Tag Archives: Bible

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Laundry Lessons

Jean Francois laundry days[1]

Ephesians 5:26 (NIV), “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

Jesus is returning for His Bride. That’s pretty exciting. I think for most of us women; loving weddings and births were just built into us (the Bride of Christ includes you too men so please don’t stop reading). We dream about our own weddings from the time we are little. Our dreams however never include all the hectic, crazy, planning and work, maybe even losing a few pounds to fit into our dream dress. Every girl wants to be the most perfect bride.

This is reflected in our scripture from Ephesians. The bride that Jesus is coming for will have “no spot or wrinkle.” Think about that wedding dress for a minute and let’s learn a lesson from the age old process (chore) of doing laundry.

For years laundry was done at the river, weather frozen or not. You took your laundry with some special tools. One was a washing bat. “Long thin washing bats are not very different from sticks. Both can be used for moving cloth around as well as for beating the dirt out of it. Soaking laundry in lye, cold or hot, was an important way of tackling white and off-white cloth. It was called bucking, and aimed to whiten as well as cleanse. Coloured fabrics were less usual than today, especially for basic items like sheets and shirts. Ashes and urine were the most important substances for mixing a good “lye”. As well as helping to remove stains and encourage a white colour, these act as good de-greasing agents.” (taken from the Old and Interesting website, history of laundry, all emphasis mine.) Later they had washing boards, laundry tubs, and wringers to wring out the water. This all involved stinky, skin eating soap, hard work and sweat, and hauling and boiling a lot of water.

Then there was the ironing: “Blacksmiths started forging simple flat irons in the late Middle Ages. Plain metal irons were heated by a fire or on a stove… Flat irons were also called sad irons or smoothing irons. Metal handles had to be gripped in a pad or thick rag.” These irons were heavy and hot! After seeing some of these irons at museums I understand the joke, “no wonder they call them sad irons, I’d be sad if I had to spend hours using one of those.”

So, I think it is safe to say, that even in our modern times, keeping things spotless and wrinkle free isn’t always easy. At the time that Paul wrote Ephesians, the process would have been pretty daunting. However, he didn’t say, “when Jesus comes He will make you spotless and wrinkle free”, he said, He is presenting Himself to her in all her glory, spotless and wrinkle free, holy and blameless.” Yes, that is still exciting, but just like trying to remove a stubborn stain, it sounds like hard work. I don’t want to make it seem like we have to do this all ourselves! I am not. It is God working in us that removes every stain.

I Corinthians 6:11 (Weymouth Translation), “And all this describes what some of you were. But now you have had every stain washed off: now you have been set apart as holy: now you have been pronounced free from guilt; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God.”

Though Jesus has washed every stain away spiritually, we still have some things to work out in the natural, and I will emphasis the word work. It takes some self discipline to accept and walk in the finished work of the cross. The process of making us spotless and wrinkle free may at times be painful. Think of what the clothing had to go through! The Holy Spirit may be doing the work, but sometimes He has to use a washing bat or a sad iron to get us in that pristine condition. Just like the old time spot remover, He can use what seems like the nastiest substance to get us in pristine condition. God doesn’t ever bring trials and tribulation to us, but He will certainly use them to iron us out, to work out those ugly left over’s of last night’s meal. We can’t get spotless or clean by just lying on the floor, or sitting in the laundry basket. It takes going through the process.

That’s why we can “count it all joy” when we go through stuff, just like James tells us. It’s working the uglies out of us, it is preparing us to meet our groom at the altar.

Romans 5:3-5 “(Aramaic Bible in Plain English), And not only in this way, but we boast also in afflictions, for we know that affliction perfects patience in us, And patience, experience and experience, hope, But hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has come in, overflowing our hearts by The Spirit of Holiness who has been given to us.”

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Pay No Attention

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I Timothy 4:1 (Holman Christian Standard Bible), “ Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,”

I have always marveled at this scripture. How could anyone who truly knows God, felt His love and His presence depart for the faith? The answer to my dilemma was right there all along, “paying attention” to deceiving spirits. One version says “seducing” spirits. That makes sense. After all Jesus told us that whatever we have set our affections, that thing will have rule on our hearts.

Luke 12:34 (NIV), “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

How can we protect ourselves from being seduced? Let’s use some natural things to help us understand the spiritual. A married person can guard their hearts by first being honest and intimate with their spouse. They can also protect their marriage by not giving in to any other person who is trying to draw their attention away from their spouse. So, spiritually, we need to know who God is, really, not in our head but in our heart. Secondly, when Satan tries to distract us, by illness, lies, financial issues, relational issues, etc., we need to NOT give those circumstances or the enemy our attention. Yes, we may have to address the issues, pray about it, thank God for the answer, but don’t dwell on it. Don’t set your heart on it. A distraction is “just another meaningless message to keep you from paying attention to all the issues that really matter.” Don’t give Satan your attention. Give your attention to God. He is the one able to get you out of your mess. Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t ostriches and we can’t make our problems go away by burying our heads in the sand. However, we need to keep our focus on God, keep our thoughts pure and yes, sometimes just ignore the seducer.

