Post by JCsMomma on Aug 8, 2005 9:14:35 GMT -5
Often new Christians have exuberant zeal but very little knowledge. It is common for their desire to serve the Lord to be great but their Christian characters to be woefully lacking. They are like a new student nurse who shows up at the hospital with her crisp, clean new uniform, her shoes polished and buffed, and her hair neatly pinned up off her collar. She is excited and thrilled to be there! She outwardly looks professional and competent. However, looks can be deceiving. Unless she knows her limitations, she can be downright dangerous.
As a new Christian, I was like that young, energetic, enthusiastic nursing student. I wanted to serve the Lord in great ways. I just knew I would be like a famous woman Bible teacher of whom I had heard. I learned that her first Bible class doubled in attendance every week. Finally there was no more room for new people.
When I was a fairly new Christian, I was approached by a lady in our church named Linda. Linda expressed a desire to host a ladies' Bible study in her home. She said to me, "Will you teach it?" Would I? With boundless enthusiasm I replied, "Yes!!!"
Linda and I invited our friends and neighbors and anyone else who would let us ask them. Our class was held on Wednesday mornings and we began with two or three ladies. I taught the Gospel of John verse by verse. Attendance was scanty and erratic. One week in particular stands out in my mind. We had eight ladies definitely commit to attend the following Wednesday! I worked extra hard on my lesson and Linda cleaned and prepared her home. That morning, she got up early and baked homemade sausage biscuits. When I arrived, the smell of the sausage and coffee was wonderful. We were so excited. We prayed and waited expectantly for the guests to arrive.
Soon it was time and eventually past time. Finally, it was so late that we had to face the truth - no one was coming. I felt as if I was going to cry. Linda said, "Maybe the Lord does not want us to have the class." My hope for large groups of ladies coming to hear me teach was being crushed right before my eyes. Rather than cancel the rest of the classes, however, we decided to take a week to pray and then to meet at least one more time.
In the ensuing week, I struggled with what God might be doing. Now, looking back it is fairly obvious what He was doing. He was beginning to mold my character and He was protecting those large groups of women (most of whom, by the way, never came) from my immaturity of doctrine and character. I was looking at the moment, God was looking down the road and beginning to prepare me for serving Him. At the time, my zeal without knowledge was as dangerous as an unbridled, inexperienced student nurse.
In this chapter, I explain three areas in my own life in which God first worked so that now I can teach and encourage other women. The three areas were (and still are) doctrine, character, and ministry. Let's begin with the first area in which God is maturing me.....
****
DOCTRINE.
Doctrine is what the Bible teaches about a certain subject. For example, the doctrine of salvation is what the Bible teaches about how a person can be saved from his sins through the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Another example is the doctrine of the Trinity: God is one in three Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When I became a Christian, I knew very little about what the Bible teaches. So little in fact, I did not realize that what I was thinking could be a sin. Through Bible study and reading God's Word, I learned much more about the doctrine of sin than I even knew was possible. Obviously, if God were going to use me to eventually teach other women, I had a great deal to learn.
As a new Christian, I began to read and study the Bible. I also read good books and listened to Bible study tapes. I had pastors who helped me by answering my questions, by suggesting good study books and commentaries to read and use, and by letting me teach a ladies' Bible study class at church or in someone's home. I had to learn how to "handle accurately the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
It took me fifteen months to teach that first Bible study class on the Gospel of John! Each week, I prepared the lesson and wrote homework for the ladies as well. The next year, at the suggestion of my pastor, I taught Genesis. In subsequent years, I taught the prophets, Esther, Colossians, Romans, Malachi, and Revelation.
Since those original classes, there have been times when I have retaught certain subjects and as I restudy previous material, I realize that my understanding of certain doctrines is maturing. It is an on-going process for all Christians. At my pastor's request, he reads each of my lessons before I teach it to our ladies. He then corrects any misunderstandings that I have or any Scripture that is taken out of context. Teaching under his authority is a true blessing and protection for me as well as subsequently for the other ladies in our church. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know. Even though I have been teaching the Bible now for nearly fifteen years, my understanding of doctrine continues to mature.
Knowing doctrine is a critical foundation to a ministry of teaching and encouraging the younger women but would be of little use if God had not begun to mature my character.
