Being Mrs. McCann: Philippians

Friday, October 28, 2011

31 Days of Virtue: Day 28

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4

Beauty. It's something we all want. To be called beautiful by that special someone is like nothing else. But we don't need to be concerned with out outward beauty; it's our inward beauty that matters. We need to adorn our inner self - our heart, our character, our values - with things that God views as beautiful. Things like the fruit of the Spirit:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Gentleness
Faithfulness
Goodness
Self-Control

Other things could be reverence, respectfulness, compassion, and helpfulness. Think of Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." If we think about these things and practice these things, then we will learn these things; and they will be in our minds and hearts. And if these are the things that are in our minds and hearts, then they will shine through us as beauty.

Think on these things...

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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

31 Days of Virtue: Day 18

So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 1 Timothy 5:14

Another important part of this verse to remember is 'to give the enemy no opportunity for slander'. We must always watch ourselves. The Bible says in Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." We must always watch our actions and pray for God's strength. If you know doing a certain thing or going to a certain place will bring temptation, why do that thing or go to that place? That's just asking for trouble.

There will always be temptations, and they always lead to death. "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers." James 1:13-16. Don't be deceived! Satan knows every evil desire in you and will use it against you!

So what do we do? Luke 6:45 says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." We store up good in our hearts. We think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). We set our "minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). And we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17): the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, with our feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

That is how we will give the enemy no opportunity for slander: with God's armor, not our own.

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