“Make the most of your time...........When we fail to operate in what God has given us we become stagnate which is to cease developing; become inactive or dull,…… bitter, jealous and just plan unfruitful. We were designed to work be creative. When we are not doing the work of the Lord we become idle and ineffective”- Pearle

This past Wednesday I spoke to the young adults for the first time at my new place of fellowship. It had been about 3-4yrs since I have spoken on something other than praise and worship. I was called as a preacher in my early teens but did not answer until I was 18. It was awesome to share what God had been speaking to me and is still speaking to me. I just wanted to share in my blog with everyone. I find that is still developing and I am being challenged everyday by it and in this blog I added a lil of what is being said.……The word the Lord had given to me was “Make the Most of your Time”.

Ephesians 5:15-17 says

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

God’s desire is that we all make the most of what He has called us to, but we can’t do anything until we start doing something. For some of us we know exactly what God has called us to do. Some still maybe seeking the Lord, but I guarantee it is already in you. God is not just calling His people to be preachers, singers or anything else that may be in the front. For many of us our dreams goals visions calling all look different. It could be anything from athlete to pastor but the main purpose of all of them should be to glorify God. Whatever we have been given to do we have to be disciplined stewards. We must make the most of our time here on Earth. His desired is that His light shines through us so the world may know who He is. Our gifts and our talents are not just for us but for others. Whatever God has called you gifted and anointed you to do is first to His glory and for kingdom building. We are called to be world changers. The world is hungry for something but it is not sure, but we have been given an opportunity to impact this earth by showing people Jesus.

Many of us have dreams and visions that we have given up on or figure because someone else looks like they can do it better or it’s just not working out so it must not be the will of God. The dreams and desires that we have, that are in line with God’s word, are not by given to us by accident. Sure sometimes they seem too big or too much, but that’s ok it’s not too big for God to fulfill. Personally I am being challenged in my faith walk in this area of giving up too soon on what I know God has placed in me to do. I figure I’d just take the backseat because clearly if it were God’s plan for me I would have already been doing it and I am doing too much so maybe I just need to “wait on the Lord” and stop pursuing the vision. I realized it’s nothing but a distraction and the laziness of my flesh and sometimes the enemy of our soul. Giving up is easy it takes no effort, but it will take everything from you.

1Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Some of you may literally have had the words of prophecy spoken over you, things that were confirmed because you know God spoke it. It is not entirely up to us to figure out how it is going to be fulfilled. But know Number 23:14 says

God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good.

Here’s another verse for encouragement sake.

Isaiah 55:11

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

When we fail to operate in what God has given us we become stagnate which is to cease developing; become inactive or dull,…… bitter, jealous and just plan unfruitful. We were designed to work be creative. When we are not doing the work of the Lord we become idle and ineffective.

When we fail to operate in God’s will for our lives we not only deprive ourselves but we deprive others. When operate or spend our time being unfruitful we cannot be effective and we can’t be spiritually healthy. You’re just occupying space. The children of God are supposed to be fruitful we are supposed to be growing and actively doing the will of God.

The people of God are special we are chosen predestined. Ask God to pour His Spirit upon you and in you until you filled with the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for everyone. I always want to encourage this because you need the Holy Spirit in you to do the work.

In whatever you desire to do actively seek God in prayer and in reading of His word. Saying prayers is not enough. Communicate with our God and Savior.

I could say a lot concerning make the most of your time and do the work now but I leave you with this.

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.-Colossians 4:5

But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.-Daniel 11:32

Making the most of your time, because the days are evil- Eph 5:16

The Modesty Issue

"Modesty is a respectable manner of adorning one’s body and carrying oneself, born out of a freedom from a worldly definition of beauty and worth, and motivated by a hatred of sin and a desire to draw attention to God.........When it comes to the subject of modest clothing, the first question we should ask ourselves is: What am I trying to accomplish by what I wear?"

The topic of modesty is something I have decided to look at again and I am pushing for more than ever, especially when I survey the world and it's desires to make lust and pride our motivation for why we do things. As believers we are to be set a part and sometimes that means looking different but ultimately carrying ourselves different. My desire and ultimately God's desire is that as a body of believers we continue to teach and live Godly principles so the young ones, those who are young in faith, and the unsaved see that there is a better way for us to conduct ourselves. I believe that Luke Gilkerson did a wonderful job of writing about modesty in 6 steps. While his focus is mainly on females, males are not exempt

-Pearle 

6 Marks of Biblical Modesty: How God Brings Sexy Back

 Friday, August 16, 2013 | Written by Luke Gilkerson

Modesty is a controversial topic, especially when you throw God into the mix. For some, they simply cannot fathom, amidst all the great injustices in the world, that God actually cares if a girl wears skin-tight pants with the word “Juicy” written on them.

