Category Archives: Borrowed_Words

>Let Your Light Shine! by John MacDuff

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“let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5: 16

There are many things connected with the Christian’s
pathway—which worldlings cannot comprehend. They
know nothing of the high and hidden walks of spiritual
experience. What is said of the workings of the divine
life in the soul—is regarded by them as foolishness
and fanaticism.
Its internal principles,
its constraining motives and impulses,
its heavenly aspirations,
its rapturous bliss, and
its agonizing struggles—are things which
these strangers cannot comprehend!
But still, there is much which they are able to
understand—such as . . .
whatever is consistent in character;
whatever is honest and straightforward between men;
whatever is kind and compassionate in behavior;
whatever is forbearing and forgiving under insults
and injuries.
Such features, when unostentatiously exhibited—excite
their attention, and, generally, call forth their praise. The
manner in which the ordinary duties of life are discharged,
is something so tangible—that it lies within the province of
their own observation. These things they can understand;
and it is of the highest importance that all who profess to
be Christians, should be distinguished by an exhibition of
these practical fruits of righteousness..
May the Lord strengthen you with all might, according to
His glorious power—”that you may live a life worthy of the
Lord and may please Him in every way—bearing fruit in
every good work, growing in the knowledge of God!”

Have a most blessed Lord’s Day.

Are you memorizing the Scripture? Read about my giveaway here!

Remember that you are more than welcome to use every single shot under “Scripture and Snapshot”in this blog  as your wallpaper.

>A Godly Marriage -Borrowed Words from Douglas Wilson-

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The Wilson’s books on the family are just a blessing to me. I appreciate the fact that they write not in a simplistic way, pointing you to methods; rather, they go beyond the methods to the core of our Christan living: Doctrine, that is our Theology. (and yes, we all have some sort of doctrine!)

What we believe, what is rooted in our hearts and minds is what will determine how we live under the sun every day: how we respond to various circumstances, how we parent our children, how we talk with our friends, how we relate with our brothers and sisters, with what attitude we walk to the kitchen and the laundry room and… how we love our spouse.

In Douglas Wilson’s book, For a Glory and a Covering. A Practical Theology of Marriage, he says,

“A Godly marriage occurs when a man and a woman both die to themselves, and are raised to the life that seeks the best interest of the other in all things. This is the only kind of godly marriage there is. And when we give all away in this manner, we discover that we receive all. We learn to give in order to receive, in order to be able to give some more. And we are  married to someone who is doing the same thing. 
Now, it is not possible to live this way without an applied incarnational knowledge of what the Holy Trinity is like. As we turn away from these sins, we must necessarily turn toward God Himself. And in turning to toward Him, we are learning to imitate Him, as dearly loved children (Eph.5:1).”

Now let’s read Wilson’s definition of marriage,

“So what then is marriage? Marriage is a form of death in separation and resurrection in union. When God created the world, He immediately set about fashioning the world by means of division. He separated man  into male and female and pronounced it all very good. But He divided for the sake of  richer union, and for the sake of division itself. What is the principle of this kind of union? The answer is covenant- specifically, covenantal partaking. The bond that ties division and union together is a covenant bond; marriage is based on covenant realities. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God” (I Cor. 11:3).
…Covenant headship bridges the division and accomplishes union… Authority is the principle of union, not the principle of separation. Authority (biblically understood) is what brings them together… In other words marriage is defined by partaking.”

Some other quotes worth looking at are these:

“Being a married Christian is a function of simply being a Christian. In other words, we should not expect to find a set of marital “techniques” that are unrelated to the task of living as a Christian generally. For the unmarried, the best preparation for future duties is a pleasant embrace of current duties. For those who are married, there is no way to grow as a husband or wife in Christ apart from growing in Christ period.”

On words…

“Words are not abstract entities with an ethereal life of their own in Dictionary Heaven. Biblically considered, words are spoken in a particular place at a particular time, and full understanding is only possible for those who by grace understand the world in this same way. Words in this respect are like the Word. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14a). The glory of words is therefore revealed only when they are enfleshed and particularized. This means that the words were given to us in order to  be set in place like fine jewelry: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover  upon an obedient ear” (Prov. 25:11-12)…
Since words only gain fill meaning when set in a specific context, husbands and wives must learn to speak to one another carefully – but there are two kinds of “carefully”. You should not have to be careful because you are handling a high explosive that might go off at any time. Rather, you should be careful because you are jeweler of words . you are setting fourteen-carat words in the appropriate place, and when you are done, it will be worth ten thousand dollars. This is the right kind of “carefully”.
… So we must be diligent students of words in our marriages, understanding all the nuances of our speech.”

