I invite you to listen to an interview which was conducted with Pam Glass at the International Christian Retail Show:

Click here to listen!

Continually think about or contemplate the Scriptures that focus your mind on qualities that promote a healthy relationship with your heavenly Father (Philippians 4:8).

“Consecrate yourself, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God."

Leviticus 20:7

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.  The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the people who are on the face of the earth.”

Deuteronomy 7:6

“The LORD appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

Jeremiah 31:3

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 1:7

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Proverbs 31:30

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Mark 12:30

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Romans 5:6

“What then shall we say to these things? 

If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:31

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power of God

belongs to God and not to us.”

2 Corinthians 4:7

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,

And may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our

Lord Jesus Christ.

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Look for the release of Becoming a Young Woman Who Pleases God in August 2009!

Content is the Multi-tasked Woman Who . . .

• views herself as a precious vessel He crafted for a unique purpose (2 Corinthians 4:7).
  
• has establish in her mind the limitless, unconditional love her heavenly Father has for her (Jeremiah 31:3, Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Romans 5:6-11, 8:31-39, and Ephesians 3:1-19).
  
• makes cultivating a lifestyle that pleases her heavenly Father her top priority (Matthew 6:33).
  
• eagerly searches the Scriptures to discover His special instructions for her (John 5:39; Acts 17:11).
  
• eagerly embraces the biblical standards for the role of women (Proverbs 31:30; 1 Peter 3:4).
  
• believes that when God’s instructions deviate from what society says will make her happy, chooses to trust her heavenly Father that there is no good thing He would withhold from her if she is walking uprightly (Psalm 84:11).
  
• desires to be both theologically sound and practically adept, thus choosing to prove herself a doer of the Word, and not merely a hearer who deceives herself (James 1:22).
  
•  identifies the “high places” in her life; seeks, through her Lord’s strength, to “utterly destroy them” (Deuteronomy 12:1-7).
  
• acknowledges that the woman described in Proverbs 31 is a woman whose life twenty-first century Christian women are challenged to emulate (Proverbs 31:10-31).
  
• lives in such a way that Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:21 characterize her daily life.
  
• purposes to skillfully apply biblical truth to practical living (James 4:17).
  
• intentionally makes choices that reflect her royal heritage (Leviticus 20:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
  

             When Holiness, the Heart God Purifies was released I was privileged to receive an inscribed copy from my friend, Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  Having read the other two books in the trilogy, Brokenness, the Heart God Revives and Surrender, the Heart God Controls, I eagerly began to read the final volume.  The introduction assured me that my life was going to be changed if I was going to do more than simply read the 194 pages.  Nancy challenges her readers at the conclusion of the Introduction to expectantly pray the prayer below for a minimum of thirty days. 

Oh, God,

Show me more of Your holiness.

Show me more of my sinfulness.

Help me to hate sin and to love righteousness as You do.

Grant me a deeper conviction of sin

And a more thorough spirit of repentance.

And make me holy as You are holy.¹

            I chose to accept the challenge and have actually continued to pray the prayer daily.  Though radical changes did not occur over night I found that my appetite for activities I once enjoyed began to wane—they were not evil activities, but for me they were a hindrance to having a pure heart.  As well, I realized that the more that I desired holiness the greater the likelihood that my life choices would reflect my royal heritage.

I would like to share with you some key points that appear in Holiness, the Heart God Purifies.  May I encourage you to meditate upon one a day, as well as to pray the prayer at the beginning for a minimum of thirty days?  If you will expectantly do so I believe that you will find, as I did, that your life choices will reflect your royal heritage.

Embracing Holiness

 Holiness and sin both matter more than we can imagine.

“Holiness” is discussed in theology classes, but rarely in dinner table conversations.

The biblical concept of holiness carries with it a sense of belonging to God.

 God is holy and holiness is not an option for those who belong to Him.

 Grace gives us the desire and the power to be holy.

 How would you fare if someone were to go through the record of your life?

  Holiness and joy are inseparable companions.

To be holy is to be clean, to be free from the weight and the burden of sin.

 He is the standard for your holiness, and He is the source of your holiness.

 Your holiness is God’s supreme purpose for your life.

 Are you living like a saint?

Only those who have holy hearts and lives can draw near to God.

 How much attention and effort are you devoting to preparing for the move to your eternal home?

What others most need is to see in you a reflection of what God is like.

It is your created purpose and your ultimate destiny to be holy.

What makes all sin so heinous and grievous is that it is against God.

The more ground you concede to sin, the more you dull your capacity for truth.

