Blessing # 3
I am thankful for Friends , friends that have become family.. or friends who have been there in the midst of a season in my life. I am thankful for my friends who have done BIG things wether thats getting married, having kids, grad school, illnesses... or whatever has come missions or wherever the Lord has placed them... there are friends that stick closer than brother, this i am thankful.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Blessings ...
Blessing #2
I am thankful for FAMILY, I may not have the greatest family in america but to me they are amazing. I have missed them so much since leaving home for college and then deciding to stay here after I was finished. It is a crazy thought to think I haven't seen them in 2 years. I have a mom who loves me unconditionally, a brother who is just as crazy as me, a sister in law who is a best friend, nieces an a nephew who I would give the world too... I am thankful for my adoption and that God knew what i would need and placed me in this family. How well did God know each thing I would need to flourish :) Thank you LORD for my family..
I am thankful for FAMILY, I may not have the greatest family in america but to me they are amazing. I have missed them so much since leaving home for college and then deciding to stay here after I was finished. It is a crazy thought to think I haven't seen them in 2 years. I have a mom who loves me unconditionally, a brother who is just as crazy as me, a sister in law who is a best friend, nieces an a nephew who I would give the world too... I am thankful for my adoption and that God knew what i would need and placed me in this family. How well did God know each thing I would need to flourish :) Thank you LORD for my family..
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Blessing #1
A few days off of a 30 day count for October, but it should be done anyway....
Blessing #1:
I am thankful for Grace. It is God's Grace that has given us the Gospel (Gal 1:6-9 "6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you,let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."
It is God's Grace that saved me. (Ephesians 2 "8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, " What a tremendous blessing to have faith and a Gospel to Save. It is God's AMAZING love and GRACE alone.
When I think of the grace of God, I think of steadfast love, compassion, mercy—a kind of unconditional acceptance that is unlike human love. How hard is it for us humanly to accept love because our conditions to love; it must be fair, equal and just. But no love will ever be like that of our Abba, Father!! Whose love can compare!
It is incredibly that we do not earn or buy Gods grace but he has favor on us - and freely gives his grace to His Children.
Blessing #1:
I am thankful for Grace. It is God's Grace that has given us the Gospel (Gal 1:6-9 "6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you,let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."
It is God's Grace that saved me. (Ephesians 2 "8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, " What a tremendous blessing to have faith and a Gospel to Save. It is God's AMAZING love and GRACE alone.
When I think of the grace of God, I think of steadfast love, compassion, mercy—a kind of unconditional acceptance that is unlike human love. How hard is it for us humanly to accept love because our conditions to love; it must be fair, equal and just. But no love will ever be like that of our Abba, Father!! Whose love can compare!
It is incredibly that we do not earn or buy Gods grace but he has favor on us - and freely gives his grace to His Children.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
-Treasuring God's Word-
This is a great link for Scripture Memorization. I found it and will be going through it over the next year. It is an awesome way to study God’s promises and His desires for our lives!
http://www.gnpcb.org/assets/bibles/esv.truth.memory.pdf
http://www.gnpcb.org/assets/bibles/esv.truth.memory.pdf
Insert..... Recipe :)
Little Cheddar Meatloaves
Little Cheddar Meatloaves
1 egg
¾ c milk
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese
½ chopped onions
1 tsp salt
1 lb lean ground beef
2/3 c ketchup
½ c brown sugar
1- 1½ c oats/ breadcrumbs
Beat egg and milk together. Stir in eggs, oats, onion, and salt. Add beef and mix well. Shape into 8 loaves; place in a greased 9x13 dish. Combine ketchup and sugar (and 1 ½ tsp mustard if desired); spoon over loaves. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Serves 8.
Insert..... Recipe :)
Chicken Chili
Here is a great and simple recipe… takes about 20 minutes to prep.
Chicken Chili
4 cups of cooked chicken
2 cups of chicken broth
1 onion chopped
1 can of sweet corn
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beanx
Drain and rinse the above
add
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg of dry ranch
1 pkg of taco mix
cook on low 4-6 hours in the crockpot.
