November 2016: Armed and Dangerous

November 2016  


Armed & Dangerous

Right outside our window flows a river, about 100 yards wide, which as I sit before my laptop, is about to start freezing over for our winter. Imagine with me that I’m going to step onto that thin and still-forming ice—metaphorically speaking of course! This will be both slippery and risky; the surface may crack and plunge me into the icy water.

Ironically, the subject I’m about to address may instead plunge me into hot water: we’re talking about foolish women—and foolish men.

I was raised to age 11 in a very ‘proper’ English family, even though this occurred in the very alien culture of China. My female role models were my mother and my sister (who was 10 years old when I showed up). When I was 12 I was sent to live for a year with an aunt and uncle and their daughter, who was a year and a half my senior. All of these were very kind, modest and . . . proper. To me, it seemed, there must be a sort of ‘aura’ that surrounded all women. Certainly I was naive and ignorant about almost everything to do with the female gender beyond my family—and they make up more than half the world’s population.

At 13, I fell in love with a very sweet Christian girl. Of course it was the puppy variety of love. For a few short weeks, my whole world revolved around this ‘vision’—until I received a shattering letter from her, crushing me and breaking my heart. By then I was in a boys-only boarding school and had little or no contact with girls. Except . . .

Turning 15, and only just emerging from adolescence, I found myself in the sick bay of the school with some sort of minor malady. A very pretty nurse presided over the ward, and one day she called me to her little apartment for some reason which I’ve long forgotten. Dressed in pajamas and a housecoat, I went—like a lamb to what might have become a slaughter.

Following a little chitchat, she offered me a small glass of what turned out to be sherry; after one sip of my first-ever alcoholic drink, she started to advance upon this little innocent. Scared out of my skin, but not knowing why, I ran faster than a cheetah back to the ward and jumped into bed, frightened silly and totally confused. I never dreamed that a woman could act like this.

So, until I was 17 and out of high school, I was still totally ignorant of almost all things female. But I knew that I was attracted to them. I tentatively started dating girls from our church—all sweet and untouchable—each one immediately (in my mind), a potential wife. I was a marriage waiting to happen. It was a long wait.

At 19 I met Donna, and at first sight, the hunt was over. But like Jacob, I served Laban (my future father-in-law), for seven years. [Read Genesis 29] Because Donna had just turned 15 two days before we met—she was hardly of marriageable age in our culture.

Off I went to university (a requirement by Laban for the hand of his daughter). But I was a low average student; sad story shortened, after two years I was thoroughly discouraged and joined the Air Force as a pilot, a skill that truly motivated me.

By then, a tad wiser in the ways of the world, I was observing that there were other girls and women who behaved—like my come-hither nurse—in a manner that was provocative towards men. With little grounding in Solomonic wisdom (e.g. the fear of the Lord), a man is easy plucking for the wiles and weapons of a foolish woman.

A foolish woman is armed and dangerous, aiming her ‘weapons of war’ at men: it may be through her gift of beauty, her seductive eyes, her bold approaches, her manner of dress or just the motivation in her heart. They’re all part of the seduction package targeting men—who so often are unprepared for, and taken in by this kind of onslaught. Of course, many men are ready and waiting; and other men are just outright aggressive.

It all comes down to what’s in the heart. A foolish woman sets out to snare a man and she has the means to do it. Please read Proverbs 7 in The Message Bible—“Dressed to Seduce”—read all of it. And then continue on through chapters 8 and 9 where you’ll learn about Lady Wisdom and Lady Whore.

Men are equal-opportunity combatants in this war of immorality. Here’s a young man, “part of the mindless crowd . . . without any sense . . . hanging around the mall . . .” [Prov 7:6-12 TMB; Please read the whole chapter] This guy is ripe pickings, easily seduced.

During our 56 years of marriage, I can truthfully say that I have only once felt the heat waves of seduction from a woman—and thankfully that took place at a social event with many others around. As with my nurse encounter many years earlier, I ran—to the other side of the crowded room and the safety of others.

What is the starting point that leads to the molding of foolish women—or foolish men? I’d have to say that usually it begins at a young age, with modeling and actions by Mom and Dad, siblings and including relatives and friends who have access to the children.

Kids learn good things by observing good things, and by being lovingly and respectfully treated. Likewise they learn bad things from their parents by neglect, loose and ‘too open’ talk and behavior of what should be ‘husband/wife only’ private matters; also foul and careless language, disrespect for others and worst of all, by any form of abuse.

These positive and negative traits are so often hereditary, embraced by parents when they were growing up, and then eventually echoed into children of their own.

Lady Wisdom may be found at the intersection of Righteous Road and Justice Avenue. [Prov 8:20 TMB. Go ahead and read all about her!]

