Considering Proverbs 11:16

A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

This proverb speaks strongly to the culture of our nation. Or rather, the opposite of this proverb. An ungracious woman is dishonored: and weak men are impoverished.

It seems to me that our nation is full of ungracious women and weak men, so it is no wonder that we have the troubles that we have.

I don’t want to slam gracious women and strong men. There are many of those also, but among those, they probably see the same trends in our society and are grieved about them.

Ungracious women hate other women—especially gracious women who hold traditional values.

Ungracious women hate men—especially strong men who would naturally take up a leader’s role, which is something the ungracious women despises in a man because she would rather rule over him.

Ungracious women hate motherhood. They murder their own children before they are born, or they murder their children spiritually after they are born through abuse and neglect.

Ungracious women want to be pampered, praised, and treated as if they can do no wrong. They are unaccountable and unwilling to sacrifice self-gratification for the good of others.

Ungracious women do not know how to assert themselves without being tyrannical.

Weak men don’t know what being a strong man is about and they reject these ideas because they are becoming societally taboo.

Weak men hate women and children because they reject commitment and only want to live a life that is as void of responsibility as possible.

Weak men are so consumed by addictions and other self-gratifying behaviors, that they consume more than they produce or contribute to society.

Weak men do not know how to assert themselves without being tyrannical.

What happens in a nation of ungracious women and weak men? What kind of child-raising is going on—assuming there is any at all? No doubt, the government raises the children. The media raises the children.

The result?

A generation of mind-dead, brainwashed tools of the state who will rise up against their negligent and abusive parents who they naturally, and perhaps rightfully, despise.

We see this a great deal already. Generation Z is wrought with angry young people that want to uproot our society.

They are also wrought with wise youngsters who see the depravation of the generations past, and they want to make things like they “used to be.” The underground trend of #tradlife offers some hope for the future as do many influences who try to encourage the growth of gracious women and strong men. People like Jordan Peterson, for example, who is greatly hated among the ungracious and weak.

These are major problems that need to be dealt with and there is no easy fix.

Ungracious women were probably neglected for a great portion of their lives, especially during childhood, because their own mothers were told that they had to enter the workforce and send their daughters off to public school where they would be abused and miseducated. While the mother worked, media raised their daughter, filling her mind with all things that praise being an ungracious woman.

Ungracious women probably did not have a strong father figure, or lacked having a father at all because divorce had become common as the taboo around divorce was lifted in recent generations past.

They do not know how to discern between a strong man who leads and sacrifices himself for others and a weak and abusive tyrant, so any semblance of strength is lumped in with abuse and oppression.

The same is true for weak men. Weak men probably did not have good mothering or fathering, and in its place came all form of ungodliness from outside forces. Weak men do not know the meaning of “leave you father and mother and cleave to your wife,” which is essential for boys to grow into men.

Instead, they engage in hookup culture or get married to women who will mother them–either because they did not have a mother that cared or they had one that smothered them by doing too much for them, so they never grew up. Pair this with a lack of a loving father who encouraged them to be strong and responsible, and you have disaster.

Gracious women are fed up. They are exhausted. They are tired of being used by weak men and slandered.

Strong men are fed up. They are exhausted. They are tired of being used by ungracious women and slandered.

What happens when the gracious women and strong men who remain simply give up or are totally consumed and eradicated by an ungracious and weak culture?

Death. That is what happens.

We are following in the same footsteps of other societies that collapsed. Like Rome. We are very much like Rome before their collapse. We are also like Israel before God sent the Assyrians and Babylonians.

I would not be surprised if the King of Babylon (the false christ) is soon to appear.

We are ripe for it and all the ungracious women and weak men will go right along with him. The Great Whore is the great architype of an ungracious woman. The King of Babylon is the great architype of the weak man. Just as we see in our society, when joined together there is destruction, starting with the destruction of the gracious and strong.

I would rather that we could do something about our dying culture. However, as I wrote, this is no easy fix. Especially when the elites do everything they can to undermine these efforts.