***
CHARACTER
Whether you want to describe the maturing of my character as “pruning me so that I can bear
fruit” (John 15:2) or as disciplining me so that I can “share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10),
changing my character has been the most difficult and most personally humiliating of the three
areas. The bad news is that it is sometimes embarrassing to realize you are less than perfect. The
good news is “God gives grace to the humble” (James 5:6).
One of the areas in my character that needed drastic changing was the character quality of anger.
Anger surfaced when I did not have my way or when something or someone irritated or frustrated
me. I was one of those “angry men” (or women in my case) you should not go with “lest you
learn his ways and find a snare for yourself” (Proverbs 22:25). Instead of being easily irritated,
impatient, or openly angry, God began to change me into a woman with a gentle and quiet spirit.
I remember once speaking intensely to another woman in our church. She and her husband were
thinking of leaving and going to a church which I knew to be doctrinally unsound. Instead of
responding to her in a gentle and loving tone, I became too intense and harsh. They subsequently
left our church, but I justified what happened in my mind because, after all, I was right. Not long
after the incident, a mutual friend of ours called me on the phone. She was very nice but
straightforward. She said, “I agree with what you said, but your tone with her sounded harsh and
angry. The Bible tells us that if we are to rightly influence others whose doctrine is wrong, ‘the
Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when
wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition...’ (2 Timothy 2:24-25). One
reason they have left is because of your harshness.”
Needless to say, I was embarrassed and very upset to hear her reproof. I cried and when I hung
up the phone, I prayed. I asked God to help me understand. I pleaded with the Lord to make me a
gently woman. I thanked Him for the telephone call. I then decided to go to the other woman and
ask her forgiveness.
Because it was Christmas time, I stopped and purchased a poinsettia plant for her. As I
approached her front door, I was hoping that she would not be home so that I could just leave the
plant with a note of apology asking for her forgiveness. However, she was home and invited me
in. I tried to break the ice by telling her that I had brought her a “Peace Poinsettia.” (No pun
intended!) I asked her to please forgive me because of my harshness and she very graciously did
so. They did not, however, come back to church.
I have learned that instead of angry bullying to try to achieve God’s ends, only loving gentleness
pleases Him. It was not enough for me to recognize and “put off” my harshness and impatience, I
had to “put on” love. For example, I should have conveyed my thoughts but I should have
expressed them in a godly, gentle tone.
God has changed my character and much more often than not, I am by His grace a gentle person.
When I am not, I return to the basics (1 John 1:9). I think through how I should have responded,
ask God’s forgiveness, and the other person’s forgiveness. I pray the next time, I will think first
and then respond in love.
***
Another area in my character that required work was becoming less selfish and more loving.
“Love does not seek its own way” (1 Cor 13:5) was very convicting to me. God gradually
showed me through Scripture and the conviction of the Holy Spirit that I was to seek His way and
not my own. As He has matured me, pleasing Him has brought me very great joy.
In addition to becoming more gentle and less selfish, there was a great need within my character
to be humble. Instead of being defensive, God wanted me to carefully listen and at least consider
what the other person was saying. Instead of focusing on having been hurt from the reproof, He
wants me to grow and learn from it. There is no more vivid example in my life than what
happened when I wrote The Excellent Wife book.
Because I knew I would be a fool to write a book, especially a book about the doctrine of being a
godly wife, without help and scrutiny, I asked for help. The Lord gave it to me! Four separate
men, three pastors and one biblical counselor, read it and made comments. The result was a
tremendous amount of work and time writing and rewriting. Making some of those changes was
like being asked to give up my baby. Every word I had written was precious to me. However, not
every word I had written made good sense or was biblically accurate. Because of my sinful pride,
I became overwhelmed and at one point seriously threatened to throw the entire project in the
trash! Obviously this was not a mature person. The next day as I thought about my impulsive
reaction, I was ashamed especially because of all the help the Lord had provided. I realized that it
was much more important to the Lord that I “walk humbly with Him” than that I ever write a
book (Micah 6:8).
God is still working on all these character areas and many others that I have not included here. He
had to mature me to a certain point so that I could begin to teach and encourage the younger
women. It is truly a testimony of His goodness and mercy and grace for what He has done in my
life.
