s Word has put it all out on the table. That applies to anyone, in any relationship. Does it apply to a courtship or marriage? Certainly! Especially since you must be best friends with your other half!

Traits of loyalty include…

Be loyal to God – Psalm 40:8 – “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Delight in serving The Lord first, be loyal in your relationship and service to Him. Without God, you cannot keep a marriage or relationship together. If it’s not the main focus that you both serve the Lord together and raise your future family together for God’s glory, there isn’t a common goal.

Be loyal in forgiving your partner – How many times should you forgive? Matthew 18: 21-22 – “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” This pretty much sums it up…There is no excuse not to forgive him! We might feel as though our reasons are valid to hold against him, but really they aren’t….

Being loyal to your love for the other – “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” If a friend loves at all times, which circumstances does that apply to? All of them! No matter how many times they hurt you, they upset you, or maybe have failed you! You are to forgive them as stated above, and continue loving them!

Be loyal in your actions, not just your words – Proverbs 20:6 – “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who will find?” When you say you are forgiving, do your actions follow after what you claim to be? If he’s upset you, do you let it carry on to build another “case” against him to prove that you feel he’s been in the wrong. If you’re going to say that you’re forgiving, let each offense go completely. Pretend it didn’t happen because God forgets your offenses completely. Micah 7:18-19 – Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” If God can completely forget about our mistakes, and cast them into the sea, we need to be able to do the same for anyone else, and follow through with it when we say we are forgiving.

Be loyal in following him, or be prepared to - Ephesians 5:22-24 – “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the Body.”  If you’re married or looking to be married, your commandment as a wife is to submit to your husband as the spiritual leader of your home. Your husband will make the final decisions, he will lead you in handling different situations, and his responsibility will be to pray for guidance to assist God in guiding you. That’s what God wants him to do! If you aren’t prepared for this, it will be a problem for you in marriage or even in courtship as you’re discussing how he intends for his home to be lead.  

     Godly men that have been saved, are looking to fulfill their roll in their future home, when they’re looking for a wife. A woman who becomes over bearing and tries to overstep him on his decisions becomes a red flag. At times we feel that we have been the victim of hurt when it pushes a man away from us. We can be guilty of blaming them for becoming un-loyal to us when it pushes them away from a courtship, or causes tension in a marriage. The truth is that it pushes a man away because God didn’t design a relationship to be in-sync, in any other way than what He’s told us in His Word.

     We cannot pressure a man to do the things that he feels are out of the will of God, or out of line with God’s Word. We cannot pressure him to be someone that he is not, and we cannot force him to give up his entire life and change it to be what we want. Ladies, if you want a man who is loyal to you, please remember that your loyalty to him is to be his best friend no matter what life throws at him, and to be by his side, not in front of him.

     Loyalty is a two way street, let’s look at our end of things, because that’s all that we have control of. Where can we improve? What do we need to change? Are we blaming someone else for our problems?

     If ever you have any scriptures or ideas that have come to your mind, please comment below!

God Bless you in your studies!

Recipe for Humble Pie!

“Humble” is one of my favorite words, because it’s one of my favorite traits in any person I come in contact with! There is something about being around someone who is down to earth and kind. It makes you comfortable to be around someone who is easy to talk to and doesn’t flaunt their accomplishments, and make you feel badly about yourself. I’d rather be talking to someone who isn’t trying to draw attention to themselves or our discussion.

       “Humility” is a down to earth view of how important you feel that you are. While we don’t want to have a poor image of ourselves, we don’t want to “put ourselves on a pedestal” per say. God’s Word has a lot to say about humility, because it’s one of the many traits you find in Christ! I would have to say the humblest thing that has ever been done, was a man dying for my sins! Hanging on the cross His last words to me could have been “look what you’ve done to me, and look what I’m doing for you.” He could have looked upward to show greatness! Instead, He bowed His head and simply said “It is finished.” He really didn’t say much of anything about what He had done for me. John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” It truly was the greatest example of Christianity that we will ever have. What does the Bible have to say about being humble and being prideful?

