Find A Christian Man

Author: findchristianman

  • 3 Answers that Prove You’re Ready for the Blessing

    Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence that we have the thing we hope to receive before it actually comes to fruition. Faith is the title deed to the blessings we are confident we’ll possess. God has charged you and I with the responsibility of holding a mental and emotional title deed in our minds and hearts through faith. This title deed of faith is a rightful claim to the blessings we’re praying to receive. We hold it in our minds and hearts, and it gives us the same level of ownership in the spiritual realm as a deed written on paper for something we actually own, like a car or a house. In a literal sense, we know that once we have a title deed from a bank, it’s proof to all that will see it that the property, by all legal accounts, is rightfully ours. Faith works in much the same way.

    In the business arena, a purchasing contract signals to everyone that we have an intention to take possession of something valuable. After we have proven the capacity to ethically procure the property, we sign on the dotted line. Then, after the contractual period has lapsed, if we have abided by all the requirements, maintained the care of the property, and made all the payments necessary to contractually own it outright, we take possession. This is a process that takes place in the natural realm. We expect it when we’re looking to own something valuable. Faith has a process too. Sometimes it takes a long while to manifest results, or it can take as little time as a blink of an eye.

    The process of legally taking ownership of a valuable and tangible asset can be a lengthy process. In the case of a house in the United States, it can take up to and over 30 years. I will venture to say that most of us have never waited that long for a blessing to come into fruition, but if that is what it requires, we should be ready and committed enough to stand on God’s Word until the promise materializes. If you’ve done the mental and emotional work of faith, and you feel as though the time that has passed seems beyond the processing period required, consider that God is still building your capacity to take ownership. He wants to expand your vision regarding the blessing you seek. Answering the following questions might help you to gain greater focus and ultimately get in synch with what Heavenly Father has stored up for you.

    Are my wants and my needs in balance?
    The blessings that we are hoping to receive are not too big for God. And I don’t believe that God ever tells us ‘NO’ when we ask according to His Will. Our God is an excellent and masterful Giver. He knows that sometimes we want things that far exceed our need for them. Jesus Christ tells us in Luke 1:37 that nothing is impossible with God. He is a wonderful and loving Heavenly Father, and He is our sufficiency. It is His good pleasure to bless His people, but this doesn’t mean that we will take possession of everything we desire, WHEN we desire it.

    God wants you and I to be wise recipients, and He wants to bless us with blessings that are most beneficial for our over-all wellbeing. This means that we need to learn to spiritually discern what is right for our lives. God also expects that we will use the wisdom of balance. This means we shouldn’t pray to receive blessings that exceed the level of our ability to put them to good use. Heaven’s economy is not one of greed, but of balance and preciseness. It is important for us to really think about our desires from this perspective, and then allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into greater areas of wisdom and understanding regarding the blessings we’re seeking.

    Have I held my desires more tightly than I have my commitment to God?
    The answer to this question is usually one that comes from a place that most of us do not explore on a regular basis. It’s a place where the secret motives of our hearts are stored. Jeremiah 17:9 says that we can never know the heart fully, because it contains the potential for great levels of deceitfulness. The heart is a very important place in our souls. It’s at the core of our identity, and often this is a place where we hold things so tightly and for so long, that we don’t realize the scope and length of our grip. We cannot continue in a state of unconsciousness about what we’re holding on to.

    God has designed the universe in such a way that when we see clearer spiritually, we see better naturally. The things that were hidden from us before will come into full view. It’s this ‘full view’ that we should be seeking more than anything else, because it is entirely possible that we’re so consumed with what we want that it has obscured our vision when it comes to the things of God. If this is the case, we need to come into an awareness about it. Sometimes our desire to marry is rooted in insecurities, and we’re looking to someone other than Jesus Christ to make us whole. Humans are not capable of doing this for each other. We’re created to be complete in Christ and must look to him before any other person. Our needs are fulfilled by God’s love. He is our sufficiency. So we should never look to another human being to do what only God can do for us.

    Have you proven your commitment to maintain the blessings you seek?
    All of us think we’re ready to handle the blessings we’re asking God for, but it isn’t enough to think it, or even to speak it. Yes, we’ve got to make positive confessions, renew our minds to God’s Word, and put some positive action behind the title deed of faith that we’re holding, but we also must have a proven commitment to maintain the blessings we seek. This means that we have demonstrated a history of taking care of what we currently have in our possession.

    The most apparent demonstration of preparedness to handle blessings is our attention to detail. Most of us won’t admit this, but there are details in our daily lives that we drastically overlook and neglect because our minds haven’t been renewed in places they should be. We simply don’t think about doing certain things, and because we don’t, certain opportunities are hidden from us. We prove our preparedness, as well as our commitment to make room for blessings, by increasing in spiritual strength. An increase in spiritual strength equates to an increased spiritual awareness. We can’t rely only on our human strength and knowledge. We’ve done that and it’s not working for us. God longs to show us what He can do for-in-by-through and with us through the Holy Spirit that dwells within. We must seek the Spirit’s guidance continually. He will help us come into consciousness about important details and increase our level of awareness. This will greatly help us in the area of preparing for marriage.

