My Second Love: A Proverbs 31 Study

Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:15:00 +0000

Welcome to My Second Love: A Proverbs 31 Study.

We've begun the publishing process of this study, so please be sure to subscribe via email or RSS feed so you can receive the latest updates on when and where you'll be able to purchase this book as soon as it's available.

Biblical submission is:

a beautiful gift for your husband

and a precious offering to God.

Have you ever wondered why God used the bone from the man's rib to form the woman? Why didn't God use a piece of bone from the man's head so the wife could be over her husband? Or why didn't God use a bone from the man's shoulder so the wife could have equal roles and duties as her husband? Why didn't God use a bone from the man's thumb so his wife could be under his constant pressure? Or why didn't God use a bone from the man's foot so the wife could be used as a feeble and dirty doormat?

Why did God use the rib?

These questions and many others regarding what a true woman looks like, what biblical submission really means, and how the ancient text of the Proverbs 31 woman is still relevant and much needed in today’s world; are studied, examined and answered in My Second Love: A Proverbs 31 Study.

This is an exegetical study of Proverbs 31:10-31; an acrostic poem based on the Hebrew alphabet, an oracle taught to King Lemuel (meaning: "devoted to God"), by his mother (Proverbs 31:1). Most scholars reason King Lemuel is King Solomon since Solomon was also called Jedidiah which means "beloved of the LORD" (2 Samuel 12:25).

Every chapter is based on a verse of the Proverbs 31 woman. In this study, you will gain insight and understanding of the spiritual essence of every verse as well as be provided with practical ways you can apply these biblical principles to your life.

At the end of each chapter, you'll find soul-searching questions to help you: grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, see yourself and your life with eternal perspective, and view others as God our Father sees them; with His infinite wisdom, love and compassion rather than with our introspectively-skewed and finite understanding.

Following God's Divine Order:

A wife's biblical submission is vital to the family unit and a wife's effectiveness in her role as help-meet to her husband, therefore we will follow God's divine order of things (1 Corinthians 14:40):

GOD FIRST: Matthew 6:33 and 10:37-39; Luke 14:33; Mark 12:30-31; Proverbs 31:30; Psalm 88:13; Psalm 1:1-3
SPOUSE SECOND: Genesis 2:18-20, 3:16; Ephesians 5:22-24; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9; 1 Timothy 2:13, 3:4-5; Titus 2:3-5
CHILDREN THIRD: Psalm 78:3-5; Titus 2:4; Deuteronomy 6:7; Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 29:17; Malachi 2:15; Hebrews 12:8
HOMEMAKING FOURTH: Proverbs 31:10-31; Titus 2:3-5
"MINISTRY" FIFTH: Volunteering (at church and children's school), work, others (extended family, church family, friends) and hobbies: 1 Timothy 2:10, 5:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:7: Acts 9:36; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12; Romans 12:10 & 13: 1 Peter 4:9-11

Living life out of God's order is asking for chaos to reign in our lives, causing us to be unfruitful and living in constant haste (2 Peter 1:3-9).

Remember:
A woman of faith, doesn't live in haste.

Concept of Biblical Submission:

The concept of this Bible study did not originate from me, nor did the precept of biblical submission. These thoughts and mandates originated from the LORD God Almighty who is good, righteous and perfect in all His ways. Through 21 years of marriage, and many sins committed and mistakes made, the Lord, in His kindness, provided me with training and hope in the truth about biblical submission and the impact and power it has on the family unit. Therefore it's my blessing and honor to pass the same hope and truth along to my sisters whom the Lord leads to this study.

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

~Romans 15:4-6

This study belongs to God and all the sisters in Christ whom the Lord has led here so we may travel the road of biblical submission together and raise our voices as one; giving praise, glory and honor only to Jesus our Supreme and First Love, so we can honor and love our husbands as our second love.

"Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful."

~ Psalm 111:1-4

How should Christians vote, if at all?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:39:00 +0000

Should Christians vote? Yes!

"And He [Jesus] said to them, 'Whose likeness and inscription is this?' They said to Him, 'Caesar's.' Jesus said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' And they marveled at Him.' "~Mark 12: 17 (ESV)

As Christians, we ought to marvel at Jesus’ desire for the separation of Church and State. And we must desire the same.