The weapons of our war are almost all defensive:

The Helmet of Salvation
              The Breastplate of Righteousness
                       The Girdle of Truth
                              The Shield of Faith
                                     The Shoes of the Gospel

And . . . The Sword of God’s Word, which is definitely an offensive weapon.

Men, arm yourselves with the fruit of the Spirit, perhaps most importantly, self-control. [Galatians 5:22]

Women, “Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.” [1 Pet 3:4]

Did I crunch through the ice into the freezing river? Or am I in hot water?

Blessings,

 


Potpourri

We are on earth to manifest the life of God; not a belief system. Dean Sherman

When the Lord wants to work a small miracle, He puts me in a difficult situation. When He wants to work a great miracle, He puts me in an impossible situation. Watchman Nee

When you forgive, you set a prisoner free. Then you discover that you were the prisoner that was set free! From Dan Sneed’s E•Courage ministry letter

Everyone says forgiveness is lovely, until they have something to forgive.CS Lewis


Donna’s Corner

Joy to the world the Lord is coming!
Wise men still seek Him

Dear Family,

This year is the earliest we’ve ever put up our Christmas tree, and we did it with help from five of our grandchildren. It was a joyful time—four of those ‘grand’ children are over 20, with Ruthie having just turned eight. I got new revelation as we decorated the tree.

The old song, Joy to the World was written in 1719, and is based on Psalm 98, especially verse 4: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.” It was not written as a Christmas song—the original theme was the second coming of Jesus our Lord and King. Christmas isn’t always a joyful time, but when Jesus comes back, even the rocks will sing!

I remember being on a flight that connected from North America, through New Zealand and on to Samoa. I was going to miss Christmas Day completely, and the timing was in obedience to God. Sitting in the Auckland airport, I was crying about my loss, and then I sensed God say to me, “This was not a joyful time for us; I was sending my own son to earth as a baby to show people how to live, and then to die for them so that they could have relationship with us.”

Wow! My self-pity vanished.

We must prepare a room for Him in our hearts and lives. It will be a joyous occasion when Jesus comes again—the whole earth will celebrate His reappearing; the whole earth will receive her King.

Joy to the world
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing,

Heaven and nature will sing out, and repeat that sounding joy for all eternity!

The song continues:

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love.

And then:

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love.
Isaac Watts

All tribes and nations will take an active role in revealing the glory of God!

As I look at the nativity scene on our fireplace, I think of Jesus who came as a baby in a manger to reveal real truth and love.

I look at our tree and I celebrate Jesus who is coming soon. What rejoicing there will be!

I REALLY encourage you to look at this link from Jerusalem—it was recorded early in November this year. (If you would like to watch more of the Jerusalem Gathering click here)

In Jerusalem there were about 4000 people from 28 nations—and half of them were from China! When you listen, you will hear David Demian and Jason Liu reading Isaiah 9:6-7. You will then hear the worship team lead out in, Joy to the World, and as the worship continues, the Samoan chiefs and Hawaiian worshippers come on stage, giving glory to God in their own cultural way.

Now, I look at beautifully decorated Christmas trees with different eyes, and I celebrate and rejoice, Jesus is coming again!

May you have a wonderful Christmas celebration, and remember that Jesus is King of Kings and He is coming again!

Love and Blessings,

 


inTouch Camps in Europe next Summer

July 9-15             Restenäs, Sweden
July 16-22           
Prod, Romania
To write for more information click here!

July 29-Aug 4      Champagne, France

The speaker at all Camps will be Stefaan Hugo, YWAM Facilitator for Southern Africa.

Check here for updates and more information: www.ywam-intouch.eu


Fours 

Do you ever start thinking strange and random thoughts? I do. Sleepless the other night, I got going on the number Four. It wasn’t like counting sheep—and in fact kept me awake. Here’s what I came up with:

Four Gospels
Four Winds of Heaven
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
Four Cardinal points: North, South, East, West
Four Poles: North & South Geographic, North & South Magnetic
Four Elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire
Four properties of Matter: Solid, Liquid, Gas, Plasma
Four principles governing flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag
Four Parts of the Human: Body, Soul, Spirit, Mind
Four Spiritual Laws: Click here
Four Temperaments: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, Phlegmatic
Four Limbs: Two Arms, Two Legs
Four Corners: touching point of Colorado, Utah, Arizona & New Mexico
Four Basic Singing Voices: Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano
Four Directions: Up, Down, Forward, Backward
. . . and just for fun
The Number Four Song from Sesame Street, one of our little Ruthie’s favorites
Four Calling Birds
Four Eyes (Haha!)

Not very spiritual . . . Am I weird? (Don’t tell me!)

Till next time—many blessings—and we trust that our American friends enjoyed their Thanksgiving Weekend.

 


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