    1 Corinthians 2:10 (NLT) says, “But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.” There is so much we could know, but don’t know, because we will not seek to grow in the Spirit. Jesus Christ wants to live through us. He wants to bless others through our blessings, and he accomplishes this through the Spirit that indwells us. The Spirit will do for us what we can never do for ourselves. So the greatest gift we can give ourselves is to seek to grow in the Spirit. He will help us press-in and hold the title deed of faith in our minds. Then we’ll be poised to take possession of the blessings God has for us.■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “3 Answers that Prove You’re Ready for the Blessing” written for findchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Search Me Lord

    Search Me Lord

    Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)
    23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you.

    When you have a child, there is nothing you won’t do to protect them, because you love them. You believe you know your child through and through. If someone asked you to tell them everything there is to know about your child, you could probably give them a long list of characteristics and qualities in great detail, but even as well as we think we know our kids, they still surprise us. We are imperfect human beings with flaws and habit patterns that cause us to surprise even ourselves at times. None of us could ever possibly know our own selves nearly as well as we claim too. We are forever beings—eternal. When you think about the reality that God knew us from the beginning, and He knows us all the way through an endless eternity, it’s pretty mind boggling.

    Heavenly Father knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. He knows our every thought, and even the number of hairs on our heads. He knows what we’re going to say or do before we say or do it. So why, then, did the Psalmist ask God to search him, when God already knew all there is to know about him?

    God’s love is infinitely above the love from a parent or a spouse. His love cannot be compared to any that we will experience from another human being. David asked that God would search his heart because he had confidence in Heavenly Father. He knew God’s power. He knew God’s omnipotence, and that God uses all that He is to lavish us in His care. David also understood that there are times when we get in our own way. We block ourselves from the very blessings we desire.

    Some of us want to be married so very badly, or maybe it is something else that we’ve been praying a long time to receive. As sons and daughters of God, we should know enough about the way of Christ to understand that changes will continually need to be made; this is the nature of life and growth. You and I don’t always pick up on the things that we need to change, but when we have a heart like David—when our faith is truly in God, we can be confident enough to ask God to search our hearts.

    We’re asking God to take us on an inward journey. We’re asking Him to reveal something to us internally that has been hidden from our consciousness—something that will help us to know ourselves better through Christ, so that we can be better for him and for ourselves.

    All of us should ask God to search us for anything that offends Him. He will most assuredly reveal it, and when He does, we will see that God has been preparing us to receive the desires of our hearts all along.■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Search Me Lord” written for findchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Actions and Consequences

    Actions and Consequences

    Romans 8:28(NKJV) is one among many jewels in the crown of knowledge and wisdom that God has given us. It says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” When we think of this verse, we should try imagining life as one big stirring pot of every kind of circumstance one can imagine; both advantageous, and not so much. If our aim is to please God and to grow closer to Him, no matter how vigorous or slowly we stir the contents of this pot—no matter how heated or lukewarm the contents may be, the ultimate outcome is always going to be something delicious.

    Romans 8:28 is God’s guarantee, yet it is often so difficult for many of us to believe, particularly when it comes to crossing paths with the person we will ultimately marry. Some of us can become so emotionally distraught with the ups and downs of dating and misfits, that we’re too exhausted to give ‘hope’ the fighting chance it deserves. There’s a remedy for this, and truly it is the only one that makes any sense. If you’ve been praying and praying, year after year, and it doesn’t feel as if you’ve made significant headway towards the proverbial trip down the aisle, the truth is that indeed you have made strides; perhaps some that you haven’t yet recognized.

    fcm-romans-8-28You’ve probably learned quite a bit about what you don’t like and what you’re unwilling to tolerate in the person you want to marry. The depth and meaningfulness of qualities like loyalty, devotion, gentleness, kindness, and affection are probably now more prominent in your pursuit of a Godly partner than those of pretty eyes, dimples, and a full head of hair. But even though you’ve gained this knowledge, still, you can’t fully know from where you stand today the kind of spiritual, emotional, and mental tenacity that it requires for two people to hold a union intact. We all think we know, but really, we have no idea.

    The process of spiritual preparation for marriage is an incredibly important subject for anyone desiring to be a spouse. Sometimes we forget that our Heavenly Father has a standard, and His standard is such that all things are going to coagulate, cooperate, and gel together in such a way that our good rises to the top.

    This isn’t going to just pop out of nowhere. There’s a human element to this equation, and that means that the Holy Spirit absolutely has to be involved if success is the goal. He, the gift, is going to guide us to the finish line. He’s our teacher, so learning some serious lessons absolutely has to be a part of the equation too. One of the lessons required to be fully and tightly fitted in our arsenal of wisdom and faith is the lesson of Cause and Effect.

    Often, it’s not an easy pill to swallow, but swallow it we must because it is simply the way God designed the universe to work; and no matter how much we may not like it at times, the end result will always be to His glory. There is a cause and effect to everything in life, and when you come to understand this, you’ll see the thread of truth that runs through every triumph and defeat of your existence.

    Simply put, when your heart is to please God and bless others, not only will you see it reflected in your life, but so will others around you as well. But lest we forget, there’s a flip side to this coin. When you have ugliness in your heart, such as bitterness, anger, and arrogance; situations and people will act as a mirror, reflecting the bad stuff that you really wouldn’t want.

