Is Your Crown Bent or Is it Glorifying to God? / Mrs Sarita Buchanan

Mrs Sarita Buchanan

Pastor's Wife

Central Baptist Church

Baton Rouge, LA

 

IS YOUR "CROWN" OR IS IT GLORIFYING TO GOD?

 

There are those who have the false notion that anything pretty is wrong and that women should wear dark baggy clothing, wear their hair in a bun and no makeup so they don't draw any attention.  BUT God didn't create women to be ugly!  Woman was His "crowning" act of creation that He intended to be even more beautiful than the breathtaking scenery of creation or the lovely works of nature made by His own hand.  HE saved woman or this part of creation to be his last and HIS best!

 

Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon in England once.....  he said, "London gets their fashions straight from Paris, and Paris gets their fashions straight from Hell."  The Bible talks about worldliness or being worldly.  This almost always refers to sins of separation... which means...  - participating in dress practices, that identify with the world.  The word "world" in the Bible refers to the kingdom order set up by satan which is his domain.  He is the "god of this world" as 2 Cor 4:4 says.  Isaiah 14:12 - 14 defines satan's goals:  he wished to make himself equal with God, to overthrow the worship of God nd win worship to himself, to rule and reign over all creation in the place of God.  SO when we examine the issues then we realize that worldliness is participation in satan's kingdom, allowing him to be glorified and set up in the place of pre-eminence in our lives.  When we dress any other than modest then we are trying to be gods and draw attention to us.... not our beliefs in God.  James 4:4.... "know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with (or against) God?  whosever therefore will be a friend of the world (satan's domain) is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15 - 17 - Here we are given some stern commands concerning our relationship to this world that reflect the danger that it presents to our spiritual lives.  God isn't telling us not to love the globe, or not to appreciate this earthly masterpiece.  He is telling us not to love satan's empire and all that it stands for.  There are women even in our church that would give up God before they would give up their unchristian wardrobe.  They are showing us that they love the devil's world more than they love the Lord.

Then in Romans 12:2 we are given instruction concerning the world.  We are not supposed to strive to fit in and seem acceptable to the world's way of life.  The devil is sure to try squeezing us into his mold so that we'll conform.  God gives us the alternative of allowing Him to transform us into the image of Christ in the same kind of miracle that make a caterpillar become a butterfly.  But you can't be both.  We must FIRST shun the temptation to conform to the devil before we can be transformed for the glory of Christ.

 

Worldliness: 

- damages our testimony

- is a reproach to the Gospel of Christ

- sears our conscience to the Holy Spirit's working

- puts up a wall of separation that prohibits fellowship with God and getting prayers answered

 

*Worldliness is NOT an unimportant matter that we can afford to ignore.

 

Titus 2: 3 - 5 .....  tells us that we are to be "teachers of good things" .....  "that the Word of God be not blasphemed."

 

What are you teaching with your life?  What are others learning from your actions?  Are you blaspheming the Word of God by things in your life that need to be changed?

Mrs Ellie DeAnda

 

Mrs Ellie DeAnda

Pastor's Wife

Iglesia Bauista Casa de Gracia

Chicago, IL

 

Have you ever faced a situation in life when you've had that anxious, worried feeling in the pit of your stomach? It just drains you, and no matter how hard you try not to think about it, it doesn't work, because your mind goes back to the situation and you start worrying again and you literally make yourself sick.  I think we have all faced times like these before.

This happened to me recently when my husband and I made a huge CHANGE in our lives...we left the ministry we served at for 14 years and started a church in Chicago. This change started over a year ago when my husband confided in me that God was calling him to start a church. At first, I didn't understand why God was calling us away from where we were, after all, we were doing just fine, I was comfortable! We had everything anyone could dream of, a congregation that loved us, great building/office accommodations, bus routes, organized ladies meetings, addiction programs, we were financially taken care of, even our children's Christian school bill was paid, etc. All that to say, I was anxious about the change and literally made myself sick. I couldn't make peace with this uncertainty, after all, we didn't even have a building to start this church in. I was about to leave all I had ever known and all my children had ever known, and I wasn't going to do it without a fight! I was determined to somehow convince my husband and God that we should stay!  I mean, afterall, I had some questions and doubts!  Well, after spending a good time worrying about this CHANGE that I knew was in my near future, I stopped and analyzed myself...I was living anxious, confused, & frustrated and I was tired of it! I was done worrying and done with trying to figure everything out on my own! I decided to give all my worry to the Lord. I honestly told the Lord one hot Sunday afternoon this summer while sitting on my backyard deck, "I trust YOU and I choose to trust my husband's godly leadership!!"  One thing I will never forget, though, was the anxiety I had as I would go to sleep each night and was reminded of as I woke up each morning, before I finally decided to trust all my worry to HIM! Girlfriend, I realize your situation may be totally different than mine was, maybe:

