I've been thinking about what I mentioned Saturday about how our understanding of God's Word has changed over the past six years. How we came to walk a deeper walk with him. It all began with some heart wrenching family issues. Not our immediate family, but some loved ones. As the pain unfolded...and intensified, other scriptural issues became important, very important. What do we actually believe? Are we in agreement with those around us? Are our leaders leading us on the Narrow Way? What are we following? Where are we going? We just came to the point where we had to decide if Jesus really meant every word He said. Did He? Did we believe He did? We said we believed it, but were we living as though we did?
As we began to read the Bible in light of this sad, horrible situation around us and the supposed Scriptural response of those leading us, we began to ask questions...some things began to materialize that we had overlooked or had misread or had not been taught properly or at all. Then, as we read and prayed and prayed and read, and talked and talked about these things...we studied and prayed some more...we realized we were very, very wrong! Just reading Matthew 5, 6 and 7, or what is also called 'The Sermon on the Mount' opened our eyes to some serious error we had believed/been ignorant of.
I cannot touch on them all in one post. I'll weave them here and there throughout future posts as topic and time allow. I will say this...I have personally (and ashamedly) gone from being a worldly, women's liberated, right-wing, modern churched, politically minded, warmongering, domineering over my husband, immodest woman in many ways...clothing, high heeled, hair and makeup...to a new understanding of God's Kingdom rule for His daughters.
God's Kingdom rule for His daughters is modesty...in every way...gentleness, quietness...a hidden woman, created to be helpmeet to her husband, head covered/veiled (whether she has a husband or not), meek, God glorifying keeper at home (if possible). A heart attitude change coming forth in distinctive Christianity...distinctive because living in God's Kingdom now should be distinctive. As an older woman, it is important that I am an example of what a righteous Sister/Daughter/Mother/Wife is...of course I'm still growing, but I try to seek God's Word always when instructing a younger sister in the Lord.
In essence, we have seen our error and upon seeking the Lord, the early Church/early Anabaptist/Kingdom teachings are the closest (that we can see) to the way Jesus left His body to function here on earth until His return.
So in simple terms, we have adopted what some would consider a 'plain' lifestyle or fellowship in the 'plain circles'. Kingdom living, if anyone wanted to label it. We are just trying to live out what we understand the Word of God to say. Not applying culture or man's interpretation to it...just taking the Word at face value asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit to show us the way. All of it. And it has led us to wonderful life changes in practically every way. Not that they're all easy...but Jesus never said it would be easy. It was actually very hard to admit that we'd been wrong and to have God turn our entire world upside down. So many changes have taken place in our lives...too many to tell in one post!
I will share more in the future. We actually do not have much like-minded fellowship in our area, we do not live where converted Amish or Mennonites are, nor are there any truly Kingdom minded believers, as far as we know. If, perchance anyone in our area reads this and is of like-minded heart, we would be happy to meet to fellowship together.
Still, we do try to get away and go to some home-church meetings in Lancaster County whenever possible. What a dear, dear group of Brothers and Sisters we have met from all over the globe! A true blessing to see the Kingdom of God lived out in reality!
More to come on these and other thoughts! What is the big deal and what does the application of Kingdom Living look like? Is there anyone else online living this way? Side links to other plain, Kingdom Living blogs to come.
May God bless you and yours as you seek to glorify Him in Spirit and in Truth. May His Word of Truth lead and guide your path as a lamp and a light. Amen
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