Holiness: Principles or Rules?

  I’ve been pondering a lot on holiness a lot lately. Partly because our church is in the middle of a very in-depth holiness study right now, but also just because it is a subject that has always been near and dear to my heart. The study we are in right now has affirmed what I believe about holiness, but has also opened my eyes to things and aspects of holiness I’d never thought of until now. I wanted to share some of my thoughts and the things I’ve learned over the last few weeks. I’ll probably have one or two more posts on the subject—who knows? ;)

 

What do you think of when you hear the word holy?  I think of the Old Testament and the Tabernacle. The things and objects in the Tabernacle were made especially for use in God’s house, set apart and cleansed specifically for His purposes. The priests were set apart and lived careful lives, conforming to God’s instructions. I also think of purity, like a bride, having done everything she knows her husband likes and prefers to make herself ready for him.

   According to the Bible, holiness is beautiful! Holiness is something to be excited about.  Below are just a few of the verses where it is extolled, praised, and presented as something to desire and reach for. Holiness should be the goal of every believer.

1 Chronicles 16:29 KJV

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 229:2 KJV

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 93:5 KJV

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

 
Who  doesn’t want to be beautiful? Who doesn’t want to have a beautiful life?  I want to have a beautiful life. I want to live in a way that pleasing and beautiful to Him.

Holiness is worship and gives God glory—the glory that is due to His name.

Many people get their hackles up whenever you begin talking about holiness. Immediately they start spouting words like “rules” “legalism” “PHARISEEEEEE” and such. They begin a spiel about grace and not being under the Law any more, etc. (That is a subject for another post, which I will get to very soon.) So if you are one of those people who when they hear words like “holiness” or “standards” and it gets under your skin, please hang around for a little while and allow me to share what I believe and why, based on Scripture.

{Principles vs. Rules}

Rules—a prescribed guide for conduct or action.

Principles—the reason for which the rule exists.

   I  do really well with rules. If I know what the guidelines are and what is accepted and allowed, I can hit the mark. Rules give definition and I really like that. I feel safe inside boundaries. However, if you have been a Christian for any length of time, you will notice, as I did, that there is not a rule or Scripture for every situation or issue. HOLD IT! I thought you believed in the Supremacy and sufficiency of Scripture, and now you’re saying that it doesn’t hold the answer to every one of our problems?! Heavens no, that is not what I am saying. What I am saying is that there are rules, and then there are priciples. Principles are the basis and reason for rules.

  For example: There is no verse in the Bible that says “Thou shalt not have a television in thy dwelling, for all that proceeds from it is evil.” It’s not there. (And I’m not going to spend much time on TV right now, I’m just using this for an illustration.) However, there is Psalm 101:3. It says:

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes. This is a principle of holiness. I think I can safely say that there are some pretty wicked things on TV. (There are also some good things too, but they are few and far between.) There is not a rule that says do not have a TV, but there is a principle that says we should not set any wicked  or perverse or sinful thing before our eyes and especially our children’s eyes. (I feel another post coming on about this soon……)

Holiness is not just the way that we dress or what we partake of or do not partake of. It isn’t just what we allow of don’t allow in our homes. Holiness is an attitude of the heart. Holiness is wanting to remove any unclean or impure thing or influence from our lives. Holiness makes us want to go to Scripture and see what it defines as acceptable and right in our lives. The hunger for holiness and desire to be like Him will make us give up things and do things that some people may consider to be silly or unnecessary. The way we live does not save us. We live the way we do because we are saved.

Holiness is not intended to be, nor should it ever be, a bunch or rules and regulations. It is a way of life, based on the principles found and explained in the Word of God. It is very easy to become consumed with the rules and not live out the principles. Rules are based on principles. Rules help us hit the mark that principles are pointing us to.

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Rules may change, but principles never do.

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  We in the  church have gotten into a bad habit of looking at the world, then looking at ourselves and saying “Well, we aren’t doing THAT or we don’t look like THEM, we’re doing good.” We have a tendency to hold ourselves up to the world and see how we measure up. Hmmm, let’s see, I haven’t murdered, committed adultery or gotten  drunk in 30 years, I’m good. No, you haven’t done anything like that, but have you gossiped, lied, been prideful or returned evil for evil? Have you not done good when you knew to do it? (James 4:17)

  The world grows worse everyday. We cannot use the world’s evil to define or set our “good” or holiness. If we do that, then we too will grow steadily worse and ungodly. We cannot attach ourselves to something that is not solid and constant.

  Our standard is the WORD, not the world. As long as we compare ourselves with the world, we’ll look good. Only when we compare ourselves with the WORD will we see ourselves for what we truly are—sinners, saved by His grace and washed in His Blood.