Every unconfessed sin is a seed that will produce a multiplied harvest.

From start to finish, the pathway of holiness is a life of faith.

Holiness requires intensity and intentionality.

Why are we so prone to defend choices that take us right to the edge of sin?

How serious are you about wanting to be pure?

Sin is a toxin that contaminates to the core of the human soul.

Your progress in holiness will never exceed your relationship with the Word of God.

Confessing our sin to other believers can be a powerful means of receiving God’s grace.

No believer can afford to be without consistent, day in, day out accountability with other believers.

Is what’s on the outside the same as what’s on the inside?

The World is not impressed with a religious version of itself.

God simply won’t make Himself at home in an unholy place.²

Note: Unfading Beauty is transitioning to a monthly posting. The former Nutribite will be posted as the main monthly entry.

A study of the original multi-tasked woman of Proverbs 31:10-31 teaches us a significant character quality—she possesses a heart open to learning from the experience or wisdom of others.  Biblical wisdom, “is both religious and practical.  Stemming from the fear of the Lord (Job 28:28; Psalm111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10) it branches out to touch all of life, as the extended commentary on wisdom in Proverbs indicates.”¹  Wisdom takes insights gleaned from the knowledge of God’s Word and applies it to one’s daily walk.  We know the Scriptures provide the basis for possessing a teachable heart (Proverbs 2:17-21), and we are reminded of Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 10:6  “now all these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they [the Israelites] also lusted.”  Solomon’s admonition to his son is a serious warning to us “. . . fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).  However, once we are convinced that we need to seriously consider the wisdom of mature saints, our next step in making sure that our lifestyle clearly demonstrates that our values and character align with the Word of God is to examine our daily walk.  Let’s pose a second probing question—do my daily choices reflect that I walk wisely?  We will use an acrostic for the word Christian to answer this question . . .

C          would of course stand for Christ.  Women who ponder the answer to this question have learned about Christ in their churches, Bible studies, and personal devotions.  Other Christians who sought to show these women by  their lifestyle how a Christian should behave have instructed them.  They know how to achieve salvation (Romans 3:10, 23; 5:8, 12; 6:23; 10:9, 10, 13).  The significance of this part of the question is, does she just know about Christ, or does she know Him as her Lord and Savior (Matthew 7:13-23)?

H          reminds us of holy—a trait that Christians are instructed to embrace.  Leviticus 20:7 instructs believers to consecrate themselves and be holy as God is holy.  Our actions most always follow our thoughts; do we fill our minds with thoughts that will challenge us to live a holy lifestyle (Philippians 4:8-9)?

R          stands for reputation.  People remember us by the things that we do.  Throughout the Bible Rahab was known as “Rahab the harlot” (Joshua 2:1, 6:22; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25); though her lifestyle changed, her reputation followed her.  Do I  purpose to cultivate a reputation that invites others to imitate me as I imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1)?

I           focuses on integrity, a word that basically means that I choose to do what is right, when given a choice between right and wrong.  Psalm 15 describes the character of those who may dwell with the Lord and begins with integrity (Psalm 15:2)—is it also a description of my character?

S          stands for the Scriptures, God’s Word, that has all of the answers to all of life’s questions.  However, they only answer the questions if they are diligently searched (John 5:39).  A study of Psalm 119 reveals all that God’s Word will do for me—do I live like I believe it?

T          focuses our thoughts to the little book of Titus, particularly Titus 2:4-5, where the older women are told to “admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”   This passage implies that the younger woman learns how to use time management skills in her home, manage the family finances, cook nutritious meals, practice hospitality, joyfully submit to her husband, and raise her children in the “fear and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4) . . . so that the Word of God will not be discredited.  Am I willing to learn these skills and then teach others?

I           directs the multi-tasked woman to inquire—in other words, to ask.  Matthew 7:7-8 are two of the many verses that tell us that if we ask, our Lord will respond.  Do I ask with a humble heart that is truly desirous of my heavenly Father’s will?

A          is a challenge to abstain.  Simply stated, abstain tells the multi-tasked woman to stay away from anything that could possibly not be good for her.  First Thessalonians 5:22 is a short but potent verse that basically says anything that is unbiblical should be shunned!  Do I abstain from every form of evil?

N          reminds the multi-tasking woman that NOTHING is impossible when she trusts her Lord.  Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs believers to place their trust in God and not their own understanding—then their paths will be straight.  Philippians 4:13 is a reminder that through Christ believers can do all things and that without Christ they are nothing.  Do I trust God or lean on my own understanding?