2 cups of chicken broth
1 onion chopped
1 can of sweet corn
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beanx
Drain and rinse the above
add
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg of dry ranch
1 pkg of taco mix
cook on low 4-6 hours in the crockpot.
Starting Over Again ....
…So here we start on an adventure of blogging yet again. I started one a few years back and loved it and as what happens to most of us life gets hectic and we forget to keep up with the small, simple things of life that we enjoy. I recently went to try and blog on my old site and was unable to sign in.. I guess it has been to long, so my blog punished me and wouldn’t let me get back on. ha This time I am going to try and display a little more diligence in keeping up with life and different topic, tumblr is new to me to it might take some getting used to but I do already enjoy the fact that I can have an app on my phone! That can simplify a lot of the headaches of not being able to stop and sit by ol’ faithful and type things out - at least I should be able to start the thought and then go back and elaborate on it.
My friend Anna encouraged me to get back into my blogging and I will probably here and there go back and re-post some of my old blogs. I think it is such an amazing thing when we look back on the written word and remind ourselves where we once where and can see how the LORD has changed us through grace. How AWESOME that we are molded to be better, that He chisels us for His glory and he desires to sanctify us. My prayer is through this blog that I can see a transformation in my heart and be able to boast in my weaknesses to bring God all the Glory that He is due.
God's Knowledge
Psalm 139:1-4
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
God's Wisdom
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his
judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
(Romans 11:33-36 ESV)
judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
(Romans 11:33-36 ESV)
Guatemala
Psalm 105:1-2
"Oh give thanks to the LORD; Call upon His name; Make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing praises to Him, Sing praises to Him tell of ALL his wondrous works!
Guatemala was an amazing experience teaching many things about myself, where I thought I went to learn and teach a culture of the LORD, they taught me much much more then i may have ever left there...
The people of guatemala taught me THANKFULNESS; as i watch the people in Guat. they have hearts full of thankfulness and joy. In the little or next to nothing they have they are thankful to God. And they may not have all the knowledge or doctrine of the LORD that i claim to know, they aren't "fancy" about the LORD. Their hearts are overflowing with joy. When I say they have nothing: they sleep/live with dirt floors. their homes are no bigger than my whole bedroom, i have an indoor bathroom, most of them have an outhouse? Coming home I have a mansion where they have a shack (...and yet i still want more....) They eat out of bowls that I wouldn't serve an animal out of. It breaks your heart, it brought me to tears the first time i saw their poverty, but then to see their hearts filled, AMAZING! - Oh LORD how I pray my heart can dwell on such things...
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
The Second thing I took away from Guatemala is a heart for Orphans; Lord I know in you there are no orphans for you ADOPTED us as sons and daughters, there are n o strangers but friends, and no outcast but those brought close who were once far off, we are Your Children, your love can reach us all. This challeneged my theology, I struggled not to let the circumstances I was seeing change my theology, the truths I knew that I knew were chanlleged in seeing the depravity and effects of sin on the world. they were destitute without hope. To be destitute is to be without the basic necessitates of life. There were people without running water, shoes, clean clothes, showers, food, food for themselves but to feed their families. I was trying to wrap my mind around how this could be? Why God allowed His love to be shown in that? Why their needs weren't more met but my God. but then i remembered - its Sin, sin the fall of man , we all deserve death, we all deserve to be without the basics. In that I had to go back to my theology and let that define the circumstances and pray that the little bowl of hot soup and tortillas would in some way show the HOPE that they could have in CHRIST, and pray my actions would aid in the ministry's (Hope of Life) overall purpose to provide HOPE in CHRIST for the people. Christ is the answer He is the only HOPE that can SAVE them.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time..."
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ..." 1 Peter 1:3-7
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5
Thirdly I learned about ADOPTION ; this trip solidified my desire to adopt. I fell in love this week with the children of this place. LORD oh how my heart aches for the doors of Guatemala to be open Father. I desire so badly for Christian families to would open their hearts and homes and live out their HOPE in YOU! Lord may families be stirred to show the greatest portrait of the Gospel. The one we can live out and display...
