WHERE DO YOU KEEP THE BIBLE?

DO YOU ‘HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER'?

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart I fixed: I will sing and give praise”
(Psalm 57:7).

Some women think they have it all together. Others want to fall on the floor in a heap as they know they could never have it all together, especially if it means keeping a perfect home, perfect children, and perfect situations! Let’s face it. There is not a day that goes perfectly. Every day poses new challenges.

And yet Titus 2:4, 5 tells the older women to teach the young women to “have it all together.” Well, it actually says “to be discreet” in the King James Version. Would you like to find out what this word truly means? I love the adventure of discovering what the Bible really says, don’t you?

The Greek word for “discreet” is “sophron” and comes from two root words:
“Sozo” which means “to save, deliver, protect, heal, cure, preserve, keep safe, and make whole.” And “phren” meaning “the mind.” Therefore, it means to have a sound and whole mind.

We can never have it all together in our circumstances because we cannot control our circumstances. If we have babies and little children around us we can never have a perfect house with laundry and every household duty up-to-date. However, in the trenches of chaos, babies and children, crying and loud noise, the weight of more to cope with than we think we can possibly accomplish, we can still have a sound and steady mind. We can have peace in the storm. This is what it really means to have it all together.

Let’s look at some other translations:

“To be mistress of themselves” (Moffat). This means that we are in control of ourselves. We have command of our emotions. We are self-disciplined. Not freaking out. Not falling to pieces. No matter what happens around us, our hearts and minds are fixed upon the Lord.

What would I do without the wonderful promise in Isaiah 26:3, 4: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” I believe this is the underlying secret of having it all together--to keep our minds stayed upon the Lord, no matter what the situation.

“Orderly behavior” (Knox). Our example as a wife and mother must not bring discredit to God’s Word, but be a good advertisement to the Christian faith (Titus 2:5).

“To live wisely” (RSV and NLT). Not foolishly. Not gadding about. Not hankering after the materials things of this world and worldly entertainment. Not possessed by social media. We speak wisely. We act wisely. We walk in obedience to God’s plan for wives and mothers, rather than the ways and trends of this current society.
“To be sober-minded” (WEB).

“To be self-controlled.” Many translations use this phrase such as NET, AMP, TLV, CJB, ESC, GNB, HCSB, LEB, MEV, and NIV. How can you be self-controlled? Stoically repress your emotions? No. We surrender to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, for He is self-control. In fact, He is everything we need to have it all together. His life in us is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23). That’s everything you need. Instead of yielding to the flesh, yield to the Holy Spirit.

“To be sensible” (CEB, CEV, and NASB). Being sensible keeps our feet on the ground and acting in a way that brings glory to God.

Dear mother, you may feel overwhelmed and the house may look chaotic, but you can still “have it all together” as you look to the Lord and allow His peace to fill your heart and mind despite everything that happens around you.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“I thank You, Father, that You are my Peace. You are my Rock and my Fortress. You are the One who keeps me sane during chaos. I thank You that I can trust You, no matter what circumstances I face. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

My eyes are upon the LORD rather than my troubles around me.

POURING IN AND POURING OUT
Part 6

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the LORD of hosts”
(Zechariah 4:6).

HE GROWS AND HARVESTS A GARDEN IN US AND THROUGH US

Galatians 5:22, 23 gives us a list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit which He wants to daily grow in our lives and bring forth a big harvest. We have already talked about the fruits of LOVE and JOY. But as you know, there are more.

HE POURS HIS PEACE IN US AND THROUGH US

It’s easy to feel peaceful when everything is going fine, but what about when everything goes wrong? The Holy Spirit gives God’s peace which is not dependent on circumstances. When His peace reigns in our hearts, we bring peace to our family and all around us.

HE POURS HIS LONGSUFFERING IN US AND THROUGH US

It’s not so easy to experience this attribute in our fleshly lives, is it? Praise God for the power of the Holy Spirit who works patience and longsuffering in us. By His power, He enables us to forbear with the idiosyncrancies and annoyances of those we live with. As mothers, we certainly need the moving of the Holy Spirit in our hearts every moment of the day, especially the anointing of longsuffering!

HE POURS HIS GENTLENESS IN US AND THROUGH US

How can you be gentle and kind when people hurt you? How can you speak gentle and kind words when people misuse you? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit. The wonderful thing is that when you let Him work His gentleness and kindness in you and through your life, it changes the attitude of others and makes them want to be kind too. This is the amazing thing about the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He works in us to bless us and enable us to walk in victory, but in doing so, He enables us to bless many others.

HE POUR HIS GOODNESS IN US AND THROUGH US

Because the Holy Spirit works in us we do good things. We speak good things. Goodness pours out of lives to others. The word agathosume means we are generous, big-hearted, liberal, and love to give financially.

