Women Lifting the Standard of God: Prelude

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves 

with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, 

and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 

2 Corinthians 10:12

Like a child that looks to their parent for acceptance and approval; that’s the way we should look to our heavenly Father.

When we consider what He did for us; how God put his love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him, I am awed as we all should be.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.   Romans 5:8

If that’s not love, I don’t know what is! It’s this love that binds us to Him and ought to make us want to abide by and with Him. The bible tells us that there is a way that seems right to man;

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:25

Therefore, I can’t go by what I or what others think is right, I have to go by the word of God. That cuts out my and everyone else’s opinions. The way that is right and guarantees us a seat in heaven is living by the standards established by God. That standard has to be so ingrained in us that no matter what we abide by it.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.  2 Corinthians 6:17

It is the spirit of God residing within us that causes us to cast off everything that is not like Him; to come out from among 'them' and live a life that is separate, holy and pleasing unto God.

God holds us to a standard that is derived from His word; it is not the standard of the world.  Everything we strive to be, all that we strive to do, all that we strive to achieve, the way that we handle our successes and our failures should all be based on biblical standards and truths.  Our ways do not come from the world but through the way of God.

God tells us in His word that His thoughts are not our thoughts and our ways are not His ways but  our goal should be to constantly strive to be the very thought of God and our ways to be in compliance with God’s ways.

  

There is a way that we, as women of God  are to carry ourselves.  God designed us to be helpmates to be nurturers and made us the fairer sex and yet He also gave us resilience; strength and the ability to stand and resist ungodly influences.  When we go back to the beginning of creation, the bible says that God saw that Adam was alone and needed a help mate.

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  Genesis 3:18

However, with the fall of Adam and Eve, we left the original design or pattern of God.

We’re given examples through God’s written word of what his pattern on us should look like and what it shouldn’t look like.

All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.   1 Chronicles 28:19

The Bible is the written record of the patterns and principles by which the Kingdom of God operates. In order to follow these patterns and principles, we must understand their importance.

A Biblical pattern is a spiritual model or example given in Scripture for purposes of imitation. For example, the life of Jesus Christ is given as the pattern or model which believers are to follow.

A Biblical principle is a spiritual truth taught in Scripture. Such principles often incorporate additional subordinate principles which apply to many different situations. For example, one Biblical principle taught by Jesus is "Give and ye shall receive." Its subordinate truths apply to giving money, material goods, friendship, etc.  In each of these, spiritual benefits are received as a result of the act of giving.

However, when Satan entered the scene we took on his nature of lies, deceit, envy, jealously, strife, dissention, and the list goes on and on.  God would that we have His nature of love, peace, joy, goodness, kindness, faith, longsuffering, peace, and temperance.  These are requirements for the kingdom of God.  When we take up residency in the Kingdom of God we must learn the patterns and principles of Kingdom living.  Not only must we learn them, we must apply them to our lives.  It is similar to learning the lifestyle of a new country to which we have immigrated.

Even as Jesus died on the cross for us so that our sins may be washed away and we may have our eternal home with Him, we are to die to the world and the things of the world.  When we are baptized in the name of Jesus, the bondage of sin is broken and we die to the world and emerge in new life in Jesus Christ; dead to the world yet alive in Jesus Christ!  

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Just as Jesus died in the world but emerged victorious through death to prepare our eternal home for us, so must we symbolically die to this world and emerge as agents for Jesus to help bring others to the realization of Jesus and what He accomplished for mankind.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have new life here on earth!  We can live better lives as new creatures in Christ Jesus even as we await His return.

God is not pleased when we do not uphold His standards:

In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.  Ezekiel 43:7-12   

- stay tuned; the next blog will be examining women of the bible and the standard they lifted.




Biblical Studies





06/11/16
-8/08/20