Bible in One Year: Monday, September 21, 2009 (1 Tim 1 - 1 Tim 3) Memorise: "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Pet 3:4) Read: 1 Peter 3:1-4 1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. The works of the devil in the human race characterized by sin, fear and shame, started in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they suddenly realized they were naked because the glory of God they were wearing had been taken away. Sin has a way of stripping the sinner naked. Sometimes when you dream of being naked in a public place, if you check your life carefully, you might find out that one way or another, you had allowed sin into your life. The moment sin comes in, you lose your cover. When God's glory departed from Adam and Eve, they began to cover themselves with leaves. That is, they were adding to what God originally created. Do you know that if you leave yourself just as God made you and allow Him to beautify the meek with salvation, your hidden beauty will be revealed? "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Pet 3:4). In today's reading, a comparison is made between outward and inward adornment. While outward make up may not convert your husband, inward make up can. The outward make up is corruptible while the inward make up is incorruptible. Outward make up is of no value to God but the inner make up is priceless to God. The goal of outward adornment is to be acceptable to man while the goal of the inward adornment is to be acceptable to God. Some women spend so much time making up either to be accepted and desirable to their husband or some men whereas, they spend little or no time to increase their inward beauty which is of more Heavenly value. Physical beauty is good but spiritual beauty is far better. You cannot get into Heaven by making up. Infact, for some women, what will stop them from Heaven is their make up. The more some women make up, the uglier they become before the Lord. This is so especially for those who have made outward beauty their priority to the extent of idolizing worldly adornments. A sister was so attached to such adornment that one day while making up, the Holy Spirit asked her to go and see herself in the mirror. She expected to see beauty but she saw her ugliness. She repented and threw away her make up kit. Why not focus on that which is priceless and make yourself acceptable to God? ACTION POINT: If you are born again, you are clothed in God's glory. But the moment you allow lust, immorality or evil thoughts, you will be derobed!