We rightly separate Church and State by giving to God what is His (Luke 10:27), and giving the world, what belongs to it; our freedoms in Christ to obey His precepts and bless the world by supporting those who uphold God’s laws for the protection and provision of His saints (see Gen 41:37-41, 45:7-8; Jeremiah 25:8-9; Is 44:28, 45:1).

Throughout biblical history, when God’s people have waned from wholeheartedly following His Word, He lifted up pagan leaders (e.g., Pharaoh of Joseph’s time, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, King Cyrus of Persia, etc.) to care for and discipline His wandering flock so that we might turn back to Him and away from all wickedness.

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment...Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”

~Romans 13:1-2, 5-7 (ESV)

And a vote to whom a vote is owed.

If we are commanded to pay taxes because it is right to do so in accordance with the wishes of the governing authorities that God has established, how much more shall we, as His holy and beloved children, exercise our right to vote for the one (even an unbeliever) who will:

Uphold God’s commandments to honor the marriage union (which is the greatest human relationship on earth because it’s the earthly paradigm of Christ’s relationship with His Bride—the Church);
Protect and defend the lives of those of those who cannot speak for themselves (unborn babies in their mother’s womb);
Provide God’s people the freedom to worship the Almighty as He has commanded.

This election is one of the most critical elections in our country’s history within the past century.
Don’t allow apathy, pride, disgust or the opinions of others direct your heart to do what is displeasing before the sight of God.

Let us behave like united saints of America and together, with one voice (Ex 24:3; 1 Cor 1:10) vote our faith; vote with a clear conscience before God and all people (Acts 24:16); to help promote, protect and defend what little morality is left in our country.

Note: National and state nonpartisan voters guides are available at: Christian Voter Guide and Citizen Link (a ministry of Focus on the Family).

Pastor Voddie Baucham on adoption, abortion and President Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:13:00 +0000

This is an amazingly honest and and heartfelt testimony regarding the truths about adoption, abortion and President Obama and his position (or lack thereof) on the right that every human being should have: the right to life.

Please watch and share this very short, yet extremely important video by Texas Right to Life.

Pray for our country, and fervently pray about who you'll be voting for in this year's election.

Never have it on your conscience that your vote went to someone who supports the killing of innocent, unborn babies; for this is an abomination before the sight of God.

True Woman Conference, interview with Mary Kassian and book giveaways

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Mary Kassian is an award winning author, internationally renowned speaker and a distinguished professor at Southern Baptist Seminary. She’s the author of multiple books including Girls Gone Wise, and co-author (with Nancy Leigh DeMoss) of True Woman 101: Divine Design and one of the speakers at the True Woman Conference 2012 that will be held in Indianapolis, Ind., on September 20-22.

(Look for the giveaway at the end of this article).

“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels...She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy...She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue...Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”~Proverbs 31:10, 20, 26, 30

A woman who knows she was made to be a strong yet delicate, beautiful creation of God, is indeed an extreme rarity. Her value and contribution to her family, the Church and her community is incomparable to the vain notions and deceitful promises of the feminist movement.

True freedom is not found in demanding equality with just another sinner. True freedom is found only in God’s grace and mercy, fully manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ. Only the Truth can set anyone free (John 8:31-32). And Jesus Christ alone is the Truth (John 14:6).

Sunny: How was the True Woman Movement birthed?

Mary: In 2002, after recording a radio program for Revive our Hearts, Nancy invited me and a few other friends to her home. All of us but Nancy (who was very ill) were discussing the devastating effects of feminism on our society. We marveled at how such a small group of women launched a movement that dramatically changed our world. Nancy surprised us all when she chimed in and said, “If a handful of angry, determined women made such a profound impact for evil, imagine what a handful of God-loving, Spirit-filled women could do for good.”

God worked on both our hearts over the years regarding true, biblical womanhood and in 2007 Nancy contacted me, asking me to help her with the first True Woman Conferencethat was held in Chicago in 2008. We had no plans beyond this, but God did. There was such a hunger from other Christian women to learn and understand what true biblical womanhood was, we realized this wasn’t the end, but the beginning of a countercultural movement towards what God created women to be.

