Articles – Page 2 – Amanda Tero Books

Biblically Speaking – Mixing Garments

Published on December 7, 2015 by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Part 5 in my study on what is abomination in the sight of God.

Recap:

Many believers have fallen into accepting that which is abomination in the sight of God. Unless we study God’s Word to learn His Mind on what is abominable, how will we know to purge ourselves from abomination? Lord willing, I will be posting the fruits of my study on the word “abomination,” but feel free to leap ahead of me and study it for yourself. What is an abomination to God?

Mixing Garments

Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

There has been a big debate about this verse. What, for a woman, “pertaineth unto a man?” Should a woman not wear pants? Button-up shirts? T-shirts made for men? Denim? Or does this verse mean that a man is not to try to look like a woman and a woman try to look like a man?

The keyword is “pertaineth unto” which in the Hebrew means, “something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):”

I find it very interesting that the woman is not to wear what pertains to a man (that which, from the Hebrew definition, seems prepared for a man) but the man is simply not to put on (clothe himself with) a woman’s garment.

I do not want to be guilty of “reinterpreting Scripture”–especially to narrow down to “THIS is what God meant He sees is an abomination” as my own interpretation, but I personally believe that this verse lines up with another abomination in God’s eyes–sodomy. He created man to be man and woman to be woman. In the world of clothing, there is a dividing line (which is becoming more faint) of masculine and feminine. For us to try to “mix things up” in appearance is to try to “borrow” the appearance of the opposite gender. This is my personal belief and you can believe differently–that’s fine.

Biblically Speaking – Witchcraft

Published on November 30, 2015 by Amanda Tero13 Comments

Part 4 in my study on what is abomination in the sight of God.

Recap:

Witchcraft

This is probably the harshest one to cover. I know that I am listing things in a straight-forward, blunt manner, but I am not judging Christians who participate in what I list below. I am simply stating what I believe God’s Word says on this issue.

Deuteronomy 18:10-13 – There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.

All that do these things are abominable to God (Hebrew definitions given):

~using divination (oracle)

~observer of times (act covertly, practice magic)

~enchanter (to hiss, whisper a spell, to prognosticate)

~witch (to whisper a spell, enchant or practice magic)

~charmer (a spell)

~consulter with familiar spirits (mumble, necromancer)

~wizard (a knowing one, a conjurer, ghost)

~or necromancer (to pursue, to kill, seek or ask).

Christian, go through the list again and apply it to the movies, games, and books that you accept into your home. I’m not talking about the “obvious” things like Harry Potter. What about some movies…like the Disney cartoon Cinderella with the fairy godmother? Snow White, Fantasia, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, oh…and the big ones of today, Tangled, Frozen? What about games? Clash of Clans? Entertainment has put a happy light to that which God sees as abomination. Will we mesh with the world and accept what God defies?

Biblically Speaking – Idolatry

Published on November 23, 2015 by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Part 3 in my study on what is abomination in the sight of God.

Recap:

Idolatry

Idolatry and covetousness — turning from God to other gods and idols:

Deuteronomy 7:25 – The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

Deuteronomy 12:30-31 – Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Deuteronomy 13:12-15 – If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.

Deuteronomy 17:2-5 – If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Deuteronomy 32:16 – They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.

There is so much more said on this matter than on the matter of sodomy. In our culture, it seems almost foreign to think of someone “bowing down” to a graven image. But one of the passages mentions bowing to the “sun, moon, host of heaven.” Pantheism (the belief that God is in everything) is a word the comes to mind–and it is creeping into the modern church. Several “Christian” authors have begun leaning towards this belief (I cannot verify this, but it has been mentioned that Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts, is a pantheist). We cannot ignorantly assume that everything presented under the name of “Christian” lines up with the full council of God’s Word. Beware of idolatrous beliefs that have crept into the church.

Biblically Speaking – Adultery

Published on November 16, 2015 by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Part 2 in my study on what is abomination in the sight of God.

Recap:
Many believers have fallen into accepting that which is abomination in the sight of God. Unless we study God’s Word to learn His Mind on what is abominable, how will we know to purge ourselves from abomination? Lord willing, I will be posting the fruits of my study on the word “abomination,” but feel free to leap ahead of me and study it for yourself. What is an abomination to God?

Adultery

Leviticus 18:26 – Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

Leviticus 18:27 – (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

Leviticus 18:29 – For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Leviticus 18 goes into detail as to what God means by “adultery” in various forms, all of which are abominations in His eyes. Not only does God view this as gross sin, He warns us of the penalty for committing these sins. If the nations before Israel were driven out because of their sin, how much more would God hold His own to this standard of judgment? This truth applies to believers today.