Now, if you have a question you may want to ask Doug Wilson or his wife Nancy they encourage you to do so here.

Have a most blessed day!

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>The Christian Wife, by J.R. Miller

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>This month we have been talking about marriage; so I think it is important to consider what are some characteristics of the Christian wife that we should not forget; and because it is Thursday of Borrowed Words, we’ll read J.R. Miller’s words on this topic. (I know it’s long, but please, don’t skim read it; take the time to read and carefully consider these words.)

Ball Point Drawing by Andrea Joseph

“It is a high honor for a woman to be chosen from among all womankind, to be the wife of a godly and true man. She is lifted up to be a crowned queen. Her husband’s manly love laid at her feet, exalts her to the throne of his life. Great power is placed in her hands. Sacred destinies are reposed in her keeping. Will she wear her crown beneficently? Will she fill her realm with beauty and with blessing? Or will she fail in her holy trust? Only her married life can be the answer.”

“What is the true ideal of a godly wife? It is not something lifted above the common experiences of life, not an ethereal angel feeding on ambrosia and moving in the realms of imagination… The true wife needs to be no mere poet’s dream, no artist’s picture, no ethereal lady too fine for use—but a woman healthful, strong, practical, industrious, with a hand for life’s common duties, yet crowned with that beauty which a high and noble purpose gives to a soul.”

J.R. Miller goes on to list several characteristics of a godly wife:

1. Faithfulness.

“A true wife, by her character and by her conduct, proves herself worthy of her husband’s trust. He has confidence in her affection; he knows that her heart is unalterably true to him. He has confidence in her management; he confides to her the care of his household. He knows that she is true to all his interests, that she is prudent and wise, not wasteful nor extravagant… Every true wife makes her husband’s interests her own…When burdens press upon him—she tries to lighten them by sympathy, by cheer, by the inspiration of love. She enters with zest and enthusiasm into all his plans. She is never a weight to drag him down; she is strength in his heart to help him ever to do nobler and better things.”

2. Housekeeper.

“Love may build its palace of noble sentiments and tender affections and sweet romances—rising into the very clouds, and in this splendid home two souls may dwell in the enjoyment of the highest possibilities of wedded life; but this palace, too, must stand on the ground, with unpoetic and unsentimental stones for its foundation. That foundation is good housekeeping. In other words, good breakfasts, dinners and suppers, a well-kept house, order, system, promptness, punctuality, good cheer—far more than any young lovers dream—does happiness in married life depend upon such commonplace things as these!

Bad housekeeping will soon drive the last vestige of romance out of any home! The illusion which love weaves about an idolized bride, will soon vanish if she proves lazy or incompetent in her domestic management. The wife who will keep the charm of early love unbroken through the years, and in whose home the dreams of the wedding day will come true—must be a good housekeeper!”

Andrea Joseph’s Illustration with Coloured Pencils

3.Generous and Warm Hearted.

“{I}t is in the dark hours of a man’s life, when burdens press, when sorrows weigh like mountains upon his soul, when adversities have left him crushed and broken, or when he is in the midst of fierce struggles which try the strength of every fiber of his manhood—that all the radiance and glory of a true wife’s strengthful love shine out before his eyes! Only then does he recognize in her—God’s angel of mercy!

In sickness—how thoughtful, how skillful, how gentle a nurse is the true wife! In struggle with temptation or adversity or difficulty—what an inspirer she is! In misfortune or disaster—what lofty heroism does she exhibit and what courage does her bravery kindle in her husband’s heart! Instead of being crushed by the unexpected loss, she only then rises to her full grandeur of soul. Instead of weeping, repining and despairing, and thus adding tenfold to the burden of the misfortune—she cheerfully accepts the changed circumstances and becomes a minister of hope and strength. She turns away from luxury and ease—to the plainer home, the simpler life, the humbler surroundings, without a murmur!”