When we pursue God, pursue True Love, the false lover, the seducer will not be able to get your attention. Make love your quest. Arm yourself with the truth. Read I Corinthians 13 and you will get a picture of what real love is and isn’t like.

I Corinthians 14:1a (AMP), “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest];”
We keep ourselves and others from falling away, or turning their backs on God when we build each other up, when we help one another keep our eyes on Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.”

Colossians 3:2 (Weymouth Translation), “Give your minds to the things that are above, not to the things that are on the earth.”

Here are some practical examples:
You get a negative report from the doctor; you have two options, go with that report, think about, tell everyone, throw a pity party, and get in bed with the seducer. Or, you can rebuke the seducer and the diagnosis, thank God for your healing and stand firm on His promise that “by His stripes you have been healed.” Then when the symptoms come back, don’t give them your attention, (except to rebuke them!)

Philippians 4:8 (NIV), “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

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Watch and Pray

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Right after the last Passover meal with his disciples where he tells them to eat his body and to drink his blood, they go to the Mount of Olives. Jesus is about to spend His “hour in the flesh” and he asks a few of His disciples to watch and pray.

Mark 14:37-38 (NIV), “And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

When we remember his blood, shed for us in love, when we remember his broken body that purchased our healing, it helps us to watch and pray. It keeps us from temptation. We aren’t so ready to believe the lies of the enemy. When he tries to tell us that God doesn’t really love us, or that we aren’t worthy, we can remember the love that compelled the Father to give His son, or the great love that held Jesus on that cross. We don’t want what He did to have been in vain. He did so much for us so that we could live a transformed life. Shouldn’t we be diligent then to watch and pray? Yes, our flesh is week, but our spirits are willing.

Those words, “keep watching and praying” are just as important for us today as they were for the disciples that went with Jesus to the garden. Our flesh is still week. Satan’s desire is still to “sift us like wheat.” When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, when we “set our faces like flint,” we can withstand every temptation.

I Corinthians 10:13 (NIV), “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Today let’s purpose to remember His blood, the atoning blood that took away all of our sins, those from our past, those for our present, and those in our future. They are all gone. And let us remember His stripes, the lesions from the thorns, the holes in his hands and feet, and that cut from the spear. Those wounds that He “received in the house of his friends” and let us accept all the redemptive gifts that they purchased for us.

Father, we thank you for your perfect plan of redemption. We choose to remember and accept the finished work of Your Son, Jesus Christ and to cherish His great act of love in our hearts.

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Lacking Faith?

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Judges 6:11-16 (NIV), “The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

Gideon had a faith problem. He had no faith in himself, or in the fact that God could use him. Even though an Angel came to him, he still wanted some proof. Notice through the whole group of scriptures about Gideon God continues to call him a “Warrior.” God knew who Gideon was; the problem was that Gideon just couldn’t see it. He lists his lowly ancestry as one of the reasons he doubted, and the fact that the Lord had seemingly abandoned them. Gideon was looking in the natural at the natural. God sent an angel to show him the supernatural. Humbly, this mighty “warrior” asks for a sign. Patiently, God provided more than one. Isn’t God good? Bear in mind that this was before Jesus came to redeem us, we now have the Holy Spirit to lead us, so asking for a fleece instead of asking the Holy Spirit for conformation was reasonable for Gideon.

How do we fix a faith issue?

God tells us that we have all been given the “measure of faith,” and that faith comes by hearing His word. If you know me at all, you know that I encourage everyone to read their Bible. It is not a coffee table decoration or one for the back windshield of your car either. It won’t do you a bit of good under your bed, or in your closet. If you are in the habit of leaving it at Church so that you don’t forget it on Sunday, buy another one! Then, when you read it, read it out loud as much as possible. I learned a few things in school that I applied as a teacher. If we hear something we remember 25% of the information. If we hear something and read it also, we retain 50% of that information. If we hear it, read it, and write it, we remember 75% of that information. Now I know that is very general, and that we all have different learning styles, but this has proven true for me and many of my students. So read your bible at home, then listen to sound teaching and preaching that backs itself up with scripture, while at Church, take notes. Even if they are sloppy and you will never read them again! It will help you retain what you are learning, and sometimes God speaks to your heart and you need to jot something down (while still paying attention to the message).

Gideon had an identity issue that led to a faith issue. If we are confident in who God is and how He sees us, our faith grows by leaps and bounds!