            As you multi-task are you willing to ask yourself at the beginning of each day, “Will the choices that I

make today reflect that I walk wisely?”   Will you walk through the day with your heart set on pleasing your

heavenly Father so that at the day’s conclusion your response is affirmative?  If so, you are making wise

choices!

Place the number that best reflects your response to the statement in the space provided. *

*Your number is the sum of all of the items that apply to you. An interpretation of your consultation is found at the conclusion of the article.

When we begin an exercise program, a set of baseline measurements is helpful. The same is true with Tongue Toning. Let’s collect some baseline measurements by completing the chart below.

Having completed the baseline measurements, respond to this single evaluation question: Am I going to allow something that is ________% (insert your calculation) of my body height control me?

Since your “Tongue Toning Baseline Chart” is complete and you responded to the initial evaluation, you need to select the order of your Tongue Toning regiment. You may choose from the following options:

The Appreciative Regiment
One of the most evident signs of genuine godliness is a sincere display of appreciation before your heavenly Father. What, according to Romans 1:21-27, was the tragic fault of those who have drifted away from God? The root cause was thanklessness. Those with beautiful tongues consistently express appreciation to their heavenly Father and others.

The Quiet Regiment
The Quiet Regiment is a difficult one to implement because it takes more muscle power to keep the tongue silent than to activate it. James 1:19 challenges us that we are to be “slow to speak.” You can often be a great help to others by simply listening.

The Affirming Regiment
The act of affirmation inspires others with renewed courage, spirit, and hope. It affirms individuals for who they are rather than for what they do. Proverbs 25:11 teaches us the value of affirming words: “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”

The Contented Regiment
A grumbling, complaining tongue is an ugly tongue, while a contented tongue is a beautiful tongue. Going through life with a complaining spirit is like driving a car with your eye constantly on the rear view mirror. Philippians 2:14-15 teaches us that we are to “do all things without grumbling or disputing . . .” Instead of complaining about what you don’t have, practice the truth of Philippians 3:13-14 and press forward to what lies ahead.

At the end of the age, we will be judged by how we have used our tongues. Matthew 12:36 teaches that “for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” What type of Tongue Toning Regiment will make your tongue a beautiful tongue?

Beauty Consultation for My Tongue Interpretation

© Pat Ennis, 2007

How beautiful is your tongue - or have you never really considered your tongue in terms of its attractiveness?  You normally don’t check it in the mirror multiple times during the day, go on shopping trips for it, schedule appointments for it at the tongue beautician, or purchase cosmetics for it.  Yet, it is the tongue, more than the shape of your face or the dimensions of your figure or your theological knowledge, which determines your beauty.

Physically, the tongue is one of the body’s most versatile organs.  It plays an important role in speaking and in eating.  It is also the bearer of taste and tactile sensations and so gives you pleasure in eating.  It gives warning of possible injury by registering pain when foods are too hot and revulsion when they are spoiled.  In its role as manipulator, the tongue takes food into the mouth, moves it between the upper and lower teeth for chewing, and then molds the crushed and moistened particles into a ball for swallowing.

Spiritually, James 3:3-5 teaches that even though the tongue is small, it has the power to control a woman and everything in her life.  Isaiah 6:1-8 relates the account of how God called Isaiah to become a prophet.  He did so by first giving Isaiah a vision of His awesome holiness and then by sanctifying the prophet’s tongue.  Isaiah realized, after catching a glimpse of the purity of God, that his tongue needed to be purified (6:5-8).
    
James 3:8 reminds us that no man, only God, by His power, can tame or beautify the tongue, thus our need to schedule an appointment at God’s Tongue Toning Spa to maintain a beautiful tongue.  Let’s begin our appointment by completing the brief beauty consultation for your tongue...

Next’s week’s posting will contain the “Beauty Consultation for Your Tongue.”

© Patricia Ennis 2007

Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her own works praise her in the gates.
—PROV 31:31

The reward of cultivating these eleven principles is presented in Proverbs 31:31 as the worthy woman receives recognition “in the gates,” which refers to the public assembly of people.  The worthy woman does not have to brag about herself but, rather, is praised by those who know her best.    The woman who chooses to embrace the principles found in Proverbs 31 is usually rewarded in this life and always in the hereafter.  A review of these principles suggests some representative, potential benefits that the worthy woman might anticipate:

Being Virtuous

• An unobstructed relationship with her Heavenly Father (Matt 5:8).
• Blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of her salvation (Ps 24:1-5).
• The assurance that her influence will never die (Prov 31:28, 2 Tim 1:3-7).