But in the end, it is the Word of God that should drive our discussions about modesty. What has God revealed about it?

First and foremost, a biblical definition of modesty must focus on the heart. Modesty is primarily about our motivations. In addition, modest dress is also about discernment, having an awareness of others and our environment.

Modern Modesty Controversies

In a recent conversation, a woman I spoke with seemed deeply offended when I suggested a woman’s manner of dress could tempt a man to lust. She wasn’t denying the claim that men lust after women, but she was emphatic that women are not to blame for a man’s lustful thoughts and actions.

She’s right, of course. A person is never guilty of another person’s sin.

This woman’s protest is, in part, motivated by a desire to fight various rape myths in our culture. When a girl dresses scantily, goes to a college party, gets drunk, makes out with a dozen guys, and then is raped, for some there is a tendency to say, “Well, she was just asking for it.” This kind of victim blaming, sadly, leads some to temper any compassion for such women when they are abused.

Let’s be clear: victims of rape are not guilty of their rape. The girl who walks across campus at 2 a.m. and gets assaulted is not to blame for the crime committed against her. Similarly, victims of another’s lust do not thereby mean a woman is guilty of lust. She should never be made to account for another person’s sin.

Where then does modesty fit into the Christian ethic?

Paul on Modesty: 1 Timothy 2:8-10

“I desire…that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.“

Christian women should concern themselves with modesty because the Bible does. This text is a primary example.

For the purposes of this article, I am writing about women because Paul is writing about women in these verses. I recognize that men should also embrace modesty.

1. Modesty is not anti-pretty

At the outset, we should take note that Paul is not anti-adornment. The force of his statement is positive: “women should adorn themselves.” These are not the words of an anti-fashion prude. The same word “adorn” is used to speak of a bride beautifying herself for her husband (Revelation 21:2). It is a term that expresses being ornamented, well-kempt, and put in order.

The question for Paul isn’t about whether a woman should ornament her body, but how.

2. Modesty is about who you worship

In the context, Paul is talking about how women should prepare themselves for gathering at church. Women are commanded to adorn themselves in a way that is fitting for worship. If they “profess godliness”—that is, they desire to show God honor and reverence—how should they dress?

Paul puts his finger on the trigger of the problem. In Ephesus, the original destination of this letter, the cultural elite were known for their gaudy and extravagant wardrobes, their elaborate hair styles, and their expensive clothing that communicated extraordinary wealth. Paul paints a picture of this for the Ephesians Christians and says, “Don’t mimic that. When you come to church, come dressed in a way that shows you desire to the attention to be on God, not yourself.”

A person’s manner of dress, or even their preoccupation with clothing itself (Matthew 6:28-30), is often indicative of a heart that loves self more than God.

3. Modesty is about behavior and attitude, not just clothing

When Paul says that women should wear “respectable apparel,” the term “apparel” is probably translated too narrowly: it is a term that encompasses not just clothing, but one’s whole demeanor, attitude, and actions.

Ultimately, what should adorn a woman is not just clothing but “good works.” As Christians, we are being remade by God for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Christ died so that we might be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). Women should seek to dress their lives in works that do good to others, marked with godly love.

This means modesty is not simply about what we wear, but how we act, how we communicate, and how relate to others.

4. Modesty shows sensitivity to sin

In this text Paul says a woman’s apparel should be worn with “modesty.” Other translation opt for the word “decency.” The King James Version translates this “shamefacedness,” which gets more to the heart of the word.

It is talking about a demeanor of reverence, showing respect to oneself and a regard for others. It even carries the connotation of “bashful.” Connected to the term “shame,” the word implies the idea of grief over sin that is in the world—that a woman would be so sensitive to sin, knowing that sin is offensive to God, that she would never come close to trying to provoke it in others.

No, a woman is not guilty of a man’s lust if she dresses with the intention to allure him. Let him account for his sins. But she is guilty of a lack of shamefacedness, for treating sin lightly. A heart of modesty is motivated by a love for one’s fellow man.

5. Modesty involves cultural discretion

Paul didn’t just paint broad strokes when talking about modesty; he gave specifics. He said braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire were out of place for a truly modest woman.

Some knowledge of Roman culture is helpful for understanding what Paul is saying. In Paul’s day, Greek hairstyles for women were fairly simple: hair was parted in the middle and pinned in the back. But a culture change was sweeping the region. Women in the imperial household were wearing their hair with elaborate curls and braids, covered in expensive ornaments. The elite throughout the empire copied this style.

For Paul, the appearance of braids and ornaments was more about what the fashion communicated. They carried connotations of imperial luxury and conjured up images of notoriously immoral Empresses like Valeria Messalina and Poppeaea Sabina, ancient equivalents of Cosmopolitan cover girls.