Biblically Speaking – Sodomy

Published on November 9, 2015 by Amanda Tero4 Comments

I’ll take a break from the Psalm 119 study to share a little in another study the Lord led me to do this past summer. At camp this year, one of the preachers challenged us to do a word study and see what (Biblically) is abomination to God. We had been discussing sodomy and the recent turn of our nation. It is easy to look at sodomy and say “this is an abomination to God.” However, that is not the only abomination in the sight of God (though it is true that sodomy was the only Biblical account of God destroying an entire city for abomination). Many believers have fallen into accepting that which is abomination in the sight of God. Unless we study God’s Word to learn His Mind on what is abominable, how will we know to purge ourselves from abomination? Lord willing, I will be posting the fruits of my study on the word “abomination,” but feel free to leap ahead of me and study it for yourself. What is an abomination to God?

Sodomy

The first abomination to God that I detected is sodomy:

Leviticus 18:22 – Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 – If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

The lifestyle that God finds abominable is clearly spelled out here. For more study, Romans 1 marks the progression of a people who adopt this lifestyle.

Shackled

Published on October 22, 2015 by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)

I was saved as a young child and as I entered my teens, I desired to grow in the Lord. To know more of His Word. To be holy.

In my pursuit of holiness, set-apartness, and Godliness, I put away many things. My life began to be driven by rules of what I could and couldn’t do. Many times, I would add to this list when a preacher or friend would suggest something that sounded like what a Christian should/shouldn’t do.

“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?”(Galatians 4:9)

My salvation rests not in the good works that I have done, but in Christ Jesus and faith through Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). Now that I am saved, why would I turn again to good works and rules in my pursuit of holiness? These only bring me into bondage.

“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” (Galatians 5:5-6)

I am to live through the Spirit…by faith…by love. Wait. Did I see “good works” in that list? Rules and regulations? This chapter, rather, speaks against works alone for holiness. While we do not circumcise today, there are many areas in which we hope, by our works, to attain the same holiness that the Jews hoped for in circumcision–a holiness that is not attained through faith in Christ Jesus, but a holiness that is attempted by fleshly works.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”(Galatians 5:16)

You see, I had it backwards. I thought that doing things would draw me closer to God. Rather, it is drawing close to God that enables me to live a holy life, spurning the lusts of the flesh. It is drawing nigh to God that comes before we can cleanse our hands and purify our hearts (James 4:8).

As a personal example, I had put away all books that were not by Christian authors when I was a teen–even “Christian” books that did not have a deep, strong spiritual message. I almost felt guilty if someone caught me looking at a cover of another book. Dirty if I read one paragraph. This rule was based on conversations I had with a friend and my personal desire to be holy and cleansed from the dirt of the world. And honestly, I do believe it was best for me in my teen years (when daydreams run rampant and the girl’s heart seeks fairytale stories).

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

Now, a few years later, I realize that my motive for shunning these books was incorrect. I did not do it in a desire to please my Lord, but rather because it made me feelcleaner and holier. I realized that there is freedom in Christ. No, I am not saved to do exactly how I please and I know that many Christians sin under the guise of “liberty in Christ.” However, just because I made myself a list of “this is right, this is wrong” did not mean that the Spirit was leading. I did not realize until later that because of the rules Ihad placed on myself, the life I was living was in bondage. I was shackled to regulations of my own making, not of the Spirit’s leading.

Back to the books, I noticed a vivid example of the difference. A few years ago, I would not have touched a book by Jane Austen, based on my rigidity (before I go further, I do not condemn those who read Jane Austen, this is just what the Lord taught me). To do so, I would feel this guilty condemning verdict placed upon me. This year, I started reading Sense and Sensibility. As I read it, I noticed the frivolity of life and the use of the Lord’s Name in vain. As I read, I began to sense a check in my spirit (particularly in “condoning” a book that used my Lord’s Name flippantly) and before long, knew that I could not finish the book. God did not drive me into the dirt because I was reading this book, rather, He gently led me away from it.

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

So…I wouldn’t have read this book six years ago, and I couldn’t read it this year, but there was a difference. Before, it was rooted in my set of rules. Now, it was rooted in the Spirit’s rule in my heart.

Where are your rules rooted? What is your walk based in? The flesh only brings bondage, but the Spirit brings freedom and liberty.

Just by the Look

Published on October 3, 2015 by Amanda Tero3 Comments

Bluegrass festivals are not regular events in my family because, while we play bluegrass instruments (acoustic guitar, bass guitar, banjo, violin, mandolin), our repertoire is divided between what we call “instrument songs” and “piano songs.” However, when invited for the Bluegrass Gospel Night at Pecan Ridge a few years back, we put together enough songs to make the forty-five minute time slot and went to minister. Being bluegrass exclusive meant that I was on my violin (secondary instrument), maybe the bass guitar (third instrument), but never the piano (main instrument).