QUOTE:
" I was adopted when i was 18 years old. I wasn't an orphan, the way most people think of that term. I wasn't an abandoned child. But I was in a condition far more serious: I was a stranger to the family of God, a slave to sin, and an object of the justified wrath of God" - C.J. Mahaney "Adopted For Life" Foreward
When we trusted in Christ we were adopted. Galatians 4:4-7 "4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
We have been made CHILDREN in God's family - HOW AMAZING !!! That HE loved us that much ... or we can look at Ephesians 1: 1-14 What an amazing passage of scripture with so much truth for our lives. (@ some-point I will blog through my thoughts on adoption)
The fourth thing I took away from Guatemala was PASSION; before this trip I thought I understood passion. Passion given by the LORD for the things of Him, that brought Him glory. But in leaving Guatemala I learned my passion, I learned why I was created and knit in my mothers womb (whoever she is) the way I was, I understood myself more in leaving than coming.. I knew I was different given a different background, given different desires and i knew i didn't fit the fundamental or typical Southern Christian girl mold. I don't follow the mold! At times I have hated this and cried over this but in leaving I saw that I am tough, fearless, and bold for the Gospel. An even when i feel alone, you are walking next to me using me to live out the Gospel. When I think about you LORD, I think of all your abundant blessings. I guess my passion is adoption - speaking about it... overflowing with it and thinking of how beautiful it is. I would love to one day complete the circle of adoption in my life and adopt. But beyond that I would love to meet with girls and families going through adoption but especially adopted Children to help them cope with all the emotions and feeling that adoption can bring.. How amazing to know that one day I could look back over my life and see how you used a history you fashioned before the foundations of the world to your Glory - if you used me in the lives of other adopted children, that thought that you could use me alone blows my mind! LORD take me wherever you want me to go that I may be used for your glory!
Fifthly, LOVE. Love is POWERFUL! This is the hardest concept for me LORD- I struggle so often and fail much when it comes to LOVE. Often with the matters of my own heart...I dont always know how to let people in. In guatemala they do and give to one another and have alove for one another I struggle with. Lord my name Amanda means " worthy of love" Why is that so hard... Why is it easier for some of us to love or display love ? God your love is so great it is greater it is deep and wide...
The last thing Servanthood, I love missions LORD...Where will we go next? Where will you take me? Lord send me whenever you want ... an orphanage in China? Bangladesh to teach? ... Oh where... or maybe somewhere in the states... Place me where I can shine Jesus, all the days of my life ...
How BEAUTIFUL are the feet of those who bring good news....
LORD give me dirty feet for your name .... even if it means im never understood till i leave this life behind...my days are numbered for your GLORY!
You are good! Thank you for this trip LORD- Even though i didn't fully understand it until now. My heart and hands are yours...
"Oh give thanks to the LORD; Call upon His name; Make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing praises to Him, Sing praises to Him tell of ALL his wondrous works!
Guatemala was an amazing experience teaching many things about myself, where I thought I went to learn and teach a culture of the LORD, they taught me much much more then i may have ever left there...
The people of guatemala taught me THANKFULNESS; as i watch the people in Guat. they have hearts full of thankfulness and joy. In the little or next to nothing they have they are thankful to God. And they may not have all the knowledge or doctrine of the LORD that i claim to know, they aren't "fancy" about the LORD. Their hearts are overflowing with joy. When I say they have nothing: they sleep/live with dirt floors. their homes are no bigger than my whole bedroom, i have an indoor bathroom, most of them have an outhouse? Coming home I have a mansion where they have a shack (...and yet i still want more....) They eat out of bowls that I wouldn't serve an animal out of. It breaks your heart, it brought me to tears the first time i saw their poverty, but then to see their hearts filled, AMAZING! - Oh LORD how I pray my heart can dwell on such things...
