Let It Show...

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Col 3:16

The idle mind is the devil's workshop. How long do you let the negative words of the enemy dwell in your minds? How much time do you spend wishing you could have or should have said this or that? Put that all away!!!

As husbands and wives, our first responsibility is to show Christian love to each other. Following that, we must demonstrate it to all people. Some say that we only need to show it to our children, but there is someone in your office right now who needs to know that an unconditional love DOES EXIST in this world! And they only have you to introduce it to them!

The strength of your heart is dependent upon the power of the Word within you. Allow it to take root and grow, and shine freely from you at all times. You never know who you may lead to a better life through your positive example!

God bless you all!!!

Today's thought...

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Eph 4:1

Many people do not quickly or readily associate themselves with the analogy of being a "prisoner" for the Lord, since we have so very much freedom. But, as Paul writes to the church at Ephesus, we, too, should be living a life worthy of our calling.

You might not be in jail, and you may have never done anything to deserve any major punitive action, but this earth is indeed a prison for ALL of us that have been called to the Lord. So live your life to exemplify the Lord.

God bless you all!!!

Today's thought...

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Cor 12:9

So many of us decide that we must be impervious to the storms that seem to come, and that we will not give up fighting for the best, even for a moment. The problem with this philosophy is that it is a front for others, and not a truth that honor's the Lord. We all face trials. No one has the perfect marriage, the perfect job, the perfect friends, etc. And believe it, friends, I do mean that as plainly as I said it; NO ONE.

But Christ told us that we can be glad for our trials and weak moments, for His amazing grace covers us in those times of need! Another way to think about it would be to say that when you reach the end of your rope, you have also arrived at another destination; the point of grace!

God bless you all!!!

Today's thought...

A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fools eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
Prov 17:24

Again, I will ask where your focus is? All of us have wandering minds and moments of daydreaming, but where is your focus when that happens? It is of paramount importance that you remain above the fray when that mental warfare begins within you. An idle mind, as you well know, is the devil's workshop.

Keep your focus laser sharp It is mentally exhausting, and physically draining, and you may miss out on some worldly fun... but wouldn't you rather have an ETERNITY in PARADISE with JESUS than a few minutes spent laughing on earth?

God bless you all!!!

Today's thought...

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
Prov 19:2

So often we tend to jump off the pier without testing the depth of the water. And more times than not, we find that the water was nowhere near as deep as we thought. Take a moment to slow down today, and evaluate whether or not the leap is as important as the water itself. You may discover that there is no reason to jump... you're safer on the dock anyway.

God bless you all!!!

Eyes on the Prize...

But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge - do not give me over to death.
Psalm 141:8

Ladies and gentlemen, where is your focus? Are you focused on the things of this world, most of which we cannot control? Are you focused on the material things you wish to gain/attain, most of which will only cause you to want one level better than what you have? Or are you focused on the greater reward that comes only from the Father?

We all have the opportunity every day to make certain that our focus remains on the things it should. The question is whether or not we take that opportunity and deliver ourselves into a moment of realignment to God. This is true of all things, including marriage.

Take the time tonight to focus together, praying that your family would always remain focused on the Father. It is only He who brings comfort and peace. Watching Him and learning His ways should be of paramount importance! Only then can we hope to live out the command to be holy.

God bless you all!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, Valentine's Day is here!!!

God showed love to us through the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. Jesus loved us enough to die for our sins, taking the pain and shame for all of us.

How do you show love to your spouse?

Take a moment to pray together today with only one purpose; thank God for your spouse. Tell Him what your spouse means to you, and say "THANK YOU!"

God bless you all!!!

Abandoned...

"I'm abandoned to the Captain of the mighty host of Heaven..."
excerpt taken from "I'm Abandoned", from the musical "My Utmost For His Highest"

There is a moment in this song where the lyrics absolutely rip my heart out and force tears. I have listened to this song so many times, and I still cannot make it through the entire piece without tearing up. And the kicker is this... I truly hope it stays that way.

And the whole point of this song is to state that the whole of one's life is devoted to Christ. Christ comes first in all things, and the focus is ever upwards, looking for the greater reward that God has promised us.

Oddly enough, all of the vows we take in marriage are quite similar. And if we take the entire song and apply it towards our spouses, I would firmly wager that the proverbial waterworks would be unstoppable! Take a listen (or a read) to this slight adjustment:

"I'm abandoned to my wife/husband, no one else under all of heaven;
and I pledge him/her my allegiance, till the earth beholds His kingdom!"