HE POURS HIS FAITH IN US AND THROUGH US

The word “faith” is the Greek word pistis, which is the common New Testament word for faith. It portrays a person who not only has faith to belief in Christ, but who is faithful, reliable, loyal, trustworthy, dependable, truthful, unwavering, and steadfast. Someone with moral convictions.

If we are lazy and unreliable, we need the Holy Spirit to make us diligent and dependable. This is the work of the Holy Spirit because it is the nature of God. God is totally dependable. Totally truthful. Totally trustworthy. He never changes and it is impossible for Him to lie. The Holy Spirit wants to work this grace in our lives as He molds us into the image of Christ.

HE WORKS HIS MEEKNESS IN US AND THROUGH US

This word also means humility. If we are too proud to say sorry, submit to our husbands, or receive instruction, then the Holy Spirit is relegated to the corner of our lives. He wants to have full sway in our lives to grow in us a spirit of softness and humility. 1 Peter 3:4 enjoins us: “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

HE WORKS HIS SELF CONTROL IN US AND THROUGH US

Self-control is the last fruit mentioned in Galatians 5:22, 23, although there are more listed in Ephesians 5:9 and Colossians 3:12-15 such as “righteousness and truth” and “bowels of mercies, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another.” What a glorious harvest the Holy Spirit works in our lives as we allow Him.

Once again, we need the power of the Holy Spirit for self-control. Truly, it is Holy Spirit control. When we allow Him the freedom to live and move in our lives, He enables us to rule our fleshly nature by His Spirit. We cannot do it in our own strength. It is only by the power of the Spirit.

As we conclude talking about all the wonderful things the Holy Spirit does in our lives, we must remind ourselves:

“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

“Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Love and blessings, Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“I thank You, dear Father, that you have given me Your Holy Spirit to work in my life all the beautiful attributes of God’s character. I don’t want to hold back from You. Please utterly fill my heart and life and work mightily in me, even if it is hurtful to my flesh. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

My flesh is ugly, but the Holy Spirit works the beauty of Christ in me.

POURING IN AND POURING OUT
Part 5

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord”
(2 Corinthians 3:18).

HE POURS COMFORT IN US AND THROUGH US

The Holy Spirit who dwells within us is called the Comforter. What a beautiful name. The Greek word parakletos means an “an intercessor, consoler, advocate, advisor/helper, comforter.” Read John 14:26, 15:26; and 16:7-11.

The Holy Spirit dwells within us to console, encourage, and help us. How blessed we are. We cannot continue to live in a state of despair when the Holy Spirit is in us. However, we are realizing that the work of the Holy Spirit within us is not only to bless us, but others. One of the evidences of the Holy Spirit in us is that we comfort others—our husband, children, and people who are part of our lives.

What do you think of when you think of a comforter? We think of someone who is kind, compassionate, consoling, encouraging, and who lifts us up. I have to ask myself: “Am I a comforter to my husband, my family, and all I meet? Each new day? “Please help me to be a loving comforter to them, dear Father.”

However, we have to be a true Holy spirit comforter, not a counterfeit comforter. Just as we learn to discern the cries of our little baby, we discern the cries of our children. Sometimes they need consoling and comforting words. Other times they cry because they feel sorry for themselves or are mad with their brother and sister. This is not a time to side with their attitude. It’s a time to lift them up to see beyond themselves and teach them that life is not all about pandering to them, but to think about the other person. It’s time to pray with our children and lead them to a higher plane.

There are many adults who still have this kind of attitude. I have often seen a woman crying and another rushing up to her and putting their arm around them as soon as they cry. Sometimes this is the right thing to do. The very thing they need.

But not always. Maybe they are crying because of self-pity. “Poor me. Everyone is against me.” Maybe they are selfishly thinking of their own agenda and want people to side with their side of the story. These women also need true Holy Spirit comforting—lifting up their spirits to see that God is bigger than their circumstances, that God is in control, that God is more interested in making them into the image of Christ than letting them stay in their state of self-pity and depression. Instead of siding with them, we need to encourage and pray with them, and lift them up from their miserable state.

I remember reading a book by Watchman Nee where he wrote of a woman who gently went to a woman who was crying. Instead of saying, “What are you crying for, my dear?” she asked, “Who are you crying for? Yourself or for someone else?”

When Jesus promised His disciples to send the beloved Comforter to them in John 16:7, He immediately states in the next verse that the Comforter “will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (verses 8--11).

May God give us great discernment. Let’s look to the Lord for His anointing as we comfort. Let’s comfort the way the Holy Spirit comforts—lifting us up to a new plane rather than covering a wound with a patch of nice words when the problem still festers underneath.

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of ALL comfort; Who comforteth us in ALL our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4).

Blessings from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“OI thank you, Holy Spirit, that You are my Comforter, Encourager, and Help. Your comfort is enough for any situation. Help me to always be ready to comfort others the same way You comfort me. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

If the Holy Spirit is filling my life, I will be interceding and praying for, helping, and cheering up all who need God’s comfort.