Sunny: What is the ‘30-day True Woman Makeover’ and how is it similar or different from the‘40-day Heart Preparation’?

Mary: The 30-day makeover is...[read full article]

What's the holdup on the study?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Hello faithful sisters in Christ,

I've received many emails asking when the study will be complete. After much prayer, consulting with my husband and wise counsel from my Women's Ministry Director at our church, from time to time, I will update you on the progress of this study's completion so that you can participate in praying for the Lord's perfect timing and provision.

Many of you already know that I've suffered from serious health issues for the past eight years and have spent much of my time in hospitals. Due to my first commitment and ministry to my family (lest I be a hypocrite in writing this study) and my failing health, I've been hindered from completing this study up till now. But please be assured, it is always something I pray fervently about and am waiting on the Lord for some help for this task, by God's design, has become too great for me to carry alone.

My latest health challenge happened two months ago when I found myself in the emergency room (again) in extreme pain and unable to move. After years of nursing some herniated discs and one bulging, two of them completely burst and flattened, causing one of my vertebrae to slip. Because both discs released all its fluid into my back, I had severe nerve and muscle inflammation which is why I couldn't move. After being hospitalized for a week and having a CT Scan and MRI, I was told I finally needed to have that surgery I've been told I would need for the past several years.

The surgery was what they call a four level surgery with the removal and replacement of two discs and spinal fusion that included two titanium rods and eight screws to be put in my back. Because it's such a severe surgery, the time for full recovery is nine months. So as you can see, I have quite a challenge ahead of me. But as Jesus said, our bodies may be weak, but our spirit that is united with Him, is willing (Mk 14:38); and indeed it is.

With all that said, I'm grateful to God for providing me with some help that will be coming soon and am hoping that He will make it possible for this study to be completed by December 2012.

Please join us in prayer. Thank you.

Celebrating 20 years of God's faithfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Twenty years ago today, the Lord chose to unite me and my beloved husband together in holy matrimony.

We were both young, naive about marriage and still a bit prideful and self-serving. Naturally our pride deceived us into believing otherwise.

The first several years of our marriage were rocky as we both tried to mold one another into our own image of what we thought a husband/wife looked like.

With one child, and conversations about divorce, we were nearly done. But God's plans are never thwarted.

Never.

The Lord decided that we would be married until death do us part and have two sons with whom He would also use for His glory. As we've learned, our marriage isn't about the two of us—it's about Christ.

Out of God's great mercy and compassion for the young fools we were, He granted us the wisdom we finally asked for and committed to love one another always second to Christ. We took divorce off the table and resolved to keep Christ as our First Love; to serve Him, to bring Him glory and please Him in every way with our marriage.

No longer seeing marriage as a way to feel "complete" or satisfy any self-fulfilling desires, we pressed on to love one another not because to make each other happy, but because God created our marriage to make us holy and conform us more and more into the image of Christ.

We've had many trials in our marriage. Trials with extended family. Trials with friends. Trials with our kids. And through it all, God made our marriage stronger and more firmer in Christ. With every wind of adversity, we hunkered down together to find our identity, our purpose, our lives, hid in Christ alone.

I strive to the be biblical, Proverbs 31 woman first to please my Lord, second to serve and honor my husband. My husband strives to live up to all that is written in God's word of what a man after His own heart looks like (Eph 5:25-31); and he does this well.

Though I still have a long way to go, the Lord has given us both the peace and love we need to press on together as we long to deepen our relationship with Christ as "one"—living only to please, honor and glorify the Son of God.

We are here to make much of Jesus. Not of ourselves.

May the LORD receive all praise and glory for the 20 years He's generously granted us and for whatever more He chooses to give us. May the name of the Lord forever be praised. Amen.

"Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;

our God is merciful.

The LORD preserves the simple;

when I was brought low, He saved me.

Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you."