Perhaps we should all take a moment tonight and remind ourselves of the abandonment we promised to the gifts we were given by God. And as we pray and give thanks to God for them, we should also give thanks for our appointment to them. Truly, there is nothing better.

God bless you all!!!

Being a Man...

After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: "I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do."
Acts 13:22

Gentlemen... we're going a tad old school today... but David is a man we should ALL learn from.

God said that David was "a man after my [God's] heart." What a powerful statement! To be seen in the eyes of the Lord of all creation as one who wishes only for the will of the Lord... wow. And David was exalted in many ways for his obedience. He was the boy who slew the giant, and the most powerful king that Israel had ever seen. He was the leader of the hose chosen to bring forth the Christ! What greater honor can there be?

I bet it surprised God when David murdered a man to have an affair... that must have been quite shocking. Oh wait; no it wasn't! God is omniscient, omnipresent and immutable... He knew what David would do, knew the outcome, and loved David the same all the way through it!

I believe that the single largest truth we can all take away from David is that he, although chosen by the Lord, was still a man just like you and me. What happened with his indiscretions is fairly simple to explain... he stopped looking up. He began to focus on circumstances, rather than the God who had lifted him up. And when he began to look at the world, he was drawn into the world.

Fellas, this is true for all of us, and there is nothing we can do to stop the world's attempted invasion of our hearts and minds. They will keep coming, no matter what. But what we can do, like David did, is realize our transgressions for what they were and are... ask forgiveness... let it go... and move forward with a song of joy! Hide the Scriptures in your hearts, so that you will have added protection against the devil and his schemes.

Take a moment today to pray with your wife. Tell her that you wish only for her to focus and aid you in lifting your request for forgiveness to God. And after your prayer is finished, know that the Spirit of God is filling you with the ability to turn away from the worldly "brass rings" that some grasp for so desperately! After all, if David could be forgiven... we can, too!

God bless you all!!!

Personal Happiness...

I have been thinking on this topic for some time, and I decided to do some research to see if my suspicions were true. After looking intently for verses that relate to God promising us a "happy" life, I have come to one clear conclusion: no such promise was ever made.

We were promised blessings, and eternal life, if we walk in faithfulness to His word and commands. But the key is that we do not know when those blessings will come; all of that is on His timeline. And it is not our place to be prideful and demand it of Him, either. We must be patient, faithful and remain in prayer giving thanks in every circumstance. (1 Thess 5:18)

The world we live in wants us to chase after happiness, and tells us that if we are unhappy then we should change things up. Get a new job, a new home, a new spouse, an alternative lifestyle, etc. But let me pose a query for us all today... were our grandparents happier than we are, and was there world better than ours is, morally? The answer is an unequivocal YES THEY WERE, along with YES IT WAS!

The Bible speaks quite plainly to the fact that things are GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, and that we must be prepared to face trials. Christian believers were NEVER CALLED to live a life of luxury and comfort, but one of strife at the hands of the worldly oppressors. And make no mistake, things are going to get worse before they get better for those of us who do not fear speaking our beliefs aloud. We must take up our individual cross and bear it daily and proudly, never forsaking the One who did not forsake us! (Luke 14:27)

This is also a prevalent problem in our culture with respect to marriages. The divorce rate is climbing, somewhere around 50% now, and the majority of it stems from needs for "personal happiness." What happened to personal accountability? What happened to personal responsibility? What happened to just keeping a simple promise?

I beg you today to thank God for the patience and faithfulness He has bestowed upon you to see things through to the end. It has been said that people like our grandparents just aren't around anymore, but the conservative rise in America proves otherwise. Times will get tough; things will not always be rosy; and arguments will happen; "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 15:57)

God bless you all!!!

Today's thought...

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
Prov 21:30

So often we find ourselves pondering the struggles we face today. Spiritual warfare is a real thing, and we are all fighting it every day. Some are powerful warriors, and some are in denial over the existence of such a struggle. But, unlike the Superbowl, there is no need to wait for overtime... we already know who the Victor is!

So why fight? Put simply, there are generations after us that need to learn the proper defenses against the devil's schemes. They need to know how to put on the full armor of God (Eph 6:10-18) and be ready. And if we don't teach them, then the enemy will certainly recruit. But rest assured that your labors in this area are NOT in vain, for we know the outcome!