    To see this more clearly, consider the message that God gave the prophet, Zephaniah, to give to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Manasseh and his son Amon, notorious idol worshippers, were two of the most wicked kings of Judah and Jerusalem. During their reign the people turned their backs on God, ceased to worship Him, and began to pick up the practices of Manasseh and Amon and worshipped idol Gods. They became a society of people that were corrupt and immoral in every sense of the word.

    Zephaniah warned them of “the day of the Lord”, and in Zephaniah 1:2,3, 12-14 (The Message), he gave them a message from Heavenly Father:

    2 “I’m going to make a clean sweep of the earth, a thorough housecleaning.” God’s Decree.

    3 “Men and women and animals, including birds and fish—Anything and everything that causes sin—will go, but especially people.

    12-14 On Judgment Day, I’ll search through every closet and alley in Jerusalem. I’ll find and punish those who are sitting it out, fat and lazy, amusing themselves and taking it easy, Who think, ‘God doesn’t do anything, good or bad. He isn’t involved, so neither are we.’ But just wait. They’ll lose everything they have, money and house and land.

    Some of us have imagined that God would leave His throne just to punish these folks for their deplorable and evil behavior, but God designed the universe to hurl back at us the full brunt (and then some) of the stuff that we give it, whether it’s positive or negative. Heavenly Father allows us to live our lives just the way we choose – it’s our free-will choice, and He will not violate it. His love doesn’t shove or push, instead God’s love is pure and kind. It isn’t puffed up nor does His love seek revenge. But if we choose to practice darkness, if we play the game of deceit, then we give the devil the ammunition he needs to throw darts of darkness and deceit back at us; and his darts sting far worse than ours.

    When we turn away from God’s love through our actions, our lives begin to deteriorate rapidly, and unless we recognize this our lives will continue to spiral downward. You may ask yourself, “But why would God want His people to suffer?” God doesn’t cause pain and suffering, but He will allow it; and often it is a consequence for disobedience and sin.

    There are so many needless divorces out there because couples have refused or neglected to take responsibility for their actions and to be accountable for the hurt they’ve spearheaded by putting the wrong stuff out there. God’s laws dictate that if you keep doing the same things you’re doing; you’re going to keep getting the same things you’re getting. He wants us to know that if we don’t like the consequences we’re getting, we can utilize the power of His love to change them. This is a lesson that must be firmly etched in your heart and mind. When it is, you can have confidence that one day soon you’ll have a marriage where all things will continually work together for your family’s good. ■

    Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

    “Actions and Consequences” written for findchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Don’t You See It?

    Don’t You See It?

    Isaiah 43:15-19(NLT)
    15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King. 16 I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. 17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. 18 “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

    When was the last time you got excited…I mean goosebumps, stomach flip-flopping, jumping out of your skin excited? Do you know the Christian walk should provoke this kind of jubilance from us every day? Well it definitely should! If you’re not experiencing this, the next logical question is why aren’t you? We may not feel like skipping through fields of sunflowers every moment of the day, but we must identify this level of energy, vigor, and joy as God’s goal for us. Not only is it His goal that we remain in a constant state of joy, but He’s done everything that could possibly be done to make it available to us. It’s now our responsibility to reach out, grab it, and make it our own.

    It is easier to be depressed, upset, angry, and doubtful than to be excited about what God wants to do in your life, and most importantly, what He has already done. The things that God has promised us, He is willing, able, and ready to fulfill. What’s the hold up? It’s usually us. We are not believing Him in faith, but instead, we have trained our minds to wait with wishful thinking. We ask, “God, why don’t I have this? What’s wrong? Why are You taking so long?” Many of us are not exercising faith in God, or the things He’s promised.

    God is waiting on us to change, and the changes we need to make must be consistent with His Word. Faith begins in the mind. The mind is our thought-processing center, and God designed it to be very logical. We feed it data. It computes, programs, and then catalogs this data based on where we tell it to go. Does it go to faith? Does it go to fear? Does it go to work, play, family, chores…we tell it how to house and catalog the data we’ve allowed in its gateway. If we tell it to catalog data that isn’t logical or doesn’t make sense, the mind tells itself that we don’t really believe the data it’s received.

    Let me give you a visual of this as it relates to your faith. The mind knows that we will only act on data or knowledge we believe. So, your mind will not accept that you believe ‘God is good all the time and all the time God is good’ if you also believe He punishes you. You’ve already programmed your mind that punishment is bad, so it will not accept that good and bad are the same. Trying to believe this will cause you to be unstable, and you won’t be able to receive the results of faith that you desire, because you will not act upon something you don’t believe. It is equally true that you can’t desire the Will of God in your life for marriage, and not equally desire to walk in the purpose to which you’ve been called. If you believe in God’s Will for you, the evidence will be your attentiveness to do it.

    Romans 10:17(NLT) states, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” And James 2:26 tells us that faith without works is dead. From these two powerful verses, you and I can gather that if our attitude doesn’t compute with faith and our actions don’t compute with faith, then faith is not going to come. This is a very simple statement of truth, but many are still perplexed about why they are not receiving the results of their faith.