You or your husband are going through some financial issues and you don't know how you will make it financially.

You might be worried about your health or the health of someone you love dearly and are scared to death about what the future holds.

You might be worried about your children or your backslidden teenager.

You may be in a difficult marriage and you don't know what to do....

Maybe you have been hurt deeply by a close friend or family member or have been betrayed by someone close to you.

Maybe your church is going through a tough time....

I don't know what it may be, but it's that anxious, sick feeling that lays heavy on your heart! 

I love what David penned in Psalms 40, "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."

The Bible promises us in Psalms 40 that when we feel uneasy, anxious, when uncertainty sets in, if we trust God, He will set our feet on a rock. We will no longer have to feel like we are overwhelmed with our worries or problems. We can stand on the firm foundation of God, even when we don't know what the future holds, as long as we trust Him we will no longer feel weak & anxious from worrying and trying to work everything out on our own! We can stand firm/confident on a solid foundation of trusting Him, and believe me, I know my trust in Him is so totally imperfect, but He still continues to be my solid Rock, spite my weakness- He is absolutely unmovable and unchanging, He knows me! HE probably has a special nickname for me, like Nervous Nelly, instead of Ellie, hehehe!! Girlfriend, we CAN and should rely on Him! When you walk through life unsure of what lies ahead, remember that He is your Rock and ALWAYS provides a stable place for you to stand,  HE is God and can easily carry all of your weight and problems. You and I just need to trust Him with all of our heart and mind!

I was raised in a Christian home all of my life and I have learned throughout the years many things about the man who wrote that comforting chapter in Psalms, he was the Psalmist, the shepard boy, the mighty King David; I have often read about his ups and downs, his times of both self-reliance and reliance upon God,  and I have seen that he was never more weak than when he was trusting in his OWN strength and reasoning and ignoring GOD'S strength and plan!

I have recently been reminded of a faithful, trusting mother whose faith was whole- heartedly in her God! This lady really put into action, "letting go and letting God!" Let's talk about her for just a minute:

Jochebed's life was starting to crumble, at least this is how I would look at it if I were in her shoes!  I'm sure she felt anxious and doubtful as she realized the dreaded day was soon coming as she would have to "let go and let God!". I can't even imagine the anxiety I would feel if I were in her shoes! What I love most about her story is the trust she had in God & how HE transformed her worry into good, just as He tells us He will in Romans 8:28, "And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." When Moses’ mother, Jochebed, sent her three-month-old baby down the Nile River in a basket to save his life, she trusted somehow, someway that God would take care of Moses and protect him from the hands of Pharaoh, who had ordered all Hebrew baby boys to be murdered. By faith, when Jochebed let go of the basket carrying her sweet baby boy, she trusted God would save Moses from alligators, wild animals, Pharaoh’s "police", and the river itself;  she trusted God to comfort baby Moses, when she couldn’t. She just trusted!! We all know what happened next, not only did God bless Jochebed with the assurance that Moses had survived the river and was now in the care of Pharaoh’s daughter, but now Jochebed was given her baby back so she could nurse and care for him. WOW!!!   Most likely, Jochebed was able to see Moses’ first steps and also probably heard his first word and was even paid to do this! What a God and what a faith!