What we need is traditional families and gender rolls. Talk about a taboo subject these days! What we need are a slew of “end times Elijahs” who will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons and the sons to the fathers, lest they be cursed.”

We need to return the hearts of mankind to traditional, Judeo-Christian values. We need make a stand against the corruption of our churches so that the hearts of the people are turned to Father God and the apostles.

God will cause this to happen, but will the world accept it? Probably not. Not if it is time for the false christ to appear, but only the Father knows what time we are in. However, it does not look good.

Despite it all, we know that God is in control and He will reward those who remain gracious and strong. So, let us do what we can to be as He would have us to be and let us do what we can to encourage this in others.

Perhaps we can turn things around, but we have to fight with all that we’ve got and God has to be on our side. So, we first turn our hearts to Him. If we turn to Him, perhaps He will remove the destruction from our land. If we don’t, then I don’t see why we can’t expect anything but more of the same.

PREVIOUS STUDY: Considering Proverbs 11:15 – “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.”

The purpose of this bible study in The Proverbs is to consider present-day events in terms of the teachings and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Follow in WordPress or subscribe by email (red button at the bottom of each page below the comments) if you would like to join this discussion and receive updates of future posts. Visit the link above for easy access to all posts within this series.

Fast In Secret

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. – Matthew 6:16-18

Do good deeds discretely and not to be seen. Pray to the Father in secret and not to be seen. Fast in secret and not to be seen. These are all ideas that Jesus teaches us.

The takeaway from all of these is the same: do we want to do what is righteous so that we can be seen as righteous. Or do we do what is righteous for a love of what is righteous, and more importantly, a love for God? Jesus knows our motives and He rewards us accordingly.

Maybe we have mixed motives. For some, a desire to be pleasing to others is a sincere struggle. This seems to be especially true for people who lived their lives without getting much love, particularly within the most fundamental relationships such as parental and other familial relationships.

This can also be true for people who lack confidence, so they might look to others who they view as more competent for validation of their good works. This does not apply to fasting per-se, but to other things one might do openly in service to the Lord or in Christian living in general.

As with all troubles we might face, Jesus is merciful to us when we are honest with Him and He will patiently work out the kinks in our character so that we can serve Him more faithfully and more purely.

However, there are some who do not have good motives in their service, good deeds, or outward religious actions like prayer or fasting. Their purpose is to gain praise from others, usually as a way to gain favor of those who they think will boost their social or financial status or those who they want to exert power and control over. There is no real love for the Lord in them because playing Christian is just something they do to serve themselves.

I think most of us fall someplace in the middle of the extremes of absolute purity and faithfulness and absolute self-gratification. We should strive to do all things out of a pure heart, because as Jesus also said, “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

The thing is, we need the grace of God towards us to create in us a pure heart, and He will if we seek Him for this. It is good to evaluate our motivations. We might not always like what we see, but we know that the love of Jesus towards us is greater than our fears of rejection because of some difficulty or misguided ambition we might hold.

If we remain in the truth and sincerely believe that the ways of Jesus are righteous and if we sincerely want to see our nature conformed to these ways, then we can have full confidence that His mercy is for us, and overtime, we will see the changes He makes in us that helps us to do all things in a manner that is more pleasing to Him.

Jesus once said, “He that sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone for I do always those things that please him.” How wonderful it would be to have that confidence! We can grow in that confidence.

Here is an excerpt from 2 Peter that demonstrates this idea:

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The more we add the things of Jesus to our faith and the more we see Him working in us so that we can “do always those things that please Him,” the more confidence we can have in our election and salvation.

Therefore, these are good things for us to be mindful of. Whatever issues of the heart we might have, if a sincere love for Jesus is present also, He will sort us out and set us right according to the grace we received and His purposes for us.

This post went a little sideways. I have been putting this article off because I did not know what to add to the idea given in the scripture above because it seemed so straight forward. So, I just did like I tend to do and I wrote off-the-cuff. This are my organic thoughts, hopefully led of the Spirit, and hopefully useful.