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
The Second thing I took away from Guatemala is a heart for Orphans; Lord I know in you there are no orphans for you ADOPTED us as sons and daughters, there are n o strangers but friends, and no outcast but those brought close who were once far off, we are Your Children, your love can reach us all. This challeneged my theology, I struggled not to let the circumstances I was seeing change my theology, the truths I knew that I knew were chanlleged in seeing the depravity and effects of sin on the world. they were destitute without hope. To be destitute is to be without the basic necessitates of life. There were people without running water, shoes, clean clothes, showers, food, food for themselves but to feed their families. I was trying to wrap my mind around how this could be? Why God allowed His love to be shown in that? Why their needs weren't more met but my God. but then i remembered - its Sin, sin the fall of man , we all deserve death, we all deserve to be without the basics. In that I had to go back to my theology and let that define the circumstances and pray that the little bowl of hot soup and tortillas would in some way show the HOPE that they could have in CHRIST, and pray my actions would aid in the ministry's (Hope of Life) overall purpose to provide HOPE in CHRIST for the people. Christ is the answer He is the only HOPE that can SAVE them.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time..."
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ..." 1 Peter 1:3-7
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5
Thirdly I learned about ADOPTION ; this trip solidified my desire to adopt. I fell in love this week with the children of this place. LORD oh how my heart aches for the doors of Guatemala to be open Father. I desire so badly for Christian families to would open their hearts and homes and live out their HOPE in YOU! Lord may families be stirred to show the greatest portrait of the Gospel. The one we can live out and display...
QUOTE:
" I was adopted when i was 18 years old. I wasn't an orphan, the way most people think of that term. I wasn't an abandoned child. But I was in a condition far more serious: I was a stranger to the family of God, a slave to sin, and an object of the justified wrath of God" - C.J. Mahaney "Adopted For Life" Foreward
When we trusted in Christ we were adopted. Galatians 4:4-7 "4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
We have been made CHILDREN in God's family - HOW AMAZING !!! That HE loved us that much ... or we can look at Ephesians 1: 1-14 What an amazing passage of scripture with so much truth for our lives. (@ some-point I will blog through my thoughts on adoption)
The fourth thing I took away from Guatemala was PASSION; before this trip I thought I understood passion. Passion given by the LORD for the things of Him, that brought Him glory. But in leaving Guatemala I learned my passion, I learned why I was created and knit in my mothers womb (whoever she is) the way I was, I understood myself more in leaving than coming.. I knew I was different given a different background, given different desires and i knew i didn't fit the fundamental or typical Southern Christian girl mold. I don't follow the mold! At times I have hated this and cried over this but in leaving I saw that I am tough, fearless, and bold for the Gospel. An even when i feel alone, you are walking next to me using me to live out the Gospel. When I think about you LORD, I think of all your abundant blessings. I guess my passion is adoption - speaking about it... overflowing with it and thinking of how beautiful it is. I would love to one day complete the circle of adoption in my life and adopt. But beyond that I would love to meet with girls and families going through adoption but especially adopted Children to help them cope with all the emotions and feeling that adoption can bring.. How amazing to know that one day I could look back over my life and see how you used a history you fashioned before the foundations of the world to your Glory - if you used me in the lives of other adopted children, that thought that you could use me alone blows my mind! LORD take me wherever you want me to go that I may be used for your glory!
Fifthly, LOVE. Love is POWERFUL! This is the hardest concept for me LORD- I struggle so often and fail much when it comes to LOVE. Often with the matters of my own heart...I dont always know how to let people in. In guatemala they do and give to one another and have alove for one another I struggle with. Lord my name Amanda means " worthy of love" Why is that so hard... Why is it easier for some of us to love or display love ? God your love is so great it is greater it is deep and wide...
The last thing Servanthood, I love missions LORD...Where will we go next? Where will you take me? Lord send me whenever you want ... an orphanage in China? Bangladesh to teach? ... Oh where... or maybe somewhere in the states... Place me where I can shine Jesus, all the days of my life ...
How BEAUTIFUL are the feet of those who bring good news....
LORD give me dirty feet for your name .... even if it means im never understood till i leave this life behind...my days are numbered for your GLORY!
You are good! Thank you for this trip LORD- Even though i didn't fully understand it until now. My heart and hands are yours...
