Find A Christian Man

Author: findchristianman

  • Jesus Christ Has Given Me the Keys

    Jesus Christ Has Given Me the Keys

    Dear Heavenly Father,

    I was asked today if I was ready to get married. I found it to be an interesting question because I find myself thinking more about my future these days, particularly as I get closer to finishing Nursing School. Things like where I may want to apply for a job, the environment I’ll be in, and who or how I’m going to meet my husband, are swirling around in my head.

    Whenever I think about my husband, whoever he may be, I visualize the type of man I see myself spending the rest of my life with. I think about the kind of man with whom I would like to a start a family. Like many women, I have my list of wants and qualities I’d like him to have, but Heavenly Father, I don’t want to make the mistake of being so stuck on what I want, that I back myself in a corner. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 16:19(NKJV), “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” This is such a big deal, Heavenly Father! Through Christ, You’ve given us keys to open many doors, but those same keys can lock up some stuff as well, and God, I don’t want to lock myself out of blessings.

    Sometimes, our desires are spun from negatives like selfishness, arrogance, pride, greed, and ignorance. In 2Timothy 3:1-5 The Message (MSG), You tell us, “Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.” You are telling us the kind of folks we should stay away from, and as Your children, You certainly don’t want us to have these kinds of qualities ourselves.

    When it comes to the qualities we desire in our future husbands, some of us place more value on his wallet than we do on the condition of his soul. Proverbs 28:25 says that greed leads to fighting and strife, but trusting You leads to prosperity. Many women are overly concerned about appearances. We feel that as a couple, we’ll have to look a certain way, with designer this or that. Your Word warns against such attitudes. It informs us of Your vehement dislike of a prideful heart, and in Proverbs 11:2, You tell us that arrogance will lead to disgrace and destruction.

    Motivations that stem from negatives will yield more negativity, and that’s why You warn us to guard our hearts against such things. Again, Jesus gave us the keys to the Kingdom. If our motives are wrong, we might bind the wrong thing or loose the wrong thing, and that’s not what You want. You want us humble, so that we’re pliable to Your Divine Will, because Your Will encompasses the very best for us. I stand in Your correction, Father, and say with as much conviction as I can muster, “Not my will but Your Will be done in my life!”

    In my mind, I may picture a man that I believe is perfect for me, but Father, You hold my tomorrows. Only You know what is best for me, and if it doesn’t come from You, I don’t want it!

    Heavenly Father, as so many of your daughters are making important life decisions and choices, please help us to be loosed from any obstructions or darkness that seeks to blind us from wonderful opportunities. Let us be loosed into purpose according to Your divine Will, and please help us to bind anything the devil sends to create confusion, havoc, dissension, and all manner of evil. You want us to have the best in life. Thank You for helping us to abstain from sin and be our best for You. Help us to make good decisions and store up treasures in heaven. According to Your divine Will, help us to recognize the man that You have ordained to be our husbands.

    Thank You for helping us to be a blessing to Your Kingdom, and let Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

    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.

    “Jesus Christ Has Given Me the Keys” written by FACM, FindingChristianMan.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Let’s Wait Until We Get Married

    Let’s Wait Until We Get Married

    Dear Heavenly Father,

    this week I came across a video about two young married couples that abstained from sex until they were married. It immediately caught my attention because they were very young, in their early twenties. In our generation, it is very rare for a young couple to decide to wait until they get married to share themselves intimately. I love to see young couples live for You, Father, and choose to do it Your way. It shows that Your Word is on fire in their hearts. I pray that this level of commitment to Christ increases all over the world, and that because of it, many of Your children will be rewarded with strong marriages and families.

    One of the couples shared that they both, husband and wife, grew up in Christian homes, and were taught to be obedient to Your Word through abstinence. The young man’s story really intrigued me the most because he was very honest about the temptations he personally faced. There had been many times that he came close to having sex outside of marriage. He said that each time You kept him. This reminded me of what my grandmother tells me frequently about You. She says, “The Lord will always keep you if you want to be kept.”

