A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

A Good Woman

Mother’s Day may not be a Christian holiday, but the Scriptures clearly set out howGod views a mother and the importance of the goodness of this woman as it relates to thegoodness of God. There are numerous stories in the Bible about mothers who were goodwomen such as Hagar, Hannah, Esther, Ruth, and Elizabeth, alongside stories of non-mothers,those spiritual good women such as Miriam, Martha, and Mary Magdalene. In this sharing, the“mother of all the living” – Eve, the Proverbs 31 woman, and Abigail will exemplify God’sperspective of “a good woman”.

Mother’s Day may not be a Christian holiday, but the Scriptures clearly set out how God views amother and the importance of the goodness of this woman as it relates to the goodness of God.

Psalm 139:13-14

These are beautiful words to think about (as David did) of how God wove us in our mother’s womb, and we can give thanks for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Ephesians 6:1-3

There is a spiritual and physical consequence to honoring our mothers and fathers. It does notsay honor your mother only on a designated day, but we are to give honor to our mothersevery day.

Proverbs 31:10; 25-26; 30

This proverb of wisdom and instruction: Who can find a good woman? She opens her mouthwith wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. This woman who fears the LORDshall be praised.

Genesis 1:1, 3, 10, 12;18, 21, 26, 31

Genesis 2:21-24

Genesis 3:20

Eve was very good in God’s creation and the mother of all the living.

The word “good” in the verses in Genesis are the Hebrew word tob. In the Greek, “good” iskalos agathos, chrestos and often appears in a nonmoral sense in Scripture, like in a goodappearance, good land, good gold, good soil, good wine.But most of the biblical uses of the word “good” have to do with moral qualities.

Psalm 86:5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in loving kindness to allwho call upon You.

Psalm 34:8 O Taste and see that the LORD is good, how blessed is the man who takes refugein him;

In Scripture, His goodness appears most clearly in His dealings with people.

Psalm 26:3 Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life and I willdwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Romans 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and tolerable and patience, notknowing that the kindness (goodness) of God leads you to repentance?

In the Scripture, goodness always involves particular ways of behaving. Because God is good,He is good to His people; when people are good, they behave decently toward each other, basedon God’s goodness to them.

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you butto do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

In Galatians 5:22, goodness is a fruit of the Spirit.

1 Samuel 25:3, 10, 18-19, 22-33, 39

We have the biblical record of Abigail, a good woman of understanding. She trusted and hadfaith in the goodness of her God, Yahweh. Abigail ended up marrying King David and gave birthto their son, Chileab.

Fan into Flames the Gift of God

God invites us to join him in the work he is doing in the world. He equips us for good works by bestowing God-given talents, resources, and a heart to serve. Paul encouraged Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6 ESV). What gifts has God entrusted you with? How can you use them for his glory?

Ephesians 2:10 We aren’t saved by works, but we are saved for works. God invites us to join him in the work he is doing to repair the world.

Matthew 25:13-30 Like the master in the parable, one day Jesus will return to rule the world. When he comes, he will reward or reprimand his servants based on what they did with the resources entrusted to them.

Exodus 35:10, 30-35 and 1 Chronicles 15:22 God gave talent in art, music, or craftmanship to specific individuals so they could do work related to the Tabernacle. Throughout scripture, God entrusted people with God-given talents. God did this for a purpose − so they would be equipped for the work he called them to do.

Psalm 37:4; Philippians 2:13 God helps us to do the work he calls us to do. Not only that, but he helps us to have the desire to do it. He changes our hearts and gives us the desire to do his will.

1 Corinthians 12:4-20, 27-31 and 1 Peter 4:10-11 Christ has ascended into heaven. Metaphorically speaking, we are his hands and feet in the world today. We are the instruments he works through. We are each gifted with unique talents, entrusted with different resources, and blessed with different life experiences. Do not compare yourself to someone else. Each individual has his/her own role in the body of Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 We comfort others with the comfort we received from God. God redeems our life experiences for his glory. What experiences have you gone through that God can use to bring deliverance, healing, and hope to another person going through the same thing?

