quilt mistake

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.*

(Photo of a handmade quilt made by myself in 2012-13)

'Keuschheit' the German word in Galatians 5:23 known in English translations most often as 'self-control' but more directly translated as 'chastity'.**

I made a quilt for my German cousin for her baptism, with the Fruits of the Spirit pictured on it. I used the German words but was inspired for the pictures by the English words. This worked really well, except with this picture; Keuschheit! Self-control has a slightly different meaning to chastity! Once I saw that my cupcake image might not explain chastity I started to think of what the meaning of chastity and self-control really are.

Chastity or chaste defined by the online dictionary^ is being morally pure in thought or conduct; decent and modest; refraining from sexual intercourse, regarded as contrary to morality or religion; virginal; celibate. This has made me wonder if chastity is something only single people can have and/or experience. But I do not think so, I admire the first two definitions: 'pure in thought' and 'modest' and believe that can apply to anybody! But there is a chastity specifically being single which refrains from sexual intercourse. I believe that once married this would change to purity within the marriage, until then I strive to be chaste.

This isn't something that I take lightly, I struggle with keeping my thought and conduct pure, decent and modest. What I have to practice (daily!) is self-control. I am glad that those two ideas were linked for me accidentally in making my quilt, because the more I think about it, the more they are linked. I cannot have chastity without self-control. Without self-control, there is nothing stopping us doing things that might not be in our best interests.

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.***

I am especially strong in my determination to keep practicing self-control despite temptations to do otherwise because I believe God has my best interests at heart, and He has asked me and everyone to:

"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."****

This passage tells me a few things. My body is a temple. The Holy Spirit is within me. I was bought with a price. As a Christian, I am not my own.
What does 'temple' mean? In the Bible the Old Testament is the account of God interacting with people through profits, He promises to be with them, and so asks the Israelite's to make a place where He can be (without destroying them with His power and glory). This begins as a tent that moves with His people and eventually a temple is built in Jerusalem where God presides and people come to worship and sacrifice. At the temple people were able to interact with God, through the priest and sacrifice system. In the New Testament, Jesus presents a new relationship with God, He prays to the Father where ever he goes. On the cross He enables others to share in that personal connection with God. This is seen as when Jesus dies, the temple curtain (separating God's inner temple room from people) is torn in two, from top to bottom!

We can have a personal relationship with God where we are! But more amazingly, this is further possible because God gives the Holy Spirit into people so that they can share in the intimate relationship with God the Father that Jesus had! This is only possible because Jesus died on the cross, being the sacrifice and priest, absolving us of our trespasses. The price of a personal relationship with God is the Son of God's innocent death! The fact that Jesus rose from the dead proving He has power over death, gives us confidence in His promises. And so following Jesus means respecting that He has a claim on my life and my body, His Spirit lives in me, so I want to keep it clean and pure! And when I am tempted or fail, I know that His love and forgiveness is unconditional. Yet I strive to be self-controlled and honest, modest and decent, pure and chaste because I know the great cost he went to for my sake!

It's not easy staying on the straight and narrow. But it is good. And it is possible! By living according to the Word of God, seeking self-control and fleeing sexual sin. As Paul wrote to Timothy, may I encourage myself and you to, "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart".*****

*Psalm 119:9 
**www.dict.leo.org and www.biblegateway.com
***Proverbs 25:28 
^http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chaste
****1 Corinthians 6:18-20 
*****2 Timothy 2:22 

resolutions

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.*

Surprising as it may be, half the year has now gone by! Do you remember January? The new year? Did you make any New Years Resolutions? How are you going with them? Were they good and achievable resolutions? I have a few friends who don't like the idea of new years resolutions; some don't like them as they are often too hard to achieve! Some dislike new year resolutions because apparently they limit change to one time in the year!

However, I like the idea of resolutions, and we can't stand by and wait for a better time to make resolutions, that time won't come. That's why new years is as good a time as any. Furthermore, it's important to keep looking back on resolutions and seeing how we are achieving them (or not).

 My New Year Resolutions for 2013 were:

1. Figure out where I fit in community, in what community (especially church), and what I am to do there. How I am to use the gifts God has given me in that place.