Another way our faith is strengthened is by going through some tough stuff. I know, it’s the school of hard knocks and every one of us wants to “play hooky” that day and skip class. The key is to go through. Don’t set up camp, don’t stop to have a pity party, and don’t pause to whine and complain. Allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead you out. There is always light at the end of the tunnel when you serve God. Always. We grow from faith to faith this way, if we allow our hearts to be humble and teachable. The next time we are faced with a similar situation, our knees wont knock as much, and our hearts will not do that Irish jig. We will be able to calmly say, “this too shall pass.”

Gideon did find some courage; he obeyed God and against all odds, including being vastly outnumbered by the enemy, won the victory.

He will do the same for you.

I Peter 2:9 (KJB), “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

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When It Doesn’t Look Good

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I Chronicles 29:10-12 (KJV), “Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”

Sometimes life throws us a curve ball or Satan gives us a sucker punch. There are even times that we have gotten ourselves in a fine mess and things aren’t looking so good. It’s easy to start the pity party, to seclude ourselves from others, or worse find everyone we know and whine and complain about how rotten our lives are. I’ve done it. It’s our “hour of flesh” that sometimes lasts days. What a way to glorify God, Huh? Who wants to be part of a kingdom whose subjects are not happy campers. By our self indulged pity parties we are showing our lack of faith in He Who IS Faithful…

So what is a brother or sister to do in these times? Well, first if you have already started the party I just mentioned, repent! Then, if you don’t have anything nice to say, shut up! Take command over your mouth and don’t let it say another thing that may tarnish God’s reputation. Finally, think on His goodness. The Bible is full of scriptures that rehearse and meditate, sing about and praise Him. Find then and get them past your head into your heart.

Psalms 103:2-4 (ESV), “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, ho heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Remind yourself that you can bring your problems to God, yes, even that mess we made ourselves. He will help. He promised He would and He always keeps His promise. It may not be when we want or even how we want, but He always comes through. He’s our Father, through the shed blood of Christ we have been given the privilege to come boldly into His throne room just as our children never have to fear coming to us for help.

Psalms 46:1 (Aramaic Bible In Plain English), “Our God is our strong house of refuge, and he is found to us our helper always in times of trouble.”

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV), “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

One of the most important things we can do when things don’t look good, is change what we are looking at. Look to Him, look at Him, look at His creation, and then praise Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing in your situation right now.

Psalm 113 (NLV), “Praise the Lord! Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever. Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the Lord. For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!”

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Prayer for the Body of Christ

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Father God,
Today I lift up to You my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that You cause them to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as they love You. That You may establish our hearts blameless and in holiness before You. I thank You, Lord, that our faith is growing. May You give us all eternal encouragement and good hope, that our hearts are encouraged and strengthened in You in every good deed and word. I thank You for giving us peace at all times and in every way. I especially thank You that you are with us, always.

(I Thessalonians 3:12-13, II Thessalonians 1:3, 11-12, 2:16-17, 3:16)

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Don’t Toot Your Own Horn

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Proverbs 16:18 (Holman Christian Standard Bible), “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.”

We all love accolades. It’s part of our society. It is nice to receive honor, and the Bible clearly tells us to give honor where honor is due. However, we are never the best person to judge whether we should be honored. We are biased to say the least. We will either think we deserve nothing, or worse yet we think we deserve the most. Growing up there was a pretty common saying, “Don’t toot your own horn.” It was a reminder to not brag on yourself.

Most of us ignore a braggart. We shy away from those arrogant, know-it-all types. We don’t want them on our team. They simply aren’t good team players. How about at Church, those shooting stars that give glowing reports of all their good deeds? The common denominator in all of their “testimonies” isn’t the goodness of God, it’s their so-called spirituality. They begin their sentences with “I”, not “God”. In trying to honor themselves they end up looking fake-y and flaky. Those types of people have very little true impact on the Body of Christ, unless it is in a negative way. Any motivation other than love doesn’t accomplish anything for the Kingdom. Self aggrandizement isn’t a fruit of the Spirit, and Proverbs 16 clearly tells us that pride comes before a fall. That doesn’t sound like honor.

Luke 14:11 (NASB), “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Even Jesus said that if He bore witness of Himself that His witness wouldn’t be true. He let His works speak for themselves.

John 5:31, 36 (NIV), “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true… I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish–the very works that I am doing–testify that the Father has sent me.”

We don’t have to tell everyone all the “good things” we do. Just do it! If you have a true testimony of what God did share it, but those testimonies never include “God used me to bless so and so.” I am sorry if this steps on some toes, but that isn’t a true testimony. Why not just testify, “so and so had a need and God met that need.” No need to bring ourselves into the picture at all. This glorifies the One who deserves it. We can’t love the praise of men. It keeps us from serving God rightly.

John 12:43 (NLT), “For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.”

Myself, I want to hear Him say, “well done,” not another person who is just like me.

John 7:18 (NET Bible), “The person who speaks on his own authority desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”

Been “tooting your own horn”? Check your heart.

Let love motivate you, and give all praise to God.