When trials come in my life, I can easily fall into the trap of leaning on my own understanding to solve my problems, doing what I think will improve my situation. When this happens, I'm no different than my 3 year old girl, Isabella who often tries to do things beyond her ability & assures me, “I can do it, mom!”. I've been in this mommy buisness long enough to know that I shouldn't go very far, because soon she'll be calling me for help,  "MOM!! I need YOU! I CAN'T DO THIS!!"  Our Heavenly Father does just the same, He watches us struggle, He gently offers His help, and stands by ready and willing to come to our aid!  Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Why waste our time thinking we can do it alone?! We have the best help available!!

I am thankful He gently offered His help to me and then stood by waiting for this foolish girl to wake up and choose to trust HIM!  I would definitely still be living a life full of exhaustion & frustration, if HE wasn't so god to me and patient, might I add!! We can spare ourselves a lot of frustration and exhaustion if we like Jochebed, trust in the Lord without wavering right from the start! (I've always been a late learner!)  Some of the first verses I ever memorized as a young girl were, Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I definielty had these verses memorized, but wasn't applying them to my life like I had been taught my whole life to do! When we actually do what these verses tell us, there is no telling the amazing work God will do in our situation! 

When discouraging circumstances, CHANGE, or problems occur in our lives, one of two things can happen.  1.Either we firmly believe God will somehow, some way work our circumstances out for good, or #2. We jump to conclusions and take matters into our own hands. It's not always easy to do #1 but you and I both know it's always the best! 

Please allow me to share 2 things I have learned through the CHANGE God has walked me and my family through in recent days. (Believe me, I am still learning and I have a lot more to learn!!!!!)

1.  Be positive & godly in your thinking. 

Would you look at your marriage problem as an opportunity instead of an impossible challenge? Would you look at the person trying to discourage you on your journey through life and love them instead of backbiting them with your tongue? God sees our response to people, problems, change, conflict, sickness, etc. How will YOU look at these situations in your life?! God says in Psalms 119:71, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."  In other words, I'm going to learn something from this that I didn't know, I am going to grow spiritually, I'll be able to help more people because of it, and through God's grace become more beneficial for HIS work! After all, didn't our Creator say, "It is good for me"?!! He said it, so it must be true!!

2. We MUST be careful with our RESPONSES and the WORDS we speak to others around us as we travel through CHANGE, people problems, difficulties, conflict, and afflictions, or else we may hurt others in the process, as well as shame our name, our husband's name, or God's name!

Proverbs 12:18 says, "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health." 

Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." 

Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." 

Titus 2:8, "Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

I cannot read enough verses on the tongue, because it is so easy to get trapped into using my tongue as a backbiting tongue, to see only the injustices and not the positive benefits that CHANGE, problems, and affliction can bring to my life.

Also, since we are traveling this life in an imperfect world, surrounded by imperfect people, we are going to be wounded by someone elses' tongue; people will hurt us, and when that happens, one of the best things we can do is quote scripture, many times throughout our day! Why?  Because the enemy is smart and  will use this hurt to make us look at the negative and in turn, we will end up having a victim mentality! (whoa  is me!) 

Psalms 51:10 and Psalms 143:8-10 are some amazing verses to quote in times like these! 

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." 

"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness." 

Let us use GRACE as we respond, instead of the easy, fleshly way--like a sword that will pierce and hurt. We CANNOT be carless in our speech, we MUST be on guard, we MUST be careful and we MUST be yielded to the HOLY SPIRT at all times. (I know it is easier said then done! I would have to say, not letting my emotions take over my words and responses have been one of the toughest things for me, and if there has been anything I have learned through this CHANGE, it is how dangerous my tongue can really be!!) I'm so very glad God is teaching me and molding me! Everyday and every second I need Him at work in my life, because I know I am so very weak when I am not trusting the One who deserves my trust the most! 

Proverbs 16:20 says, "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he."

So when that dreaded word, CHANGE, comes into our lives or when "matters" arise, let's TRUST Him through it, let's be positive & godly in our thinking, and be careful with our responses and the words we speak to others around us! Let's set our faces like a flint and get through life's changes and struggles with the Lord God on our side!  An amazing verse to memorize: Isaiah 50:7,  "For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I KNOW that I shall not be ashamed."