The Unruly Member

   How many times have I wished I had not said something, or thought before I spoke it? Too many times to count, sadly. How many times has my mouth stirred up trouble and caused problems? Again, more times than I like to admit. This is an age-old problem that has plagued us and has not gone away with time. It was an issue with the early church and it is still an issue with us today.

I think it can be especially hard on those of us who were raised with very strong opinions on what is right and holy before the Lord. Many of us were taught to be articulate and be able to very plainly speak and express our feeling and opinions. If we are not careful with how we present ourselves and opinions however, we can do more damage than good and tear down rather than build up.

The following is perhaps the premier passage in Scripture on the tongue. I offer it for your contemplation today. No matter how many times I’ve read these verses, I am always convicted afresh as read.

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

² For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

³ Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

⁴ Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

⁷ For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

⁸ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

¹¹ Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

James 3:1-12 (KJV)

 

(To be continued….)

Simple Worship

1 Chronicles 16:29
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Worship has become very commercialized in the last few decades. There is an abundance of “worship music,” worship leaders, instructions on how to worship, etc. Many people equate worship with coming to church, singing and praying, lifting and clapping your hands and the like. This is indeed a form of worship but I feel that we miss out by limiting worship to just these few actions. Worship is more than just church attendance and participation.

I believe that  can and should worship God everyday in our homes with our families. I’m not referring to family worship or devotions—both of which are wonderful and necessary—but simply living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord and doing everything as unto Him. That’s worship.

Worship doesn’t have to be complicated, with long, carefully crafted eloquent prayers and rituals.  You can worship God in the little insignificant details of your day-to-day life. Nature worships God simply by doing what it was created to do. We worship God when we do what He has created us to do.

We worship the Lord when we love our husbands and put them first.

We can worship the Lord with the way we treat others, by speaking with kindness and grace.

We can worship the Lord by the way we dress and adorning ourselves with meekness and humility.

We can worship with our housework and care for our families, by  doing it as unto the Lord. (²³ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men  Colossians 3:23 KJV) Our homes can be places of worship simply because everything done there is dedicated to the Lord. When we do that He will let His peace settle there and people will love to come to our homes because of the peace, harmony, love and warmth that they feel there.

The Lord is attracted to the praises and worship of His people. In the Old Testament it speaks of the smoke from the sacrifices being a sweet savor or smell to Him. It drew Him to His people. The Bible says that He inhabits the praises of His people. When we live in a manner that is pleasing to Him it sends up a sweet smell and He is drawn to us and is pleased with us. The result is a peaceful home full of love.

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O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore Him: the Lord is His Name!

Low at His feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
High on His heart He will bear it for thee,
And comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
Guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

Fear not to enter His courts in the slenderness
Of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine;
For truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
These are the offerings to lay on His shrine.

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
He will accept for the Name that is dear;
Mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
Trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore Him: the Lord is His Name!

--John S. B. Monsell, 1863

Bluebonnets and Bittersweet Goodbyes

This morning I’m going to say goodbye to a very dear old neighbor and friend. She is moving several hours away to live with her daughter. For the first time in my entire life, Mrs. Davey will not be “on the Hill” (as we like to call the area where she and my parents live).
My parents have lived next door and across the street from Mrs. Davey and her late husband for nearly 27 years. She is like a grandmother to me and there are few memories from my childhood that do not include her. She was specially escorted in and seated with the grandmothers at my wedding. She is like family to us.
  She has been the ideal example of a Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 lady to my mother and I throughout the years. She taught by example how to be a good neighbor. When someone is sick, you cook and take a meal to them. When you are going to the store, you call your neighbor and ask if there is anything she needs while you are out.  When your garden produces more that you need (even if it doesn’t) you call your neighbor and share. When your neighbor is in the hospital or at the hospital with someone, you check with them to see if gardens need watering or stock needs feeding.
She taught me to crochet, and taught me much about sewing and crafting.
One of the things that sparked the friendship between Mrs. Davey and my mother was actually me ;). When I was a wee little thing—under a year old—Mom was about to mow the yard. She was on the riding lawn mower and had me in the her lap. Mrs. Davey saw all this and came over and offered to watch me while Mom mowed. That’s just what neighbors do.
Mrs. Davey is a flower gardener extraordinaire. Her potted plants thrive! Her yard is always full of fragrant blossoms and bushes. Love of flowers is something else that we have in common. There is a grassy hillside on her property beside the highway and when I was around 5 or 6 years old, Mrs. Davey decided to plant bluebonnets, our state flower, on the hill. Bluebonnets can be difficult to get started, the seeds are finicky and you have to be careful to mow where they are planted at the right time, etc. Mrs. Davey had one plant come up and bloom. That was her hope for a blue hillside the next year, unbeknown to five year old me. One afternoon while Mama and Mrs. Davey were drinking coffee, my brother and I were outside playing. Me, ever the flower enthusiast even at that young age, spied a blue flower in the pasture. I knew that Mrs. Davey loved flowers, so I had to share this one with her. It wasn’t as easy to pick as I thought it would be—bluebonnets have tough stems!
I finally plucked the flower and proudly carried it in the house to give to Mrs. Davey. I’m sure her face fell when she saw her hope for a blue hillside in my hands, but I don’t remember. I do remember that she thanked me for the flower and placed it in water, but also gave me a firm, but gentle reminder to ask before picking next time. She explained to me that some flowers—like bluebonnets—were hard to grow and get started. To this day, every time I see a bluebonnet I think of Mrs. Davey and her patience with little me.
Mrs. Davey and her husband Dock were married for 61 years when he passed away. She was a wonderful example of a wife and helpmeet. She kept him at home and cared for him until the very end. She never had anything but praise for him.
Today I’m going to go and say goodbye for a little while, hopefully not for the last time though. Even though I don’t see her very often, just know that she isn’t on the Hill makes me miss her more.   Mrs. Davey is in her eighties and her health is fading. She is moving in with her daughter and I know that now, after years of taking care of others, she will be pampered and taken care of very well. As sad as I am that she is going, I am so glad that she will be in such good hands.
I am so thankful for the Godly influence this lady has had on my life.

