As mentioned in previous posts, I was shocked to come across teachings on Song of Solomon (SOS) being put out by well known preachers.
You'll be glad to know, the shock has worn off. I'm past most of the angry stage and have moved more onto the sad stage. I'm going to leave the angry stage posts up because they get across pretty well what has made me angry. But I want to mention a few things that I have thought since there has been a little time and distance from the initial shock.
First of all, in the future I will avoid reading or listening to the messages that Mark Driscoll and other Shock Jock preachers like him spout off concerning SOS. Lord willing, I'll not slog through another sex saturated teaching on SOS if possible. I'd rather focus on the good things gleaned from SOS during personal study and meditation.
In a way, I feel sorry for these men because they have built part of their ministry/kingdoms on sand. Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith. He's our Rock. Building a church on teachings about sex can't be all that stable. I may be wrong. But time will tell.
But I'm glad I'm not in their position. I'm glad I don't have to maintain the status quo to keep my kingdom going. I very much prefer meditating on the love of God as displayed through His Word. And I prefer helping others learn to seek after the height and width and length and depth of God's unfathomable love.
We seek after the Lover of our souls.
We do this so that we can then turn around and love those around us, even those that are hard to love. Even those who don't deserve it, for we know we don't deserve love but God gives it to us anyway.
With the Love of God growing in our hearts, the day will come when can actually obey God's Word where He says, "Bless those that curse you" and "Love your enemies."
It's not easy to do. And it is impossible to do if you don't 'get' God's love for you in the first place. It takes time to grow in understanding of His love. It takes more than a few hours of meditation on the verses concerning His Love. If people don't care to use SOS in their meditation on God's love, I feel no condemnation towards them.
However, if people want to condemn me for using SOS to meditate on His love, I guess I'll have to just bless those who want to curse me, put me down, marginalize me, scoff at me, etc.
I do not envy men who have built their kingdoms on the sand of over sexualizing SOS.
I feel bad for them because they have ignored a whole entire side to this book and keep others from discovering it, as well. They miss so much. May God help them to find it someday before they die.
It really would bless them if they let it.
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Mara,
have two things, one comment and another, something that God showed me that well, I just want to share with other women, because its really uplifting-edifying.
On the comment, you know, something Jesus has been dealing with me a lot, here recently Mara, is on 'focus'. I am in a type of 'exile' right now,
from several blogs, well, from internet pretty much, And from the church that I did attend. It was something I fought, at first, thinking it was from the enemy but then I realized, that ALL that was coming out of me, when I 'focused' on what preachers, men, the world were saying, is hurt and bitterness and well, just triggers after triggers.
It was then that I found I struggled with my belief in God and who He was, we've been So indoctrinated to believe that our reliance is on the 'approval' or 'Agreement rather' of men in leadership, the church [the institution of] and of what others think,
the Problem with this, is that we then, lose 'focus' on the Word and on what Jesus thinks, says. We lose 'focus' on listening to the Spirit, and we get entangled in the 'flesh--esp in legalism', or matters of THE LAW.
We aren't supposed to be following or walking after the LAW, but walking in the Spirit. We can't do that, if our 'focus' is on what MEN say.
I thought, it was only a matter of reading the Word, or praying, but its also, Listening, to His voice [my sheep know my voice] and to be Very discerning and careful, of WHAT we allow, in our ears.
I commend those who are confronting the false teachings, on the other hand though--there is a very fine line, I think, of getting sucked into that hole, of wanting to hear, someone, in authority, say,
that isn't God. But the thing is, we aren't hearing that much--and if we do, we want confirmation after confirmation, that God isn't like that...in other words,
we are looking to 'others' to confirm what the Word already says, if we are discerning the Word in the Spirit of Love. [Jesus's Love, not the worldly love]
I had a dream confirming this--why Jesus was telling me, STOP GOING TO OTHERS FOR CONFIRMATION AND LEARN, L.E.A.R.N. WHO I AM
I AM
and its hard because we want that 'social' agreement. But we live in the Latter Days, Paul said, in Timothy [or 2nd Tim] that in the last days perilous times will come--people will be lovers of themselves....having a Form of Godliness but Denying the Power thereof.
We can tell them by their FRUITS, what did Jesus do while on earth, what did Jesus SAY to women, to men, etc?
Its plain as day--so much of what is preached, is not even Close to what Jesus said or Did. Not even,
we then, as Sanctified, Separated people, are to Remove ourselves unto God and 'touch not their unclean things', but we are Also, to 'avoid vain arguments',
Paul said, that he was thankful for the Gospel being preached even though many were doing it for 'vain glory', nethertheless, Christ is preached,
but Paul also said, to follow 'sound doctrine', sound meaning, what Jesus taught--His commandments.
All else, let the blind lead the blind and they'll both fall into the ditch--let the dead bury the dead [Jesus said].