    Aren’t’ you tired of just having a little bit of your needs met? Aren’t you tired of hitting and missing? If you have some habits you need to get rid of or put aside, why not just do it and get yourself aligned with faith. Let the Lord know that you want His power to emanate within you. You must want what God wants for your life.

    Ephesians 3:20 affirms that we serve a God that deals in the exceedingly abundantly. He goes above and beyond anything we can ask or think. Don’t expect to continue doing the same things and expect different results. See God bigger! He wants to do a new a new thing in your life, and you must do everything humanly possible to follow His lead.■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Don’t You See It?” written for Findchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • What to Do to Keep Him

    What to Do to Keep Him

    Some women consider solidifying a relationship with a man to be a very intense thing. An old saying goes something like this, “What you do to get him, you’ve got to do to keep him.” This relic from back in the day is chock full of all sorts of innuendo, some of it not so virtuous if you get my drift, but it still drives the mentality that a lot of women have around relationships with men. Recently, I’ve been reminded of some of the habit patterns spun from this kind of thinking, and not only does it do a number on a sister’s self-esteem, but it will drown a relationship in a sea of resentment and insecurity.

    There are not many feelings that compare to praying to receive something from God for an extended period, and then actually witnessing the manifestation of it. This is magnified exponentially when it comes to a blossoming romantic relationship. Problems creep in when we don’t hold to God’s standard, and acquiesce to what amounts to a flawed way of trying to maintain the blessing. Most of us have taken our cues from what we’ve seen in the past. We’ve looked at our mothers, aunts, cousins, and friends, and taken tidbits from them on how to handle certain situations. Believe it or not, many women are using television shows as a source of information and ‘how to’s’ for relationships and dating. A lot of this can be more harmful than helpful.

    2Peter 1:3(NIV) tells us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” This verse is so awesome that it’s almost too much to take in. God has provided everything for a Godly life. The way that He has chosen to do this is to make His life-giving truth available to us through the bible. By learning about God and His goodness, we can live a more than abundant life that is enriched by His glory.

    This more than abundant life includes having a wonderful spouse that will love and honor us as God’s daughters. We don’t have to force anything, and we don’t have to feel as though we must manipulate, spy, or coerce; but often this is what we resort to, and we’ve figured out very cute ways of doing it.

    We will call or text a brother 15 times a day, and convince ourselves that we’re just being caring and supportive, when in fact we’re acting out of insecurity. We don’t even give him a chance to miss us. Some of us will chase a man down if we sense that he’s not where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. You can’t have eggs this fragile, and then place all of them in the basket of a person that is incapable of keeping them intact. Fragile things get broken.

    You can call, text, and be on a man’s trail 24/7, but if you’re insecure and vulnerable in your heart, you are going to be disappointed at some point. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus Christ tells us how to sure up our hearts. He said we should love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. We are to love God with our everything. When our hearts are secure in God, and we are loving Him the way that His Word instructs us to, we will become strong in heart and spirit. We’ll be so immersed in God’s grace and glory that we won’t have time to chase after another person; we’re too busy chasing God.

    When it comes to handling and maintaining blessings, Heavenly Father has given us a framework of wisdom through His Word, and it is to seek Him in all things. This requires us to take our time, and to also be levelheaded enough to step back early in relationships, so that we can examine if it is the blessing we think it could be. We can dispense with the tricks and manipulations just to keep a man. All we have to do is trust the truth that God will bless us with someone that is honored to be with us, and everything that this brother does will reveal this to us in the most loving and secure way. ■

    Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

     “What to Do to Keep Him”, written for findchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • A Habit Pattern of Real Love

    A Habit Pattern of Real Love

    The definition of love is described as the ultimate expression of God’s loyalty, purity, grace, and mercy that is extended towards His people. It is to be reflected in human relationships of brotherly concern, marital fidelity, and adoration of God. You really can’t get any better than this. Heavenly Father desires that we, as His beloved sons and daughters, spiritually grow to the point that we are able to demonstrate His kind of love. 1Corinthians 13:7 (The Message) tells us the way that God’s kind of love behaves. It says, “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.”

    I heard a story recently of a newly married couple that had not allowed themselves to be fully developed in God’s love. The man often told his wife that he loved her with all his heart, and that he felt his love for her deeply in his soul, but on occasions when he’d get upset, he would ignore her for days. He would not speak to her and would intentionally do things to hurt her feelings. She expressed such heavy disappointment in his behavior and said that she had not seen this characteristic in him before they married. Both of these individuals are Christians, and yet neither were prepared for the complexities that come with marrying someone who has idiosyncrasies that are contrary to the ways of Christ.

    Many of us are deceived, and do not realize the extent to which the enemy will attack a marital union. Spouses have very intimate information about each other; and therefore, have access to each other’s sorest and most vulnerable spots. When either of them allows the enemy to work through them in a heated argument or disagreement, the damage can cut deep, with wounds that are sometimes incredibly difficult to heal.

    It should be no surprise to any Christian that the devil will attempt to use a spouse to go for the jugular. As a single person that is praying to cross the path of your future spouse, this is one of the most important reasons you need to pray unyieldingly that you are prepared for marriage. It is crucial that you know the difference between God’s love—real love, and a counterfeit love, because not being able to discern the two will cost you.