Certainly, as I had to become more mature in my doctrine and my character, I also had to mature
in my ministry or service for the Lord.
***
MINISTRY
My service for the Lord has gone through several phases. Now it is focused on my home and my husband and in our church with a ladies' Bible study class as well as discipleship/counseling of ladies within our church. As time permits, I speak at ladies' seminars and write.
I remember learning a very hard lesson about what God did and did not want me to do. Several years ago, I had a passionate, deep desire to become a missionary. In fact, I just knew it was God's will for us to sell everything, forsake almost all our worldly possessions, and go (of course) to Africa! I was just thrilled even thinking aobut it. That had to be the ultimate in serving the Lord.
After much prayer and still feeling very fervent, I talked with my husband, Sanford. I was so excited and enthusiastic as I explained that he could quit his job, we could sell our house, and go wherever the Lord wanted. I asked him to please "think about it." He nicely said, "I don't need to think about it. I am not quitting my job. We are not going anywhere. I believe the Lord wants us here to serve in our church."
Well, I was crushed. How could I ever be as holy as someone who gives up everything to go to Africa? As I thought about it and prayed, I came to understand that God's will for me, at least for the time being, was to be graciously and joyfully under the suthority of my husband.
In addition to my disappointment over not getting to be a missionary, there are many times while serving the Lord when I must do something that I think I am not particularly gifted to do. Some examples are playing the piano at church, organizing meals to be carried to someone who has had a death in the family, or staying in the nursery. Regardless, I am to serve the Lord joyfully and "bear fruit in every good work" (Colossians 1:10).
I know what and how much time to commit through the guidance of Sanford and the other elders in my church. They willingly share me with other churches on a limited basis, but they believe (rightly so) that my primary service should be to my husband, then to the ladies in our church, and finally to others.
Regardless of what our spiritual gifts may be, I believe that GOd desires every Christian woman's ministry to be somewhat centered around being a Titus 2 Woman (married or single) and teaching and encouraging the younger women to be a Titus 2 Woman. In the next chapter, I will explain some general biblical principles in discipling other women as well as give you some specific examples of women with whom I have worked.
Editor's Note: As we go to press, Martha Peace and her husband, Sanford, are visiting South Africa, where Martha is teaching ladies how to develop the character of God and become "Excellent Wives."
(End of Chapter 2)
As a new Christian, I was like that young, energetic, enthusiastic nursing student. I wanted to serve the Lord in great ways. I just knew I would be like a famous woman Bible teacher of whom I had heard. I learned that her first Bible class doubled in attendance every week. Finally there was no more room for new people.
When I was a fairly new Christian, I was approached by a lady in our church named Linda. Linda expressed a desire to host a ladies' Bible study in her home. She said to me, "Will you teach it?" Would I? With boundless enthusiasm I replied, "Yes!!!"
Linda and I invited our friends and neighbors and anyone else who would let us ask them. Our class was held on Wednesday mornings and we began with two or three ladies. I taught the Gospel of John verse by verse. Attendance was scanty and erratic. One week in particular stands out in my mind. We had eight ladies definitely commit to attend the following Wednesday! I worked extra hard on my lesson and Linda cleaned and prepared her home. That morning, she got up early and baked homemade sausage biscuits. When I arrived, the smell of the sausage and coffee was wonderful. We were so excited. We prayed and waited expectantly for the guests to arrive.
Soon it was time and eventually past time. Finally, it was so late that we had to face the truth - no one was coming. I felt as if I was going to cry. Linda said, "Maybe the Lord does not want us to have the class." My hope for large groups of ladies coming to hear me teach was being crushed right before my eyes. Rather than cancel the rest of the classes, however, we decided to take a week to pray and then to meet at least one more time.
In the ensuing week, I struggled with what God might be doing. Now, looking back it is fairly obvious what He was doing. He was beginning to mold my character and He was protecting those large groups of women (most of whom, by the way, never came) from my immaturity of doctrine and character. I was looking at the moment, God was looking down the road and beginning to prepare me for serving Him. At the time, my zeal without knowledge was as dangerous as an unbridled, inexperienced student nurse.