I don't feel sorry for them, I don't feel anything, I just, prayed and said, here ya go God--this is your business, maybe some are misguided, maybe some are just the children of belial,
who knows. What I do know though--is that Jesus has told me, to walk away from ALL OF IT, to stay focused on Him and His Word, to Love, to Serve, to not owe anyone but Love [working on that], to forsake All iniquity, and to take care of the widows and fatherless and the poor.
And I found Mara, that when I DID finally say, OK Lord, that He began to reveal to me, many things, in just a matter of days...and one, I will share, next post.
God is Amazing--I had to be put in exile--LOL---to finally See HIM, as HE IS.
Love, Jane
Regarding the 'exile', LOL, I've actually been wrestling with God over this for years--that fighting the wilderness, but recently, I have found, that its in that wilderness, that we learn God's provision and His love for us--so I'm not fighting it anymore, its actually kind of nice :),
anyway, ok, let me share something, a little something God did for me this morning--I was listening to music, I love all kinds, some secular, gospel, mostly classical, but anyway,
I have this small I-pod, a gift, that had a lot of music on it, that well, is an eccentric mix. I was going to 'delete' a lot of it because some of it I don't care for, and put some of the Christian rap and so forth that I love to jam too.
Anyhow [and I'll make this two posts], so I'm scrolling through the genres and I see R&B, and I felt prompted to hit on it, and this song, called Woman was listed. I thought, ah its probably one of those nasty songs, but for some reason, I clicked on it, and heard it, and its like,
Wow--its an appreciation song, one that immediately, I thought, my sisters need to really hear this God, with all the 'tearing down of women' we hear in our world, this song, is just healing balm,
and Then, God said, 'Proverbs 31' is the same thing--but instead, men have used it, as a 'measuring stick' to beat and tear women down with,
rather than what it was Intended to mean--God said, what He values in WOMAN--WHOM HE CREATED, all the things in Proverbs 31 are in All women, the potential--at one time in our life, at least,
and when you hear this song, it becomes quite clear, that Proverbs 31 was God's love song to us, that 'what is Special, about you, Woman, in my eyes, Your Creator'.
It was like--Boom, this Huge light that just shown and for the first time Mara, I felt, uplifted as a Woman, rather than torn down--hard to put into words,
and He said to me, IF my daughters were TOLD their value--rather than being condemned by a measuring stick that I never meant--that is how the Enemy has used-distorted it--women would not be debasing themselves and turning on themselves hating themselves.
And if not hating our selves, we would be 'joyous' in loving as God so intended when He created Us--
song is on next post...now, some of it can sound a bit patriarchal--but listen to the entire thing. I'll see if I can find the lyrics--
and, after listening to it a few times, put your name, rather than woman,
and know, you are Special in God's eyes. You are VALUED.
Jane
song: [pay attention to the Last verse--that really got me--now, again, this is a secular song--from a male view--However, read the entire lyrics, with all the tearing down and hate we hear against women, the we are weak and gossips and all that nonsense,
its just really nice--to hear, a man, sing a song, that celebrates who we are, who God created us, AS WOMEN. Proverbs 31--we are Valued, all the things we do, God listed, in HIS WORD, and then He said, We are valued, and may our works be praised in the gates. Proverbs 31, wasn't supposed to be a 'measuring stick', NO, it was supposed to be, God's song to us, Woman, I appreciate you.
Sing this and KNOW you are Valued.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SBANwOlEoI
lyrics: This is official right now in 4 minutes or less
We going to crown all of them right now
My momma your momma
Baby's mommas mommas mommas
Wife
If you near a woman right now wherever you're at just turn to em and say you are appreciated
I appreciate your smile (thank you)
*And the nine months you take to carry and birth a child *(thank you)
And the way you play dumb even when we living real foul ( ooo thank ya)
And even as a single parent momma you still hold it down some how (thank you momma) making ends meet somehow (thank you momma)
I appreciate your strength (thank you)
How you never bite your lip to say what's on your mind (thank you)
How you a lady in the streets and a freak when it's bedroom time (thank you)
How you gon' ride with me roll with me and tell me what's yours is mine
Fellas, If you aint got one better search the world to find
Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
Beautiful Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
I appreciate your glow (Thank you)
And when you get angry with us the way that you let us know (thank you)
And i think it's so cute when you get so emotional (thank you)
You know till you prove your point you just can't let it go (ha ha)
But i like that though
I appreciate so much (thank you girl)
Like the I love you feeling girl when we touch (thank you girl)
Like there's no you, no me, if there's no us (thank ya)
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
And if she ever hears an urgency she'll come in a rush (thank you)
To the rescue, man you better find you a
Woman woman woman (Get you one man)
Strong Woman woman woman (Ain't nothing like making love)
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
Beautiful Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman (when i get weak i need a strong woman)
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
She's gotta be street smart and educated
Gotta good head on her shoulders
A sexy swagger with sex appeal
A grown woman hook up them home cook meals
A grown woman who's confident
Better recognize one where the grown ones sit
And a grown woman knows how to tell you no
A grown woman knows when to let you go
You can have a big ol car and big ol house but next to God nothing else amounts to her
Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
Beautiful Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
Aint nothing like a
Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
Beautiful Woman woman woman
Strong Woman woman woman
Grown Woman woman woman
Special Woman woman woman
this line--is one that really touched me,
Better recognize one where the grown ones sit
And a grown woman knows how to tell you no
A grown woman knows when to let you go
You can have a big ol car and big ol house but next to God nothing else amounts to her
an Empowered woman, that can tell a man NO and who knows when to LET A MAN GO [because he ain't no good to her],
but the last--the big ol car and big ol house but Next to God - Jesus nothing else amounts to her...