    Any of us can tell a person all day long “I love you,” but the true story behind those words are found in what a person does, not so much in what they say. And we must be careful even about this element of distinction. Many sisters will take the smallest, most insignificant gesture from the object of their affection, and they will magnify it to make themselves comfortable with accepting less.

    The greatest way for you to measure the quality of love that you’ll receive in a marriage is to take a bold, in depth, and ridiculously honest look at the love you give. Ultimately the love you give is the measure of love that will come back to you. Luke 6:38 (NLT) says, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” As believers who love and adore our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we must develop a habit pattern of love, giving, and sharing prior to taking that walk down the aisle. We should be so comfortable with a daily commitment of loving action that marriage is just a natural and organic extension of the way you live.■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
    Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
    “A Habit Pattern of Real Love”, written for findchristianman.com© 2019. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
  • The Three ‘Cs’ of Spiritual Promotion

    The Three ‘Cs’ of Spiritual Promotion

    The Courage to Look, the Compassion to Accept, and the Confidence to Move On!

    Through this earth experience, God is teaching us to master faith. We are learning how to endure the tribulations of life, all while keeping our eyes on the prize. The prize of course is a closer relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. This closer walk with God brings with it everything that you and I could possibly desire in life. We want the best for ourselves, and none of us want to live in pain; neither does God intend that we should remain in a painful state. Isaiah 40:31(KJV) contains the grand finale that Heavenly Father has in mind for our tribulations. It says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” This is beyond fantastic!

    Many of us are enduring seasons of tribulations like no other, and we may feel like the sun is not going to shine tomorrow, but I assure you in Christ that it is. And not only that, we’re going to receive a promotion that will exceed our greatest expectations. To make sure we don’t get weary and faint, that we mount up and soar like eagles, I’d like to encourage you to remember the three ‘Cs’ of spiritual promotion, so that your strength is renewed as you wait on the Lord in faith.

    When it comes to soaring like eagles, the wings of prayer are essential. As we mature in the Word, we should learn to pray in a way that gets the attention of heaven. Our prayers should command supernatural and natural resources to come together and work in our favor. God has given us this ability and authority through Christ. We can speak it forth and call those things which are not as though they were. You can speak to a thing, and it will be changed simply because you commanded it so. We can’t command these kinds of results if we’re walking around with our eyes half shut. Anyone who knows me can attest that one of my constant prayers is “Lord, help me to see what I need to see, hear what I need to hear, and to be who You have called me to be.” It is a necessary prayer for many of us, because sometimes we miss the things that God is revealing to us.

    All of us should want to pray powerfully, and to do so we must have the courage to look at things that we sometimes would rather not see. The life of a Christian calls for this kind of transparency before God; repentance calls for this kind of transparency as well. Some of us will allow our best years to pass us by before we arrive at the conclusion that God has not withheld the blessing that we have so earnestly desired. We simply could not get out of our own way to see it. I might also add that it isn’t enough to see it, but we must have the spiritual strength to reach out and grab it as well.

    In Isaiah 45:3 (NIV), God said, “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Whether they are hidden in dark and secret places or in full view, God knows where our blessings and treasures are. He will guide us to them, but we have to remove the blinders from our eyes and unclog our ears, so that our inner being is fully attentive to the impetus of the Holy Spirit. It takes a boat load of three ingredients to do this, and these are courage, compassion, and confidence. They are the three ‘Cs’ of spiritual promotion, and they are also awesomely important to our continued spiritual growth.

     

    COURAGE

    Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)
    “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”

    Courage is the mental and spiritual strength that is derived from “the power that worketh in us.” It is our faith to venture into the unknown; to persevere and to withstand some level of pain with full assurance of victory. As we face one tribulation after the next, an assurance of victory is absolutely crucial. Another piece of resoundingly clear information is that we can’t handle tribulation by ourselves; we just can’t. All of us make mistake after mistake in life, and then we come to God with our pitiful selves like it’s a surprise to Him. God knows our propensity to mess up. No need for us to pretend that we got it going on when it so abundantly clear that we can’t cut it without Jesus. We just need him so much, and this is why he gave us the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

    You and I don’t have spiritual strength, the spirit does; and he works on the inside of us as we move according to his impetus. Everything we need to live the abundant life that Christ made available is obtained by walking in the spirit. No, our power do

    es not lie within our mentality or physicality, no matter how exceptional they may be. Our power comes from God. He is our source of strength. With the collaborative efforts of our physical and mental prowess, our indwelling spirit will bring us to a place that exceeds our greatest expectation; this is why it is so important to align our thoughts and confessions with the mind of Christ, because this is how we partner with the spirit.

    Just in case you might have forgotten, walking in the spirit will require us to surrender the stuff that is weighing us down. Whether it’s man problems, money problems, work problems, or family problems, we’ve got to unload the burdens, we also have to acknowledge that we’ve got some issues that could stand some work as well. This takes real courage on our part. The fact that we’re boggled down speaks to the degree to which we’ve held on to some not so pleasant baggage. God doesn’t want us to condemn ourselves. He wants us to have the courage to look at ourselves honestly, and then take the leap of faith to let go and let God.

