Two Hedges

Much godly wisdom about the feminine character is packed into the first six verses of 1 Peter, chapter three. The primary charge to women in this passage involves submission, and the rest of the exhortation addresses related areas of modesty, internal beauty, a gentle and quiet spirit, trust in God, and fear. It is vital that women understand the connection submission to husbands has to that much desired gentle and quiet spirit.
God has put two hedges around a Christian woman for her protection. The first and more important is a woman's trust in God. This is followed by a godly submission to husbands. "For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands" (v. 5). Trust in God enables a woman to submit to her husband, for it is certainly a prerequisite. She tells herself that God is faithful, that He has commanded her to submit to her husband, and that her obedience to God in submission is pleasing to Him. When submission begins to look foolish or frightening or just plain unappealing, a woman remembers this hedge of trust in God. He has promised never to leave or forsake His children. A wife must trust Him and walk by faith. This is the first protection.
Some people mistakenly think that a gentle and quiet spirit is displayed when a woman never speaks. This has concerned some of the outgoing personalities because they don't know how to be a silent lump. This is merely looking at externals. Certainly sometimes a quiet spirit will be exhibited by silence, but not always. And a quiet person can be all worked up on the inside. This is missing the point. A heart that is resting in the faithfulness of God is gentle and quiet; it is not stirred up with worry and anxiety. This gentle and quiet spirit is a calm, peaceful spirit. It is a tame spirit, a gentled spirit. I have often compared this kind of spirit to a glassy lake, not turbulent or troubled, but hardly showing a ripple. In contrast, the anxious spirit is like a stormy sea with whitecaps whipping along the shore. This of course brings to mind our Lord calming the troubled Sea of Galilee. Likewise, He can calm our troubled spirits when we look to Him.
The second hedge of protection is the submission itself. When a woman trusts God, she is enabled to submit joyfully to her husband. This submission is another hedge of protection, because it is obedience. The responsibility of the decision rests on the husband; the consequences are his problem, not hers. This resting in God and submission to husband is what makes a woman beautiful: "let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" (v. 4). God thinks highly of this gentled spirit, and so should we. We must strive for this kind of beauty, for it is incorruptible. A calm wife is a joy to her husband; a worried wife is another problem that needs solving.
A woman who is anxious and worried is marring her beauty because fear is antithetical to a biblical beauty. Sarah trusted in God and submitted to her husband in obedience. Christian women are called to imitate her faith and her good works of submission. This kind of good work keeps women from being afraid with any terror. When she is tempted to worry about a decision her husband has made, a woman can tell herself that she is trusting God and submitting to her husband, and that is what she is called to do. She is not sinning and can rest peacefully, knowing that God is pleased when she acts like one of Sarah's daughters.
Consider what this kind of trust and submission looks like. Your husband has decided the family will travel to visit an aging aunt who lives in the mountains. It's snowing. The roads are slippery. You are tempted to worry, and you think it's a bad idea to go. Now stop and think about it. Trust God. Is He the Lord of the roads? Is He Lord of the weather? If He isn't, then go back to your worrying. But because He is sovereign over all things, you can trust Him. Next, if you have given your husband your advice, and he still wants to go, submit to him. It's his call. Trust God, and submit to your husband. Rest and be beautiful.
Many areas of marriage and child rearing are affected by this trust and submission. Your husband wants you to homeschool and you feel inadequate. Your husband wants to put your children in the local Christian school. You're afraid they are not ready, or that the school won't be what you hoped. Your daughter wants to go shopping with a friend in a big city an hour away. Your husband says yes and you wish he hadn't. Your son is playing football, and you are worried he will get hurt. In all these situations, after respectful communication of your concerns, trust God and submit to your husband. This is the only way to have a gentle and quiet spirit.
Remember, submission is your primary duty before God to your husband. Learn to submit in a trusting, beautifying manner. Not only will God be pleased, but so will your husband. Even unbelievers are impressed with such behavior (v.1). Learn to appreciate the two hedges you have about you, and be thankful.



By Nancy Wilson

An Article Written by an Atheist

If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything.I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor that cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone.I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal soul around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable.


I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be:“WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?”

Excerpt from the book A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George:

~ If you desire a good life, focus on having one good day, one quality day - today! After all, as someone has observed, "every day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated." So keep that focus on having a good day today and, at days end, slip that pearl onto your strand. The pearls on your strand will add up to a good life!
When such a focused day is done, you'll probably be tired as you drop into bed. I know I am! But you'll also know an unmatchable peace in your heart. A peace that comes from resting in the Lord and doing things His way. A peace that comes from knowing that, because you lived out God's priorities for you, all is well under your roof.
Why this peace? Because you sought the Lord and followed close after Him the whole day! The people in your life were loved and served out of the overflow of your full heart. Your home was cared for - and God's beauty and order reignthere in the refuge you've created. You took care fo yourself and grew as God stretched you in preparation for serving Him. And you did serve - anyone and everyone who crossed your path. You reached out, looked out, gave out, and lived out God's priorities for a woman after His heart.
It was indeed a full day - but, oh, what a rich one! And yes, your body is tired, but, oh, what a satisfying tiredness! And yes, it may not look like you've done much (there's no big splash, no headline news, nothing to tell anyone about) - but, oh, the depth of the fullness you sense in your heart as God whispers to you, "Well done!"
As you finally stretch out in bed, wearily pull up the covers, and sink your head into the waiting pillow, you can know you have slipped another pearl onto your strand! This costly pearl is the most magnificent prize awaiting a woman after God's heart. The reward for living oife God's way is immeasurably, unspeakably and indescribably wonderful! I'm struggling to find the words!
So at the end of your day, your heart is satisfied and content. You have done the giving, the living the following, and the loving. In return, God "satisfied your longing heart and filled your hungry soul with his goodness" (Psalm 107:9). The peace that you sense is the satisfaction that comes from gladly being spent in doing God's will, from being a woman after God's heart - for just one day!
Now . . . let that one day - that one step - encourage you to string your daily pearls into a lifetime of living as a woman after God's own heart! ~

dis·ci·pline

One of the things I have struggled with in my life is learning to be disciplined. I procrastinate, I do what I want to do rather than what needs to be done, and I've really felt called to work on that this year. The Bible includes discipline/self-control as one of the fruits of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Proverbs 25:28

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

There's a guy named Ralph Marston, he writes The Daily Motivator. He had this sobering and encouraging word to say about discipline:



Choose Discipline


Discipline is a decision you make, over and over again. Discipline is choosing to do what you know must be done, as often and as long as necessary.

With discipline, you can make smart and advantageous use of the time and resources available to you. With discipline, you can create great value for yourself and your world.

The most powerful way to put discipline into your life is to understand and remind yourself of what it can do for you. Once you truly decide to live with it, the power of discipline is yours.

If you do not choose to discipline yourself, you will eventually be subject to the harsh, inescapable discipline imposed upon you by life's realities. It is far more desirable to choose your own discipline and to deal with those realities on your own terms.

Self discipline opens up a world of choices and opportunities which otherwise would not be available to you. Whatever goal you set your sights upon, discipline is the most reliable way to reach it.

Choose, early and often, to use the powerful tool of discipline. And always achieve maximum results from your time and your actions.