WHO IS THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL?

  In the tale of Snow White, the wicked queen was seeking
a good self-image when she looked in her mirror and said:
"Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all?"

 The story goes on to show how her desire to be "number
one" developed into jealousy, hatred, and even murder.
Unfortunately, all women since Eve are born with this same
desire for supremacy, as a consequence of Eve's
disobedience to God.

  In the beginning, Eve would have found her true
fulfillment as a woman in being a help-meet for her
husband.  But Eve was seduced by Satan with the offer of a
new self-image where she would be AS God ... and didn't
God reign over Adam? ...and if she was AS God, she
wouldn't have to take orders from God either!

  The inner beauty of woman was marred that fatal day
when Eve disobeyed God and she has subconsciously
loathed herself ever since; consequently, she is never
satisfied when she looks in her mirror.  She asks others for
reassurance that she is  acceptable and often resorts to
makeup, expensive jewelry, and fashion designer clothes as
a  pathetic attempt to convince herself and others that she
really is worth something.

  After all, this illusion of a good self-image must be
maintained at all costs ...and does it ever cost!  Secular
magazines, health spas, psychotherapists, and Wall Street
are all cashing in on this perverted need of woman to look
good in the eyes of the world.

  Not only do they want to look good to the world, sinful
"Christian" women desperately want their churches to tell
them they also look good to God, when in fact, they are
ugly as sin in His sight.  As you might expect, the harlot
churches are quick to minister to this need with self-esteem
seminars and consoling pats on the back.  The result of all
this flattery is the women's consciences are silenced, the
parking lots get paved, and the treasure chests are filled.

  Eventually, the ultimate price a woman must pay for
keeping a good self-image will be the loss of her soul
because by refusing to part with her sin she has made
herself a god and her own image, the idol!

  Ladies,  I know this will be a shock to some of you, but
we must face this fact:

    WE  CANNOT HAVE SELF-ESTEEM
             AND ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.    

  Simply explained, self-esteem is Satan's strategy to keep
us from knowing the truth that will bring us to repentance,
forgiveness, and holiness.  Think about it - If a woman likes
herself, why would she want to have her life changed, ask
for forgiveness,  or cry out for deliverance from the power
of sin?   Rather than esteeming ourselves, we must come
to the place where we loathe ourselves because of our
disobedience to God.

  The truth we need to know is:  If we are committing
willful sin, we do not have eternal life.  We must obey The
Ten Commandments completely and forever in order to
meet God's requirements for eternal life.  Jesus meant just
what he said:

          "If thou wilt enter life, keep the commandments."
                                              Mat 19:17

  Meditating on these commandments will soon show us
what we really are --SINNERS.  Sisters,  The mirror of
God's word will reveal our hopeless condition, causing us
to cry out for Jesus to deliver us from our bondage to sin.
Then, and only then, will we receive the power to live the
overcoming life that God requires of us.

  Some of you may be thinking my concept of losing ones
self-esteem is wrong because there is so much teaching
today on the merits of "thinking good about yourself" but
let's take a close look at what Jesus had to say about self:

   "Whosoever will come after me, Let him deny himself,  
    and  take up his cross, and  follow me.  For whosoever  
    will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose
his
     life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

    For what shall it profit a man [or a woman] if he shall  
    gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? "                                            
                                           Mark 8:34-36

  Clearly, Jesus said all self-life must die.  Our self-life can
be compared to the wicked queen looking at herself in the
mirror and wanting to be told she is beautiful.  In contrast,
the humble bride of Christ looks in the mirror of God's
Word and sees the spots and wrinkles of sin, then she trusts
him to transform her into "the fairest of them all" --A
child of God!  She is not fair because of her beauty but fair
because of her obedience.

  Speaking of mirrors, the Old Testament gives an account
of some remarkable women who were willing to sacrifice
their mirrors for the service of God.  The brass from their
offering was used to make the laver of the tabernacle.

    "And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of  
     brass, of the looking glasses of the women."  Ex. 38:8

  Their service to God was more important to them than
primping themselves before their mirrors of self-interest.
Jesus will save us from our self-life and make us free from
all sin when we are ready to stop hiding sin behind the
facade of self-esteem.

Donna Kupp