ENHANCING THE BEAUTY THAT MATTERS TO GOD

Beauty that matters to God? What beauty matters to the Lord?

It’s most definitely NOT the beauty that the world is obsessed with.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – 1 Peter 3:3-4

Oh how I adore these verses. God could have said NOTHING about Beauty but He does. We could and for the sake of handling this subject well share other verses about Beauty because the Peter verses aren’t the only ones there are.

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:30

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; – Proverbs 6:25

Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. – 1 Timothy 2:9-10

God isn’t AGAINST women being beautiful. In His Word, we’re told that Rachel, Esther, Sarah, Rebekah, Abigail, Bathsheba, Tamar, Vashti, Job’s daughters, etc. were physically BEAUTIFUL. It’s not a sin to be pretty but let’s remember that what is attractive to mankind IS subjective. There may be a majority opinion of what makes a woman beautiful or not but what one man finds appealing does not mean that EVERY man find those things desirable. For a very small example: I like my husband with a beard. My good friend likes her husband clean shaven. We all have different likes and dislikes when it comes to what we find attractive.

What is NOT subjective is God’s Word. The Lord is HOLY and commands His sheep to be Holy as He is. 1 Peter 1:16. We are justified by Christ’s blood – His grace. He then sanctifies us with the help of the Holy Spirit and we wait to enter into eternity, where we will be glorified.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. – 2 Corinthians 4:16–17

Part of that sanctification is becoming less like our old selves (before Christ) and more like HIM.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. – Romans 8:29

So ladies, we need to be LESS concerned with enhancing the physical and MORE concerned with improving the Beauty THAT MATTERS TO GOD: GODLINESS.

He cares about our hearts ladies and not in the superficial way that progressive “Christianity” likes to preach. He isn’t wanting to coddle your feelings and drown you in “grace” with zero mention of YOUR SIN. Nope. God wants your heart to SUBMIT, to OBEY, to GROW in maturity, to PRODUCE good fruit, to BE a light for Him, to be a LIVING SACRIFICE, to DIE TO SELF, etc. HE CHANGES HEARTS – HE DOESN’T PACIFY THEM.

Once you’re justified, saved, He WILL transform you. It’s WONDERFUL news!

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:6

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. – 1 Peter 1

PHYSICAL BEAUTY FADES.

GODLY BEAUTY LASTS.

Physical Beauty – we wrinkle, we dimple, we crinkle, we drool…lol. I don’t know – can y’all hear me laughing right now? Who has started growing chin hairs?! Just me? TMI? Point is – THE PHYSICAL IS TEMPORARY. It’s decaying.

Let’s give some examples of Godly Beauty:

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:5-8

Read that verse again.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. – Romans 12:1

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. – Jude 1:20-21

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. – 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. – James 1:27

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. – 1 John 4:7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:6-7

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. … – Proverbs 31:26-31

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. – Titus 2:3-5

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. – Colossians 3:18

I could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on. These aren’t secrets dear sister. IT IS GOD’S WORD!!! And it is AVAILABLE to you and me. It is SUFFICIENT. It sustains, it corrects, it encourages, it sharpens, it is ALIVE AND ACTIVE. It is ABSOLUTE TRUTH. 2 Timothy 3.

Ladies, this unfading beauty that God finds worthy is CHRIST in you. It’s ALL about Jesus. And we enhance (grow) in this beauty by being women who are:

• IN THE WORD OF GOD DAILY.
• OBEY THE WORD OF GOD DAILY.
• PRAYING WOMEN.
• DYING TO THE SELF WOMEN.
• CONFORMING TO CHRIST WOMEN.
• REPENTING WOMEN.
• ABSTAINING FROM THE FLESH WOMEN.
• ABIDING IN JESUS WOMEN.
• HATING SIN WOMEN.
• LOVING GOD FIRST AND FOREMOST WOMEN.
• LOVING OTHERS – OUTDOING THEM IN LOVE WOMEN.
• WALKING IN TRUTH WOMEN.
• RIGHTLY HANDLING THE WORD WOMEN.
• SUBMITTING TO THE KINGSHIP OF JESUS WOMEN.
• WAGING WAR AGAINST THE FLESH WOMEN.

And you don’t have to feel overwhelmed or exhausted to do these things because GOD DOES ALL THE WORK IN US.

In our sanctification we work alongside the Spirit but HE IS THE ONE WHO MATURES US, WHO GROWS US, WHO MAKES US HOLY. He holds the POWER ladies and we must submit to it – daily.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. – Philippians 2:12-13

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10

It makes me cry. NO MATTER WHAT I LOOK LIKE AS A WOMAN – I AM BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE OF CHRIST IN ME. And not a fading beauty that is surface but an UNFADING BEAUTY that has ETERNAL IMPACT AND GIVES GOD ALL THE GLORY.

Sisters, cling to Christ and not youthfulness.

Be in the Word. Obey it. Trust Him. Pray. Pray. Pray. Be in fellowship with other believers. Do not forsake the local church. STOP thinking about yourself and focus on God and then others. Do everything for HIS glory. Repent. MATURE IN HOLINESS.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, – Philippians 2:12

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.– Proverbs 3:5

Equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. – Hebrews 13:21

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

Rest in His perfect Sovereignty and do not fear obeying Him. BEING IN CHRIST AND WHAT RESULTS FROM BEING JUSTIFIED IN HIM: THIS IS THE UNFADING BEAUTY sisters.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – 1 Peter 3:3-4