Women's Day (Part 1)

There will come a time where the females in the church will pronounce a special day dedicated to the women

who do so much in the ministry. There might be a dinner, luncheon, or a tea  honoring the first lady and some of the other female ministers. When all is said and done and it is time for the speaker to get up and minister the Word, the common place to go is Proverbs 31 where the virtuous woman can be looked at from a different perspective or the same things will be reiterated. Esther is another favorite, where the speaker will use how a woman can lose or keep her man depending where the emphasis is placed. Or maybe the book of Ruth where it will be taught how humble Ruth became to cling to her mother in law and be that support Naomi needed in her time of grief. How do I know this? Its been done over and over again. What keeps women from attending these functions is the loyalty of being members of that ministry and showing off the new clothes purchased for the event.

Is this an insensitive way to put it? Maybe, still my hope is that it is remembered for change to take place. We cannot keep maneuvering in such a way and not do as God has been telling us repeatedly. He calls us to watch and pray. He also tells us to walk in love in all that we do (Ephesians 5:1-3 AMP). And finally, we are to rightly divide the Word so that we will never be directed on a path of error (2 Timothy 2:15 AMP). So let's tackle this Women's Day with those topics that have been regurgitated for God's children to eat. It didn't come from the Lord's table and my aim is to prove it.

The Proverbs 31 woman, more commonly known as the Virtuous woman. I won't be using Webster's definition of virtue because it has changed as the years do. God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. So let's use what is indicative of Him - His Word. The woman was created for the soul purpose of being of assistance to man (Genesis 2:18 AMP). Now its out there on front. I have no idea why women don't make mention of that on Women's Day. Its danced around but never point blank. Well, there it is! No more identity crisis. You were created as a time such as this...to be of some assistance to a man. He doesn't necessarily have to be someone you are married to - but you are to be a help to some man. Now this doesn't mean that you are to do anything outside of righteousness. If he is tired of his wife or she doesn't understand him, this is not your place to be of assistance. Step back, send him to his wife or pastor. You are out of place trying to counsel a married man. There is no virtue in that, just ignorance and a means to be tempted.

In dispelling some of the myths that have been taught in the Proverbs 31 woman, we must understand the

example used of a woman who is a domestic engineer - a housewife. However, she is not cemented into her home, not able do other things. Notice that she gets up early to pray and study the Word...that's spiritual food. She also makes sure the house servants know what their duties are. This means she is of means where she can afford to have a house staff. See that she is away from the house conducting business with merchants (Proverbs 31:16 AMP). This means not only that she shops for her home but that she can have a business. Ministry has taught this passage with her being a house wife and that's all she can be. This is not true. All women have different passions in life. All men are not the same; therefore, women meeting the needs of a specific man, has a myriad of gifts. If the bible was to make examples of all of the things a woman can do, there would not be enough room for the rest of the books. What is written is an example. We must be able to see where the virtue is and what has been given in order to compare to know that it was right. This is rightly dividing the Word as it has been directed for us to do. We must be able to practically apply it in our lives.

You Believe What The Word Says, Don'tcha?

I have come to rely on what the Word of God says for everything. I have studied it and made it my foundation for my life. Sometimes emotions try to make the decisions for me - you know impulsively, but the outcome of those decisions puts me right back to what the Word tells us all to do. Keeping these principles in the forefront of my mind has proven to make life so much easier even when people would have you to believe otherwise.

I wrote about a bible study I started but now can only attend every now and again because of previous obligations. The person that took over the class allowed a visitor to do as she pleases. That visitor now has the class and believes she teaches the Word of God the best way she knows how. In writing about that class in a previous entry, I wrote of this woman trying to get the class to believe that we all suffer and are suppose to experience pain for Christ's sake. She was so mistaken and wished for everyone hearing her to believe the same thing. No one challenged her in the stuff she was teaching prior to me visiting the class, but I just couldn't sit there and allow her to keep saying what she was saying (James 4:17 KJV). She became extremely perturbed with me and after class, she expressed to me what ailments she was going through. She claimed that she prayed when hearing the diagnosis the doctors gave her and that she was in need of surgery. She said she prayed and prayed believing that God would heal her and that no member of her body, no matter how small, would ever have to be removed. I listened to her as her voice changed from annoyance because I disrupted her error filled lesson plan to anger because she had to have the surgery in spite of all of her prayers. She expected me to answer why God didn't do what she asked. I remained quiet as her eyes welled up. I didn't answer because of her emotion and I was trying to figure if she was running game on me or not. Note: "running game" means to manipulate a person to do as the speaker pleases.

At the end of our conversation I gave her a hug and we left for our perspective homes. In the next few days I watched the things this woman did on a regular basis. The diagnosis the doctors gave her, I knew also required a specific diet. She ate what she liked. I made mention of it and she sucked her teeth exclaiming the doctors told her nothing of the kind (Hosea 4:6 KJV). I also heard her tell others of a procedure that would cause her a complete recovery. She refused it. I was  reminded of the joke where the man was caught in a flood and no matter who came to save him, he would exclaim, "no the Lord will come and save me." A canoe came, the man said the same thing. A rescue boat came, he said the same thing. A helicopter came, he said the same thing. The waters rose and the man drowned. When he got to heaven he asked the Lord, why didn't He save him? The Lord answered, "I sent a canoe, a boat, and a helicopter."

When I first heard that joke I laughed too, but then I heard the wording of it, why didn't you save me? When Jesus said, "it is done," before He died on the cross - He didn't stutter! Salvation was across the board. If you believe then you will receive. The song, Whose Report Will You Believe, still rings true today. If you would rather believe the gruesome details of the diagnosis that would have you in the grave sooner then the years that was promised then you shall receive just that (John 15:7 KJV).

There is an enemy that is sent to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10 KJV). It is not written anywhere in the Word that he will make it easier for anyone; not those that live a sin filled life nor those believing that Jesus is Lord. Satan is put on an assignment to do what he does. If you study the first chapter of Job and couple it with the  third chapter of Genesis, you will see once that serpent received his curse, there was no relief. Man; however, became a new creation once Jesus made that possible. Righteousness in Christ Jesus makes all the mess we have done in the past clean. We renew and change our minds from wrong thinking through the Word. We turn from evil and draw nigh unto God (James 4:8 KJV). Because of this action, there has to be a counter action. What would that be? The devil is not allowed anywhere near what belongs to God (Psalm 91:9-11 KJV).

Where do I come up with this stuff? Its in the Word. God tells us not to give place to the devil (Ephesians 4;27 KJV). Why would He tell us this? Because the devil has no place near righteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV). The devil tells us this when he says it back to God in the first chapter of Job. Did God then give the devil permission to attack Job? Interesting question, isn't it, especially when it is written that God tempts no man to evil (James 1:13 KJV)? Have you ever asked yourself why did the Holy Spirit lead Jesus to the cave to be tempted of the devil? If you can answer those questions, then you can understand why the previously mentioned woman had surgery when she prayed for it not to happen. Now apply this information where it is applicable. Jesus is Lord.