In this chapter, I explain three areas in my own life in which God first worked so that now I can teach and encourage other women. The three areas were (and still are) doctrine, character, and ministry. Let's begin with the first area in which God is maturing me.....
****
DOCTRINE.
Doctrine is what the Bible teaches about a certain subject. For example, the doctrine of salvation is what the Bible teaches about how a person can be saved from his sins through the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Another example is the doctrine of the Trinity: God is one in three Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When I became a Christian, I knew very little about what the Bible teaches. So little in fact, I did not realize that what I was thinking could be a sin. Through Bible study and reading God's Word, I learned much more about the doctrine of sin than I even knew was possible. Obviously, if God were going to use me to eventually teach other women, I had a great deal to learn.
As a new Christian, I began to read and study the Bible. I also read good books and listened to Bible study tapes. I had pastors who helped me by answering my questions, by suggesting good study books and commentaries to read and use, and by letting me teach a ladies' Bible study class at church or in someone's home. I had to learn how to "handle accurately the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
It took me fifteen months to teach that first Bible study class on the Gospel of John! Each week, I prepared the lesson and wrote homework for the ladies as well. The next year, at the suggestion of my pastor, I taught Genesis. In subsequent years, I taught the prophets, Esther, Colossians, Romans, Malachi, and Revelation.
Since those original classes, there have been times when I have retaught certain subjects and as I restudy previous material, I realize that my understanding of certain doctrines is maturing. It is an on-going process for all Christians. At my pastor's request, he reads each of my lessons before I teach it to our ladies. He then corrects any misunderstandings that I have or any Scripture that is taken out of context. Teaching under his authority is a true blessing and protection for me as well as subsequently for the other ladies in our church. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know. Even though I have been teaching the Bible now for nearly fifteen years, my understanding of doctrine continues to mature.
Knowing doctrine is a critical foundation to a ministry of teaching and encouraging the younger women but would be of little use if God had not begun to mature my character.
***
CHARACTER
Whether you want to describe the maturing of my character as “pruning me so that I can bear
fruit” (John 15:2) or as disciplining me so that I can “share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10),
changing my character has been the most difficult and most personally humiliating of the three
areas. The bad news is that it is sometimes embarrassing to realize you are less than perfect. The
good news is “God gives grace to the humble” (James 5:6).
One of the areas in my character that needed drastic changing was the character quality of anger.
Anger surfaced when I did not have my way or when something or someone irritated or frustrated
me. I was one of those “angry men” (or women in my case) you should not go with “lest you
learn his ways and find a snare for yourself” (Proverbs 22:25). Instead of being easily irritated,
impatient, or openly angry, God began to change me into a woman with a gentle and quiet spirit.
I remember once speaking intensely to another woman in our church. She and her husband were
thinking of leaving and going to a church which I knew to be doctrinally unsound. Instead of
responding to her in a gentle and loving tone, I became too intense and harsh. They subsequently
left our church, but I justified what happened in my mind because, after all, I was right. Not long
after the incident, a mutual friend of ours called me on the phone. She was very nice but
straightforward. She said, “I agree with what you said, but your tone with her sounded harsh and
angry. The Bible tells us that if we are to rightly influence others whose doctrine is wrong, ‘the
Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when
wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition...’ (2 Timothy 2:24-25). One
reason they have left is because of your harshness.”
Needless to say, I was embarrassed and very upset to hear her reproof. I cried and when I hung
up the phone, I prayed. I asked God to help me understand. I pleaded with the Lord to make me a
gently woman. I thanked Him for the telephone call. I then decided to go to the other woman and
ask her forgiveness.
Because it was Christmas time, I stopped and purchased a poinsettia plant for her. As I
approached her front door, I was hoping that she would not be home so that I could just leave the
plant with a note of apology asking for her forgiveness. However, she was home and invited me
in. I tried to break the ice by telling her that I had brought her a “Peace Poinsettia.” (No pun
intended!) I asked her to please forgive me because of my harshness and she very graciously did
so. They did not, however, come back to church.
I have learned that instead of angry bullying to try to achieve God’s ends, only loving gentleness
pleases Him. It was not enough for me to recognize and “put off” my harshness and impatience, I
had to “put on” love. For example, I should have conveyed my thoughts but I should have
expressed them in a godly, gentle tone.