here is a man, who sings about priorities--
God, Jesus, his wife, children,
notice it isn't,
Himself--his ministry, his ego, maybe God and then, at the bottom of list--his wife.
Funny how sometimes, God can use something Secular, to reveal the Truth, about Who He is and about How He sees US.
I received this song today as a love song from Jesus, His telling me, how He sees me.
Every woman--needs to hear this, pass it forward. Let's edify one another in His Love.
Love, Jane
Thanks for sharing that song, Jane. I haven't gone to youtube yet. Busy day at work, not a lot of down time.
Also, I wanted to make something clear from the last thread.
I sure didn't mean to make it sound like God ever 'withholds' love.
Sometimes I get the parts of God we know about from the Bible mixed up since they are so joined closely together anyway.
Long before God started me down this road of knowing the fullness of His love, He taught me about the power of His holiness. You know, that kind of Holiness Isaiah faced in chapter six. That holiness that made him cry out, "Woe is me, for I am undone!" Which, from what I understand was like saying, "This is terrible. I'm being ripped apart at the seams."
The holiness of God is a terrible yet beautiful part of Him. God told Moses he could only see His hind parts because no one could see His face and live.
Anyway, when I say God has to shield us from the full force of who He is, I'm talking about the holiness. But the full force of His love is also contained in His holiness.
He's not withholding. He's shielding, until we can handle more of Him.
We see in a mirror dimly. But then face to face.
And yes, the Proverbs 31 has been sooooo misused.
It's not a "to do" list. It's a "can be" list. It's a "the sky is the limit" list that women can look to and say... "I can do that! I'm not called to reduce myself to make some insecure man happy. I'm called to run the race that is before me to make God happy."
And I'm getting to that with SOS. You are jumping ahead of me. :)
But that's okay. :)
Because it is confirmation that what God is revealing to me really is from God. :) :) :)
Oh, and I have learned to love the Desert/Wilderness too. Spend plenty of time there myself.
But we are in good company. Moses spent 40 years in it. Paul spent 14 years in it before he started his ministry in earnest.
We're getting to this in SOS too.
How do you like this verse?
SOS 8:5a Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?...
It's all in there, Jane. Some of it veiled, some of it plainly stated, but overlooked because male preachers are searching out the 'good bits', looking for more references and euphamisms for sex.
I know, I know. I said I was done being mad. And I am for the most part. But that doesn't keep me from getting irritated from time to time.
Oh! that more could see the depth and length and width and height of the love of God displayed in SOS and elsewhere. Like the places you mentioned (Hosea, Ezekiel 16:first part, Psalm 45, etc.)
Keep letting God show you how much He loves and appreciates you. In that you will find peace and comfort and then strength for the battle. I say that to you and me both.
Finally had time to watch the video.
You're right. It was good.
Hi Mara,
thought I'd run this your way, might be something you can share with the Sunday School class, projects, etc.,
there are some good info articles about consumption, to the left side of page,
http://consumption-rebellion.blogspot.com/
She 'did not purchase' for one year, and wrote about it. Anyway, I have been getting back to some of my former values, such as green living and anti-sweatshop consumption/reconstruct clothes, etc., anti-war, etc., issues that I had laid on the table, to try and 'transform' myself into this model of woman,
that I just couldn't do. Not after having lived homeless and knowing firsthand the realities that the impoverished live with daily, mainly women and the sick and elderly.
Now I'm just having to work through the anger AND the 'failures' of my life, to point out ills of the world, yet myself, not always having been contrary to those ills, and so I started with going back to my patterns on consumption. I can't speak about sweatshops if I am not living the values I spew, know what I mean,
on somethings, like chocolate, I still do buy, because I simply cannot afford the high priced 'fair trade' chocolate, that is the one 'complaint' I do have about the fair trade goods, the price. They are fine if one makes that sort of income, but for the low income, to live that consumption life is near impossible, its just too expensive--but there Are ways, that even the low income/working class, can be more consumer conscious. And there is always advocacy too--
we can't 'end' all the unfairness of the world, but I do think, we can all do our part, changing and modifying behaviors, so forth. So, maybe I'll work on my blog--and change it to a type of coop, 'maybe', time depending.
I do think though--there is Such a need, for awareness in these areas among Christians, sadly though, I am finding, a lot of resistance. Not surprising though,
Love, Jane
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