    COMPASSION

    When we let go, and let God, He’s not going to leave us in a condition that allows us to go on being comfortable with business as usual. I think we tell ourselves this, but releasing stuff is some uncomfortable business. For many of us blame, and not compassion, is the game we chose to play. We blame ourselves, God, or someone else for our conditions, but truly compassion is the order of the day. We have an enemy, the devil, and he will not leave us alone. Even if we don’t want to fight, he does. God told us to be ready for battle. In Ephesians 6:11, Heavenly Father has commanded that we put on all the armor that He has provided so that we can stand against the strategies of the devil.

    This verse makes it crystal clear; Christians fight by standing on the Word of God. After being tempted in the wilderness, Jesus Christ responded to all of satan’s temptations with “it is written…” He could do this because God’s Word is true. God’s Word is the authority and the enemy recognizes this. Do not allow him to have further foot-hole in your life by blaming your condition on anyone. Let a spirit of compassion overtake you and realize that you are not suffering alone. Even the person that wounded us only did so because he or she is suffering. And many others are enduring tremendous difficulty in life. God will help them to turn things around, just as He will help you.

    If mustering courage is the goal, compassion is the prize. It is a notch on our spiritual belt, and it allows God greater room to move in our circumstances. So to bring about a shift in our conditions, it is crucial that we open our hearts to the spirit of compassion.

    CONFIDENCE

    The last important ‘C’ is the confidence to move on. 1Corinthians 15:57(NKJV) tells us, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We have victory over sin and death through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I dare say that those two, sin and death, are the worse things in all of eternity, and God has declared us the winner in every round. This is the major reason that you and I can have confidence in spiritual warfare, because the battle is already won; we simply have to stand on the integrity of God’s Word. We fight by standing strong—this is how we demonstrate confidence.

    Yes, moving on can be difficult, because spiritual promotion demands that we take off some less useful things so that we can put on some new, more useful things. This means some relationships will fall by the wayside. Some addictions and obsessions will fall by the wayside; and some of the indulges we enjoy may have to fall to the wayside too. We will have to sacrifice some things, and this is part of our journey forward and upward, but we must take heart and have confidence. We must trust God and have confidence that the spiritual growth we obtain through our tribulations and surrender will yield far greater blessings than those we’ve had in the past.

    The courage to look within and the compassion to accept and address what we find will create a momentum towards spiritual promotion. Both are essential to our confidence to move on and have the kind of life God intends for every believer. And make no mistake about it; we’ll not make any significant strides until we learn these lessons well. When we do we’ll know it. The love of God will penetrate those areas within that were previously designated as “DO NOT OPEN”. Then, without any effort at all, our hearts will invite the extraordinary to come on in and make itself right at home!■

    Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

    “The Three “Cs” of Spiritual Promotion, The Courage to Look, the Compassion to Accept, and the Confidence to Move On!” written for findchristianman.com ©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Do Not Doubt What God is Doing In Your Life

    Do Not Doubt What God is Doing In Your Life

    You may be ostracized and isolated because you are a born-again Christian. Others within your circle of familiarity may band together, laughing and talking among themselves, and purposely exclude you. The person that is causing or has caused the most devastation in your life may be prospering wonderfully, and you, yourself, may be financially struggling. Perhaps the ex is living it up with the new person, and all you can do is watch by the sidelines, or maybe you were passed over for a promotion because of the color of your skin, and it was given to someone who flat out didn’t deserve it. These are situations that cut deep. They do not always seem rational or logical, and we can’t understand how the world can work this way, but it’s not for us to understand. Our responsibility and charge is to simply trust God no matter how things may look.

    The enemy wants us to doubt what God is doing. Just as the devil caused Adam and Eve to fall because they doubted God’s Word, the psalmist, David, reminded us that this too can happen to us if we are not watchful. Psalms 37 is probably on everyone’s list of favorites, and it is a powerful piece of wisdom and instruction. King David advises us in verse one, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.” The word “fret” conveys vexation and an incensed anger. It is a heated response of displeasure and annoyance. Many believe that David wrote this psalm as an encouragement to the Children of Israel, so they would not be angry as they witnessed the prosperity of evildoers. He warned them not to be indignant at the advancement of the wicked.

    Sisters and Brothers, this is such great instruction for us today, because some of us are so angry by what we see happening in the world. And when you couple this kind of anger with feelings of disappointment that many of us are wrestling with about our own lives, you’ve got a recipe that serves up an ample dose of doubt. If we’re going to get to that glorious place that God has intended for each of us to reach, doubt is the one thing we simply cannot afford to indulge.

    We don’t have the luxury of taking our eyes off the prize and casting them on what the enemy’s cronies are doing, because the moment we do this, we stand to lose out on the good things that God has planned for us. An angry response is a sure sign that our hearts are misplaced. When we get angry and allow our attention to be diverted to the prosperity that others seem to have, even though they may have it undeservedly, the underlying truth is that we’re doubting what God is doing in us and for us. He has plans to prosper us, and He has told us this in His Word.

    God has a way of handling evil doers and workers of iniquity. David told us in Psalm 37:2, “For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” So don’t get tricked by the devil. Don’t be overly concerned with what is happening to them. Focus on what God is doing in YOUR life and cancel out any doubt in your mind and heart. Refuse to allow the enemy to steal your attention away from the victory that is yours to claim. This is where your attention must be.

