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DEBORAH (Judges 4 and 5)
I
have been thinking and praying frequently and fervently about my computer
problems. I apologize to everyone for being unable to submit articles to
Heartbeat for a time. Hopefully, now that I am borrowing a laptop, I will be
able to continue submitting articles. God desires us to utilize our gifts to
His glory by blessing others with HIS insights. I pray that this article does
just that. Thank you all for your patience.
God has been directing me toward the earliest issues of Heartbeat on
depression. Through a study of Judges, He has been pointing out issues within
the body of Christ, (myself included), that prevent us from living
victoriously. There is blessed freedom in fully embracing God's Will. What
then, prevents each and every one of us from living openly in freedom and
victory?
God has shown me some of the issues that prevent our victorious living,
they are; hurts, offenses, bitterness, shame, insecurity and any other
emotion or false belief that turns our eyes downward, (we all know who lives
there!). God is willing and able to tip our trembling chins upward so that we
look directly at Him. He desires our freedom and will release us from bondage
when we surrender to Him. We are, after all, pledged to be God's relationship
vessels on earth. In this starving and ailing world, (in order for His loving
hand to feed and heal), do we not we owe it to Him to prepare ourselves to do
His bidding? When we continue to live in bondage, those who are lost are
relegated to that same fate.
Feminism is one of those false beliefs that is a slippery eel. Without our
awareness it has slithered in the side door of our nation's thinking, causing
incorrect and even dangerous morality to develop. It has watered down a
skimmed milk church to an opaque kind of faith that certainly does not focus
entirely on honoring our Creator. Feminism can be mistaken for determination,
motivation and drive, or independence in church or elsewhere in life.
What began legitimately in the early 1900's as the fight for the right to
vote has morphed into a less than noble, (or productive in the Kingdom of
God), effort. Women indeed are in powerful positions in all arenas of life.
The term, "superwoman" is no longer a joke. It has become a serious
goal that women often treadmill after futilely. Women kick themselves when
they are humanly unable to achieve this unattainable state of perfection.
This is where the funnel cloud of depression can touch down in our hearts. By
attempting to accomplish everything beyond measure, on the job, as well as,
in the home, women often sacrifice important and vital items, like; a deep,
lasting relationship with the Lord, closeness with husbands and children or
peace that passes understanding. That peace is established and rooted ONLY in
our relationship with Jesus Christ. How could peace occur when women are too
busy achieving to even read the Word?! Without even realizing it, we have
slid into disobedience and rebellion. Our perceptions have been altered. The
life God intended for us has been eclipsed by our desire for that tainted and
surprisingly prismatic picture of the world's perfect,
have-it-all-woman.
God has provided us with the correct picture of "perfection" in
Proverbs 31. Those qualities possessed by the wife of noble character apply
even to the unmarried. 'She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is
on her tongue," (Prov. 31:26), demonstrates how God would like us to
think, speak and teach wisely. We are not to toot our own horns, but use a
tempered and kind manner to instruct younger Christians and nonbelievers
about the love of Jesus Christ. THAT is one role that God has for women. God
can and will use women who are available, malleable and full of His abundant
life. Interestingly, He sometimes even uses those who are living in
disobedience. An example of this would be the Samaritan woman at the
well.
One of the most important aspects God seeks in choosing to utilize a woman
in furthering His Purposes on earth is a woman's ability to submit and obey.
The Samaritan woman immediately recognized her sin in Jesus' words and obeyed
by spreading the news of Him and turning from her sins.
Self-denial seems too built into the very nature of women. Women are expert
at slicing enough cake for every guest but themselves, finding just the right
sneakers for their children on sale, while she has holes in her own, or
caring for elderly parents even when she is too tired to take one more step.
The ability to sacrifice, then, is a quality God seeks in us. Listening to
His voice to guide our steps needs to be the driving force behind any
sacrifice, however.
God has entirely altered my thinking regarding feminism by transforming my
heart. I will admit it; I was a card-carrying, march on Washington,
bra-burning feminist! Who thought about seeking God then? After all, He was
male. Women
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