After we finished singing, a man went up to Mom and made the comment, “The girl with the glasses–is she your pianist?” His accurate guess shocked me. How in the world could he know when I had no piano to even look at? He could somehow tell by my mannerism (Do all pianists have this certain “mannerism?”).

This question set my mind to work and I have often asked myself since then: Can others tell, just by looking at me, that I’m a Christian–even if I’m not “in my element?”

So often, Christians rely on obvious externals to mark their walk with the Lord (e.g. T-shirts with Scripture quotes, mentioning the church we attend, toting a Bible and tracts, and even frequently saying things like “Praise God” or “Lord willing”). While our dress and mannerism is vital, anyone can wear the “right clothes” and say the “right things” to label them as “Christian”–whether or not they are genuinely so.

Have you ever been to a store and the cashier is just as lovely as can be? All smiles, cheerful, light shining in their eyes. My dad often asks these workers if they know Jesus Christ as their Savior and they just beam in reply. How did he know? There wasn’t a tally of what “looked right” on the outside, but rather the evidence of what was right on the inside that could be detected just by the look.

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”Galatians 5:25

For What Cause?

Published on September 19, 2015 by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Sanding mud on Sheetrock gives one plenty of time to think. The monotonous back-and-forth of the sanding block takes very little mental exertion so, if you aren’t driven crazy by the constant scratching, you can get a lot done in the brain store.

On one of the days that I was sanding, my mind was pondering different ideas for my blog (come on, bloggers–we all must admit that running a blog isn’t quite as easy as eating three meals in a day). As I was praying, the Lord brought one question to mind, “For what cause?” It stopped me for a moment. Even though my goal in beginning a blog was to encourage Christian girls, had my goal shifted? Instead of using my blog for Christ’s glory, was I instead using it to showcase “my” skills and achievements? Hmm…

It is beneficial to stop sometimes and seek the answer to one word: M-O-T-I-V-E. What is my motive in writing this? What is my motive in sharing this? What is my motive in blogging? What is my motive in commenting? What is my motive in ________? (you fill in the blank)

I do not believe that it is wrong to share the fruit of my labor here, a reflection of the gifts that God has given me…but what is my motive? The praise and “wows” of men? or that I may further glorify God? For what cause am I sharing it? I needed that reminder.

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

What About the Money?

Published on April 7, 2015 by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

I recently read through one of my favorite Old Testament stories. When King Amaziah began his reign in Judah, he did “that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.” (2 Chronicles 25:2) It always saddens me when kings began right and fell. But today, I wanted to focus on one of the good points of his life.

After making his armies (2 Chronicles 25:5), King Amaziah hired 100,000 more mighty men of valor for 100 talents of silver (2 Chronicles 25:6). Immediately in the next verse, a prophet was sent to Amaziah saying, “O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.”(vs. 7-8)

I can almost see Amaziah’s thought-process: “Wait! You don’t understand! I’ve just spent an immense amount to hire this help – and God tells me to send them home? Doesn’t He understand the money I’ll lose from this investment?” His next words prove where his thoughts were: “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?” (vs. 9) I can sense a bit of apprehension, rooted in the fact that money had already been spent – and wouldn’t be returned.

The answer he got was, “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” This truth applies to me as well as Amaziah. God can give us so much more than what we’ve already spent if we but follow Him! After all, what am I looking to? My pocket-book? or God?

To those of us who like reading of the kings who actually chose right, Amaziah’s response is applauded. He sent the men home and fought with his own men (vs. 10-11). Victory! (vs. 11-12).

Now to bring the story back home: is there an area in which I have invested (time, money, things) and then God leads me elsewhere? What is my response? “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) At what price am I willing to follow God’s leading in my life?

The Discontented Writer

Published on March 26, 2015 by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

“I wish one of my friends were engaged – I know! I can write a story . . .” The thought ran through my mind casually and then I stopped, almost in horror. What did I just think?

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t believe that it is a sin to write about people going through an engagement or marriage. But my desire to write this story was summed up in one word: discontentment. In this instance, I was discontent that God did not have any of my close friends in a relationship. My solution? If God didn’t give it to me in real life, then I would create a fictional life and create what I wanted.

Of course, written in black and white, this sounds downright unbiblical (now you see why I was horrified?). But I know that as writers (and girls on top of that), it is easy to subconsciously slip into being a “discontented writer” where our goal in writing is no longer to please the Lord but to please our desires and daydreams. It is for this reason, that we must continually check our hearts and minds and pray through the ideas that we are pondering. Some questions we can ask ourselves are:

~Am I sure that I’m following God with this idea? or am I just following my daydreams?

~Does this idea have a message? or does it fulfill the desire of my flesh?

~What is my purpose for writing this story?

If we slowly ponder those questions and answer them seriously, I really believe that we will save ourselves many moments of regret in our writing.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)