Psalm 116:5-7

Easter: The truth about life, death and The Resurrection

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:49:00 +0000

Is there life after death? Are we reincarnated and come back as something else depending on the kind of life we previously lived? Can the dead rise back to life? Is there really a Heaven and Hell? The answers are: yes, there is life after death; no, there’s no such thing as reincarnation; and when a person dies, they will be resurrected either to eternal life in Heaven with God, or eternal damnation in Hell with Satan and his demons (John 5:28-29).

Two days ago, we rejoiced in the reason why Good Friday is so good—because, once and for all, the penalty for sin was paid in full for those who by faith, repent and trust their lives to Jesus (Hebrews 10:10).

Yesterday, as Christians, we celebrated the Passover, testifying we have been passed over from death to life through the sacrifice of the last and perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ, whose blood alone is able to cleanse our sins (John 1:29).

Today, we rejoice that Jesus Christ is risen! The grave that could not hold our Savior, cannot hold us. The power of sin and Satan were defeated so that sinners whom Christ came to save would be guaranteed eternal life in Him...[read full article]

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

The high calling of biblical womanhood: Working at home

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:03:00 +0000

There is an enormous lie that has captured and deceived many women in the church today: Denying and sacrificing your family to work in “ministry” is an honor and proves a woman’s worth in the sight of God.

Due to this prevalent myth, many wives and mothers are being led astray by their personal passions and are leaving what they consider their less important and more mundane responsibilities at home, and chasing after “bigger and better” things outside of it. Unfortunately many women are deceived into believing their husbands and children are less spiritual than they because they’re complaining about her absence and/or neglect of their home.

“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
~Proverbs 14:1

Evangelism, leading Bible studies, discipling other women, online ministry, writing for the glory of God, etc., are vital parts of biblical womanhood, but none....

....to continue reading the article, click: The high calling of biblical womanhood: Working at home

Should Christians celebrate Halloween, Harvest Festivals or Reformation Day?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:47:00 +0000

Every year about this time, there's some controversy about what Bible-believing Christians ought to celebrate. Is it a sin for a Christian to celebrate Halloween? Is it better to participate in a church Harvest/Fall Festival instead? What in the world is Reformation Day and why do I keep seeing, "Happy Reformation Day" on Facebook?

To find out the origins and meanings of these events, and which one, if any, Christians should be participate in, read my article on Examiner.com by clicking the link below:

Should Christians celebrate Halloween, Harvest Festivals or Reformation Day?

Movie review: "Courageous" - separating the men from the boys

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:57:00 +0000

My husband and I just saw this incredible movie this past weekend. We laughed, we cried, but mostly, we praised God for the gift of fatherhood and how it is accurately displayed in a media format.

So many TV shows, movies, and commercials nowadays depict fathers as the idiotic, nuisance of the family, rather than the respected head of the household God created them to be. Then we wonder why they don't take the lead, or why they prefer to hang out with their buddies rather than their families.

I realize not every father is worthy of honor because they are not honorable people. I understand many of us live under very different circumstances with men of authority, who abuse their position in multiple ways. I'm not talking about these men. I'm talking about the average Dad who often gets forgotten. The one that gets told what the family's weekend plans are and if he has an opinion of his own, everyone rolls their eyes and say, "Oh Dad, you don't know what's good."

Unfortunately, this is all too common within the Christian households as well as those of unbelieving families. Christian women spend more time in Bible study than most men, which results in many women taking the spiritual headship of the home.

We wives need to learn what true biblical submission is. And men need to stop acting like little boys, and act like the men they are, living courageously under the headship and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To read my official review of the movie on Examiner.com, click here.

Abortions and its effect on marriages: The ugly and rarely spoken truths

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Read my latest article on Examiner.com regarding the effects of abortion on marriages.

This is a topic that rarely gets researched or receives any media attention. Which is sad, because it is something that often causes destructive consequences that many marriages are not able to recover from.

Included in the article are two excerpts from the Elliot Institute where you'll be able to read the testimony from a husband's perspective and a wife's perspective of what abortion did to their marriages.

Please click the link to read the full article: Abortion and its effect on marriages: The ugly and rarely spoken truths.

180 Movie: Pro-Choice to Pro-Life in seconds!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:30:00 +0000

abort (verb) - to cause to cease or terminate.