Added to this, marriage is a plan built by the Lord, delivered to man as a gift. And perhaps you are in a position to teach your spouse about the war raging in the world. Do not think that this is mere coincidence, precious friends... it is Divine Appointment!

Take time today to thank God for His plan for your life, as well as your spouse's. You may not understand all of it, but as a reborn Christian you can rest assured of where you will spend eternity! And no one can take that away from you!

God bless you all!!!

His command...

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
2 John 6

His command is for us to walk in love with all people, as the love of Christ dwells within us. And if we show that love to strangers, how much greater should it be to our spouses? Do not forget to remain constant while at home, showing that powerful and awesome love to those closest to you. If you walk in love and show your children how to do the same, they will be better equipped to show the same devotion to their families!

God bless you all!!!

Stay the Course!!!

I have no verse to attach to this, but I do have a topic we can all relate to... traffic.

I was driving along today and noticed a usual phenomenon to Houstonians; the "lane-hopper." This is a person who changes lanes every 2.4 seconds to attempt to be the first person to the exit, as though we are all in a race. This exquisite animal jumps all over the enormous interstate only to realize that the exit ramp is now upon them, and four lanes away... so they swerve without slowing to make their exit, screaming at everyone in their way. The "hopper" is a creature of pure entitlement, only concerned with its own needs and desires.

The funnier part of watching the "hopper," is watching all of the other drivers on the road. But the most impressive is the one who remains in one lane, because that is where they need to be to exit. And the single-most amazing thing begins to happen when these two creatures interact on the roadways... the "hopper" does not end up in front of the steady-as-she-goes driver. It's a tad like that old fable about the tortoise and the hare, right? Remember who won?

And the "hoppers," much like the hare, do nothing but get disgusted with the fact that they had to slow down. There is no personal accountability to the fact that they should have taken more thought to their place and when the exit was coming up and how fast they were driving... no way! "It's everyone else's fault that I was late, not mine!" Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

(Isn't it funny that everyone going slower than you is a moron, while everyone going faster than you is a maniac?)

So what if we applied this to our marriages? Those "stay the course" folks who remain with the one they choose compared to the "quickie divorce" crowd, who are always searching for someone else to make them happy. Divorce is not cheap, financially or emotionally. And people run to it like mad when they have what our courts call "irreconcilable differences." But all things are made new in Christ Jesus, and there is ALWAYS a way out!!!

Take the time tonight to evaluate which side of this equation you belong to. I think you'll find the similarities fairly astonishing! And thank God for your spouse, as always, and for their ability to understand where you are and meet you there, as Christ does.

God bless you all!!!

Show It

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
1 John 4:9

God showed us His amazing love by sending Christ to die for us. Now, as believers, we live through Him in total victory, washed by His blood. We have no need to fear, but every reason to remain vigilant to the very end.

However, husbands and wives, this does not excuse us from showing that same love to our spouses. I have a close friend who often says that our level of comfort or discomfort with prayer, reading, or any other Christian discipline is irrelevant, because Jesus hung naked, bleeding on a cross and died for us. Follow this example and realize that if God loved us enough to send Jesus to die for us, it doesn't hurt us to take a moment and express our love for our spouses.

Take at least one intentional moment today to reach out to your spouse and tell them how much they matter. You might be surprised at just how enormously impactful the smallest things can be!

God bless you all!!!

Purpose...

For my determined purpose is that I may know Him - that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness even to His death, in the hope...
Philippians 3:10 (AMP)

This has been on my mind for some time. This particular verse is one that has appeared in so many different places. So many different teachings and courses have cited this verse, and I am endeavoring to memorize it fully. But I am also contemplating a deeper meaning of it, as well... for marriage.

It is true that the only person you can change in yourself, and that in order to bring about change in any circumstance, you must lead by example. A servant-minded form of leadership is the only way to accomplish true, lasting change. And I believe that this is true of marriages, as well.

Imagine for one second if you lived this verse to the fullest, hoping to be blessed through the sufferings that we all go through. Imagine if we truly desired to serve our spouse, regardless of their level of appreciation. Imagine if we learned more about how to be like Christ, so that we could properly love and honor our spouse. What a relationship!!!

Take a moment tonight to read through your version of this verse, and compare it to the AMP version above. Look through it with your spouse, and pray together for the deeper understanding that we all need to strive for; the understanding of how to truly become a servant-leader, especially in our homes!

God bless you all!!!