4. Prudent.

“Are there little frictions or grievances in the wedded life? Has her husband faults which annoy her or cause her pain? Does he fail in this duty or that? Do differences arise which threaten the peace of the home? I
n the feeling of disappointment and pain, smarting under a sense of injury—a wife may be strongly tempted to seek sympathy by telling her trials to some intimate friends. Nothing could be more fatal to her own truest interests, and to the hope of restored happiness and peace in her home. Grievances complained of outside—remain unhealed sores. The wise wife will share her secret of unhappiness with none but her Master, while she strives in every way that patient love can suggest—to remove the causes of discord or trouble.”

5. She Will Look Well to her Personal Appearance

“No woman can be careless in her dress, slovenly and untidy—and long keep her place on the throne of her husband’s life. She will look well to her inner life. She must have mental attractiveness. She will seek to be clothed in spiritual beauty. Her husband must see in her ever-new loveliness, as the years move on. As the charms of physical beauty may fade in the toils and vicissitudes of life, there must be more and more beauty of soul to shine out to replace the attractions which are lost. It has been said that “the wife should always leave something to be revealed only to her husband, some modest charm, some secret grace, reserved solely for his delight and inspiration, like those flowers which give of their sweetness only to the hand which lovingly gathers them.” She should always care more to please him—than any other person in the world. She should prize more highly a compliment from his lips—than from any other human lips.

6. She is a Woman of Character.

“She can be a good wife only by being a good woman. And she can be a good woman in the true sense only by being a Christian woman. Nowhere but in Christ—can she find the wisdom and strength she needs, to meet the solemn responsibilities of wifehood. Only in Christ can she find that rich beauty of soul, that gemming of the character, which shall make her lovely in her husband’s sight, when the bloom of youth is gone, when the brilliance has faded out of her eyes, and the roses have fled from her cheeks. Only Christ can teach her how to live so as to be blessed, and be a blessing in her married life!
“Human love is very precious—but it is not enough to satisfy a heart. There will be trials, there will be perplexities, there will be crosses and disappointments, there will be solicitudes and sorrows. Then none but Christ will be sufficient! Without him, the way will be dreary. But with his benediction and presence—the flowers which droop today will bloom fresh again tomorrow! And the dreams of early love will build themselves up into a palace of peace and joy for the solace, the comfort and shelter of old age!”

>15 Marriage Admonitions

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>Our “guest” at Thursday of Borrowed words is Leigh Richmond ( 1772- 1827); He wrote 15 marriage admonitions for his daughters… and us.

“My much-loved daughter,
When your sister Mary left her paternal roof, I gave her a paper of admonitions, which I requested her to read often. I do the same for you, in the form of a friendly string of maxims, to regulate your conduct in your new and very responsible situation.
1. Aim at keeping a devoted heart for God in the least and most common transactions of every hour—as well as in those events which may seem to call the loudest for manifestations of Christian prudence and principle.
2. Pray regularly and frequently, not seldom and occasionally—for grace to live by.
3. Remember the Christian principles and examples of your father’s house, and everywhere endeavor to preserve its character, by consistency in conduct, conversation, and temper. Keep in constant recollection—the wise, prudent, and conscientious example of your dear mother.
4. Form no hasty friendship; and none whatever, but such as may promote seriousness of heart, tongue and life.
5. Beware of cheerfulness degenerating into levity. Let no natural vivacity of temper, no occasionally indulged sallies of humor and jocularity—throw a shadow over the exercise of solid principle. Little foolish things give a color to character, and are more easily imitated, than serious and good sentiments.
6. Guard against hasty judgments of character, and above all against uttering hasty opinions, and making remarks to the disparagement of others. Particularly avoid making the errors, failings, faults, or follies of others—the subject of rash and unguarded remarks. Be known for charity, forbearance, and kindness. Be slow to judge—rather than swift to speak.
7. Wherever you are, in the first place, remember that God’s eye is upon you; and then imagine also that your husband and father are present. It may be a fanciful—but it is a profitable supposition.
8. Keep Christ’s golden rule,”Do unto to others—as you would have them do unto you” in perpetual remembrance. It is the panacea for most of the social evils of life.
9. Be conscientious towards all;friendly with few; confidential with fewer still; strictly intimate with fewest of all.
10. When you think of your father, bear with his infirmities and pardon his faults—but remember his principles and instructions, so far as they have been agreeable to the Word of God.
11. Do not be content with anything short of deep, sincere, diligent, and decided piety.
12. If you and your husband happen to differ in opinion or feeling on any point—remember whom you have promised to love, honor, and obey—and this will settle all things.
13. Of your husband’s warm affections towards you, I entertain no doubt—strive to preserve them by daily elevation of character; and not so much by fondness—as by prudence and dignity. May you both learn to raise a home of marital happiness—by mutual wisdom and love.
14. Observe great simplicity and plainness in dress. You should be a pattern to others in this respect. There is a just complaint made of many females who profess to be pious—that they are far too showy and mirthful in their outward apparel. Remember the apostle Peter’s injunction, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
15. Christ has been made known to you fully and freely; let Christ be your all in all, both now and forever.
Receive my parting advice in love, and be assured, my beloved child, that it comes from the affectionate heart of your dear father.” (1)

