Truths About Ourselves
Taken from the book Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . .
Taken from the chapter entitled "Lies Women Believe About Themselves". . .
"Successful relationships and healthy cultures are not built on the claiming of rights but on the yielding of rights." (p. 74)
"The only way to get off. . . (a) spiritual and emotional roller coaster is to yield all my rights to the One who ultimately holds all rights. That is the Truth and the Truth will set us free." (p. 76)
"The outward appearance of the Christian woman is to reflect a heart that is simple, pure, and well-ordered; her clothing and hairstyles should not be distracting or draw attention to herself by being extravagant, extreme, or indecent. In this way, she reflects the true condition of her heart and her relationship with the Lord, and she makes the Gospel attractive to the world." (p. 81)
One of my favorite things so far. . .
However, the fact is, I am getting older, and in this fallen world, that means my body is slowly deteriorating. I look in the mirror and see lines that weren't there ten years ago; I am definitely gray-headed; I have had to start using a "large print Bible"; and in spite of regular exercise and watching what I eat, I just don't have the physical stamina I had at twenty.
But I refuse to buy into the lie that those things are ultimate tragedies or that my biological clock can somehow be reversed. I am not trying to hasten my physical decline, but neither am I going to get consumed with fighting off the inevitable. As I get older, I want to focus on those things that God says matter most - things like letting His Spirit cultivate in me a gracious, wise, kind, loving heart.
Regardless of what potions, pill, or procedures I purchase, I know there is a process taking place in my physical body that will not be reversed this side of eternity. To believe otherwise is to be deceived. But I also know that 'the path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day' (Proverbs 4:18). That means there is a dimension of life that can grow richer and fuller, even as our outer bodies are decaying.
The fact is, if we devote our time and energy to staying fit, trim, glamorous, and youthful looking, we may achieve those objectives - for a while. But the day will come when we will regret having neglected to cultivate that inner beauty, character, and radiance that are pleasing to God and last forever." (pp. 81-82)
"We will always have unfulfilled longings this side of heaven (Romans 8:23). In fact, if we could have all our longings fulfilled down here, we would easily be satisfied with staying here, and our hearts would never long for a better place. . . Our inner longings are not necessarily sinful in and of themselves. What is wrong is demanding that those longings be fulfilled here and now, or insisting on meeting those longings in illegitimate ways. . . Until God provides the legitimate context to fulfill our longings, we must learn to be content with unfulfilled longings. . . The deepest longings of our hearts cannot be fulfilled by any created person or thing. . . God has made us in such a way that we can never be truly satisfied with anything or anyone less than Himself (Psalm 16:11, 34:8-10). We must learn to accept those longings, surrender them to God and look to Him to meet the deepest needs of our hearts." (pp. 85-86)
Taken from the chapter entitled "Lies Women Believe About Themselves". . .
"Successful relationships and healthy cultures are not built on the claiming of rights but on the yielding of rights." (p. 74)
"The only way to get off. . . (a) spiritual and emotional roller coaster is to yield all my rights to the One who ultimately holds all rights. That is the Truth and the Truth will set us free." (p. 76)
"The outward appearance of the Christian woman is to reflect a heart that is simple, pure, and well-ordered; her clothing and hairstyles should not be distracting or draw attention to herself by being extravagant, extreme, or indecent. In this way, she reflects the true condition of her heart and her relationship with the Lord, and she makes the Gospel attractive to the world." (p. 81)
One of my favorite things so far. . .
"Forty and Counting"
"No sooner had I turned forty, than I started receiving catalogs promoting products guaranteed to combat the effects of aging - they promise me younger, clearer skin; fewer wrinkles; no more dark shadows; more energy; prettier nails and hair; and improved eyesight and hearing. The implication is that, as I get older, what matters most is looking and feeling younger.However, the fact is, I am getting older, and in this fallen world, that means my body is slowly deteriorating. I look in the mirror and see lines that weren't there ten years ago; I am definitely gray-headed; I have had to start using a "large print Bible"; and in spite of regular exercise and watching what I eat, I just don't have the physical stamina I had at twenty.
But I refuse to buy into the lie that those things are ultimate tragedies or that my biological clock can somehow be reversed. I am not trying to hasten my physical decline, but neither am I going to get consumed with fighting off the inevitable. As I get older, I want to focus on those things that God says matter most - things like letting His Spirit cultivate in me a gracious, wise, kind, loving heart.
Regardless of what potions, pill, or procedures I purchase, I know there is a process taking place in my physical body that will not be reversed this side of eternity. To believe otherwise is to be deceived. But I also know that 'the path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day' (Proverbs 4:18). That means there is a dimension of life that can grow richer and fuller, even as our outer bodies are decaying.
The fact is, if we devote our time and energy to staying fit, trim, glamorous, and youthful looking, we may achieve those objectives - for a while. But the day will come when we will regret having neglected to cultivate that inner beauty, character, and radiance that are pleasing to God and last forever." (pp. 81-82)
"We will always have unfulfilled longings this side of heaven (Romans 8:23). In fact, if we could have all our longings fulfilled down here, we would easily be satisfied with staying here, and our hearts would never long for a better place. . . Our inner longings are not necessarily sinful in and of themselves. What is wrong is demanding that those longings be fulfilled here and now, or insisting on meeting those longings in illegitimate ways. . . Until God provides the legitimate context to fulfill our longings, we must learn to be content with unfulfilled longings. . . The deepest longings of our hearts cannot be fulfilled by any created person or thing. . . God has made us in such a way that we can never be truly satisfied with anything or anyone less than Himself (Psalm 16:11, 34:8-10). We must learn to accept those longings, surrender them to God and look to Him to meet the deepest needs of our hearts." (pp. 85-86)
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