This article is part of a series that considers the Parables of Jesus. Right now, we are looking at the statements Jesus made during His Sermon on the Mount, to which He referenced in His Parable of the Building on Rock and Sand. Visit the link for quick access to all articles written within this series.

PREVIOUS POST IN THIS SERIES: Pray After This Manner

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These Things Saith He – Pergamos Overview

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Jesus is the Word of God. His word, which proceeds out of His mouth, is called a sharp, two-edged sword. The written word of God that is given to us through the scriptures is also a two-edged sword.

Both the written word of God and things spoken in the name of Jesus, when misused, lead to a lot of harm.

Perhaps most notable among these misuses is that which uses the word of God to justify a wicked lifestyle.

As a Christian, we are saved by faith in Jesus that comes to us by the grace of God. Our works do not save us. We are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God. Therefore, there is no curse that can come upon us from God.

Remember Balac who could not cause God to curse His people. However, as Balac discovered through the counsel of Balaam, the people could cause the wrath of God to come upon themselves if they forsook God and turned to idolatry.

Though our faith in Jesus makes us blameless before God, wanton disregard for the blood that was shed to make our convenant with God can leave us as those who followed to ways of Balac and Balaam.

Meaning, if we say that our sins do not matter because we are forgiven, and therefore go on to live as unrighteous as we please without regard for the calling we have in Christ—a calling to lay aside sin by His power in us as we serve Him and not this world—then we are rejecting the covenant. Our faith is a sham and it does not matter how we might use the word of God to justify ourselves because that very same word will testify against us.

This is the general idea we can gain from the spirit of what this church is communicating. Let’s look at this verse a little more closely:

I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Where is Satan’s seat? Is it not the seat that seeks to usurp the throne of Jesus through lies, half-truths, and seducing people away from the right way? This church holds on to the name of Jesus and believes in His sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. This is good; however, it is possible to treat the sacrifice of Jesus with such disregard that our faith is not acceptable.

Who is the faithful martyr of Antipas? Historically, this is said to be a disciple of John who was killed because he refused and denounced Christian participation in idolatry and sacrifices, which was punishable by death under the reign of Emperor Nero.

Does this have a future fulfilment? I believe that the letters to the churches provide a snapshot of the spiritual state of the church prior to the coming of the false christ for the purpose of edifying the true believers and judging the false—as the two-edged word of God is created to do.

Therefore, it is possible that there will be a martyr who is killed for their resistance to the carnality of the Christian church. If this is true, then the coming of the false christ would be in proximity to that event. “When you see these things come to pass, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Subsequently, there comes the death of all the faithful witnesses of Jesus who are the two witnesses, a.k.a. the two candlesticks and faithful churches.

These are given power by the Word of God to combat the false prophet and all who would harm them during their testimony. In this way, we see the fulfilment of what Jesus states: “I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” We also see this fulfilled when Jesus returns as described in Revelation 19. “Out of his mouth came a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron.”

Our use of the word of God demonstrates our faith in Jesus. Or the lack thereof. Therefore, it is fitting that the word of God would be used to combat those who misuse the word of God in such a manner that leads many astray into faithlessness and wanton sin that disrespects the blood of the Lamb that was slain to provide atonement, and eventually, worship of Satan himself who is the false christ.

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Jesus is the bread of life that comes down from God out of heaven, as He stated. Jesus is also the word of God—and as Jesus also stated— “man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Those who overcome misuse of the world of God, in all the forms thereof, are given the true word of God. They are given true understanding of scripture; they are given true knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ; they are given the promise of His return and a greater oneness with our Savior, Redeemer, and King.

He also gives us a new name because He knows us deeply, even better than we know ourselves. At the time that we know Him, even as He knows us, we will also know ourselves, even as we are known by Him. We will see just how precious we are and that His blood was not shed for no reason—and by His grace—we are made faithful to Jesus, who is the living Word of God.