Many of these advices are forgotten, many sound “out-dated”, even for some women who profess to be Christians; but let’s be sincere,  Christian women nowadays desperately need to take some of these godly advices.

Do you have a favorite one? 

Which other would you include?

1. Source @Grace Gems

>Octavius Winslow’s Book -Help Heavenward-

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>I wish I could have the time to blog about every book I read! But then, I would not have time to read…

I mentioned few weeks ago that I was going to be part of this reading group hosted by Matthew Blair at the Octavius Winslow Archive, so yes, I have been reading  along and enjoying this book a lot.  The chapters are short and very meaty; you don’t have to buy the book, because Matthew Blair posts the chapters on his blog, and you can also find them at Grace Gems.

I also said that I was not planning to write about this book, but this week I will. (and who knows… maybe next week too)

It is chapter 4, The Clouds of the Christian, The Chariot of God; this title means that whatever comes to our life that seems like a cloud, is indeed what God has brought us to our lives to bring us closer to Him, to Heaven. We are not to fear, if we are children of God because we have hope in God; Because He has justified us, who can condemn us?

“the darkest dispensations in which He hides Himself shall presently unveil the brightest views of His character and love; and thus the lowering cloud that deepened in its darkness and grew larger as it approached, shall dissolve and vanish, leaving no object visible to the eye but Him whose essence and name is Love. Oh, it is because we have such shallow views of God’s love that we have such defective views of God’s dealings. We blindly interpret the symbols of His providence, because we so imperfectly read the engraving of His heart. Faith finds it difficult to spell the word “Love,” as written in the shaded characters of its discipline; to believe that the cloud which looks so sombre and threatening is the love-chariot of Him who for our ransom gave Himself unto the death, because He so loved us!”

If we could understand this Perfect Love! If we could only see Him in the darkest clouds.

Seeing Him…  is the only way to live through hard providences; seeing His glory brighter than any storm, and the greatest storm, the greatest cloud of darkness is our sinful nature, but Jesus came and took it away.

“So divine, blinding, and overpowering is the essential glory of our redeeming God, that a believing sinner, enveloped by its beams, is changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. All his unrighteousness, his sins, and hell-deservings are consumed and destroyed by the Divine Sun of righteousness: Jesus makes this cloud His chariot, and waits to bless us with its vision.”

Winslow says that also the Divine Truths, (for example, are the revealed doctrines of the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Atonement, Election, Sovereignty, the New Birth, and the Resurrection) maybe regarded as the cloud-chariots of God.

“The gospel is the vehicle in which Christ makes his constant advent to our souls”

We don’t need to understand every single doctrine, every single mystery in the Word; but that we are sinners and Christ is the only Saviour.

“Regard it as one of your chief mercies that your salvation depends not upon reason but upon faith: that you are not called upon fully to comprehend, but unquestioningly to believe and love: that you are not the less saved because your faith deals with obscurity, nor is your faith less real, precious, or saving, because it abjures the wisdom of the sage for the docile spirit of the child, and the learning of the philosopher for the humility of the disciple. Let your great study be the mystery of Christ’s love to sinners—the mystery of Christ’s love to you.”

 God’s providential government over our lives brings us Heavenward, Winslow says:

“Those clouds of providential dispensations, which turn our day into night, bring out to view such constellations of Divine promises, discover such perfections of the Divine character, and present such discoveries of Divine love, as to make even night more wonderful and resplendent than day. Ah, beloved! we should know but little what Christ’s chariot of love was, but for the clouds in which He comes to us.” 

Let us fix our eyes not on the cloud but on the One who is blowing the winds, on the One who brings storms and calms tempests.

“It is our wisdom and our happiness to know that there is not an event or circumstance, a cloud or a sunbeam, in our personal history and experience, that is not a vehicle of Christ. He maketh the clouds His chariot; and His providential dispensations, whatever their form or their hue, are His means of approaching and visiting us. “The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.” 