P.S. I am the happy Pastor's wife of Iglesia Bautista Casa de Gracia (House of Grace Baptist Church)! I'm in love with the life God has chosen for me and my family! I am grateful and humbled that He has chosen us to serve in the great city of CHICAGO!!!! I'm just moving along in God's grace and I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's! 

God Bless each and everyone of you!

Ellie DeAnda

Linda Kaiser

 

 



I am Linda Kaiser and my husband is Matt Kaiser.  We have 5 children. Two teens, two toddlers and one in heaven.  Our church is Bethel Baptist Church in Imperial, MO.

We have been in the ministry for 5 years.

Proverbs 11:13 13 A talebearer * revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. 

I was saved in 2002 at 29 years old.  I grew up in a good home but it was not a Christian home.

As Pastors wives we must endure a lot of good and some not so good.  So, how do we deal with the not so good?  One thing that

I have learned early in my Christian life is to be loyal.  This trait is important to me because my family lacked loyalty which is required in strong relationship building.  

For example, if I confided in my mom about something, she might tell her sister and

I would eventually find out her sister knew even though I told mom not to tell anyone.  This would hurt me and my trust with my mom.

My father on the other hand was pretty good at keeping my secrets and because of this, I felt that  I could trust him.  

Some of our husbands are leaders in the church and because of this some church members consider us wives to be leaders as well and will confide in us from time time.   As they confide in us, some might be slandering, revealing  secrets, or gossip; while others are truly trying to figure out a dilemma in their life.

We must be spirit filled in order to handle these matters properly, and the best way is to conceal these matters. The word conceal means to keep from sight, hide, keep secret and to prevent from being known or noticed.  How will we ever earn the trust of people if we never learn to conceal what we hear? We need to remember that what we say travels.  Eccle  10:20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber : for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

How do we handle those who try to tear down our husbands, his ministry, the church or attack our family?  Hey mama bear?  You in there?  Yeah.  You.  

I know your son or daughter was being attacked but you got to put a leash on yourself.  Grab a pot of honey, sit down and open up God's word before you 

do anything else!  

Psalm 5 is a great place to go.  Instead of naturally fighting back, David takes refuge in the Lord through prayer vs 1-3

Sometimes when you hear that someone is speaking ill about you it's easier to handle than if it was spoken about your own family members.  Maybe not, I guess it depends

on what type of person you are.  How do you face that person in church?  How do you let it go?  Do you walk into church and tell that person you still love them regardless

of any unforgiveness?  This is all about trusting what God's word ultimately says.  It's not about "faking it" and pretending like everything is okay.  It's literally allowing God to come through you to love that person back because you might not have the strength to love them.  

There was a time in my life when I was in the darkest valley of my life.  A family member had done something so low, so unbelievably cruel to me that I could not attend Christmas that year.  In fact, I could not speak to this person for a few years.  It's not that I could not forgive her.  I did.  I just didn't know how to love her.  I didn't know how to show my dislike towards her.  I prayed a lot about it as God was not allowing me to get away from this!  After praying and crying and screaming, (I hope you all do that too) I said to God "I don't have the strength to love her!  I can't do it!  I just can't!"   That still small voice said to me, Let me love her through you.  Suddenly my tears stopped.    Everything ounce of emotion that I had in this matter shut off and the lightbulb appeared over my head.  I don't have to use my own strength to love her.  I don't.  God can do it!  YEEEESS!  That's it!  I have been using this golden nugget God taught me since then.  

So God is not looking for tale bears.  He is looking for faithful persons who will conceal sensitive issues; building relationships by way of loyalty and allowing God to love people through us.  

 

With Gratitude,

Linda

Fixed / Mrs Terri Cannon

 

Mrs Terri Cannon

Pastor's Wife

Hope Baptist Church

Bettendorf, IA

 

 

Fixed

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18

You know the funny things kids say that then become family sayings? Most kids do it. When my daughter Wendy was tiny, and her dad would joke with her, she would say, “Daddy, you pulling my leg off!” When she was a little older, maybe four, she was laying in the floor at my Mom’s house coloring while Mom and I were bemoaning the current state of affairs. A little voice from the floor said, “What’s coming to this world?” (Instead of “what’s this world coming to?”) Bryan, my nephew, when he was two or three, would bring me broken toys and say “Tay, fik it!” To this day when something is broken, I say to my honey, “Fik it, Mark, fik it!” 