To abort or not to abort...that is the question. But what is the answer? I mean, the right answer? Whether you ask an unbeliever or sadly, even professing Christians this question, the answer varies. It seems odd that a Bible believing Christian would support the "choice" for a woman to abort, that is, terminate the life of her unborn baby, but many professing Christians have no problem with this. Why? I believe it is because both professing Christians and unbelievers have been deceived by the devil to think that because we cannot see life and because this life is not ready to be birthed from the mother's womb, the baby is not really alive. But how can something or someone that is growing and developing be dead? Have you ever seen anything in all creation, a plant, a virus, an animal that was dead, continue to develop? No. Only that which is living is capable of growing and developing, just as the baby in the mother's womb does, unless the baby's growth and development is aborted -- terminated; killed.

Who defines life? God defines life, because God is life.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."
~John 1:1-4

When does life begin? A person is either alive or they are dead. There is nothing in between. Life is not a process, but an event. You either are a living being or you are not. Just as death is a one time event, so is life.

"For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me when as yet there were none of them."
~Psalm 139:13-16

Please watch this short, 33-minute movie, where you'll see 8 adamantly Pro-Choice people become Pro-Life, in just seconds! This vividly intense documentary shares the truth about abortion, it’s affect on the morality of our nation and people just like you and me. Because the issue of morality was brought up by some of the interviewees, a clear and biblical Gospel presentation is also included in this movie.

I found 180 to be a passionate and intellectually gripping movie. Ray Comfort, Founder and President of LWP, presents the viewer with a perspective on abortion that speaks directly to the condition of a person’s heart, rather than keep abortion at a comfortable, political distance. Ray Comfort opens the movie with a stern warning that history will be repeated, if we aren’t wise enough to educate ourselves and learn from it. and help spread the word.

Please visit Heart Changer to support the cause of speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Prov 31:8-9).

Please join me in prayer that God will use this movie to open the eyes and ears of all those who have been deceived.

Authentic Biblical Womahood -- eye candy for your man

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:16:00 +0000

I made this quick, impromptu video after making dinner for my family and realizing I had a couple minutes to spare.

As I prayed about how I might best spend these few minutes, the LORD was kind to remind me of a recent video I had seen on Facebook where a Christian woman was telling other women that they are being "fake" or are wearing a "mask" if they looked halfway decent when and if they work from home. She was stating that if we are being "authentic" then we will stop trying to impress others to try to get them to love and accept us. She taught that women should just be who we are, without makeup, without hair combed, without a shower, etc., just as she was in the video (oh, but she did state that she washed her face).

While I agree with the concept of being authentic, this poor sister missed a major point...CHRIST! I was very disturbed that she not only professes to be a Christian, but she also has a Christian ministry where she is wrongly teaching other women about God and the things of God. It is obvious this sister needs to spend much time under godly and wise teaching rather than consider herself a teacher as it is written:

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness"
~James 3:1

Since one of the things the LORD has called me to teach women is biblical womanhood, after much prayer, I made this counter-video so that Christian women can know and live by God's truth written in His word rather than listen to the erroneous teachings of the falsely humble emergent church "Christians".

If your entire focus is on being "authentic" so that others will love you for who you are, realize that your focus is yourself and not the Lord Jesus whom you profess to trust and love.

Beloved sisters in the Lord, I urge you to flee from this deceptive teaching and practice of seemingly exterior "holiness" and be holy as the LORD our God is holy by the righteousness of Christ, who alone can make you holy, acceptable and pleasing before the sight of God (2 Cor 5:21, Rom 3:10-12).

Humble yourself before the Lord and do all things for His glory, for His name to be exalted...not yours.

My Second Love - new look, new title, same message

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:51:00 +0000

Hello precious sisters in the Lord Jesus!

I wanted to give you a bit of a "heads up" on some new happenings behind the scenes!

I must confess that I'm not the most creative person...specifically, when it comes to teaching....online. I do much better in person and well, God's been leading me to be more open and more fluent with my online teaching, just as I do in "real life". With that said, after much prayer, and counsel from my amazing husband, I'm changing the name of this Bible study site.

