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7/31/2019 In Praise of Women
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An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
Proverbs 31:10-1
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She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to theneedy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for herhousehold,
For all her household are clothed with
scarlet.22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Proverbs 31:19-22
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Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.24 She makes linen garments and sells them,And supplies belts to the tradesmen.25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on hertongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of herhousehold,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Proverbs 31:23-27
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Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her,saying:29 Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
Buta woman who fears the LORD, sheshall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:28-31
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In this passage we are given anexample and a mandate . The author
of the text praises a godly woman. He
then tells us the children and thehusband of such a woman should
praise her. He then tells us as readers
to praise her.
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Unfortunately we often accept the liethat somehow praise is not for anyone
but God. We feel sure that letting
someone know how far they fall short isa more godly way of approaching
things. After all praise might engender
pride
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It has been my observation of myself
and others that the most prideprovoking experiences are from not
being praised. They are from being
criticized. The temptation to react byshowing them is not usually
engendered by people giving thanks for
us or commenting favorably about us.
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Further it is my absolute conviction thatcriticism of others is an identifier of one
of the deepest strongholds of pride in
the human heart. To see oneself asabove others.
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And He also told this parable to some
people who trusted in themselves that
they were righteous, and viewed others
with contempt: 10 Two men went up into
the temple to pray, one a Pharisee andthe other a tax collector.
Luke 18:9-10 (NASB)
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The Pharisee stood and was praying
this to himself: God, I thank You that I
am not like other people: swindlers,
unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector.
12
I fast twice a week; I paytithes of all that I get.
Luke 18:11-12 (NASB)
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I tell you, this man went to his house
justified rather than the other; for
everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, but he who humbles himself
will be exalted.
Luke 18:14 (NASB)
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The ability to consistently see
praiseworthy things in others andcommunicate it to them is lifegiving both
in those who we praise and even more
importantly in our selves.
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Let no unwholesome word proceed
from your mouth, but only such a word
as is good for edification according to
the need of the moment, so that it will
give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29 (NASB)
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This came home in a deep way to me
when a friend and I were prayingtogether about strengthening our
marriages. I felt the Lord place a
challenge on my heart to begin to ceasefrom any critical communication coming
out of my mouth towards my wife.
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I told my friend we should make acommitment for thirty days to not say
one word of criticism to or about our
spouses. Instead each morning wewould pray and ask what the Lord
would have us praise our sweethearts
for.
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After we heard what it was we wouldcall each other and tell each other what
we were going to tell them. Then later in
the day we would sit with our wife, holdher hand and tell her what we praised
her for that day.
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By the fourth day of our doing this my
friend and I were both in tears tellingeach other what God had shared with
us that morning. It brought a sweetness
into our marriages like nothing had everdone before. For me it became a life
changer as I began to see the power it
had not only to help others but to
change my heart towards others.
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I began to practice it in all therelationships in my life. To this very day
I purposefully pray to ask God who He
would like me to praise and what I amto tell them. I seek to do that for several
people a day. The results have been
nothing less than amazing through theyears since I began this practice.
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It has become one of those life
changing principles that God has givenme to help me and others actually do
what God says to do in a very practical
way. And I have seen that who everdoes it the same wonderful results
happen.
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Today I would like to share what in the
depth of my heart I believe about Gods
heart for women. I believe it to be based
on an accurate reading of scripture.
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The Bible tells us to praise women for
what God praises them for.
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God intentional created the
first woman in a way to createpraise for her in the heart of
the first man and for allwomen in the heart of
humanity since.
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Genesis 2:18
Then the LORD Godsaid, "It is not good for
the man to be alone; Iwill make him a helper
suitable for him.
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Genesis 2:19
Out of the ground the LORD Godformed every beast of the field
and every bird of the sky, and
brought them to the man to seewhat he would call them; and
whatever the man called a living
creature, that was its name.