So, let us stand in faith by the grace of God who teaches us how to deny this world and follow Jesus instead, not misuse His sacrifice or His word to justify the sins that He died to release us from.

That being stated, it is important to remember that the fight against the flesh and sin is an ongoing battle for us until we are raised in our resurrected bodies. Do not give space to The Accuser. The blood of the Lamb does indeed cover us. If our heart is sincere towards Jesus and we want to serve Him faithfully, we will find freedom from sin as He works in us to free us according to the grace we receive and the calling He has purposed for us in our service to Him and our brethren.

Those who are honest about their sin, genuinely want to do right, and believe in Jesus for forgiveness are not condemned. They are “passed from judgement to life.” Our heart toward Jesus is the difference—which comes by grace first—so that is what we seek, and we cannot judge the hearts of others.

We can judge actions, teachings, and misuse of the Word of God that causes others to stumble in the faith. Firstly, we should seek to know Jesus’s judgments. Our judgements can be weighed against us. “With what judgement you judge, you shall be judged.” Therefore, it is better to refrain from making our own judgments until we first learn His, and we will if we continue in the faith and have proper respect for the word of God.

“To this man will I look; even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, that trembles at my word.”

The above is a chapter draft of a book that I intend to compose and publish in a manner that is free to the public for the purpose of edifying the called of God in Jesus Christ.

I wrote in These Things Saith He: Contents that I will publish the drafts here first and offer opportunity for others to share their thoughts before the final work is completed.

I’m open to and greatly value the insight, experiences, and thoughts of my Christian brethren because we are a body knit together in Christ that is meant to work together without over reliance on our leaders. I am not your leader, but I do try to be faithful to what I have received to the best of my ability, and I look to Jesus for gracious judgment of my service and the service of all who truly love Him.

PREVEIOIUS CHAPTER:

These Things Saith He – Scripture for Smyrna

NEXT: These Things Saith He — Overcoming Pergamos

All Chapter Drafts: These Things Saith He

God be merciful to me a sinner.

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (From Luke 18).

Remember that We Need Mercy Too

Our culture is so ugly right now. I consider myself in this too.

It’s so easy for people to sneer at those who sin differently than they do. With any moderate amount of intelligence, it’s also easy to make witty rebuttals that make others of the same mind cheer with contemptuous delight, yet these remarks do nothing to open the heart of the sinner so that they might repent.

This is especially true online.

I know; I’ve done it too. Some people, like myself, spent most of their life a doormat for others to walk on. Once I grew up, I went too far the other direction. I became contemptuous and full of self-righteous indignation and all the people who hurt me–many of them within Christianity–were fit to be fodder consumed by the words of my rage.

Did I convince a single person to repent? Probably not. Did I convince the fellow “righteous” that they were better than the “sinners” we gleefully hated together? Probably. It’s so easy to preach to the self-righteous choir, but is this the mind of Christ for us?

There are times to be bold and use harsh words. We might recall John and Jesus calling the religious leaders a “brood of vipers.”

However, who are we who so gleefully tear town those who we see as bigger sinners than ourselves while we ignore our own wretchedness and instead thank God that we are better? Are we not a “brood of vipers?”

Perhaps, instead of using contempt and snooty remarks, it is better to speak to the person you see as being so great a sinner. Speak against the sin, but do so in a way that might open their hearts to repentance. Not harden them further–and by extension–dragging the name of Jesus and our brethren through the mud.

Now, rather than consume people with my rage, I would rather consume the lies that bind them with the truth–spoken in love and with compassion for their blindness that cannot know the right way unless God has mercy on them.

This world is full of confusion and deception, but it is by the grace of God that we can come out of these forces of destruction and into life.

It’s been several years now since Jesus told me to “sing grace to those who are confused and without peace.” However, being so full of resentment and a desire to bring vengeance, I was not a good preacher of grace.