2 Timothy 1:6-7 Fan into flames the gift of God. Prayerfully consider what God may be calling you to do in this season.

Confident Expectations

We want to join God in what He is doing in the world and not expect Him to join us in our plans. To participate in His work we must have an awareness of Him and expectations based upon His Words.

• God is at work in the world.
• Awareness of God’s presence
• Expectation based upon His Words

Acts 1:4-5; Luke 24:49 Expectations based upon God’s Word

Hebrews 10:36; Psalm 27:14; 62:5-6 Waiting is not passive.

Acts 2:1-4, 37 As they were doing God-centered things

Acts 3:1-12 They were looking to see where God was working, aware of His presence, and expecting results based upon His words. John 14:12-14; 15:26-27

Acts 4:1-13, 18-21

Matthew 10:19-20 Expectations based upon God’s Word

Acts 5:16-42; Luke 6:22-23

Dangerously placed expectations:

• What people promise
• Wrong doctrine, Romans 8:18
• Self nonbiblical desires

Expectations that do not become a reality then diminish confidence and faith.

Acts 10:1-20 God is at work in the world. Join Him in what He is doing, not the opposite.

Build the habit of acknowledging the presences of God.

God will enable you to do His work.

Philippians 2:13

Hebrews 13:5-6, 20-21

Romans 8:31

Psalm 118:6

Lydia of Thyatira

Acts 16:1 Paul embarked on his second missionary journey from Antioch in Syria to Derbe and Lystra, travelling over land.

Acts 16:6-8 As they travelled, God kept dissuading them from going to Asia Minor or Bithynia—places that were obvious choices for missionary work. Instead, they kept travelling. It took them 350 miles to get from Antioch in Pisidia to Troas.

Acts 16:9-12 Sleeping on the west coast of the continent of Asia, Paul’s dream convinced him they should cross the Aegean Sea into Macedonia.

Acts 16:13-15 Lydia was a merchant of purple cloth from Thyatira. After she believed in Christ, she invited Paul, Silas, Timothy, and probably Luke.

Acts 16:16-24 Paul cast the spirit of a python out of a fortune-telling slave girl, resulting in the city government beating him and Silas with rods and throwing them in jail.

Acts 16:40 After Paul and Silas had caused a riot, suffered a public beating, and spent a night in jail, Lydia still received them back into her house.

Lydia and the Philippians sent Paul money twice while he was in Thessalonica (Phil 4:15-16), when he was in Corinth (2 Cor 11:9), and when he was imprisoned in Rome (Phil 4:18). Because of these gifts, Paul could focus on evangelism, teaching, and writing his epistles instead of making tents.

Filled With the Spirit

People are “filled” with holy spirit when they believe in Jesus Christ and confess him as their Lord. But, a believer doesn’t receive only a portion or part of the spirit or even just most of the spirit—they are filled with the spirit to the fullest measure. There is no lack or deficiency. They are filled completely with the gift of the spirit.

Acts 9:17

Paul was “filled with the spirit” when Ananias laid hands on him, and he was delivered of his temporary blindness.

Paul received the gift of the spirit here when Ananias laid hands on him, but there are other ways that the phrase “filled with the spirit” is used that involve a believer experiencing the power of the spirit in various ways.

Acts 2:4

Being filled with the spirit led to speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 4:8, 31

Being filled with the spirit led to speaking boldly and proclaiming the good news.

Acts 13:9, 52

Being “filled with the spirit” led to condemning a “son of the devil” and denouncing his evil and wickedness. And being “filled with joy and the holy spirit” provided supernatural comfort and encouragement in the face of rejection.

Ephesians 5:18

Being filled with the spirit is accompanied by singing, praising, and giving thanks.