    This young man expressed his gratitude for saving himself for his wife, because it was such a beautiful time for them both. He said the feelings and connection he experienced with his wife was so special, and “What if I had shared myself with someone that wasn’t my wife, and then a week later we never spoke again.” The sad part about this statement is that it happens all the time in today’s environment. Society has ‘normalized’ premarital sex to such a degree that hardly anyone thinks about how it displeases You. Your Word tells us in 1Corinthians 6:18 (NLT), “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.”

    We need to realize that You’re not telling us to abstain from sexual sin to make our pleasure any less. You are telling us how to protect our unions, so that we don’t give the enemy any ammunition to sow seeds of division, evil, and disharmony in our relationships. Sin causes a separation between You and us, and this isn’t what You want. In James 4:7, You tell us to humble ourselves before You and to resist the devil; because if we resist him, he will flee. James 4:8-10,17(NLT) says, “8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. 17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

    It is dangerous to be fully aware of the right way to please You, and purposely choose to ignore Your Will. Help us, Dear Father, to always choose love—Your love, because it will draw us closer to You, so that You can protect us and keep our relationships bound in the unity of Your peace. Please help us to remain strong in our convictions to honor our body temples, because 1Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies are YOUR temple; they house Your Precious Holy Spirit. Thank You for blessing every believer with a wonderful and loving marital partner should they desire it. Thank You for helping us to be a blessing to Your Kingdom, and let Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

    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.

    “Let’s Wait Until We Get Married” written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

  • Dust It off and Keep It Moving

    Dust It off and Keep It Moving

    facm-keep-it-moving

    John 3:20-21(NLT)
    “All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

    I had a conversation with my nephew a couple of weeks ago, and he said something that was really astounding to me. It was a revelation, and immediately drew my attention to John 3:20-21 like a lightning rod. For a while, he noticed something about some of his friends. Whenever they’d stop by, they would only go as far as the front steps of his home. He was kind and courteous, and of course invited them in, but they always decline and say they’ll catch up with him later. He mentioned that although he’d spoken to them about Jesus Christ, they never really had an interest, and didn’t care to know more about our Lord and Savior.

    My nephew concluded that some of his friends were refusing the light and as a result, could not tolerate what the light of Christ exposes. Based on the truth that our Blessed Lord and Savior shared with us in John 3:20-21, my nephew is exactly right. When you love the Lord, and carry His love in your heart, it will either attract the light to you or it will certainly dispel the darkness around you. The truth of this passage in John 3 declares it emphatically, and says that all who do evil hate the light.

    God has given every Christian the responsibility to discern what is of His Kingdom, and what is from the kingdom of darkness. Most of us are able to do this, but we sometimes shut-off our spiritual senses. We want to maintain our associations with darkness, and we enjoy the company of those who do not hunger for righteousness. As single women desiring to be married, we must be incredibly careful about this. The enemy knows our weaknesses, and he knows how to lure us in and trap us. We should not make the dangerous mistake of assuming he will be merciful in his attack. If we have not properly guarded our hearts, and have made an emotional investment in someone who secretly hates the light, the consequences are very painful and last longer than any of us would care to imagine.

    Our Lord and Savior didn’t mince words when it comes to light and darkness. The Pharisees were an extremely arrogant group of people who hated Jesus Christ. They were blinded by satan, and would try and trap Jesus Christ with questions. If he gave an answer against their beliefs and laws, they would attempt to imprison him, but he was so razor-sharp that they were never able to manipulate his wisdom. In John 8:43-45(NLT), he told the Pharisees, “Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!”

    The devil hates the light, and so does his children. God is not telling us to isolate ourselves from those who desperately need to hear the truth, but He has told us in Romans 12:2 that we must never let anything or anyone in the world conform us. Instead, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are beacons of light and love. 1Thessalonians 5:5(NLT) tells us, “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.”  So our responsibility is to share the gospel with those who thirst after it, but for those who deny it or want no parts of it, we’re to dust off any residue of their darkness and keep it moving.

    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.

    “Dust It off and Keep It Moving”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • New Opportunities and Connections, Don’t Let’em Slip by

    New Opportunities and Connections, Don’t Let’em Slip by

    Something pretty wonderful is happening, and although many people are not talking about it yet, they will. A spiritual shift has occurred. In Acts 2:17(NLT), God told us through the Apostle Paul, “In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.” We are witnessing this incredible outpouring today. There are some individuals that are still going about business as usual. They haven’t noticed a change because their eyes are blinded to it, but there are others that are right smack in the thick of God’s glory. They are taking His promises by faith, and the Holy Spirit is manifesting in powerful ways. Some of the byproducts of this dynamic move are new commitments, new opportunities, and new connections.