The poet Juvenal, a contemporary of Paul, gives a vivid description of this cultural trend:

“There is nothing that a woman will not permit herself to do. Nothing that she deems shameful. And when she encircles her neck with green emeralds and fastens huge pearls to her elongated ears, so important is the business of beautification. So numerous are the tiers and stories piled one another on her head that she pays no attention to her own husband.”

Similarly, the philosopher Philo gives a description of a prostitute in his writing called “The Sacrifices of Cain and Abel”:

“A prostitute is often described as having hair dressed in elaborate braids, her eyes with pencil lines, her eyebrows smothered in paint and her expensive clothes embroidered lavishly with flowers and bracelets and necklaces of gold and jewels hanging all over her.”

Paul’s description of immodest dress conjured a picture of someone preoccupied with appearance, fashion, luxury, and sexual prowess. Similarly, modern modesty standards are not about arbitrary rules of how much skin is shown or how low-cut something is, but about the messages and values our clothing communicates.

6. Modesty is about true freedom, not repression

More often than not, modesty standards are seen as repressive, arbitrary rules that restrict a woman’s creativity and freedom. But when modesty is motivated from the heart, the exact opposite is true.

Paul says women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel with “self-control.” This might be better understood as “self-mastery,” being of sound mind or sober, being in control of one’s impulses and appetites. In extra-biblical literature, this word has sexual nuances: being able to totally control your romantic and erotic desires.

Immodesty is often, though not always, a kind of slavery. A woman may be enslaved by her desire to attract a man. She might define her worth by her fashion sense, her sex appeal, her image, her bust size, her weight, or the brand names she wears. This kind of slavery is widespread because sin impacts us all, and in today’s sexually charged, media-saturated culture, many women fall prey to this kind of slavery.

But as Christians we are free from the slavery of sin because we are united to Christ. Paul exhorts us to live out this freedom: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions” (Romans 6:12). When it comes to modest dress, we can follow Paul’s next statement quite literally: Do not present the members of your body to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present your members to God as instruments for righteousness (v.13). Paul wants Christian woman to have self-mastery in their wardrobe choices, to be totally free from worldly ways of defining worth, beauty, and sexiness.

Ironically, it is not just those who are scantily dressed that are enslaved, but even those who pride themselves on their modesty. “Modest is hottest,” they say, unaware that in their own hearts, they are still enslaved to a preoccupation with their physical image, still defining their worth by their outward adornment.

Defining Modesty

Taken together, these aspects of modesty help to give us a working definition. Modesty is a respectable manner of adorning one’s body and carrying oneself, born out of a freedom from a worldly definition of beauty and worth, and motivated by a hatred of sin and a desire to draw attention to God.  

When it comes to the subject of modest clothing, the first question we should ask ourselves is: What am I trying to accomplish by what I wear?


To check out my latest blog
http://pearlealivenhim.blogspot.com/2014/08/reasons-why-women-expose-themselves.htm

Your Marriage Does Not Have to Fail......Making Your Marriage Last

In a world where marriage is declining and divorce and shacking up is increasing and acceptable, smh, it would seem that the Godly family structure is losing. Marriage does not have to fail and I believe it will not. We as Christian believers are to be examples of godly relationships and marriages. Marriage between a man and a woman is God ordained therefore when entered into the way God desires we won't fail, simply because we did it His way. This is a brief video to encourage people considering marriage, about to be married and for those who are already married....... Be encouraged

Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to faultfinding

“Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to faultfinding”.-Corrie Ten Boom.  

This quote struck a chord in my heart this afternoon so I had to write. I’m not even finished the blog I was supposed to be writing lol. This is a lil piece on discernments proper use. The very condensed version lol.

God’s plan for gifts was not for us to use them for our selfish benefits. His plan is that we as a body use our gifts for the Glory of His name, the building of His Church, and the destruction of the forces of evil.  After one receives the Baptism of the Holy Spirit the working of the gifts from the Holy Spirit should follow. I believe sometimes even before you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit some of your gifts are at work just not on a complete level. This is not say that you do not need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. You need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to operate fully. I mean why wouldn't you want His spirit poured our on you and in you. Why limit what God has for you. If you don’t have the Baptism of Spirit seek God He will give Him freely. My hope is that those who are reading have already been baptized by the Holy Spirit. My purpose for writing is to encourage you as a Spirit filled believer to use your gifts properly; especially discernment/prophecy. 

In 1Corinthians 12:8-10 Paul lays out what some of the gifts of the Spirit are

8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.Paul reminds us the Gifts of the Spirit are all from the same Holy Spirit and if they are from the same spirit they should work in the same Spirit and not against each other. With the gift of Discernment (distinguishing of spirits)/Prophecy you have to be careful. I put the two together because you will find they work together. Discernment is the ability to be able to perceive or see of what spirit a person or thing is acting under; is it genuine or of false pretense, of God or not of God. 1Thesssalonians 5:21 21But examine everything (use judgment) carefully; hold fast to that which is good. Prophecy is not just telling the future but being able to proclaim the Word of God from His written word or from His mouth. You will not always hear an audible voice. He will just use your voice to speak. Both of these gifts go together.

