ta da...

1Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7) Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

This reference in I Corinthians is said of the children of Israel at the time when Moses led them out of bondage. As they waited for Moses to return with the ten commandments they lusted and turned to idolatry, but...

Throughout this time period, as I teach my Bible class, we emphasize what the problem was.  All that these people could do was murmur and complain.  Did they have a reason to be unhappy?  Certainly they were going through some tough problems, the problem was how they handled the situation. What happened to them was written for us to learn from. The Old Testament gives us examples of good and evil.

"Well, I DESERVE this..." even if it may not be the best thing (for us) to have, we want it! And 'rose up to play?' That describes this society to a T...this is a society of 'play'. Just watch T.V. commercials. The television and the media are masters at making people feel like they deserve things, things that --in reality--they neither deserve nor need.

The book of Judges ends with: In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.(Judges 21:25)
They did what was right in their own eyes...hmm sounds much like what we have today.

"Well," the talk show host begins, "I received this email...-strong women will not vote for Santorum or Newt.- Now, why do you suppose they won't vote for Santorum or Newt?" After a pause, and apparently after listening to another person's opinion, he offers his thoughts. "Strong women feel Santorum and Newt are a threat to them--"
Santorum has only one wife, but he has seven children, (exclamation mark here) and of course Newt is really only a threat if you're married to him, but...

A strong woman?  Excuse me, but a strong woman is not one that fears a strong man.  A strong woman is not one that swoons over some one just because he excites her emotions.
Christians--not just men, but women should be 'strong'.

Ephesians 3:16  that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
Ephesians 6:10  Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.

As G.K. Chesterton said:   "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” 

It takes a strong individual to put aside their wants/desires and replace them with what God wants/desires for them and their life.   Yet what do we most admire in life?  Is it the individual(s) that just go with the flow.  The people that go along to get along?  Usually it is an individual that does the right thing--or what we perceive to be the right thing.

A strong woman indeed.  What do we perceive as a strong woman?  

The office woman says to a co-worker, "You know, Mabel (name changed here) will be in this afternoon..." and the co-worker's response?  "Well, I guess I won't be...".   Do we perceive witchy women to be strong women?  

Strong women are women that --whether in authority or not-- holds to her convictions of right or wrong.  She doesn't need to be the center of attention; she is quiet and respectful of others.  They do not need to be 'bossing' other people, but they know how to be in control of themselves.  They know how to make others feel good about doing what they should do.

1Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 

Christians are God's possession, they need to act that way.  In reality if we got what we deserve it would be punishment.  We deserve no better, but thanks be to God we have the ability to choose life, and blessings in Jesus.  It is a choice however. It isn't like a beauty pageant where you line up, and everyone jumps up and down in anticipation, and then someone gets the crown, .   We must choose it, and live it.
Christians must be strong, stay strong, and live strong...Do not murmur, nor complain, do not wallow in the sins of this world, lusting after things that are not fit for the pigs of this world--come ye out from among them... 1Peter 1:15  but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; 16)  because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.