 Pride is shameful – Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” I never really thought of pitying someone who was arrogant, because it’s so easy to become annoyed by them. While studying this topic, I came across a verse that really stood out to me. Being one of God’s children, we should feel sorry for someone who is proud and arrogant. It should make us wonder what has happened in their life that they must feel that the only thing going for them is themselves, not living for The Lord. 1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:”

Don’t try to be noticed or try to have the last word – Philippians 2:3 – “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”  The definition of strife is anger, bitterness, and conflict over fundamental issues. Fundamental is the core values that something is based upon. Whether it’s house rules, discipline, spiritual values, and disagreements in relationships…The Bible commands that we don’t react out of anger or bitterness, to receive vainglory from others. We won’t always come out of each situation looking like a shining star, if we do, did we accomplish it in an un-godly way? Speak softly, don’t argue to be the last comment. Psalm 15:1 – “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” At times it really takes a lot to humble ourselves enough, to just speak softly or say nothing at all if our words would be hurtful. I really like that verse, it is and will always be helpful to me.

Give God room to work in your life – John 3:30 – “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Let God work on your life, my life. He will bless us so much more if we just bring ourselves lower, so He can build us up.

God is the only One that should lift us up – James 4:10 - “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Let God lift us up, He will only do it if we humble ourselves. He can’t bring us up, if we already have ourselves higher than we belong.

      We shouldn’t ever wish something bad on someone, but the Bible does have a warning and reminder that the proud will be given a reality check at some point down the line. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it causes us to worry, and sometimes it’s humiliating in front of others. The word “humiliated” is taken from the word “humble.” It means to have your dignity (being worthy of respect and/or honor) injured.

 You’ll be rewarded for humbling yourself – Matthew 23:12 – “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Being abased means to be belittled. Sometimes if we are so full or sure of ourselves, God has a way of showing us that we are nothing without Him. Galatians 6:3 – For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” We are really deceived, blinded and in a poor spiritual state when we feel like we are better than someone else.  If we just humble ourselves, God will bless and exalt us in His own way.

      I’ve come to the conclusion after this study, that if you combine all of these verses it gives you a recipe for “humble pie.” Let’s face it, all of us have had to eat it at some point…It’s certainly not one of my favorite foods.

Indredients:

1 proud person

A dash of strife

A mind desiring vainglory

Instructions:

Let is simmer and in your heart, keep taking and giving credit to yourself…In a period of time you will have a humbling experience. No matter “who” we “think” we are. Romans 2:11 – “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

      One way to evaluate ourselves is to watch and see how others feel about us. This includes family, friends, loved ones and even the church family!

Family – At home how do you treat your family? Do you belittle their accomplishments and make it seem like they aren’t as talented as you are? Try complimenting what they have done and not bringing up your accomplishments all the time.

Friends – When you are out with your friends, do you like to constantly talk about yourself? Try just listening to someone else’s feelings, point of view, and opinion on something.

Loved ones – It could be a spouse, boyfriend, or someone you’re getting to know. Don’t overly brag about your day or your problems at all times. Try asking them about their day, and wait for them to ask about yours before you tell them.

Church family – At church, how does the church family feel about you? If you have a special role in church, or like to get involved in functions, groups or planning, how does it come across? Does it come across as a selfless act of love and caring about others, or do your actions come across as a “look at me” kind of approach. Try going behind the scenes at times. Often times the people who go unnoticed have the most important role. God gives a reward to those, which is so much more important to receive than the praise of others. Matthew 6:4 – “That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”

     We are all guilty of being prideful at times, it’s not easy to admit. But God promises us so much more blessings and happiness if we just take a step back and realize we cannot do anything without His help. Let’s all pray for humbleness on a daily basis and give thanks unto the Lord, for He truly is good to us!