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Genesis 2:20
The man gave names to allthe cattle, and to the birds
of the sky, and to everybeast of the field, but for
Adam there was not found
a helper suitable for him.
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Genesis 2:21
So the LORD God caused adeep sleep to fall upon the
man, and he slept; then Hetook one of his ribs and
closed up the flesh at that
place.
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Genesis 2:22
The LORD God fashionedinto a woman the rib which
He had taken from theman, and brought her to
the man.
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Genesis 2:23
The man said, This is now bone of my
bones, And flesh of my flesh;She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out
of Man.
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Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man shallleave his father and his
mother, and be joined to his
wife; and they shall become
one flesh.
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Genesis 3:20
Now the man called hiswife's name Eve,
because she was themother of all the living.
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Notice the care God takes to unfold the
drama of Eves creation. You can feel
the awakening of a desperate need
within the man he created as God
spoke that it was not good for him to be
alone. It is said of all the things he did
up to that point, it was good. Now he
exclaims, It is not good. And herewe begin to see His purpose in letting a
void be in the mans heart.
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I believe God created an Eve shaped
hole in Adam. Before he met her he
was longing for something but not sure
what. In Gods typical fashion He let
Adam see all the animals who shared
animate life with him. He had them
name each one he brought to him. But
as they passed by one by one itbecame more clear with each new
name given that none met the heart
need he longed for.
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I can just imagine Gods delight as he
saw Adam growing more and more
concerned. I can almost see him
laughing to himself and thinking just
wait to see what I have for you! You
have no idea how wonderful she will be.
I want you to appreciate her when she
shows up. I want you to alwaysremember a universe without her so
when you have her you will always be
grateful for her!
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Finally all the animals had been named.
All the potential candidates for curing
the mans aloneness had been
considered but for Adam none was
found as a suitable one who was his
opposite called alongside him to help
him thats the literal translation of
who God said Eve was.
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So that was it. The longing in his heart
could not be met in anything on the
planet. One thing we must always
remember when we sing that we need
none but Jesus.. on one level that is
absolutely true but on another we
desperately need each other as well.
And this was purposefully designed byGod in us.
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This need was placed in humanity
before sin ever entered the world.
Adams fellowship with God was
unhindered.
God created Adam with a need that not
even He would meet. The only thing
that could meet the need in Adamsheart was the woman that at that
moment only existed in Gods creative
genius.
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So one of the first things women can be
praised for is that each of them are
created to be a woman. Just as God
created Eve intentionally, specifically, in
every aspect of her being, physically,
emotionally, intellectually and spiritually
to be a woman so He has done with
every woman since.
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I have always been sure that the timing
of Gods creation was intentional. He
could have created Eve at the same
time as Adam. As I said before I believe
the timing was purposeful in Adam to
bring forth praise from his lips when he
finally saw her. And he did just that! The
Hebrew literally says.Here at last bone of my bones
flesh of my flesh!!!!
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She is Gods
greatest work
of art.
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But I believe the timing had
an even greater purpose.
I believe God saved the bestof his creation for last.
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Its like watching fireworks in Gibbons
Park every year. The grand finale is
awesome. We see some great stuff
before and we arent sure even if weve
seen the best yet. But when the end
really comes we all are amazed.
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Isnt that the way it is with
almost everything? Weusually save the very best we
have to offer in any creativeenterprise until the very last. I
believe is what God did with
Eve.
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Eve was the crowning act of
Gods creation. She was thefinal glorious display of His
artistry. Each of Eves
daughters continue to display
that glorious creative beauty
and power to this day and will tothe end of history.
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She is the prophetic
display of Gods
purpose in history.
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I find an even greater purpose
in the timing of Eves creationwhich brings praise into my
heart for all women. I believe
she and through her every other
woman, bears in her being a
prophetic picture a picture ofwhat Gods plan is for all of
time.
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I believe what God did in the
seven days of creation mirrorthe story of history. The story
centers on Eve. I believeevery woman since mirrors
the same story.