Ten Reasons Why the New NIV Bible is Bad for Women
by Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 12:55pm
The new gender-inclusive NIV was published earlier this year. It contains thousands of changes to the Bible's male-gendered language. Having a gender-inclusive Bible appears to be the latest trend amongst cutting-edge, cappuccino-slurping Christian hipsters. Don't get me wrong. I like to be hip. And I enjoy cappuccino as much as the next person. But my biggest beef with gender-inclusive Bibles is that they lack doctrinal precision. If you mess with the words, you mess with the meaning. Respected Bible scholars have explained why inclusive translations such as the New International Version (NIV), New Revised Standard (NRSV), and Common English Bible (CEB) are deeply flawed. If you haven't yet considered their arguments, you might want to check out these Gender Neutral Bible Articles.
Notwithstanding the doctrinal imprecision and blatant politically-correct translating agenda, there are additional reasons why I dislike gender inclusive Bibles. Undoubtedly the publishers had good intentions, and genuinely wanted to help women, but in my mind, a gender-inclusive Bible is BAD for women. Really, really bad for women! I react to people reading from the new, gender-inclusive NIV the way I react to nails scratching down a chalk board. Here are ten reasons why:
Gender has a profound, cosmic meaning. God created manhood, womanhood, marriage and sex to put the love story of Christ and the Church on display. When we mess with the Bible's gender language, we obscure gender's symbolism. We make truths about God and the gospel more difficult to understand
Changing the Bible's gender language implies that the Bible's gender language is about us. It's not. The Bible is ultimately not about male and female-it's about Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God. The Bible does not use predominantly male gendered language to exalt men; it uses it to exalt THE Man who paid the ultimate price to redeem His Bride.
Blurring the Bible's gender language contributes to the blurring of gender distinctions. It diminishes and devalues the unique role and beauty of womanhood.
Gender inclusive Bibles cast women as "other" rather than part of the collective whole. God collectively named male and female "man" (Hebrew: ‘adam. See Gen. 5:2) to indicate that male and female would share a common condition for which He would provide a common answer. Because both male and female are ‘adam, both are equally represented by the first man, Adam. Both are fallen and in need of a Savior. The good news of the gospel is that both are also equally represented by the Second Man-the Last Adam-Jesus Christ. When God named male and female ‘adam, he had the Last Adam in mind. So when, in order to appease modern sensibilities, we change "man" to something we think is more inclusive," we diminish the theological meaning and exclude woman. If woman is not specifically identified as "man" then how can she be represented by the first man, Adam? What's more, how can she be represented by the Second Man, the Last Adam, Jesus Christ? Gender inclusive Bibles are supposed to be more inclusive of women, but pardoxically, the language theologically does the exact opposite. It excludes women from the collective whole.
Gender inclusive Bibles imply that women are too stupid to figure out that in the Bible, the words "man" and "brothers" are inclusive terms. The male translators have to fix the words for us, since we're not theologically astute enough or bright enough to get it on our own. Quite frankly, I feel like gender-inclusive Bibles insult a woman's intelligence.
Poor little girls. The translators need to change the words of the Bible so our feelings don't get hurt. Boo hoo. Women are so easily offended. Sorry, . . . but changing the words of the Bible because you think some women might be offended by its language is downright patronizing.
Making changes to gender language is based on the premise that God ought to have given gals and guys equal air time. Trying to minimize the discrepancy suggests that God didn't care enough about women to take our feelings into account. The natural conclusion is that He obviously loves his boys more than He loves his girls. The conclusion is wrong. And the premise is wrong.
Poor God. His bad. He needs our help. He wasn't smart enough to get the words right. He obviously isn't as enlightened as people living in the new millennium. We have to step in and update His image, to make the Bible more palatable to woman's modern sensibilities.
I know of at least one Muslim that is aghast that Christians would have the audacity to tamper with the wording of our Holy Book. And since we're audacious enough to tamper with gender wording for humans, it won't be long till we're audacious enough to tamper with gender wording for God. Translators will undoubtedly feel the need to update God's names so that HE becomes more gender inclusive. Terms like "Mother-Father God," "Jesus, child of woman and man," "Great Source of Being in the Sky" and our "God-Goddess" communicate the concept of a gender-inclusive deity much better than the male-gendered language of the Bible. Don't be naive. I've studied feminist theology long enough to know that naming self leads to naming the world leads to naming god. It's audacious indeed!