Psalm 118:1 – “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” I want to try some new tactics to help me think more of others than of myself, I can use some work J

 God Bless you with your Bible studies, always feel free to comment and add to my list!

What if Men Blamed us as Often as we Blame them? Be Fair! :)

What if a guy wrote a text post? Would it look something like this?

     Something that I’ve been thinking about and can’t say I’ve ever noticed or seen: What if guys used social media for encouragement about looking for the right kind of girl? It sounds like a funny thought! I’ve noticed at times that we ladies take on the mindset that most of society has given to us where “it’s always his fault.” We allow others to tell us “He’s not worth your time,” “he doesn’t know how to treat a girl and put her first,” “he isn’t a godly man, he pretended to be.” They all fill our minds with “you deserve better than that,” “you deserve a man who will drop everything for you,” “if he can’t do this instead, he doesn’t love you!” What if we evaluated our hearts?

     It’s not realistic, and it’s not fair. Let’s be real…it’s not all his fault. Did we ever stop to think, “Have I ever asked too much? Have I ever overreacted? Have I ever asked him to put me before God? Have I ever been controlling?”

     There are so many posts and articles about being a godly wife. At our age, some of us aren’t yet a wife. I feel that it sometimes doesn’t give the right kind of mindset as a young lady, on what her role would be as a godly girlfriend. Although I haven’t scripturally found the role of a girlfriend, the Bible often talks about the role of a woman in general. A young lady courting or looking to court, does not submit to the authority of a boyfriend, however she does not take authority over him to change him either. Women weren’t commanded anywhere in the Bible to take an authority over a man, in any role.

     A man has an individual walk with God, he has the career and life choices that God has laid out for him at his current time, for a reason. Ecclesiastes 3:1-“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” If he’s been saved and is praying about what God wants in his life, and you’re courting him, you’re obviously considering him worthy as a future leader. It’s especially important to keep your place as a woman, because he’s obviously looking for those qualities in you. If you can’t respect him now, you never will, and it will be a red flag to him. Courtship is not the big moment to take over his life and change him. He’s not your mission project, he’s you’re boyfriend. Respect him, because he’s respecting God, which should be the first thing you’re looking for.

     Here are some scriptures that I like to use to defend the "innocent and accused man," and become the kind of lady that a godly man is looking for! (When I say innocent and accused, it’s because it’s not fair to blame him when he’s not around to defend himself.) You can blame him verbally, by alluding to him, or like everyone else, on social media. REMEMBER: There are always two sides to any story, so let’s just worry about ourselves.

• Let God lead his life: I know as long as he’s saved and personally seeking God’s will, that’s all that matters. He answers to God, not to me. He can’t always please others and God at the same time…that translates to “he might always not do what pleases me if He knows God wants him to do differently.” If my heart is right, I’ll just be happy when he makes a decision that The Lord has lead him to make. That could mean his career, if he wants to go to college or training, if The Lord leads him into missionary service…I need to watch him grow. Biblically I would be wrong to put up a boundary or stipulation between him and God. Ephesians 6: 6-7 “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”
• Let him take charge over his responsibilities: He’s going to have to take responsibility over his wife, children, finances, and career anyway, it’s his commandment from God’s Word. Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” I know we all think “he’s not my husband.” However, you’re not his wife, so you should be watching him do his thing if you’re considering accepting him as a husband.  Do not tell him what to do. We must make sure we aren’t conniving as women, trying to manipulate him and give him ultimatums to get our way. We aren’t supposed to do that in any role as a woman in general, whether it be a wife or girlfriend. I Timothy 2:9-14 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” When I really studied this out, it really meant something to me and helped me to have the right perspective. To me it was especially helpful because it wasn’t taken from a passage referring to being a wife. It was a general statement on the behavior a woman should have, and why we have been given the role that we have. It’s extra special!
• Be loveable: Proverbs 27:15 "A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike." This one really made me smile! Could you imagine your poor boyfriend or husband? Figuratively being a raincloud above him? Literally being the wrong kind of woman. The definition of contentious is one who causes a lot of arguments, and provokes heated situations. The Bible actually tells us that a woman like that is like a “continual dropping in a very rainy day.” I want to ask God more often for loveable qualities like Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” I want to ask Him for compassion like Proverbs 31:20 “She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” I want to ask God to truly make me the “help meet” He intended me to be in 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.” We should all want to be found faithful whether we are preparing for courtship, or as a girlfriend or a wife, to keep his personal matters to ourselves when he chooses to share, and always speak good and positive about him to others. Proverbs 11:13 “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”