The name that I've changed for the website address is My Second Love. This Bible study site will also undergo a "makeover", which will most likely be happening by the New Year. I'll keep you posted!

So, why the change? Well, I actually have to go run some errands right now, so I'll have to explain all that to you later. For those of you who've been with me for some time now and/or are already working through this study, you've probably already figured it out. ♥

For those of you who have subscribed both through Blogger, RSS feeds and email, it shouldn't change your subscription as I have everything forwarded to the new name. But, just in case there's a glitch and you're no longer receiving lessons or posts from me, you might want to re-subscribe. Sorry for any inconvenience and trouble. :)

What makes a healthy marriage? - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:23:00 +0000

I recently began writing articles on Examiner.com. It's a secular, online newspaper of sorts and by God's providence I've been put under the larger "Relationship" category rather than the their "Religion & Spirituality" category, although the title they gave me is: Dallas Christian Marriage Examiner.

I'm so excited about this new opportunity to be able to reach a wider audience for Christ; to edify the saints and share the Gospel with the lost! To read my most recent article, please follow the link below:

What makes a healthy marriage? - Part 1

Is It Biblical to Leave My Unrepentant Husband?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:45:00 +0000

Last week I received an email from a precious sister through my blog, About My Father's Business.

She had a question regarding her current situation with her husband and his infidelity.

Since this issue has to do with a wife's biblical role and the difficulties many of us face in our marriage, I thought it might benefit you or those you love, if I shared my response to her with all of you.

Ask Sunny: "Is It Biblical to Leave My Unrepentant Husband?"

I sincerely pray that this will bless all of you and exhort you to continue to press on toward the goal in which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus...no matter the cost...no matter the circumstances.

with much love & prayer,

Is Divorce & Remarriage Biblical?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:29:00 +0000

This was a question posed to me by one of my readers from my other blog, About My Father's Business - John 15:13.

Since this Bible study site pertains to all matters regarding what is or isn't biblical in marriage, I saw it fitting to share this article with all of you as well.

To read the article, please click the title below:

Is Divorce and Remarriage Biblical?

What Does Jesus Want for Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Merry CHRISTmas!

Let us all remember why we celebrate this day. Not so that we can ask for things, or even to fulfill the requests of what others have asked for. But instead, let us all ask what Jesus our Savior wants.

Below, is an article John Piper wrote in 2001. Please read and be blessed.

What Does Jesus Want for Christmas?

By John Piper December 11, 2001

What does Jesus want this Christmas? We can see the answer in his prayers. What does he ask God for? His longest prayer is John 17. Here is the climax of his desire:

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am (v. 24).

Among all the undeserving sinners in the world, there are those whom God has "given to Jesus." These are those whom God has drawn to the Son (John 6:44, 65). These are Christians - people who have "received" Jesus as the crucified and risen Savior and Lord and Treasure of their lives (John 1:12; 10:11, 17-18; 20:28; 6:35; 3:17). Jesus says he wants them to be with him.

Sometimes we hear people say that God created man because he was lonely. So they say, "God created us so that we would be with him." Does Jesus agree with this? Well, he does say that he really wants us to be with him! Yes, but why? Consider the rest of the verse. Why does Jesus want us to be with him?

. . . to see my glory that you [Father] have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

That would be a strange way of expressing his loneliness. "I want them with me so they can see my glory." In fact it doesn't express his loneliness. It expresses his concern for the satisfaction of our longing, not his loneliness. Jesus is not lonely. He and the Father and the Spirit are profoundly satisfied in the fellowship of the Trinity. We, not he, are starving for something. And what Jesus wants for Christmas is for us to experience what we were really made for - seeing and savoring his glory.

Oh, that God would make this sink in to our souls! Jesus made us (John 1:3) to see his glory. Just before he goes to the cross he pleads his deepest desires with the Father: "Father, I desire - I desire! - that they . . . may be with me where I am, to see my glory."

