Worth Dying For

Jessica Sunday

If you are on my blog right now, you did not come across it by accident. You are here because of a divine appointment by God. The One who loves you so much with an indescribable love that no man can comprehend. I am not sure what you are struggling with or if you are struggling at all. You may be at a mountain top in your life right now, but there may be someone who is in the valley - someone who is struggling. Wherever you are right now, if I can encourage you with one thing, let it be the message that you were worth dying for!

The One who people so quickly mock, take His holy name in vain, the One who is no longer allowed in schools or quite practically the White House, died for you. Jesus willingly died for you. He did not argue with the officials of that day. (I mean, He did not even have to argue, He could have just left them). He did not. He stayed and was beaten for both you and me. It went beyond that grueling beating  though.  He then carried His cross to a place called Calvary to be crucified - to take on the sins of the world. He was spat upon, ridiculed, scourged, mocked, and "worshiped." They beat a crown of thorns into His skull and gambled for His clothes. He hung naked upon that beautiful, terrible cross.

The cross was beautiful because it now symbolized the sacrifice that was enough for Jesus - His son. It was also beautiful because He was the only One who could be the atonement for our sins. We could do nothing. Not even the good works we do can take us even so close as the pearly gates when we pass on. He had to do it all, and He did. Jesus paid it all! The cross was terrible. It was terrible because it symbolized the cruelest death sentence of that day. Thousands were put to death by being crucified in front of people scoffing at  them. Jesus was the only One who could turn this terrible cross into something beautiful because of the sacrifice that was made on that day. Jesus died a horrific death for you and for me. The Bible tells us that He no longer looked like a man. He was unrecognizable.

You were worth dying for. Every blood-stained drop from the Savior was worth it to gain a relationship with you, but you must accept His sacrifice. So, what can we take away from the best love story ever demonstrated? Here are a few things that are important to remember that we often forget when reading the crucifixion passage.

1.  He was born to die. Have we forgotten that God is omniscient?  That term means that He knows everything! Can you imagine knowing you were born to die?  Of course, we know we are going to die someday, but to know you were born to die for a specific purpose? That is something that is hard to comprehend. I praise God that in spite of knowing His Son Jesus was born to die, that Jesus still came to take our place on the cross. The place we could never go. 
2.  He is all powerful, yet bore our sins.Do you remember the old hymn that says Jesus could have called ten thousand angels? My friend,as precious as that song is, Jesus did not have to call one angel! He could have freed Himself, but He chose to bear this suffering for us. The Bible says in John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen  me, but I have chosen you, ..."  He is all powerful! He chose us and bore our sins for us! What an amazing love! 
3. He died not only for the ones who loved Him but also for His enemies. In Luke 23:34 the Bible says, "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." Although the soldiers continued to scoff at Him and gamble for His clothes, Jesus was concerned about their spiritual needs. There is nothing you can do that can separate you from the love of God. He is always ready to save you! 
4. He thought about others while on the cross. There were two thieves dying on each side of Him. One of them understood salvation and asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus told the man that he would be with Him in paradise today. Even on the cross, Jesus was concerned about the lost. 
5. He felt forsaken by His Father. In Matthew's account of the crucifixion, the Bible tells us in chapter 27 verse 46 that Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, "... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Even Jesus felt forsaken by His Father going through this. Could you imagine hearing your son say this to you? This is when the sky became dark, and Jesus was taking on all the sins of the world. His Father could not look on the sin. 
6. He had you in mind. There is no doubt that God had YOU in mind when He was dying for you! He was scourged, crucified, and mocked for you so that you might accept His free gift of salvation. He wants more than anything for you to have a genuine relationship with you. He wants you in eternity with Him! He did not go through all of this for you for nothing! He desires you! 

YOU WERE WORTH DYING FOR! 

Truths from Ruth: Part 4

Widow to Wife

So, what does the last chapter  tell us about Ruth? I believe it speaks well of her patience. Throughout the previous chapters, many attributes were listed about Ruth and we can apply them to our daily lives.