    

    Deep down we all have to know that it’s not always the fault of the man. We have to know that we are a constant work in progress as well. We were designed to allow God to lead our lives individually, and never take control over ourselves or anyone else. “Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

     Courting and marriage should be an exciting time. It takes a lot of prayer to prepare ourselves for a courtship or marriage, to be in the right mindset, role and most importantly the will of God. Stepping out of the role, and over our boundaries as a woman can hurt a man. It can cause a lot of heartache and a lot of tension in any relationship. My advice to you is to keep your boundaries when it would become over-involved or overbearing, let him put God before you. Pray your way through each difference, and handle each situation as Christ would desire. Ask God to be the kind of woman that a saved man chasing after God’s will is looking for…you won’t have to worry about “what you deserve” if you do, often times when we change ourselves, the things we “think” are the problems, really aren’t the problems. Ezekiel 36:26 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

      My prayer is to be the kind of lady with Christ-like traits that can someday watch the man God chooses for me, follow God’s leading in his life. Instead of wishing for him to reach for the stars, my prayer is that his dreams are like Jacob’s ladder to Heaven, where they reach far beyond what the stars would ever have to offer! Be excited for every single opportunity God gives him, and be thankful for the honor that it is to watch him step upward in his work for God’s service, whatever that may be, in whatever role God has placed you in this very moment! (Reference taken from Genesis 28:10-22)

God Bless!

~Samantha

~Tearing Others Down~

 Tearing others down has been on my heart lately, as I’ve seen my loved ones getting hurt. If it hurts my heart when they’re hurting, how much more does it hurt our Lord? “Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21) He is the only one who can truly know the magnitude of our pain and what is in our hearts! Did you know that God takes the hurt of His children so seriously that He considers it a personal hurt to Himself as well? (Matthew 25:40) “ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” He makes a very descriptive statement in Matthew 18:6 saying “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Even an offense is a pretty hefty thing to answer to God for! How many times have I said something to a brother or sister in Christ, or even a family member or loved one without thinking it through? I regret to say…many. What does (and should) hurt me worse to know I’ve caused others pain, is to know I’ve hurt the Lord just as many times as I’ve hurt His children, the Bible says so in the very same verses I’ve studied.

     The nastiest thought of all is that at times, I’ve let my emotions take over and have allowed them to take me to a place where I’ve even intentionally said something to hurt someone else out of anger, revenge or bitterness. When feelings and emotions like that start to take over the way I treat others, it doesn’t make me feel very good. Why? Because my body is spiritually coming down with an illness. My spiritual “medicine” is called “The Fruits of the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:22-26

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

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.

     If I would stop myself in the moment of ugly feelings, pray for guidance and self-control in the situation, my life, and the way I react towards someone else, I wouldn’t be acting the way I have been guilty of many times. I’ve been thinking of many common ways and reactions people use when they aren’t asking God to take control of their emotions and reactions. I’ve found verses in the Bible speaking against it and giving us the alternative that we should be using when we react.

VERBAL (Proverbs 12:18 - There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.) What I say towards someone could be so sharp, it’s piercing to their heart and emotions. God’s Word says in (Proverbs 16:24 - Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.) I would much rather say something loving, beneficial and kind to build someone up.