Then there was my sister, Lesli. You know when your kids ask for money and you don’t want to give them any, you tell them you are broke. Well, Les didn’t take this answer for long. By the time she was 2 1/2 she would bring Mom’s wallet, open, with the shiny coins, maybe just pennies and nickels, showing and say just as sweet as honey, “Mommy, you fixed!” In other words, “Don’t tell me you’re broke–I see the money!”

The truth is, at that time in her life, my Mom was broken. Mom grew up in church. She sang in a gospel trio with her sisters in churches all over Southern Missouri. She knew the gospel inside out. But my mom wasn’t the good sister. She was the “wild child” and knew it. She felt like God loved the world and sent His Son to die for the world and anyone who called upon Him would be saved … except her. She was “too bad” for God’s salvation to reach her.

She had five kids by the time she was 26 years old. After the last baby, postpartum depression set in. The doctors didn’t know what it was then — or what was causing it. They medicated the symptoms, but didn’t address the problem. She got worse. I grew up with a mother who was broken — mentally ill they called it.

When I was 13, she made a profession of faith. The grown ups didn’t understand why I was skeptical, but I was right. Nothing changed. She still had it in her head that God couldn’t save her.

As a teenager, to say that my relationship with my mother was strained would be an understatement. We rarely spoke to each other. We lived in the same house but we were strangers. She was lost in the darkness of her world. I was angry with her for leaving me behind to find my own way through my world. I was a know-it-all teenage girl. She despaired in a world where she knew nothing.

In her brokenness, she tried to end her life multiple times. When I was 18 and at Bible College, she almost succeeded. She was in the hospital and the doctors gave her a 5% chance of surviving the night. My family didn’t call me to tell me because it was during midterms and they didn’t want my grades to suffer. In the dark night of the hospital, my mom decided that she needed to find out if God was big enough to save even her. She called a preacher and he came

and introduced her to that Mighty God who can save even the vilest of sinners. God saw the shiny coins, maybe just pennies and nickels, and God saw worth.

Mom, who had been broken for so long, was fixed. She didn’t heal overnight. However, a loving, patient, and long suffering God made my Mom over again, fixed. We found each other. We were fixed: Mother and daughter. She became more than my best friend–she became my mom.

In 1999, she lay down on the couch to take a nap and woke up in the presence of Jesus, fixed for all eternity. For me it was too soon. I miss her every day. But, I rejoice in knowing that she didn’t die broken.  

Because of Mom, I know that no matter how black the darkness becomes, God can fix it. 

Maybe you have a loved one who is broken. Maybe you’ve given up hope. Mom was lost in a bleak hole for most of my childhood, but God answered the prayers of those who never gave up hope. Right now, I have loved ones I grieve over daily. For whatever reason, they won’t accept the idea that God loves them and God can move in their lives. There are days I want to quit hoping. There are moments I want to stop praying. But I recall my mom and remember that God still fixes broke. How long did the father of the Prodigal pray? How many months did his eyes search the horizon for his son’s return? It probably took a while for the son to waste his inheritance. It took a while for the famine to become great enough to force the boy into the hog pen. But one day the father was able to say, “… this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. …” (Luke 15: 24) No matter how black the darkness, God can fix it.

Because of Mom, I know that God always sees the faint sparkles of the few coins and to Him we are all worth it. Maybe you think you are too broke for God to fix. Yes, you’ve seen Him fix others. Yes, you believe He cares and works in the lives of people, but you know the darkness of your own heart. You’re certain He can’t reach you. Oh, you are so wrong! Hebrews 7:25 says, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Just like my mom, God sees worth in you. Please believe that. He can fix you.

And because of Mom, heaven is an incredibly real place where not only my Savior waits, but my mom is there waiting for me. Fixed. One day, I will be there. Fixed. 

Your loved ones can be there. You can be there, too. The next time you see the coins in the bottom of your wallet, your purse, or the coin catch in your vehicle, remember that. Fixed.