    You don’t have to understand all the details that are happening in your life. Yes, things get crazy from time to time, but the Lord works in mysterious ways. Paul said in Romans 11:33 (NLT), “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” Don’t lean on your own understanding, lean on God! He knows what needs to be done in order to get you from point A to point B. He knows what needs to happen to increase you and bless you spiritually, and in every other way. So, no matter what may come—no matter how things look, just stay in God’s face, and trust Him! He’s doing something good in your life!

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Do Not Doubt What God is Doing In Your Life” written for findingchristianman.com©2019.   All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • What Happens When We Say Something Different from What God Says

    What Happens When We Say Something Different from What God Says

    How many teachings have you heard on the power of the tongue? I bet there have been quite a few, right?! Well, I’d like to submit something to you right now, and I believe that it is such a powerful piece of knowledge from God’s Word that it will literally change the course of your life. The instrument that is anchored on our faces, in the center, south of our noses, is the single greatest tool we own to partner with God’s Kingdom. Now this is not news to you, I know. You’ve heard Proverbs 18:21 plenty of times and you know that death and life are in the power of the tongue. This is bible! Yet, our tongues are still unruly. Many of us today still have so much trouble getting our tongues and our minds and hearts in sync with God’s Word. The words that come out of mouths can literally transform our existences and anchor each of us in the miraculous. If you will allow, I’d like to make this case from God’s Word in a way that is undeniable.

    When it comes to the words we speak, and the confessions we make, most of us are thinking backwards. What do I mean by this? Well, I know it’s rude to answer a question with another question but indulge me please. Let me begin this explanation by first asking how many of us are in need of a miracle in our lives today? Most of us are asking for a supernatural move of God in our conditions and circumstances. We’re praying that He will elevate us out of what we’re in and promote us to a new dimension of blessings. We tell the Father, “I’m still waiting on You, God. You need to fix this.”         

    God wants us to grow spiritually, and some of us expect to remain the same. Life dictates that challenges become more complex with the passage of time. If we’re not growing spiritually, we won’t be prepared for the complexities of challenges that are ahead. This is often one of the reasons why many single women view the prospect of crossing paths with a future husband to be difficult. The Spirit is willing, but their hearts and minds are not matured in Christ to the point of backing their faith with fully-persuaded action and believing.

    God warns us in Proverbs 4:23(NLT) “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Everything flows from our hearts. The words we speak are reflective of the treasure we carry within. This is one of the reasons God warns us to be on guard, so that we won’t allow the bad stuff in. And if we don’t allow the bad stuff in, we won’t have to worry that bad stuff will come out.

    God affirms that indeed there is power in the tongue, there is power in the words we speak. Faith requires the words that come out of our mouths to be on board with the life we desire for ourselves. If you are using your power to say something different from what God says, you are demonstrating that you’re not ready spiritually, and in every other way, to receive the blessings you seek. As spiritually mature men and women, we must know that if we refuse to humble ourselves in this area of our lives; God certainly will not reward our refusal.

    We are to be aware that our mouths contain within them a rebellious urge to spew words that are so contradictory to the existence we want and deserve that it’s just flat out ridiculous. The moment before we speak contradictory words, our brains do some calculating, and we think, “I know I shouldn’t be speaking this way, but I’ve got to let this out. It’s negative. It bears false testimony and witness of God’s unbelievable goodness, but I’ve always spoken this way, so I’m going to keep on talking.” The truth of what we’re really conveying is, “I’m going to keep on creating exactly the thing that I’m speaking forth, all because I don’t trust the instrument that God has given me to effect real and lasting change in my life.”

    God’s Word, the Bible, is the perfect demonstration that words have power. God’s Word will transform lives, situations, and circumstances for the better. If we say the same things that He says, imagine the outcome. Our Heavenly Father’s Word is the truth! And God blesses His Word; He backs it up! So, if you speak what He speaks, you can’t lose. But if you are speaking something that doesn’t invite the blessings of God into your life, then exactly what do you think you’re inviting?

    In Mark 11:22-23 (NKJV), Jesus Christ said, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” Notice that the Master didn’t say “whoever thinks about this mountain…” He said “whoever says…” The mouth is the key to activating faith.

    Faith comes by HEARING God’s Words. Faith works by SPEAKING God’s Words. Faith cannot be separated from the leading of the Holy Spirit. You are a spiritual being, and you must align your words in partnership with the indwelling Holy Spirit to move by his power. It’s not your power; it’s His, and if you bind him through your words, he cannot work on your behalf. We think backwards because we wait year after year for God to move, but He has already moved. He has already empowered you, and you are poised for greatness by the confessions, prophecies, and declarations of His Word that flow from your lips. ■

    Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “What Happens When We Say Something Different from What God Says” written by for FindChristianMan.com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Three Ways to Avoid an Emotional Tailspin

    Three Ways to Avoid an Emotional Tailspin

    Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” I’ve always thought that this is a most profound piece of wisdom. It cuts right down to the meat of the matter. No one has power over you unless you give it to them. No one can make you feel inferior or be anything less than what you are unless you give away your authority in Christ Jesus. And so much of the time this is what happens with many women in relationships. We can become so infatuated with a man that all we see is the man and nothing else. Our world becomes wrapped around his thoughts, his feelings, and what he’s doing. We lose sight of everything else. Then, when he no longer respects the misplaced authority that we’ve handed over to him on a silver platter, we are left with deeply hurt feelings and a broken-heart. We trick ourselves into believing that our whole world is crumbling and falling apart, all because one human being has decided not to love us anymore. This is an absolute no-no! And I know that you know it and I know it too, but sometimes we need a refresher course. We need to remember that God made the heavens and the earth, and if we’re going to give over our hearts completely, it should only be to Him.