Let's get real. Ruth may have been faint-hearted when Boaz told her that there was a nearer kinsman than himself. She may have been thinking, "What?! This is the man I have had my eye on! How could there possibly be someone else? What if the other kinsman chooses to take me for his own? Is this really happening"? These are the thoughts that may have been going through Ruth's mind. Pause. Have thoughts like these ever crossed your mind while you had your eye on a guy? Have you ever thought, "Is he talking to a girl? If he only knew I was interested! You cannot be serious! I have had an interest in him for quite sometime." If you answered yes to these questions, you are perfectly normal. I know I have had some of these inner thoughts. However, entertaining these kinds of thoughts can cloud our vision and prevent our having an abundant life Jesus intended us to live. Don't you think if Jesus wanted you to be with a certain guy, He would orchestrate it to happen? I believe we as ladies jump the gun when it comes to relationships. I am not saying it is wrong to desire one, but I am saying it is wrong when we go ahead of God trying to tell God what is best for us. Like we really know what is best for our lives anyway!

Call me old-fashioned, but I think it says a lot about a guy when he pursues a woman first. It makes me think he is confident and is not a coward, afraid to take initiative. It also makes me feel wanted when a guy initiates a relationship. Do the attributes you pursue make you a woman worth being pursued? Well, I suppose that can go both ways. In that, possessing bad attributes can attract the wrong guys.  What you are is what you attract. Ruth possessed amazing attributes that had Boaz interested in her, but he took the high road and was honest with Ruth about the nearer kinsman. Those were probably words neither he wanted to speak nor Ruth wanted to hear, but in the end, the other guy was not willing to accept Ruth and the land.

Ruth's patience paid off. She was patient to wait for the man God had for her after she was widowed at a young age. She was also patient in waiting for Boaz's response as to what the nearer kinsman had decided. I am sure when Ruth heard that the other guy did not want to take her as his own, she was ecstatic. Overjoyed! She and Boaz finally married and were blessed with a baby boy named Obed.

So, next time you get discouraged about when your night in shining armor is going to come, remember God has better plans for you if you remain patient for His best for your life. Notice I said "His best" because if you wait for your best, I guarantee you that you will be settling for less than His best for you.

Truths from Ruth: Part 3

Possessing Virtue

Before I start, can I just mention how amazing God is! I have noticed the more I develop my relationship with Christ, the more He orchestrates divine appointments. Even the small things line up! For example, I bought a book not knowing that it parallels the life of Ruth while God already knew that  I have been blogging about the life of Ruth! How amazing is that!? Have you ever had even the slightest divine circumstance happen? I am so glad God places little things in my life like that because it opens my eyes to see how big my God actually is.

As I was reading Ruth chapter 3, I began to wonder what the Lord would lay on my heart to share about Ruth. As I continued to read, I came across verse 11b which says, "...for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman." This is one of the things Boaz says to Ruth after she laid down at his feet. What Boaz says to Ruth is powerful! Put yourself in Ruth's shoes for a moment. Could you imagine someone telling you that the whole (city, church, college, work place, etc.) knows you are a virtuous woman? Ruth must have possessed some virtuous attributes  in order for Boaz to say that about her (let alone a whole city!). 

Proverbs 31 paints a good picture of what a virtuous woman ought to look like. Verse 10 of Proverbs 31 even says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Every woman should strive to be a woman of virtue not only because they are rare but also because virtuous women please God. The word virtuous means to uphold a high moral standard. In a world that is saturated in immorality, we should be the women who hold high a moral standard that pleases God and encourages men to strive to be godly men of character with their own set of virtue. Although there are many ways to be virtuous, I would like to share eight ways that you can maintain a virtuous lifestyle.