There are pitfalls with these two gifts because of the flesh. People will use their gift to find fault, expose an individual, or to glorify themselves. The person may feel the urge to feel right. When God gives revelation concerning a matter it is not so one can expose and have the upper hand; even though, sometimes it is for public exposure. There is a difference between making judgments and condemning. When God gives a word concerning a person’s spirit, disposition, or whatever one should not automatically jump up and proclaim it or gossip about it with others. God gives insight to strengthen not to tear down. You must ask Him what to do with what has been given. He does not always want you to confront an issue by going to the person and telling them how bad they are doing or how blessed they are. Most of the time all He wants you to do is pray. And through prayer He will direct you and guide you through the matter if necessary. Or maybe He wants you to confront the person but beware of how to approach them; But he who is spiritual appraises all things…1 Corinthians 2:15. Consulting someone who is of a mature faith is extremely helpful. God definitely uses more than one person, at the same time or on different occasions, to speak His truth.

 I have seen instances where God had given a person insight and their first instinct was to run and tell the person. The person was not ready to receive the Word from God and pretty much told the word barer to shove it. When dealing with people you have to pray about the matter. Sometimes God answers on the spot and other times He wants to prepare their heart as He prepares your heart to trust Him to give you the words to say. Other times the person will not receive it just because of the issues in their hearts. It could also be these people are not spiritually mature so they will not receive you and who you are. “I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.”- 2Cornithians 10:2. You do not have to prove anything to anyone. If they do not receive what the Lord is saying pray and continue in ministry as instructed.

Praying that God removes a person should only be done if there is an actual hindrance and that person won’t let go of it. And if they are a hindrance to ministry don’t worry about it God will remove them. You should never feel the need to move a person when God reveals something to you; especially if they are like your pastor or boss lol. This has to be discerned properly, it is why prayer is soooooo important. In extreme cases there are issues that have to be dealt with immediately, but the Holy Spirit will let you know what to do in those cases and how to act upon it immediately. God will also put a person in your life to see how you will react and to weed out any issues you may have. He wants you to pray for that person and not against. And like I said He will remove the hindrance one way or another; just make sure you are not the hindrance. God does not need our help He chooses to use us for His glory.

If a person has a mature understanding of their gift it hurts to see others not receive what God has given you to bless and help them. Prayer will make you able to withstand the hurt and not dwell on the situation and still pray for the people. That is why I cannot understand why a prophet would rejoice in the failures of brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s like really, you’re happy that you were right about that person’s secret drug habit and happy you kicked this person out of the ministry (this is hypothetical lol) what did that accomplish? How is the Kingdom God built up? Our gifts should always be used for God's glory and the building of His Kingdom.

Having the gift of discernment/prophecy can also be a weakness, especially in relationships. Be prayerful when engaging in a relationship with opposite sex (really all people) so that you can guard your heart. What you see for their future may not be where they are at and they could probably do more damage to you. Yes look at what they will be, but also where they now spiritually. Are they giving themselves to God or are they just doing whatever. I just thought I throw that in there. You do not want to be taken advantage of for your compassion and concern.

Pray pray pray pray read read read pray fast fast fast pray and read. I cannot say it enough. With any gifting you must cultivate it through prayer fasting and reading first. In these last days it is important God’s people have spiritual discernment. Satan is a copycat and is good at it because he always makes a mockery of the things and people of God. And I hate him and what he does with a passion. The Church has to be aware of his devices and be able to discern his presence. I’ll give you a clue he is usually in the Church services lol. I have seen to many times where the people of God thought it was the Spirit of God and it was some other unclean spirit e.g. workings of the flesh or demons. It was painful to watch the people of God entertain it, “worship” with it or just didn’t care. In those situations all you can do is pray and cast it out which is what we should be doing any way. We need discernment not so we can be special but so we can fight this spiritual war. Our war is not with people, especially not the people of God. Our war is with the forces of Satan and his demons. During these last days we are going to see many things attempt to come against the people of God. We have to pray and be focused so that we will not be deceived. Keep the altars of prayer open in your life. Be diligent be sober minded. Intercede when God gives you insight. Prayer is a weapon against hell and the things that oppose God. If Satan can keep you from praying than he has won victory over you. And you let him. Satan wants us to gossip and tear down our bothers and sisters. Repent. Satan hates us and we should hate him. So let us counteract the powers of hell by praying always 1Thes 5:17. Prayer, Unity,Holy Ghost power, spiritual insight.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. 
2Corinthians 10:3-6

Ok I am done…… sort of….. but I’ll stop here