Sowing and Sewing
Good day to my sisters who are all over the world!
Just the other day brother Jim was telling someone how the saints are scattered and I was thinking how awesome that is that God has His diligent workers sharing the truth in their part of this earth. What a glorious God to allow us to first of all be partakers of this precious gift and second, give it out and be a light to those around us.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(2 Peter 1:2-4)
I titled this sowing and sewing because both are important. Without sewing we would be naked and without sowing we wouldn't be planting seeds of truth. Both of which are imperative for the life of a Christian.
I'll start with some sewing that a sister saint did for me. She's much like Dorcas / Tabitha in doing good works and sewing for others.
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. (Acts 9:36)
You can see some things she sewed (last year) for me HERE. You can find her shop HERE.
I appreciate you sisters who can sew and take the time to do it, it's a wonderful gift! I also appreciate you sisters who work hard in your gardens, putting up food for winter, loving and taking care of your family, reaching out to those in need, and sowing seeds of the gospel to those the Lord brings in your life.
Sowing seeds of the gospel. We talk about that a lot because we should do it a lot. Sowing seeds of truth by sharing the gospel can be done in many ways. Here are some:
* Tracts (We hand out gospel cards and they can go to our website and contact us if they need help.)
* Email (Emailing the gospel to anyone and discipling people from long distance when verbal is not available.)
* Signs (We have gospel signs on our van, we hold them on the streets and I have one on my shopping basket.)
* Mailing letters (Sending out letters with the gospel to people all over.)
* Verbal (Talking to those who come across your path in life.)
* Websites (Blogs and websites are a great way to shine a light in this dark world.)
And what accents all those is our living witness which can sow seeds in people and maybe the door door is opened to share the gospel.
I'll share an example how by flying gospel signs all over our van, it brings people up to talk to such as today a couple men walked up and then an older woman shortly after. I'll share about her... She looked like a very worldly woman but was very excited to talk about the things of God. She was the total opposite of being meek, quiet and shamefaced but of course we have grace with someone who may not know so we don't address it right away. After a long conversation of which she asked many questions and interjected much, the conversation turned toward her (and away from all the worldly churches teaching heresy) and it made her uncomfortable. She dressed like a harlot but didn't shy away from the Word teaching headcovering and biblical dress but what got her upset was that she was instructed (by me) that women are not to usurp the authority of man, not preach or teach them and they are to be in the quieter role of a woman.
She said 'God made me this way and He used a donkey you know'. (Meaning God can use a donkey and he can use a woman.) Here's the passage she referred to:
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. (Numbers 22:27-31)
Brother Jim straightened that out and when she got more upset she told brother Jim he has pride since he claimed he's teaching from God's Word. Right about then I stepped in (as I could see brother Jim left it open for me to do so) and told her that, in love, she needs to go deeper into her bible because after 20 years (as she said) she had not gotten to 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Peter 3, 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 14 and I gently rebuked her and said she needs to stop looking to follow man and instead get into God's Word because it's clear they are not teaching the truth and she isn't digging for it either. I also told her in a rather sterner way, (after she started to push back) in love (and I told her that) that she is way off on the submission and headship order of man vs woman. I asked her if she even knows what meek and quiet was and or shamefaced. I then explained how women are to be silent when men are speaking the word of God and that women are to be shamefaced which means she would be bashful toward men and not standing boldly, toe to toe with them like she just did. It was like she didn't hear me and kept going on about how she is who she is, grace and legalism. At that time brother Jim had to send her off (in love)to go study and to send us an email if she had questions etc. She left with our gospel card and we sowed a LOT of seeds that we hope can pierce that feminism and go deep.
HERE'S an audio with brother Jim sowing some seeds of truth in a man that stopped by our van. (One of the several today.)
So anyway, that's my post about sewing and sowing and here's a video I made for you this morning as i was taking my walk.
And a scripture picture from the sewing sister who sows the GOSPEL in many ways of her life. I'm thankful for all you sisters who take the time to love your neighbor by sowing the gospel with the lost. I don't think I shared this yet, brother Jim did a post and teaching about loving your neighbor HERE which includes giving the gospel:-)
I pray you hold fast and be strong in the Lord.
Love to you all,
Sister Deb
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)