Are you a Lady?

Yesterday I had a rather unpleasant experience. I had made a quick trip to the grocery store to grab a few things for supper and much to my dismay found when I came out of the store that I had a flat tire. This was the first time anything like this has ever happened to me. Thankfully, I held it together, calmly put my groceries in the car and sent a text to my husband telling him what happened and asking what I needed to do.

   Seconds later my phone rang and Jacob sounded like he was about to leave work and come get me as he told me what to do. He said to get a couple cans of fix-a-flat and that should fix it so I could get home. Then he asked if I knew how to use it. I laughed a little and said no. I grew up with a Daddy and two brothers who took care of everything for we ladies. He explained what I needed to do and said to call him if I needed him.

  I trudged back in the store and bought what I needed and set out to fix the tire. I did exactly as he told me and everything worked out fine and I made it home without incident.  I was talking to my mom about it later that day and she said that she was proud of me ;) I didn’t beg him to leave work and come fix it. I handled it. She said I was a helpmeet and not a “dumb cluck” (a term from Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl)

I was glad everything worked out so well, but one thing really ruffled my feathers. For the entire fifteen or so minutes that I sat there working on my tire (and I had some trouble at first) I know of at least six men that walked by, looked at me and kept walking. And some of the men were the grandfatherly type—the type you would expect to stop and help! I was stunned that not one man stopped at least to check on me.  Where I grew up, men stop and help ladies. I guess that is one of the advantages of living in a small town.

I was just about to get mad and go on a rant about what this world is coming to—where men won’t stop to help a lady—when I realized that most of the time women get offended when a man offers to help them. Many women are so soaked and saturated in feminist lies that they won’t let a man be a gentleman. I would have welcomed some help, but they didn’t know that.

This makes me think of an incident my mother and I witnessed one day. We were headed into a store and there was a woman just ahead of us. A gentleman was headed out and held open the door for all of us. The woman in front of us huffed and puffed and said “I can get the door myself!” and opened the other door and stormed through. My mom and I were mortified that a woman could be so rude to a man who was just using common courtesy. We walked through the door he was holding open and thanked him and said that we appreciated it.

  Women can be so afraid of being perceived as weak and unable to take care of themselves.  This causes them to act out in ways that are unbecoming to them. Unnecessary rudeness that does nothing except potentially hurt another woman later down road is often the result. Do they not realize that they are affecting the future and others by how they are acting? They shun anything they consider “girlie” and do not want to be ladylike. They think ladies are weak. (These are usually the ones who rant about chivalry being dead and they are in fact the ones who helped murder it!)

A woman can’t be a lady if she will not let a man be a gentleman. Now I realize that there are some men who are NOT gentlemen in any sense of the word. A lady gives a man a chance and the opportunity to be a gentleman. A lady allows a gentleman to help her, but that doesn’t mean she can’t help herself. A lady is not a weakling. In fact, I think it takes more strength in some cases to be helped than to do it yourself.

I try to encourage the gentlemen around me and let them know that they and their efforts are appreciated. When boys are little gentlemen I try to lavish them with praise.  I realize that real gentlemen are few and far between, but the same could be said of real ladies. Perhaps if we strive to be ladies, perhaps more gentlemen will come out of hiding ;)

 

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Rebecca

Linking up today with:

Encourage One Another

 

Goodbye, 2011, Hello 2012

2012 AD is here. Where did last year go? My head is still spinning from all the events of 2011. I feel as though I’ve barely caught my breath and here comes a new year.