The more I learn about the teachings of Jesus and the more I see just how far we stray from them collectively as Christians (as we will continue to explore in the These Things Saith He” book), the more I appreciate the grace and mercy of God we find in Jesus Christ.

God have mercy on us sinners.

These Things Saith He – Scripture for Smyrna

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

As the world is overrun by unbelievers, Christians can expect persecution. However, Jesus tells us not to fear, but rather we should take comfort in knowing that our suffering results from our being called out of this world and into His service. We can also take comfort in knowing that the world hated Jesus first and He is sympathetic to our suffering.

Remembering this can be important when faced with times of great Christian persecution, especially when the Christian is accused as having incurred the wrath of God because of their sin. Remember Job.

This is especially true when false saviors come, particularly the false christ. Many will believe that this is God, including many professing believers of Jesus. As they enjoy prosperity that comes with their allegiance to this false god, they mock those who do not worship this false god and instead accept poverty, persecution, and death.

The current Christian notion that Jesus only wants us to live a comfortable and prosperous life will be very useful for this false christ regime.

Therefore, let us remember what Jesus and the apostles said about Christian suffering. Especially as it pertains to the suffering that results from remaining faithful to our Lord, Jesus within an ungodly world that turns on Him, embraces falsehoods, and eventually welcomes and worships a false god.

Below are some suggested scriptures for reading that can help the believer understand that suffering can result from following Jesus, and this does not always happen because the believer has sinned. However, it can be. Even so, for the faithful Christian, this suffering is not wrath but chastisement. Chastisement can feel like suffering; however, if chastisement is the cause for suffering, the Christian can rejoice in knowing that God continues to deal with him as His son.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Note: This scripture list is a work in progress that will be updated as These Things Saith He is completed.

  • John 15
  • Mark 13
  • Philippians 1
  • Acts 5
  • Hebrews 12
  • Matthew 5
  • Mark 10
  • 2 Corinthians 12
  • Job
  • Revelation 18
  • Revelation 16

PREVIOUS CHAPTER: These Things Saith He – Becoming Smyrna

All Current “These Things Saith He” Drafts

The above is the draft version of a chapter to a book I plan to write and publish in a manner that is free of charge to the public.

I wrote in These Things Saith He: Contents that I will publish the drafts here first and offer opportunity for others to share their thoughts before the final work is completed.

I’m open to and greatly value the insight, experiences, and thoughts of my Christian brethren because we are a body knit together in Christ that is meant to work together without over reliance on our leaders. I am not your leader, but I do try to be faithful to what I have received to the best of my ability, and I look to Jesus for gracious judgment of my service and the service of all who truly love Him.

Reasonable Service

What does it mean to offer yourself as a living sacrifice?

In the context of Romans 12, I think it means that we are to sacrifice our sense of self-importance for the sake of serving the brethren in Christ.

Our natural mind can be one of self-preservation to the exclusion of caring for the needs of others. Our natural mind can create unnecessary hierarchies of importance, thereby esteeming ourselves or some too highly. Our natural mind can become preoccupied with using our abilities to serve ourselves and prosper in the world to the exclusion of using our abilities to serve others.

Sacrificing our self-importance places us in a position of usefulness for God and for our brethren. Having received the forgiveness of sins that was bought with the blood of Jesus, it is our reasonable service to shift our focus from one of self-importance to one that prioritizes the needs of others–especially among fellow believers.

To be holy is to be set apart, not for our use, but for God’s. This does not mean we do not struggle with sin. However, we should not sin. Only Jesus is truly holy in the perfect sense, but by faith in Him we can learn to lay aside sin so that we do not serve self, but others as Jesus would have us to do.

Sacrificing self can also mean laying our lives down in a literal sense for the sake of the gospel and in faithfulness to Jesus. However, that would most likely prove very difficult to do if we cannot first sacrifice our self in daily, practical ways. “If you do not love your brother that you see, how can you love God who you cannot see?”

Romans 12

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously!

I am bursting with praise to our Lord, Jesus this evening!