I care about women. Deeply. I long to see them experience healing and wholeness in Christ Jesus. I do them a disservice when I apologize for the Bible, fail to embrace its unvarnished beauty and power, and shrink back from sharing the Words that are perceived by some as foolishness and a stumbling block, yet are actually the power and wisdom of God for righteousness and sanctification and redemption. I fail women when I try to make God or His Word more palatable. I empty the cross of its power (1 Cor. 1:17-30).
(Mary Kassian is a member of the CBMW council. An author of multiple books, she blogs atwww.girlsgonewise.com where this post originally appeared)
Gender and gender language is important. It touches on the essence of a woman's identity, the essence of the character of God, and on the essence of the gospel. We get things so very wrong when we think we can improve on the Bible's teaching on gender or the gender language it uses. The big picture informs us that from the very beginning, God's plan for gender has very little to do with us and very much to do with Him. And we need to trust that even if we don't fully understand them, the words, images and means He has chosen to display His glory are not only right, they are also good. Very good! And also very good for women!
I understand that language changes over time, and that translation is not always an easy task. But I am saddened that Christians seem so eager to jump on the cultural bandwagon to update God's Holy Book with inclusive language. I don't think they realize what is at stake. I have had students struggle with understanding concepts about God because their native language did not lend itself to translating/expressing the gendered concepts that exist in the original languages of the Bible. We will lose something very critical and essential if we lose the linguistic concepts afforded us by the gendered nature of English. Retaining gender distinctiveness in our language is a battle worth fighting. There is a great deal at stake.
So ladies, please don't jump on the gender-inclusive Bible bandwagon. Be hip. Be courageous. Be politically incorrect. Insist on a Bible that acurately translates gender language- like the ESV, Holman Christian Standard, or New America Standard. Because in the end, inclusive language, and inclusive language Bibles, are bad for women.
The new gender-inclusive NIV was published earlier this year. It contains thousands of changes to the Bible's male-gendered language. Having a gender-inclusive Bible appears to be the latest trend amongst cutting-edge, cappuccino-slurping Christian hipsters. Don't get me wrong. I like to be hip. And I enjoy cappuccino as much as the next person. But my biggest beef with gender-inclusive Bibles is that they lack doctrinal precision. If you mess with the words, you mess with the meaning. Respected Bible scholars have explained why inclusive translations such as the New International Version (NIV), New Revised Standard (NRSV), and Common English Bible (CEB) are deeply flawed. If you haven't yet considered their arguments, you might want to check out these Gender Neutral Bible Articles.
Notwithstanding the doctrinal imprecision and blatant politically-correct translating agenda, there are additional reasons why I dislike gender inclusive Bibles. Undoubtedly the publishers had good intentions, and genuinely wanted to help women, but in my mind, a gender-inclusive Bible is BAD for women. Really, really bad for women! I react to people reading from the new, gender-inclusive NIV the way I react to nails scratching down a chalk board. Here are ten reasons why:
1. It obscures the profound symbolism of gender:
Gender has a profound, cosmic meaning. God created manhood, womanhood, marriage and sex to put the love story of Christ and the Church on display. When we mess with the Bible's gender language, we obscure gender's symbolism. We make truths about God and the gospel more difficult to understand
2. It exalts gender above that to which it points:
Changing the Bible's gender language implies that the Bible's gender language is about us. It's not. The Bible is ultimately not about male and female-it's about Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God. The Bible does not use predominantly male gendered language to exalt men; it uses it to exalt THE Man who paid the ultimate price to redeem His Bride.
3. It diminishes the unique beauty of womanhood:
Blurring the Bible's gender language contributes to the blurring of gender distinctions. It diminishes and devalues the unique role and beauty of womanhood.
4. It is less inclusive of women:
Gender inclusive Bibles cast women as "other" rather than part of the collective whole. God collectively named male and female "man" (Hebrew: ‘adam. See Gen. 5:2) to indicate that male and female would share a common condition for which He would provide a common answer. Because both male and female are ‘adam, both are equally represented by the first man, Adam. Both are fallen and in need of a Savior. The good news of the gospel is that both are also equally represented by the Second Man-the Last Adam-Jesus Christ. When God named male and female ‘adam, he had the Last Adam in mind. So when, in order to appease modern sensibilities, we change "man" to something we think is more inclusive," we diminish the theological meaning and exclude woman. If woman is not specifically identified as "man" then how can she be represented by the first man, Adam? What's more, how can she be represented by the Second Man, the Last Adam, Jesus Christ? Gender inclusive Bibles are supposed to be more inclusive of women, but pardoxically, the language theologically does the exact opposite. It excludes women from the collective whole.