SLANDER (James 4:11 - Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.) There are so many ways we can slander others. Talking behind their back, via social media to try to point out what we don’t like about them, or making innuendos about them to make other people start thinking evil of them. It’s cruel, its evil and it’s conniving.

SHOWING OFF (Matthew 6:1-4 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.² Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.³ But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:⁴ That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.) My motives shouldn’t be to be publicly seen or announced, to draw attention to myself and make others feel lesser than me. God didn’t make anyone better than the other, He doesn’t love me more than He loves someone else. I shouldn’t pretend to be perfect and hide my faults…it will just make someone else feel bad and in-equivalent, even though it isn’t so. God won’t honor my motives when they aren’t genuine. My motives need to be prayerfully sought out each day…”Why am I wanting to do a certain action? Who do I want attention from? Why am I blogging? What am I saying?” Am I putting on a facade so others think that I am perfect?

BOASTING (Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.) Boasting makes others feel bad, even if we don’t mean to be boasting on the things we are doing or have done. Humility is everything when you’re sharing your interests in the things you enjoy and do. I want to try my best to remember to say “I couldn’t have done it without The Lord,” when I am excited about something God has helped me to accomplish. (John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.) I can’t do anything without God, so what does that make me? Nothing without Him. It’s easy as humans to get excited about what “we” have done.”…in reality “we” weren’t the ones who made the accomplishment, God did - so give Him the glory for continuous blessings.

     I am forgetful when it comes to remembering not to allow my feelings and emotions to take over my reactions towards others. With God’s help I want to start a little “project” called my “Spiritual First-aid Kit,” because poor reactions and feelings are only the outward expression of something that isn’t being corrected on the inside.

1. I am going to purchase a little file folder (a small recipe box would do the trick as well) just large enough to fit 3X5 index cards.
2. Inside I am going to have sections divided for my feelings towards others, reactions and situations - for ex. Anger, revenge, arrogance, the words I say. I also want a side for my personal feelings - for ex. Hurt, feeling like I am not good enough, sadness.
3. On the front - I want to write verses against the bad reactions or feelings.
4. On the back - I want to write verses on the way I should be acting and feeling.
   
   
        This will give me the “remedy” for the wounds I would potentially cause to others if I act in the way God tells me not to, and it will also be just what I need when I have wounds of my own that need some “healing” from The Lord. Sometimes in the heat of the moment it’s hard to think of a specific verse before I react, so this will give me a moment to break, step away from the situation, and look up just what I need in the moment. This won’t be an overnight project, but with God giving me the persistence to keep up with it as my feelings come along, He will help me complete it!

     My prayer is to become more like Christ in my actions, words, motives and the way I act when He helps me to do something! I do not want to hurt others, and I certainly do not want to hurt God. Studying this lesson gave me a much different perspective on how serious hurting others really is, and how much worse it is to intentionally do so, even if I feel that my reasoning is valid. I have no excuses for that type of behavior. I hope this blesses each one of you as it has greatly blessed me!

God Bless!

~The Checklist for my Heart~

   Anyone can "talk the talk" and say that they "walk the walk.” We are prone to watching others and pin-pointing who “pretends” and who “genuinely” walks the walk. (I’m a human, I’m guilty of pin-pointing the two types of people.) When I do that I usually get a little reminder that it’s biblically not my place to do that. Matthew 7:1 comes to my mind, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Verse 2 says“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” When I read that passage, it really helps me to evaluate my heart. Do I want to be judged as harshly as I find myself judging others? I want and need to lower the standards that I make for other people and worry about myself! I pray that the little notification in my mind that I am doing wrong, never stops popping into my head to catch me. I do not want a hard heart that doesn’t realize when it’s doing wrong.