It was right around this time in the year 2014 when I turned to Jesus because my life was in shambles and I was considering ending my life. He has done wonderful things in healing what I now understand to be the effects of CPTSD. I’ve had a breakthrough recently, and all those little triumphs and failings over the years made this possible–all by the working of Jesus.

I don’t claim to be “recovered” but in “remission.” As with sin of all sorts, and CPTSD leads to much sin, it’s a lifelong battle that at times feels oh so overwhelming and impossible to overcome.

The enemy is quick to pursue: the enemy of your own relentless inner critic; the enemy of retraumatizing yourself through unhealthy relationships or over isolation; the enemy of addictions and other forms of destructive self medication; the enemy of not knowing who you really are because you people please to a fault; the enemy of being overly controlling of others; the enemies of anger, resentment, and fear; the enemy of fawning to oppression instead of standing your ground; the enemy of not knowing how to set and respect healthy boundaries in relationships; the enemy of passing your trauma onto your kids; the enemy of black-and-white thinking; the enemy of letting your life pass you by because you feel unworthy to pursue meaning; the enemy of living in a pseudo reality because present life is too painful.

There are many enemies for those with CPTSD — and Jesus can conquer them all, bit by bit, and we work with Him in this process. What results is a life, once wrought with enemies without and within, now under the authority of the God of the universe!

Will there be regressions and emotional flashbacks to come? Most certainly, but they will continue to shrink and Jesus will continue to grow. I know that recovery is ups and downs and many plateaus and regressions. I also know that this life has more trying in store, but the more Jesus overcomes the bolder we become because we know that He is on our side and He cannot lose!

Today, all this makes me think of a song from Exodus 15, so I want to share the lyrics (scripture) and the song with you. Think of Pharoah and his riders in terms of the challenges of sin or whatever your trauma might be. It feels like the enemy is always on your heels saying, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.“

Yet, we know…

“Death is swallowed up in victory!”

Exodus 15

15 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.

15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.

18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

25 And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

“A Society Without Men Is A Dying Society”

People are seeing what I’ve been saying for years. I’d like to feel “validated,” but I’m just sad. Even so, I’m glad someone is able to articulate this so well.

Considering Proverbs 11:15

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

The language here is challenging. What is this saying?

I think the proverb is saying something like this: He that strikes a deal with a stranger will regret it and he that refuses alliances is secure.

If that is the saying, it makes sense.

Sometimes people make alliances with strangers and this does not necessarily include people we do not know. A stranger in this sense could be someone whose aim in life is at odds with our own.

It is better to stand alone and with integrity than it is to band together with many who are against the things you stand for.

For example, Paul the apostle said that we should not be “unequally yoked with unbelievers.”

Sometimes in our haste to have allies in a situation, we might be tempted to ban together with anyone who is willing without considering the larger matters. An ally on one front might be an enemy on a larger and more important matter.

For example, we might have allies in the realms of politics or other matters that influence our society. However, not all who share our views politically or socially uphold Christian values—or at least, they do not uphold the teachings of Jesus that might be inconvenient when dealing with matters that we fear or feel passionately about.

Before we know it, we are bound with many allies—but these allies are not allies of Christ, but of their desire to build their kingdom in this world—and in their ambition, they forget things like loving your enemy, praying for those that persecute you, a respect for the patience of the Lord that leads us to repentance, and the fact that any good thing we have came from God.

They might fall into fear, wrath and vengeance, despair, and lose sight of Jesus in their pursuit for worldly ambitions. Perhaps these ambitions were just, but when pursued to the exclusion of Christ, they are of no benefit.

When weighing all things in our world with a focus on staying faithful to Jesus, we might find that our true allies are few and far between. However, we can rest assured in the promises of Jesus knowing that He is at work, our brethren are in differing stages of growth and serving different purposes, and one day all things will come together as they should—and this will be for our good.

Another thought comes to mind.

Jesus once said, “he that is not against us is for us.” However, Jesus also once said, “he that is not with us scatters abroad.”