 

1. Saturate yourself in God's Word. Be a God girl who literally is satisfied in Him alone before you are satisfied in any other relationships. Okay, let's be real because this is what this whole blog is  about! Some of my blog posts that are written are areas of my life that I struggle with. One thing  that I often struggle with is my Bible reading. It is a day-by-day struggle. Why? Because my carnal  flesh does not want to read the Bible, but when I am filled with Christ's Spirit, I love every second  of it! I have found when I skip my Bible reading, my soul longs for it. I am spiritually deprived, and my day usually does not go very well. When I do not take time to read my Bible, it becomes a priority issue. I then find I need to reprioritize what I place at the most valued position and that  should be Jesus Christ.

 

2. Shine His love.  Once you saturate yourself and are spiritually fed, go shine His love to people. There are so many hurting people out there who are searching for something to fill their void. Often times people try to fill the void with money, sex, drugs, pornography, entertainment, etc. However, what they are missing is the love of Jesus. The only Person who can fill their empty lives. When you radiate for Jesus, others will notice that there is something different about you - that difference being Jesus. Allow Jesus to shine through your life. Not because we are worthy (we   are not!) but because Jesus chooses to use us for His kingdom building.

 

3. Be dependable. Here are four questions to ask yourself. Can people come to you when they are in need of something? Can people come to you if they need advice? Do people come to you with prayer requests knowing that you will actually take time to pray? When you tell someone you are going to do something, can they trust that you will follow through? Try listing other ways you can be  dependable.

 

4. Embrace your beauty. No, I am not saying to fish for compliments, to be vain, or to disregard your health, but what I am saying is that God made you exactly how He wanted you to look. Did you ever think that every time you say you are ugly or think that "you just do not match up," that you are totally and blatantly telling God that He messed up when He created you? I am guilty as charged. But when I think of what I am in essence telling God, it makes me take a step back and realize what I have done. Whatever you do, do not let the world define your beauty and worth. Instead, be confident in the woman God created you to be.

 

5. Live above reproach. Philippians 2:15 says, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;" Nobody lives a perfect life, but do not give people the opportunity to speak ill of you. One thing I have learned is that it can take years to build your testimony, and it can take five seconds to destroy it. So be careful how you are living because you could very well be the only Bible someone will ever read.

 

6. Never settle. You heard me. NEVER settle for less than God's best for you! Do not settle for a Bozo when God has a Boaz for you! (You need to read Lady in Waiting by Jackie Kendall.She does a wonderful job warning us ladies about the Bozo guys and preparing our hearts for our Boaz).

 

7. Be productive. Do not be a lazy lady. Be productive! Learn a new hobby, prepare a new meal, strive to be better in your career, in your married life, or even your single life. Keep going! Plus, who would want to date someone who is not active? (Not me anyway!) I like adventures Someone once told me as I am serving God in ministry, He will eventually send me a guy who will serve with me (something to that degree anyway).

 

8. Lastly, Stay pure! Ladies, this goes beyond the physical aspect of purity. This encompasses your inner thoughts, speech, walk (lifestyle), dress, and the list goes on. Are your words becoming to the soul? Are you uplifting? Are you saving yourself physically for your future husband or are you giving pieces of your heart away where eventually you will have a scrap to give to your husband on your wedding day? There is a reason why the Bible tells us to guard our hearts and out of it are the issues of life. Did you ever think of the consequences your impurity could cost? It could cost a marriage, a child, a disease, etc. Most importantly, you would grieve God's heart. Will He forgive you?  Sure He will, but grieving our Holy God is heartbreaking. Plus, if you are holding out for God's best, your boyfriend should NEVER compromise your purity before marriage. Period. Be a mystery. Your boyfriend does not need to know everything about you. Let him get to know you on a deep emotional level not a physical level.

 

 

 

Truths from Ruth: Part 2

Five Qualities that Ruth Possessed:

 

1) She was determined (vs. 2) 

 "And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. ..."   Ruth was determined to go to field. She did not procrastinate to go. How often do we have a  mentality of procrastination? She was also determined that she was going to find grace with  Boaz. She did not doubt it. How often do we doubt God in our lives? Sometimes we live as  if God does not have the power to accomplish His will in our lives.