    A root grows into a plant, getting stronger and more stubborn each day. Did you ever notice how a dandelion starts? It’s a tiny little leaf that grows into a big ugly flower. You mow over it and within hours it’s already returning. I took the first part of my study from “The Love Chapter,” because it gave me the “weed killer” for those little nasty roots that can start in my human heart. I’ve been guilty of those nasty dandelions, and they haven’t always been an easy defeat! If I keep reading this chapter, I can’t help that it makes me think “I do good things but it’s not enough.” “I say good things, but that doesn’t mean anything.” It doesn’t matter who or what I am to others, God doesn’t have double standards for anyone, no matter what their social status or title is, “For there is no respect of persons with God” – Romans 2:11.

“The Love Chapter”

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

     I can’t truly love others like that when I don’t accept correction from God’s Word. I can’t truly love them when I have a root of resentment, anger or revenge towards them. It’s time to give my heart a “check-up” with this checklist that I’ve made for myself. I must make sure my heart is not…

H – Hardened (Having my heart blinded by the hardness, that I can’t truly see my sin because I’ve pushed away godly correction)Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

A – Arrogant (If I truly fear the Lord, I will hate the feelings of arrogance and pride. I am not better than anyone else, but my human heart can give me a delusion that I am) Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

R – Revengeful (Fixing an upsetting situation in my own way isn’t for me to do. God has His own way to “fix” others.) Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

D – Deceitful (I can’t allow my heart to trick me into thinking ugly feelings are OK. I cannot biblically validate a grudge) Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

     Will this list be easy for me to check off? Certainly not. Is it necessary for me to get rid of feelings like this towards others? Absolutely. I have a lot of work that can only be accomplished with God’s mercy, but thankfully I have peace in knowing that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

God Richly Bless You!

~The Proverbs 31 Lady~

 Hello sisters in Christ! I am so happy to have you here! My blog may not be popular, but I pray that it portrays a Christ-like image to encourage you as it will encourage me. I liked the idea of blogging to give me accountability to study thoroughly through the week, to be sure I absorb my studies and evaluate my heart, life, and convictions. My biblical posts will be based off of my weekly studies. I wanted to give a welcome post to start things off and I am planning to be posting on Thursdays (tomorrow will be my first Thursday post.) I pray that God guides me through the things I say and blesses the both of us in our absorption of His Word.

     I chose the blog name “Far Above Rubies” because Proverbs 31 has been, and still is my favorite passage, since I was a little girl. The Proverbs 31 lady sounds absolutely perfect, doesn’t she? The more we read this passage the more humble we should become!

Proverbs 31:10-31

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

¹¹ The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

¹² She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

¹³ She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

¹⁵ She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

¹⁶ She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

¹⁷ She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

¹⁸ She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

¹⁹ She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

²⁰ She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²² She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

²⁵ Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

²⁶ She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

²⁷ She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

²⁹ Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

³⁰ Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

     These are a few questions that we can ask ourselves as we read and meditate on this passage…

Do we set moral standards for ourselves? vs. 10

Are we trustworthy for our husband or future husband? vs. 11

Are we good or evil in our actions? vs. 12

Are we hard working? vs. 13

     Referencing vs. 30 – favour means “approval.” “Favour is deceitful,” we shouldn’t be seeking out the “approval” or “popularity” of others per say. “Beauty is vain,” not meaning that we shouldn’t care what we look like, but we must be cautious that we aren’t becoming worldly in our intentions. Are we trying to attract other men in a lustful way? Are we trying to gain popularity in our looks and style? Are we looking for “attention” and compliments from others?

     This passage gives me a lot to think about, a lot to evaluate in my life, and a lot to pray about. I want to be like her! She’s the woman God gave me to look up to! God gave us the perfect example of the “role model woman,” because He knew us ladies needed something to look up to. She has impeccable character and traits that you don’t come by too often. God needs more women to be like this, I pray with all of my heart to be one of them!

     God Richly Bless You,

~Samantha