Being Trustworthy

• That her husband trusts her (Prov 31:11).
• An honorable reputation (Prov 31:25).
• The confidence that as she walks uprightly her Heavenly Father will provide grace, glory, and all that is good for her (Ps 84:11).

Being Energetic

• The family benefits from her home business (Prov 31:24).
• Enjoying professional and spiritual stimulation (Prov 27:17).
• Exemption from reaping the fruit of slothfulness (Prov 19:15).

Being Physically Fit

• Enjoying the tasks she undertakes to their fullest potential (Col 3:23).
• That her body is an appropriate dwelling place for the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20).
• Avoiding the type of judgment and denouncement God executed on the women of Judah  (Isa 3:16-26).

Being Economical

• Embracing a spiritual attitude toward money and material possessions (1 Tim 6:6-10).
• Experiencing the joy of generosity (2 Cor 9:6-8).
• Perceiving that her purchases are sound choices—no guilt (Prov 31:18).

Being Unselfish

• The joy of giving to others with the right attitude (2 Cor 9:7).
• Being pleasing to the Lord (Prov 19:17).
• Enjoying the fruit of giving to others (Acts 9:36-42).

Being Prepared

• Meeting the design of God’s plan for her life (Jer 17:7-8).
• Being an authentic role model for others (1 Cor 11:1).
• A lack of frustration and regret (Matt 25:21, 23).

Being Honorable

• That her moral integrity allows her to reflect fulfillment in later life, rather than a wasted life filled with remorse and sin (2 Cor 9:6; Gal 6:7-9).
• Behaving in a way that reflects her position as a daughter in God’s royal family (Gen 1:26-27).
• A confidence that her convictions are based upon biblical principles rather than cultural trends (Ps 119:11, 105).

Being Prudent

• That people are willing to confide in her and trust her to retain their confidences (Prov 15:1-2).
• That people will seek and follow her advice (Col 4:6).
• The privilege of encouraging and affirming others (Heb 10:24-25).

Being Loving

• Enjoying a healthy, growing, love relationship with the Lord (Matt 22:37).
• That her closest individuals love, honor, respect, and praise her (Prov 31:28-29).
• Living in such a way that she is an example for the “younger women” (Titus 2:3-5).

Fearing God

• Being a positive role model because of her faith (the epistle of James in action).
• Continuing as a faithful servant (Matt 25:21).
• Enjoying the benefits of learning from the experiences of others (1 Cor 10).

Realizing that her motive for cultivating these eleven principles is to glorify God (1 Cor 10:31), to hear her Heavenly Father say,  “ Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21), and to cast her rewards at the feet of her King (Rev 4:10-11), the worthy woman pursues the eternal crown with vigor!

Next week’s posting is focused on a Final Thought About Portraying Christian Femininity.

"Portraying Christian Femininity" by Patricia E. Ennis is from the book Think Biblically edited by John MacArthur with the Master's College Faculty, copyright 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crosswaybooks.org

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord,
is to be praised.
—PROV 31:30

Fearing God denotes a reverential trust in God, including the hatred of evil.  Romans 12:9 challenges the worthy woman to “abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”  She assimilates a true perspective of values based on the Word of God.  The woman embracing the principle of God-fearing will stand in awe, venerate, worship, and love her Lord with all her heart (Matt 22:37).  The practical application of the godly lifestyle will include an individual hunger and thirst after God (Ps 42:1-2a), an attitude of submission to God’s will and ways (Jas 4:7), and a consistent evaluation of her spiritual status (1 Cor 11:31-32).  She purposes to make spiritual principles a priority in her life (Matt 6:33) and refuses to slump into a tired routine regarding her relationship with her Christ.  The joy of the Lord is her strength (Neh 8:10b).

Exercising 1 Corinthians 10 as a warning, the worthy woman acknowledges the traps that the ancient Hebrews fell into regarding their spiritual condition.   They craved evil things (v.6), were idolatrous (v.7), began practicing immorality (v.8), became guilty of presumption (v.9), and were cynical and negative (v.10).  In the midst of God’s best blessings, they became cool, distant, and indifferent.  Not suddenly, but slowly, the keen edge of enthusiasm became dull.  Applying the wisdom of 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, she is careful to learn from the example of the disobedient and indolent Jews in Moses’ time.

Next week’s posting is focused on The Reward.

"Portraying Christian Femininity" by Patricia E. Ennis is from the book Think Biblically edited by John MacArthur with the Master's College Faculty, copyright 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crosswaybooks.org