 

2) She was hardworking 

 As you read Ruth chapter 2, her hard work is seen throughout this chapter. Because of her    determination to go to the field, she made it there. She began to work where God placed her -  in the field. She took her work seriously and worked hard at it. In our own lives are we determined to work hard no matter where God places us? He may have us do something we do not think we are good at;however, I can reassure you  that God will not give you anything you cannot handle. He will equip you. He may also lead you to a place of unfamiliarity. God led Ruth from Moab to Bethlehem. That was an  adjustment for her. Trust God in what He has you do and where He has you go, and work harddespite the difficulty.

 

3) She stepped out of her comfort zone

  In verse 6, the servant of the reapers told Boaz where Ruth was from. Dwelling on this verse, you can come to the conclusion that Ruth stepped out of her comfort zone. She was from   Moab, yet she left everything she ever knew to travel with Naomi to Bethlehem.  She left her beliefs in Moab. She left her friends and family in Moab. She left the comforts of home in Moab. She left her comfort zone to achieve something greater. (vs. 11)   How often are we the opposite from Ruth by staying in our comfort zone? We are scared to  take the first step of faith because we fear what is ahead. Let me challenge you to step out of your comfort zone because nothing great ever comes from them.

 

4) She was humble

 "Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have  I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a   stranger?" Do we show humility in our lives? Hey, remember my first point? She was determined to find grace. She found grace with Boaz in this verse.

 

5) She was faithful 

 "And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed unto me, all that thou hast  done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou  knowest not heretofore (vs. 11)."   She showed faithfulness to her mother-in-law even if it meant for her to leave her own  country. Do we show faithfulness to the people around us? Most importantly, do we show faithfulness to God? Would you leave your home country if God led you to?

     

Truths from Ruth: Part 1

Caring for the Widows

 As I dived into the first chapter of Ruth, I picked up on something I never have before. Have you ever experienced one of those illuminating moments? Those moments when you read a passage of Scripture a number of times, but each time you read it, you get something new out of it. I love these  moments because it just reassures me that my God is ALIVE and working His way in my life. His Word is not dead, but is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.

As I read Ruth chapter one, I realized that not only was Naomi a widow but also her two daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah. These ladies had lost their husbands during the time of famine - probably the time they need their husbands most.  One thing that widows today struggle with at times is facing economic hardship.

I realized as I continued to read the passage that there came a time in these woman's  lives that they would depart. Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to  depart from her and move on with their lives. However, at first, they both persisted that they stay with her. Again, Naomi told them both to go their way. Finally Orpah gave into Naomi and  returned unto her people and her gods. I love what Ruth says next. Ruth 1:16-17 says, "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." Ruth was determined to stay with Naomi in her distress. She was willing to give everything up to follow her. Are we willing to give up everything to follow God? I also would like to think Naomi gave them a chance for her daughter-in-laws to depart either because she was testing their faithfulness to her or she did not want to be a burden to them. Whatever the case, Ruth was a faithful daughter-in-law to Naomi. Often times widows get the vibe that they are somehow being a burden to us when the exact opposite is taking place. They are being a tremendous blessing to us!  Make sure you make them realize your faithfulness to them just like Ruth did in verses 16-17.

Have you ever wondered what your name means? I have!  By studying his passage, I became interested in finding out the significance of Ruth's and Orpah's name. To my surprise, Ruth's name means "lovely friend", and Orpah's name means "back of the neck." Ruth was indeed a lovely friend and daughter-in-law to Naomi. On the contrary, Orpah turned her back on Naomi. When you stay in the center of God's will, you will be blessed, but the moment you turn your back on God is the moment your life will get messed up. However, God won't turn His back on you for He is always there. It is us that choose to walk away from Him. So,what do people think about when people dwell on your name?  Isn't that thought provoking!