God has changed my character and much more often than not, I am by His grace a gentle person.
When I am not, I return to the basics (1 John 1:9). I think through how I should have responded,
ask God’s forgiveness, and the other person’s forgiveness. I pray the next time, I will think first
and then respond in love.
***
Another area in my character that required work was becoming less selfish and more loving.
“Love does not seek its own way” (1 Cor 13:5) was very convicting to me. God gradually
showed me through Scripture and the conviction of the Holy Spirit that I was to seek His way and
not my own. As He has matured me, pleasing Him has brought me very great joy.
In addition to becoming more gentle and less selfish, there was a great need within my character
to be humble. Instead of being defensive, God wanted me to carefully listen and at least consider
what the other person was saying. Instead of focusing on having been hurt from the reproof, He
wants me to grow and learn from it. There is no more vivid example in my life than what
happened when I wrote The Excellent Wife book.
Because I knew I would be a fool to write a book, especially a book about the doctrine of being a
godly wife, without help and scrutiny, I asked for help. The Lord gave it to me! Four separate
men, three pastors and one biblical counselor, read it and made comments. The result was a
tremendous amount of work and time writing and rewriting. Making some of those changes was
like being asked to give up my baby. Every word I had written was precious to me. However, not
every word I had written made good sense or was biblically accurate. Because of my sinful pride,
I became overwhelmed and at one point seriously threatened to throw the entire project in the
trash! Obviously this was not a mature person. The next day as I thought about my impulsive
reaction, I was ashamed especially because of all the help the Lord had provided. I realized that it
was much more important to the Lord that I “walk humbly with Him” than that I ever write a
book (Micah 6:8).
God is still working on all these character areas and many others that I have not included here. He
had to mature me to a certain point so that I could begin to teach and encourage the younger
women. It is truly a testimony of His goodness and mercy and grace for what He has done in my
life.
Certainly, as I had to become more mature in my doctrine and my character, I also had to mature
in my ministry or service for the Lord.
***
MINISTRY
My service for the Lord has gone through several phases. Now it is focused on my home and my husband and in our church with a ladies' Bible study class as well as discipleship/counseling of ladies within our church. As time permits, I speak at ladies' seminars and write.
I remember learning a very hard lesson about what God did and did not want me to do. Several years ago, I had a passionate, deep desire to become a missionary. In fact, I just knew it was God's will for us to sell everything, forsake almost all our worldly possessions, and go (of course) to Africa! I was just thrilled even thinking aobut it. That had to be the ultimate in serving the Lord.
After much prayer and still feeling very fervent, I talked with my husband, Sanford. I was so excited and enthusiastic as I explained that he could quit his job, we could sell our house, and go wherever the Lord wanted. I asked him to please "think about it." He nicely said, "I don't need to think about it. I am not quitting my job. We are not going anywhere. I believe the Lord wants us here to serve in our church."
Well, I was crushed. How could I ever be as holy as someone who gives up everything to go to Africa? As I thought about it and prayed, I came to understand that God's will for me, at least for the time being, was to be graciously and joyfully under the suthority of my husband.
In addition to my disappointment over not getting to be a missionary, there are many times while serving the Lord when I must do something that I think I am not particularly gifted to do. Some examples are playing the piano at church, organizing meals to be carried to someone who has had a death in the family, or staying in the nursery. Regardless, I am to serve the Lord joyfully and "bear fruit in every good work" (Colossians 1:10).
I know what and how much time to commit through the guidance of Sanford and the other elders in my church. They willingly share me with other churches on a limited basis, but they believe (rightly so) that my primary service should be to my husband, then to the ladies in our church, and finally to others.
Regardless of what our spiritual gifts may be, I believe that GOd desires every Christian woman's ministry to be somewhat centered around being a Titus 2 Woman (married or single) and teaching and encouraging the younger women to be a Titus 2 Woman. In the next chapter, I will explain some general biblical principles in discipling other women as well as give you some specific examples of women with whom I have worked.
Editor's Note: As we go to press, Martha Peace and her husband, Sanford, are visiting South Africa, where Martha is teaching ladies how to develop the character of God and become "Excellent Wives."
(End of Chapter 2)