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I believe the central purpose
of the creation of the universeand us as male and female is
that at the end of time God isgoing to take to heaven a
bride for His Son Jesus.
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The central drama of history is
Jesus coming to this brokenplanet to purchase his bride
with his own life. He, as he
desires every man to do, fought
for her, denied himself for her
and gave his life to gain herheart.
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Let us rejoice and be glad and give the
glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb
has come and His bride has made herselfready. 8 It was given to her to clothe
herself in fine linen, bright andclean; for
the fine linen is the righteous acts of thesaints. 9 Then he said to me, Write,
Blessed are those who are invited to the
marriage supper of the Lamb. And hesaid to me, These are true words of
God.
Revelation 19:7-9(NASB)
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The design expressed in
the creation of Eve asAdams spouse was
intentional.
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Their union was torepresent Jesus
and His Bride -
the Church.
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Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives,just as Christ also loved
the church and gaveHimself up for her,
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Ephesians 5:26
so that He might sanctifyher, having cleansed her
by the washing of waterwith the word,
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Ephesians 5:27
that He might present toHimself the church in all her
glory, having no spot orwrinkle or any such thing;
but that she would be holy
and blameless.
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Ephesians 5:28
So husbands ought also tolove their own wives as their
own bodies. He who loveshis own wife loves himself;
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Ephesians 5:29
for no one ever hated hisown flesh, but nourishes
and cherishes it, just asChrist also does the church,
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Ephesians 5:30
because we are members of Hisbody. 31 FOR THIS REASON A
MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS
FATHER AND MOTHER AND
SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS
WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALLBECOME ONE FLESH.
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Ephesians 5:32
This mystery is great;but I am speaking
with reference toChrist and the church.
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The last act ofphysical creation
was to bring Adam
his bride Eve.
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The last act of history
will be to bring to
Jesus his bride thechurch.
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Revelation 21:9b
Then one of the seven angelswho had the seven bowls full of
the seven last plagues came
and spoke with me, saying,"Come here, I will show you the
bride, the wife of the Lamb.
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Revelation 21:10
And he carried me away in theSpirit to a great and high
mountain, and showed methe holy city, Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven
from God,
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Every woman who has ever lived or will
ever live bears that prophetic image in
the core of her being even if she never
marries. God has chosen women to
show us the wonderful plan God has for
the whole of history.
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In the mystery of Gods
principle of design God
choose the woman to
be the life giver.
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I once was listening to a
feminist speaker at UWOand she made thestatement that the onlydifference between awoman and a man was
the ability to bearchildren.
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In keeping with the spirit of
our age she felt this was avery minor point.
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I immediately thought, That
difference is so huge that iteffects everything there is
about our identity.
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And yet she was very
wrong in saying that her
only difference is the
ability to bear children.
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It is only in the age of
disposable relationshipsthat we can fail to see that
from the dawn of time theunique place God gave
women in His design.
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They are LIFE GIVERS, not
only in the ability to bearchildren but in every aspect
of their being - spirit, souland body.
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Eves life giving
began with her
relationship with herhusband Adam.
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Before she was a life
giver to children she
was a life giver toAdam.
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She shared common aspects
of his creation but thedifferences in her body, soul
and spirit were centered inher awesome gifting of being
a life giver.
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Before she gave life to
her children she gave
life to her husband.
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Genesis 4:1
Now the man had relationswith his wife Eve, and she
conceived and gave birth toCain. . . .
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It has been so ever
since the first couple
held each other in thewonder of Eros.
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And so the mysteryof Gods design is
revealed.
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The mystery ofmutual dependence
and mutual lovebringing forth life.
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1 Corinthians 11:11
However, in the Lord, neither iswoman independent of man, nor
is man independent of woman.12 For as the woman originates
from the man, so also the man
{has his birth} through thewoman; and all things originate
from God.
A P l St k t i th
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As Paul Stookey wrote in the
Marriage Song,Woman draws her life from
man and gives it backagain, and there is love.
