GOD MADE YOU WISE, PROTECTIVE, AND BEAUTIFUL!

 Have there ever been a time in your life that you were faced with a extremely serious problem? It just appeared out of
nowhere! And you had to think and act swiftly to make things right? Have you ever had to discreetly fix or clean up someone's  mess in order to keep your family, or maybe a relationship, and yourself from destruction, trouble or failure? And though you had to think on your feet, it worked out?! Well, it worked out because of the wisdom God placed in you. It worked because as a woman, God gave us the instinct to protect our families and loved ones, at any cost!
And when you are a Godly woman, His Spirit puts a level of compassion and love in you, so that it does not matter how your actions may effect you, as long as the outcome is favorable for your family! There are many out there right now that should be screaming, THANK YOU LORD FOR MAKING WOMEN!

Just for a while, I want to talk about a woman in the Bible, that I feel is a great example of a woman God made wise, protective and beautiful. Her name is Abigail. The story is in 1 Samuel 25. Abigail is described as being a "woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance." Meaning she was wise, smart and beautiful. She was married to a man named Nabal, whom the Bible describes as being "churlish", which means rude and ill-bred, and he was also "evil in his doings." Nabal had the right name! His actions proved it. He was a wealthy sheep owner whose property David's men had protected. One day, David decided to ask for some supplies in return for that protection. But when he did, Nabal was rude and refused! David was so enraged that he went out with 400 armed men to destroy Nabal and his entire household! Everyone was going to die! But when Abigail was told by a young man, of her husbands actions, SHE sprung into action!

 She decided to meet David and offer him many, many supplies. She even took the blame for her foolish husband! She fell at David's feet and said, "Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be..." She used wisdom, humbled herself, and began to speak to David from her heart. Her words, the words I believe God placed in her heart to say, saved her life and the lives of her family, including her husband, and his men.  Not only that, God used her to keep David from committing a great sin! "David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand." (1 Sam.25:32-33).

But the story goes on, because Abigail had to still tell her husband what she had done! But when she went to him, he was drunk from a feast he had held.  The next morning, afraid I'm sure, Abigail went to Nabal and told him what she had done. Instead of him being grateful that his life was spared, he got so mad that he had a stroke! The Bibles says "...his heart died within him, and he became as a stone." (vs.37).

The Lord's hand was in this from the beginning. He used Abigail to save many from destruction! Destruction that would have been the result of one man's wickedness. This may sound hard...but I feel that what happened next was God's way of further taking care of one of His Godly and Beautiful women...Verse 38 says, "And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died." Soon after that, this wise, protective, and beautiful woman, was asked to marry David, and guest what, the Bible says she HASTED  and arose to become David's wife! GLORY TO GOD!!!

So let this story encourage you to continue to be the WISE, PROTECTIVE AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN God created you to be! This is for the MEN OF GOD, also! We are all in a battle with the enemy for our lives! It gets really hard sometimes, I know! Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed by what you are facing, especially if it's no fault of your own. You may be a victim of the works of the devil, and his imps! But rest assured, God will take care of you and yours! He will place Godly wisdom inside of you, pair it with knowledge and instinct, and cause you to come through as Godly And Beautiful (or Handsome) as He made you! And as for your enemy, stand still, hold your peace and your sword! You don't have to avenge your own hand! Because not many day hence, the Lord will smote your Nabal, and he will also die!

Be proud of who God has made you! Rejoice in the works of His hands! Why? Because we all know that without Him, whew!!! What a mess we were and would still be! 

Because of what JESUS did for us in His death, burial and resurrection, we can overcome anything! We just have to remember to abide in the vine, the true vine! John 15:5 says,"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." We are so blessed to have the Spirit of God abiding on the inside of us! Instructing us, guiding us, and protecting us! Allow Him to use YOU, as He did Abigail, to prevent the destruction of many!

Blessings!

Pastor Sheila