Another thing widows deal with is loneliness, and I honestly believe Ruth understood loneliness because she was a widow herself. Sometimes you do not know what someone is going through until you go through the exact same thing. It is then that you can relate to someone else's struggle.
My favorite verse I try to live out in my life is found in James 1:27 which parallels this passage perfectly. It says, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Although this verse has three truths to it, it is evident that we ought to care for the widows around us. So, what are we doing to demonstrate love to the widows that were placed so strategically in our lives?
God gives you a chance to reach out to the widows, but His will will be done either way. Psalm 146:9 says, "The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down." Are you going to let the Lord turn you upside down before you dare to reach your hand out to a widow? I would hope that it would not have to go that far. Let us look to Ruth's example as she cared for her widow in her life - Naomi- as we look for the opportunities to reach out to the widows that surround us.

Introduction to the Series of Ruth

Yesterday evening my church had the privilege to have Pastor Clark of Legacy Baptist Church preach for us. He is one of our church planters we support at our church. He preached on extending our reach through serving and developing relationships with others. We turned to the book of Ruth for a very short portion of the service while we were in III John for the majority of the service, but that short segment of time in Ruth got me thinking of a blog topic after Pastor Clark said, "Ruth did what God intended her to do, and Boaz was right around the corner." My thoughts immediately went to my blog. What a powerful truth he had just said!

Ruth is such a great example for us women to look to and model our lives after. When Ruth did what God had called her to do, God blessed her with a man, Boaz,  that was just right around the corner. She was so busy in God's calling for her life that she did not have any idle time to look for "the one." Instead, God led him  to her. How many times are we preoccupied with trying to find "the one" that we miss God's plan for our lives?

With that being said, I believe the Lord is leading me to start a series from the book of Ruth in my blog posts. There are only four chapters in the book of Ruth, which I believe contains so much that we can apply to our lives. Let's keep our hearts open as the Lord teaches us some things from the book of Ruth. Pray that the Lord helps us glean (pun intended) some truths from this powerful woman of God.

Being Content With The Stage You Are In

                                                           

Being Content With The Stage You Are In 

Jessica Sunday 

We live in a world full of immediate gratification . If you want something, you get it. If you like what someone else has, you will inquire where someone got it just to go get the same exact thing. This disease of always getting, getting, getting, and never waiting, waiting, waiting is rampant.

Have you ever thought about where you would be if things had worked out the way YOU wanted them to? Would you be in a messed up marriage if not divorced by now? Would your career be one of disappointment? Would you be partaking in unsatisfying situations?
What would your journey look like  if things worked out your way?

Reflecting on what could have been often makes us more grateful for the way things worked out, right? It does for me anyway. With that being said, it is important to be content with the stage you are currently in because if you are not content with the stage you are in and you jump too quickly to the next, you may be getting ready to travel down the road of pain and regret.

For example, if you keep dating the guy who you know is wrong for you, you more than likely will end up in a relationship of continual pain. If you continue pursuing the career that drudgingly
disappoints you, you will get burnt out really quick. So, be content with whatever stage you are in.

I am in the college and single stage of my life. The more I am in this stage, the more I realize I need  to rest assure that God will give me the strength to get through it. If you are still single and in college, this is the stage where most of your friends are dating or are further along than you in college. This is when you find yourself scrolling down your newsfeed only to find so-and-so are now in a relationship, engaged, married,etc. If you are not careful, before long, your flesh gets in the way, and you become disappointed. You begin to pity the stage you are in. But wait!!! Remember, that the stage you are in now differs from the stage your friends are in.

Think about it this way. Maybe the things that are not working out for you now are the things God is saving you from. Maybe He is saving you from heartache and regret. Maybe He is protecting you from something that would ruin your life.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1) You won't be stuck in "your"  stage forever. You will move on to other stages.

2) Make the most of the stage you are in.

3) Use your stage as your STAGE to impact others.

4) Pray that the stage you are in now can be used for His honor and glory.

5) Instead of pitying yourself, reach out to others. Send a note, give a gift, share a hug! Be that encouragement to others.