B f h d d t th
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Before she responded to the
first helpless cry from theheart of her baby, she
responded to the cry of herhusbands heart for one to
share his life with.
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Malachi 2:14
. . . she is your companion, the wife of
your marriage vows. 15 Didn't God
make you one? Your flesh and spirit
belong to him. And what does thesame God look for but godly
descendants?
(Gods Word Translation)
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Our mothers womb
was not the only placeshe was a life giver to
us.
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Again we see Gods design for
life giving in a womans body.Her body is the source of life
giving nourishment in those
first moments of our lives.
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One of the great tragedies of
Hudson Taylors life was the lossnot only of his wife Maria shortly
after she gave birth, but also of
his infant son. That son died
only because he had no mother
to nurse him.
Th l th th
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The love, the presence, the
provision and the protectionan infant has from his nursing
mother is used as one of themost powerful biblical
symbols of Gods love for us.
Isaiah 49:15
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Isaiah 49:15
"Can a woman forget her nursing
child And have no compassion
on the son of her womb? Even
these may forget, but I will notforget you.
F b d th l h i l
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Far beyond the early physical
dependency we have on our mothers
her influence will mark our lives
indelibly. If she fulfills her mandate from
God we will be given the best beginning
we could possibly have.
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The nurture, training and
protection a good mothergives out of her love for
us could never bepurchased.....
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But even if she was not
the best of moms wecan never repay what
was given to usthrough her.
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Because each one
of our days
are a gift from
God through her.
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By giving us lifeshe gave us a
chance to know
and belong toGod.
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The most important life
giving role in human
history was Mary givingbirth to Jesus.
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Had there been
no womb toreceive Him....
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Had there been noone to nurse him....
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Had there been noone to care for him
as only his mother
could.....
W ld t b
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We would not be
sons and
daughters of Godtoday.
G l ti 4 4
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Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of the timecame, God sent forth His Son,
born of a woman, born under the
Law, 5 so that He might redeemthose who were under the Law,
that we might receive the adoptionas sons.
I th if
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In the same way if our
mothers had not chosento have us we would
have never known thejoy of our relationship we
have with God today.
She gave us the greatest
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She gave us the greatest
gift given beside whatJesus himself gave. She
gave us the chance tolive and in doing so the
chance to find a lifegivingrelationship with God.
Now some Perhaps
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Now some. Perhaps
many of you listeningtoday have been feeling
uncomfortable with thethings I have been
sharing.
Some of you may feel that
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Some of you may feel that
there are only a fewwomen that you could
whole heartedly praise.
Others of you may be
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Others of you may be
remembering ancientwounds inflicted on you
by one or many of thedaughters of Eve.
Some may even be feeling
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Some may even be feeling
shame, regret orcondemnation as you are
tempted to hear thismessage as a plumb line
you must measure up to.
I know from my own
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I know from my own
journey of seeking to bethe man God wants me
to be that I must haveJesus in my life before I
can be anything he maywant me to be.
But I also know that we
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But I also know that we
can help each otherbecome what God
intends when we valueeach other as God does.
When we see each other
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When we see each other
as God sees us.
When we encourage each
other as God desires.
When we commit to each
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When we commit to each
other in love the way Hecommits to us in love.
When we commit to each
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When we commit to each
other in love the way Hecommits to us in love.
Prayer Points:
Th t ll ld h G d i i Hi ti f
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That we all would honor Gods image in His creation of women.
That we would praise the women in our lives for what God
praises them for.
If we have wounds from women we would forgive those who
have not lived up to Gods desire for them.
If , as women, we have wounds from men not fulfilling their role
in our lives we would forgive them.
That we, as men, would love, honor and respect all women
especially those we have a closer relationship with.
That God would capture hearts of women who are trapped in
bitterness by using us to show his love for them and the valueHe holds them in.
That we would honor our mother no matter what she was like