The holidays and the New Year are come and gone and my home is empty of our company and quiet again. Back to our routine, just we two…

  Last year was full of milestones and transitions for me. At the beginning of the year Jacob and I married, went on a wonderful honeymoon, then settled down to domestic bliss in the city. I became a stay at home wife, instead of a stay at home daughter. Instead of many family members to fill my day, I suddenly only had one, and most of the day he was at work.

Last year was also full of weddings! It seemed like everyone we knew was getting married. My best and oldest childhood friend married six weeks after I did, not to mention several others who tied the knot soon after.

I reached the ripe old age of 23 last month. I really don’t feel like I am that old—I still feel like I’m seventeen!

I moved twice last year. I don’t like moving. I can see now that living an hour away from my family was just practice and preparation for living four hours away from them now.

I am so excited to see what this new year holds for us. I generally don’t make resolutions—though I will have a few goals I’d like to reach and areas I’d like to improve upon.

  For example, I would like to become a better manager of my time. I can get away with a lot of wasted time now, but once we have children, that won’t float.  I want to do better with menu planning and ordering how the house is run. I want our home to be a haven for Jacob and me. I don’t want it to be a place of disorder and be unable to be restful and peaceful.  I want to be more productive this year in my sewing and other domestic pursuits.

I want to be a better helpmeet this year. Last year was a transition year—from a daughter to a wife. Now that we are nearing our first anniversary, I want to make this year the best yet.

I want to grow more in my love for Jacob, but even more than that, I want to grow more and deeper in my love for God. I want to be what He wants me to be. I want to live my little everyday life in line with His will and His Word. I want to deal with and handle situations according to His word, and answer with a soft answer, full of grace and wisdom. I want to bless the people I come in contact with—whether they be church people or people at the store—and give them a glimpse of God’s love.

Well, I guess I have made a few resolutions. :) Happy New Year!

More of Him

If you would to download this picture, right click on it, then select "Save As" or "Save Image As"  (C) 2011 Country Mouse Musings

I found this poem probably ten years ago and painted a picture to go with it and had it framed for my mom. I don’t remember where I found it but I’ve always remembered what it said. It speaks to me and convicts me even more now that I am older and have a home of my own.
  If we were to be given three wishes, would they be the same as the ones in the poem? Or would they be different?
   I have to admit that my heart isn’t always in the right place and on some of my weaker days I might wish for something else.  Sometimes the things I wish for have no eternal value at all. I wish to be out of situations that make me uncomfortable, when in reality I was placed there for my good, so I could mature and my walk with God grow deeper. I fail to see what is really happening because all I can perceive is my own little bubble of right now and what makes me happy right now. I pray and ask the Lord to give me wisdom and perception to see and realize where I am and what is happening. I ask for contentment and grace to bear what is being asked of me.
Do I really want to know Him more? Is that the driving force behind everything I do? Is that what consumes me? When Jacob and I were first getting to know each other we talked for hours on end. I  paid attention to everything he said and wanted to know what he liked, what made him happy, what drove and motivated him. I wanted to know what his goals and dreams were. I just wanted to know him.
  As I got to know him, I came to love him. His love for me began to help heal the scars from my years of rebellion and that made me love him even more and ache to be with him.
   Is it any different with the Lord? The more time we spend with Him, the more we pursue Him, the more our love for Him will deepen. We will ache to be in His presence and at His feet. If we draw nigh to Him, He will draw nigh to us (James 4:8).
   I want to be the woman that He has called me to be and wants me to be. I want the Fruits of Spirit to be evident and at work in my life. I want to be an asset, not a liability. I don’t want to be an embarrassment to Him or to His Name.
   I want to love how He loves—without respect of persons and unreservedly. I want to be meek, gentle, full of joy,  longsuffering, temperate, full of His grace, merciful, quick to forgive and forget, slow to anger, patient, self-sacrificing—I want all of the attributes of Christ in my life.
  If He asks me to do something or to give up something, I want to be at a place in my walk with Him to obey immediately without reservation, because I trust Him with my life. We don’t always understand why He asks some things of us—things that hurt or are uncomfortable. But if we submit and say “Your will, not mine”, down the road we will see how it was for our best and we’ll be so thankful that we obeyed. He will not ask us to do something that we are incapable of doing. We may no be able to do it in and of ourselves, but we can do all things through Him (Phil. 4:13).  Sometimes things are sent our way to make us lean on Him more and draw our strength from Him.

More of You, more of You,
I’ve had all, but what I need is just more of You.
Of things I’ve had my fill, and yet I hunger still,
Empty and bare, Lord hear my prayer for more of You.

EOA # 15