2. A continuation to work on faithfully praying for people and issues.

3. Get over some of my irrational fears; lizards and heights.

Reflecting, my fear of heights was tested as a tourist, as most touristic activities are up high! ...Look outs, towers, monuments, church steeples, they were unending! In terms of my fear of lizards, that still needs some work, but I'm not convinced it is a priority just at the moment! :p My faithfulness in prayer is something that I will probably be working on during my whole life, so I don't expect to achieve it in a year, yet I keep it as a resolution so I don't forget this long term goal. If I ever "achieved" it I'm afraid I'd get lazy and stop trying. The first point, I am still working on, but am thinking about regularly.

As human beings are ever changing, the question is, are we blindly changing or consciously changing? Do we have a say in how we are influenced and what we are being shaped into? Do you want to have a say? Do you care what you turn out as? What shapes your goals and inspires you to change? Do you have a list of things you would like to improve in? or things you want to get rid of? My list expands almost every week, and I’m afraid, I don’t ever feel accomplished enough to cross them off. It is a continuous life process; growing, learning, changing. I care a lot about who I am becoming, and I think it is important to be intentional about the process. My inspiration is my Lord and Saviour, the Perfect Man and Gracious Friend.
The latest expansion on my list has been a bit overwhelming, but I think if I aim for them one at a time over the next 50 years (:p), I’ll get there, even if it’s not exactly in order...

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.**

Now whether or not you agree with what the Bible says. Take a moment to look back over the list.

Faith. Goodness. Knowledge. Self-control. Patience. Service. Kindness. Love. They are qualities that I hope most people see as valuable. Every good and perfect thing comes from God* who is Himself Love and His Word is trustworthy to share with us what He is like and what He values. What I find as I the Bible is that I am shaped to more fully value what God values, and seeing why it is so important. One can't really have too much kindness or knowledge, faith or patience, service or love, so let us intentionally possess these and other qualities in increasing measure, to be effective and productive in understanding our Lord and God, appreciating life and the world around us. 

*James 1:16-18

**2 Peter 1:5-8

hot chips

'You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.'*

 
In the past month I have really enjoyed eating hot chips! I'm savouring my Vegemite sandwiches. I enjoyed some great wedges with sour cream and sweet chili sauce the other day! And I can't get enough, I keep coming back for more. It has made me think about salt, and it's amazing diversity of uses. Jesus tells his followers that they are "the salt of the earth". But what does it mean to be a salty Christian?

Salt is used in cooking to ADD FLAVOUR. In Psalms it encourages us to 'taste and see that the LORD is good!'** If we explore and trust in God, we will find Him to be good and beneficial to our lives, enhancing what is already good in our life. Christians are encouraged to add flavour to the life around them, highlighting, encouraging, and building what is good.

Salt is also used in the process of canning which ensures the PRESERVATION of fruits, meats, and other foods. Just as salt keeps things for longer, so too should Christians be seeking to preserve what is good and  beautiful in the world. Salt preserves that which comes into contact with it, so too God commissions Christians to bring His people and world back to him, to preserve them and it for the return of Jesus and from rotting and wasting away.

'He says: "You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.'***

Salt is used when CURING meats, fish and olives, it is a process that preserves and adds flavour. Salt draws water from the product, making it last longer. And when eaten, we are thirsty for more. The Apostle Paul encourages Christians to 'Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.'**** A great story is one we come back to again and again, same with a great salty dish, and a friendly person. The message of Jesus is one that should make us come back for more, with it's good news of forgiveness and grace, justice and hope. As believers of this good news, Christians, too live out in person this gracious message.

Salt can be used as a WEED KILLER. There is justice. The evil of this world will be punished. If this wasn't the case it would be unfair, the unrepentant murderer and rapist, thief and liar, manipulator and greedy would be freed. But God promises that they will one day be punished. "God will turn the sins of the evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them."***** Until that day, we must wait on the Lord, but speak words of justice to the perpetrators and comfort to the victims.

Salt is also a means of CLEANING things in the kitchen and around the place. Apparently, it helps remove bad odors and egg from pans. Christians should also be people who seek to forgive one another and themselves. Who aid in cleaning society from the wrong that we collectively do. Ultimately, Christians are not God and will not do the job perfectly, but thankfully, we have a perfect God, who has, does and will clean completely and perfectly. If we are afraid of losing our effectiveness as salty Christians we can always turn to God in prayer and ask for his grace and forgiveness:

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.******

*Matthew 5:13
**Psalm 34:8
***Isaiah 49:6
****Colossians 4:6
*****Psalm 94:23
******Psalm 51:7