But that is only half of what Jesus wants in these final, climactic verses of his prayer. I just said we were really made for seeing and savoring his glory. Is that what he wants - that we not only see his glory but savor it, relish it, delight in it, treasure it, love it? Consider verse 26, the very last verse:

I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

That is the end of the prayer. What is Jesus' final goal for us? Not that we simply see his glory, but that we love him with the same love that the Father has for him: "that the love with which you [Father] have loved me may be in them." Jesus' longing and goal is that we see his glory and then that we be able to love what we see with the same love that the Father has for the Son. And he doesn't mean that we merely imitate the love of the Father for the Son. He means the Father's very love becomes our love for the Son - that we love the Son with the love of the Father for the Son. This is what the Spirit becomes and bestows in our lives: Love for the Son by the Father through the Spirit.

What Jesus wants most for Christmas is that his elect be gathered in and then get what they want most - to see his glory and then savor it with the very savoring of the Father for the Son.

What I want most for Christmas this year is to join you (and many others) in seeing Christ in all his fullness and that we together be able to love what we see with a love far beyond our own half-hearted human capacities.

This is what Jesus prays for us this Christmas: "Father, show them my glory and give them the very delight in me that you have in me." Oh, may we see Christ with the eyes of God and savor Christ with the heart of God. That is the essence of heaven. That is the gift Christ came to purchase for sinners at the cost of his death in our place.

Speak Up For Those...

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:55:00 +0000

...who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
(Proverbs 31:8)

I don't normally do this on this Bible study blog, but I feel this issue is too important and I am compelled to share this with every means God has made possible for me. Please help me to get this word out.

If the Obama administration is successful in rescinding the "Conscience Clause" then many doctors could be fired or go to jail if they refuse to take the life of a precious baby.

Respect God's Commandment on Life

Watch a video of Senator Tom Coburn who states:
"I will go to jail before I perform an abortion."

Fox News - Tom Coburn

Below, is an excerpt from Jay Sekulow's website regarding what we can do, as children of God to help save the lives of unborn babies and our brothers and sisters in the medical profession who are standing for the same.
____________________________________

President Obama said it. He wants to hear from you.

But he's given you a deadline: You've got two weeks to voice your concerns - to speak out for America's pro-life medical professionals ... and their moral conscience - before it's too late.

Right now, the Department of Health and Human Services is accepting public comment on this very critical issue - but the deadline is quickly approaching.

You have strong convictions, but President Obama says that doesn’t matter. He’s ready to rescind the Conscience Clause.

The Conscience Clause was implemented by former President George W. Bush to give physicians and nurses the choice to act according to their conscience — to not participate in abortion procedures if it conflicts with their personal convictions. If President Obama makes this damaging move, if he reverses the Conscience Clause, pro-life doctors and nurses will be forced into performing abortion procedures, despite their individual beliefs.

Please click and sign below and pass this information on to everyone you know. Remember, President Obama has only given us two weeks to act. Thanks be to God, He made His children fast typers! ♥

Petition to Protect Pro-Life Doctors

Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:23:00 +0000

Beloved sisters:

I'm so thankful God has granted me the privilege of traveling this narrow road with you to becoming a biblically submissive wife that is so pleasing to the LORD.

My prayer is that as wives and future wives, we will return to the purpose in which our Creator, God and Father through the Lord Jesus Christ originally intended when He so carefully designed us. And as we return, I pray that we, as daughters of the Most High God will use the influence He gave to women to turn the tides of the American family so that our country may return to a nation founded on Christ just as our forefathers had intended. Please join me in this prayer.

As we travel, please allow the Holy Spirit of God to prune you, refine you and shape you. Ask God for His discipline. Painful as it may be, we can trust it because we know God's discipline is good and is out of His great love for us, as His discipline leads us out of the entrapment of sin and into the freedom found only in the righteousness of Christ (Hebrews 12:7-11).

In the light of Ecclesiastes 5:1-3, pray and memorize: Psalm 139:23-24 and Psalm 19:14. Then share how applying these Scriptures in your life has impacted you and your family with your local study group so other sisters in the Lord may be encouraged and edified through what the Lord is teaching you.

This study will be intense and requires a strong commitment as you resolve to dedicate yourself to be an active participant in the work of the Holy Spirit as He conforms you into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. If you do not feel that you are at a place in your life where you can make such an unwavering commitment to God and your family, I advise you not to take this journey until you are able. Before you begin this study, first read: Luke 14:27-33 and consider carefully the cost of traveling down this road to Christ-likeness.