Let us no fear the storm, let us find our hiding place, the Cross of Christ; let us hide beneath the wongs of the Almighty, let His Love be our shelter!

 The last chariot the Lord has prepared for us to help us Heavenward is death; which shall bring us to our home where we will be able to see the Lord and be with Him forever!

“Let us so live detached from, and above, the world, and creatures, and earthly delights; let us so live in fellowship with God, and in communion with Divine and eternal things, that when the Lord’s chariot gently knocks at our door, we may have nothing to do but to step into it and away to heaven!… Be patient and trustful; the Lord’s time is best, and ere long thou shalt exclaim, “It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh! the Master is come and calleth for me. Earth, farewell! friends, farewell! parents, kindred, wife, children, home, farewell! Sorrow, suffering, trial, sin, farewell! I go to be with Jesus for ever!” And then a cloud of glory shall receive you out of their sight, and so shall you ever be with the Lord.”

As I read these words I was reminded of Paul, he too knew that to be with Christ is far better…

Under His sun and by His grace…. Daily On My Way to Heaven

Next week we’ll talk about Chapter 5, Bonds Loosed

>Celebrating the Mystery of Marriage -Borrowed Words-

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>February is here and also beautiful paper heart garlands and boxes of chocolates wrapped in red festive paper; why not then, take this time to consider what is the Christian marriage. I will be posting several entries on this topic through out  this month (I will  also have some guests posting here too!), and I would love for you to join me, to join the conversation as we consider the great and beautiful mystery of marriage.

All Thursdays of Borrowed Words, during February, we will consider what other saints have said about marriage.

Gary Thomas in his book, Sacred Marriage, says:

“Christianity involves believing certain things, to be sure, but its herald, its hallmark, its  glory is not merely ascribing to certain intellectual truths. The beauty of Christianity is in learning to love, and a few life situations tests so radically as does marriage.
Yes. it is difficult to love your spouse. But if you truly want to love God, look right now at the ring on your left hand, commit yourself to exploring anew what that ring represents, and love passionately, crazily, enduringly the fleshy person who put it there.
It just may be one of the most spiritual things you can do.”

What about writing a letter to your husband telling him what does that ring that he put in your finger means… Yes… “it may be one of the most spiritual things” you could do this day.

“Giving respect is an obligation, not a favor; it is an act of maturity, birthed in a profound understanding of God’s grace”

Why not start TODAY looking for evidences of grace in your husband’s life? Why not falling in love again? Why not start focusing again on what God has done in him? Why not today?

“Contempt is conceived with expectations. Respect is conceived with expressions of gratitude. we can choose which one we will obsess over -expectations, or thanksgivings. That choice will result in a birth- and  the child will be named either contempt, or respect”

If you keep a gratitude journal maybe this month would be a great thing to focus in giving thanks for all that God has done and is doing in your husband; for all that he is; for all that he does for you and your children; for all that he means to you. Let us be obsessed with giving thanks for him!

“Marriage can force us to become stronger people, because if we want to maintain a strong prayer life as married partners, we must learn how to forgive. We must become expert reconcilers. Friction will inevitably develop. Anger will surely heat up the occasion. So we must learn to deal with conflict as mature Christians -or risk blowing off our prayer life in the process (see Matthew 5: 23-24)

Before saying that your prayer life is “missing something”, ask yourself if you have resentment against your husband; maybe your prayer life is weak and limp because of the lack of forgiveness towards your husband.

“Ask yourself this question: Would I rather live a life of ease and comfort and remain immature in Christ or am I willing to be seasoned with suffering if by doing so I am conformed to the image of Christ?…
Don’t run from the struggles of marriage. Embrace them. Grow in them. Draw nearer to God because of them. Through them you will reflect  more of the spirit of Jesus Christ. and thank God that he has placed you in a situation where your spirit can be perfected”

What do you do when struggles come to your marriage? Run away in despair or run to God asking Him to change you, to make you more than Christ? Struggles in marriage as in any other area in the life of the Christian have the purpose to help us grow in our sanctification and mortify the sin still trying to rule in us. If we are aware of this we will definitely deal differently during the hard times.

Being the wife I know God wants me to be and working towards that goal, is also part of what it means to Live in the Sacred, naked before a Holy God,  don’t you think?

Under His sun and by His grace,