There is a time for all things. As the ways of the Lord are tested and we find ourselves tried in them, we might find it increasingly difficult to say, “he that is not against us is for us.” However, as much as is possible, we look for ways to be at peace with all. We can be at peace with many without making hasty alliances.

Jesus will call together those who are aligned with Him and His purposes, and we will have a strong assembly of brethren who are truly united in spirit as those who stand with Jesus above all else.

For many Christians who feel cast out or ostracized from mainstream Christian religion or from friends and family who are Christian, it can seem as if there is no hope and no one who really cares for the calling we have in Jesus. There are many out there. We just need to trust in the Father’s perfect timing and perfect will.

If this is a concern for you, perhaps the best thing to be done is to keep seeking to your own growth so that you can be of use to others, trusting in Jesus to send people to you who need what you have to offer, and He will also send people to you who offer something that you need. We are a body of believers and none is above another. So, in our striving to avoid foolish alliances, we do so in humility and in faith.

PREVIOUS STUDY: Considering Proverbs 11:14 – “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

The purpose of this bible study in The Proverbs is to consider present-day events in terms of the teachings and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Follow in WordPress or subscribe by email (red button at the bottom of each page below the comments) if you would like to join this discussion and receive updates of future posts. Visit the link above for easy access to all posts within this series.

Pray After This Manner

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. – Matthew 6:9-15

Why did Jesus instruct us to pray in this manner?

First, Jesus acknowledges the Father in a particular way. The Father is seated above all things and His name is above every name.

Next, Jesus asks that the kingdom of the Father would come—that His will would be done on earth as in Heaven.

Let’s pause and consider.

God is good and His ways are superior in every way. We know that the Father reigns in heaven, and although we trust that He is in control of all things on earth, we do not experience life as it would be if God were personally enthroned on earth as He is in heaven.

In many ways, God seems far removed from us. As a Christian, we want the Father to look favorably on us in the earth and have His will done in the earth because we trust that His will is good.

After these acknowledgements, Jesus prays for the necessities: daily food, forgiveness of sins, and the leading of the Father towards doing His will instead of succumbing to temptations and sin.

Jesus humbly acknowledges that all good things come from the Father, therefore it is by Him only that we can be sustained.

All things are created by and ordained by the Father in heaven. When we pray to the Father in the name of the Son, Jesus, we are coming to Him as those who are poor and needy and we are seeking to have our needs fulfilled by the only One who can truly help.

Jesus’s prayer also helps us consider how we can avoid praying amiss. When we come to God in humility and reverence, this is a good start. Next, we humbly make our simple petitions. We do not ask for things that displease God—things that serve the natural man (aside from necessities) or things that neglect the spiritual needs which often go against the needs and desire of the natural man.

We need food to sustain our bodies and we need the forgiveness of God to sustain our soul and the strength of God to refrain from sin. Since we need the forgiveness of God and the strength of God to abstain from sin, we recognize that we should be forgiving towards others also.

Following this prayer, Jesus reminds us of this fact.

We must forgive others of their sins if we want the Father to forgive ours. Forgiveness can be a complicated subject. What does it mean to forgive? How does forgiveness play out in the actions we take and our heart towards others? Is there a time to forgo forgiveness? For example, is repentance necessary for forgiveness or should we be like Jesus who said, “forgive them, Father for they know not what they do?”

If we seek the Lord earnestly and honestly, He will lead us in the right way. However, if we must fall short, let’s fall short in mercy and forgiveness. It is better to forgive that which should not be forgiven than it is to condemn that which should not be condemned. Jesus by His Spirit will teach us all things as necessary for the individual circumstances we face, but in all things, look for mercy as much as possible because we need mercy too.

This article is part of a series that considers the Parables of Jesus. Right now, we are looking at the statements Jesus made during His Sermon on the Mount, to which He referenced in His Parable of the Building on Rock and Sand. Visit the link for quick access to all articles written within this series.

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