Let me close with this quote from Fran Sciacca:

"A major distinction exists between the ancient marble-crafters and the God of eternity, however. They worked with lifeless stone, and what emerged was the product of their own skill and choice. But God depends upon us to hold His chisel and welcome the blows of His tools. A necessary cooperation exists between the Master and His work. We must submit to become what He so faithfully wills to form. Becoming like Jesus Christ must be at the center of our understanding of what it means to be a child of God on this side of eternity. And like the artisans of old, God's methods necessitate pain, the removal of what we might rely upon, and great amounts of time and patience....There's much within each of us that would implore the Master to quit the work, to let us be content as an unfinished piece. We are frail people living in formidable times. Pain, difficulty, suffering, loss, and rejection are regarded as enemies in our postmodern world. But in the hands of a loving Father, afflictions and difficulties are meant to be the agents of glorious change for those who submit to the work of the Master's hand."

But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our Potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

~ Isaiah 64:8

Email Me

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:26:00 +0000

For personal prayer requests, questions or counsel, please fill out the form below:

I will respond as soon as possible, but please allow me at least 7 business days to pray and consult with God before I answer.

Great Resources!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:02:00 +0000

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

Biblos.com

StudyLight.org

Blue Letter Bible

The Net Bible

The School of Biblical Evangelism

Plugged-In Online Movie Reviews

Moving On...Leaving a Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:53:00 +0000

As some of you are half-way through the study, I considered how I would handle the Participants' List. I knew I'd have to start taking names and URL's off as soon as someone completed the study, because if I didn't the list would just be too long and inundating.

But I didn't want to completely wipe out any memory of those who have traveled this challenging and narrow road to Biblical submission and have contributed to this study. So I decided that it would be fitting to make a page just for the "graduates" of the study!

Once you've completed this study, I will keep your name and URL of your blog and put it on this page so I can keep the URL's of the current sisters traveling on the Participants' List to keep the home page neat and orderly.

I'm so grateful to be traveling this road with you and so grateful for all those who have invested their time and heart to sharing God's wisdom and lessons they've learned with other sisters who traveled with them and also for those to come!

Thank you so very much for your willingness to spur others on toward love and good works!

Mission

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:50:00 +0000

The mission of this study is to change the tides of this world; one woman at a time, in order to:

Bring the greatest honor and glory to God by exhorting wives to return to their original design, with great beauty and no shame, before the Fall (Genesis 2:22-25, 1 Peter 3:1-6);
Keep the Word of God from being reviled through personally practicing and teaching God's mandate for all wives (Titus 2:3-5);
Help my sisters in Christ realize Biblical submission is not a weakness, but a powerful weapon God gave His daughters (that's why Satan wants to take it away), enabling us to engage in the battle with our enemy, the devil (Ephesians 6:10-13);
Equip the daughters of the Most High God with God's truth and expose the dark deception of the vanity of modern feminist philosophies (John 3:20-21, Mark 7:7-8, 1 Timothy 1:4-7);
Relinquish Satan's stronghold on our families through the teaching of sound doctrine and encouraging my sisters to mortify all desires of the flesh and fully participate in the Holy Spirit's work of sanctification, so that we might more easily be conformed into the likeness of Christ (1 Timothy 6:1-5, Luke 9:23, Romans 8:28-29, 1 Thessalonians 5:19);
Storm the gates of Hell as Biblically submissive wives, and fight for our families by demolishing every pretense, every imagination and every false doctrine that has entered the Church and take captive every thought, making them obedient to Christ; who alone is our Lord (2 Corinthians 10:3-5);
Seek to save the lost, Biblically and effectively: first to our own husbands (through Biblical submission), then our children, extended family members, our neighbors and wherever the Lord God chooses to plant us that the name of the LORD our God may be praised and honored. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Subscribe To This Study!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Shell) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:46:00 +0000

To receive notice of lessons as they are published, please choose one of the subscription options below:

My Second Love: A Proverbs 31 Study