5. It demeans women:
Gender inclusive Bibles imply that women are too stupid to figure out that in the Bible, the words "man" and "brothers" are inclusive terms. The male translators have to fix the words for us, since we're not theologically astute enough or bright enough to get it on our own. Quite frankly, I feel like gender-inclusive Bibles insult a woman's intelligence.
6. It patronizes women:
Poor little girls. The translators need to change the words of the Bible so our feelings don't get hurt. Boo hoo. Women are so easily offended. Sorry, . . . but changing the words of the Bible because you think some women might be offended by its language is downright patronizing.
7. It calls God's attitude toward women into question:
Making changes to gender language is based on the premise that God ought to have given gals and guys equal air time. Trying to minimize the discrepancy suggests that God didn't care enough about women to take our feelings into account. The natural conclusion is that He obviously loves his boys more than He loves his girls. The conclusion is wrong. And the premise is wrong.
8. It calls God's wisdom into question:
Poor God. His bad. He needs our help. He wasn't smart enough to get the words right. He obviously isn't as enlightened as people living in the new millennium. We have to step in and update His image, to make the Bible more palatable to woman's modern sensibilities.
9. It encourages further changes to Scripture:
I know of at least one Muslim that is aghast that Christians would have the audacity to tamper with the wording of our Holy Book. And since we're audacious enough to tamper with gender wording for humans, it won't be long till we're audacious enough to tamper with gender wording for God. Translators will undoubtedly feel the need to update God's names so that HE becomes more gender inclusive. Terms like "Mother-Father God," "Jesus, child of woman and man," "Great Source of Being in the Sky" and our "God-Goddess" communicate the concept of a gender-inclusive deity much better than the male-gendered language of the Bible. Don't be naive. I've studied feminist theology long enough to know that naming self leads to naming the world leads to naming god. It's audacious indeed!
10. It leads women away from truth:
I care about women. Deeply. I long to see them experience healing and wholeness in Christ Jesus. I do them a disservice when I apologize for the Bible, fail to embrace its unvarnished beauty and power, and shrink back from sharing the Words that are perceived by some as foolishness and a stumbling block, yet are actually the power and wisdom of God for righteousness and sanctification and redemption. I fail women when I try to make God or His Word more palatable. I empty the cross of its power (1 Cor. 1:17-30).
(Mary Kassian is a member of the CBMW council. An author of multiple books, she blogs atwww.girlsgonewise.com where this post originally appeared)
Gender and gender language is important. It touches on the essence of a woman's identity, the essence of the character of God, and on the essence of the gospel. We get things so very wrong when we think we can improve on the Bible's teaching on gender or the gender language it uses. The big picture informs us that from the very beginning, God's plan for gender has very little to do with us and very much to do with Him. And we need to trust that even if we don't fully understand them, the words, images and means He has chosen to display His glory are not only right, they are also good. Very good! And also very good for women!
A Battle Worth Fighting
I understand that language changes over time, and that translation is not always an easy task. But I am saddened that Christians seem so eager to jump on the cultural bandwagon to update God's Holy Book with inclusive language. I don't think they realize what is at stake. I have had students struggle with understanding concepts about God because their native language did not lend itself to translating/expressing the gendered concepts that exist in the original languages of the Bible. We will lose something very critical and essential if we lose the linguistic concepts afforded us by the gendered nature of English. Retaining gender distinctiveness in our language is a battle worth fighting. There is a great deal at stake.
So ladies, please don't jump on the gender-inclusive Bible bandwagon. Be hip. Be courageous. Be politically incorrect. Insist on a Bible that acurately translates gender language- like the ESV, Holman Christian Standard, or New America Standard. Because in the end, inclusive language, and inclusive language Bibles, are bad for women.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)