    A whole lot of us start out thinking that it could never happen to us, and then it does. We become so wrapped up in the emotions of a relationship that we lose all sight of its true and Godly purpose. It’s so important to really do a mental, emotional and, most importantly, spiritual checkup to ensure that you will not let this happen. If at all possible, the time to do this is when you’re unmarried, so that you can develop your own special scale for measuring the spiritual balance that God expects from every mature woman of faith; it’s your way of making sure that you are prioritizing your relationship with God above all else.

    Keep Your Daily Routines in Check
    In developing a spiritual checkup for your life, examining your daily routines is a really important step. When it comes to all the demands on our time from home, work, and friends, often we just barely squeeze our spiritual well-being in sideways. Some of us only think about it one day a week, but it is important to do something that builds your spiritual endurance and strength in Christ on a daily basis. Faith is a muscle—a muscle that must be exercised in order to remain flexible and strong. Whether it’s reading and studying the Word, meditating on the goodness of God, or praying for more than 15 or 20 minutes; all of these or some version of a combination should be practiced daily.

    Also understand that everything in your life right now is strategically positioned. The people, circumstances…your co-workers, church community, family, and band of friends—all are in your life on purpose. They provide opportunities for you to both be a blessing and receive a blessing. You want to make sure that you are getting your spiritual exercise in by spending time with the Lord daily; this is most important. But you also want to take time to sow those loving seeds of care into those who you love and who also love you.

    Place God’s Agenda before Your Agenda
    God said in Jeremiah 7:23 (NLT), “Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” Heavenly Father has given us the gift and free-will. We make our own choices from day-to-day, and many people do this without so much as a thought regarding what God would have them to do. As born-again believers we cannot afford to live like that. We should awake each morning with a prayer on our lips, a prayer that seeks God for what we should do with our days. He holds our todays and tomorrows, and we need to check in with Him to ensure that we’re doing what He wants us to do, and not doing what He doesn’t want us to do.

    It’s when we do not do what God wants us to do that we run into serious trouble. We start letting others control us and usurp our power in Christ. We let others dictate how we feel and respond to situations, and this is not what God wants. This is when your life starts to get off track, because you are placing another person or situation over your commitment to do what you know God requires. If you do what God tells you to do, He will see to it that you are blessed with the kind of relationship you desire. He’ll take care of your happiness, and see to it that you have peace and joy.

    Balance Work, Rest, and Recreation
    Ecclesiastes 3:1(NLT) tells us, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” There is time for all the things that are important to us, but the things of God come first. Certainly in a marital relationship this is one of the most important truths of our lives. In order to sustain a good relationship, you cannot cease or diminish your responsibilities to be a blessing to the body of Christ. You may, however, need to change the way in which you carry those responsibilities out. The important thing to remember here is that God will help you to balance work, rest, and recreation.

    God is so pleased when we understand that we are only helped, and helped in the most advantageous ways, when we honor Him with our lives. This means that we dedicate ourselves to good work. James 3:13 (NLT) says “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.” Work is very important to God. You have to maintain a great work ethic in order to please Him, and it is clear from God’s Word that we need to spend more time working than we do resting. The way to keep this all in balance is to lean on God. When we do what He requires, He will take care of all the rest. He’ll take care of our schedules, making sure that we have enough time for work, rest, and recreation.

    Let me point you to a verse where one of the Word’s most magnificent pieces of truth just cuts right down to the chase. God says of Himself in Isaiah 66:1-3 (NLT) “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place? My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. But those who choose their own ways— delighting in their detestable sins— will not have their offerings accepted.”

    This passage in Isaiah 66 is awesome beyond words. God declared His identity. He is speaking to us, letting us know exactly who He is. He’s God, the Creator of the universe. He’s our Heavenly Father. He is the most majestic, the most powerful. He is the Beginning and the End. We cannot bring Him down to our levels—nothing and no one deserves more praise and honor than our loving Heavenly Father. We must rise to see Him as the Great, Big Wonderful Father that He is.

    God deserves to be number one in our lives. When a new man comes into your life, the things you do to demonstrate your reverence and honor for Heavenly Father should already be a habit pattern. The three, keeping your daily routines in check, placing God’s agenda in the number one spot, and balancing work, rest, and recreation, these are the things that honor God. They really ensure that you have the framework for maintaining your relationship with Him through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

    As a mature Christian woman, you don’t want to wait until you’re in the thick of a relationship before you begin to think about these aspects of your spiritual life, you want to do it now. You want to make a commitment to maintain your spiritual well-being in Christ, and the only way to do this is by making sure that God is pleased. Then meeting your husband will not send your life into an emotional tailspin; it will be the blessing it is designed by God to be. ■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Three Ways to Avoid An Emotional Tail Spin” written for FindingChristianMan.com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!