    Make no mistake about it, God has heard the prayers of men and women who desire to be partnered with someone that is truly special. He has not withheld the blessing, and sometimes this is the underlying thought of many people with this prayer request. In their hearts, some people believe that God is in heaven withholding the blessing of a spouse. It is the responsibility of every single person to look under the hood, examine what’s really in their hearts, and begin to chip away ferociously at any blockages in their beliefs.

    We know that God doesn’t violate free-will choice. He’s not going to violate the laws that He’s put into place to govern the universe and everything in it. In Old Testament times, after the Children of Israel were delivered by God through Moses from the tyranny of a hateful pharaoh, they camped out in the wilderness for a while. God promised to give them a land so lush and bountiful that it was called ‘the land of milk and honey’, and is formally known as ‘The Promise Land’. Heavenly Father made this promise to them. He gave them this beautiful land. If Heavenly Father gives you something, then you can trust with everything in your being that its YOURS! But we must also note that God would not pick up the Children of Israel and supernaturally plant them in the Promised Land. Even though they did not have the bible in written form, and they didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct them internally, they had to take the Promise Land by faith. If they, having access to far less than us, were expected to do this, how much more are we?

    Two Godly people coming together to formalize a union in Christ is ordained of God. You are not capable of desiring this for yourself as much as God desires it for you. So, it cannot be that He is withholding this blessing. And believe it or not, the devil is not the greatest foe in this quest. Internal resistances are more than likely the greatest contributing factors. This will require a person to look inwardly and be incredibly (and sometimes brutally) honest about aspects of the love of God they’ve not allowed to reign in their hearts.

    Galatians 5:6(MSG), tells us, “For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.”  This means that we individually have the privilege and honor to wrap our believing in the love of Jesus Christ. Part of clothing our faith in love is ensuring that we’re not harboring unforgiveness and resentment. When we don’t forgive, we deny others the thing that provided us access to God. This will place a shield over our eyes and block us from accessing opportunities and gateways to marital partnership.

    1John 4:18 tells us that there is no fear in love; absolutely none. The greatest blocker to God’s love is fear. Fear is the root of all sin. There are no exceptions to this truth. Just as faith expressed through love is a magnet that draws blessings, fear expressed through sin is a repellent of blessings.

    Faith works through love. The way to capture the momentum of faith as it brings our hopes into fruition, is to see ourselves and others through the eyes of God’s love. 1 John 4:7-10 (MSG) says, “My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love.” There is no power greater than God’s love. His outpouring is available to you right this moment. If you will make a greater commitment to seek Him diligently, He will help you bulldoze internal blockers. Your faith will be perfected, and your eyes will be opened to see and make the most of new opportunities and connections.■

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

     “New Opportunities and Connections, Don’t Let’tem Slip by”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Centered on Christ

    Centered on Christ

    Relationships between men and women can feel conditional at times. You may feel that if you don’t do something to his or her liking, their level of love and affection for you might decrease. Most of us realize that relationships involve give and take. The optimum balance would be 50/50 between both partners, but if we’re honest, it doesn’t always turn out this way. In fact, you might have been in relationships where you did most of the giving, and he did most of the taking. Not cool. That’s why it’s so invigorating to know that our Heavenly Father’s love isn’t like that. His love is unconditional; He loves us no matter what.

    We don’t have to be perfect, but one of the things that is required of us as God’s children is to have faith and trust in Him. Even when we do things that fall short of His love and grace, He still loves us the same, and it is important that we understand that only He can give us a love like this.

    I’ve witnessed actions of women who have such a desire to be loved that they will forgo all sense of reason for the sake of having the attention of the man in their lives. This is motivated from fear, and not love. Any relationship worth having will require a lot of work, and it can be very challenging, but if we keep our eyes on the Lord, He’ll help us through tough times. We begin to spiral downward in our relationships when we take our focus off God. That’s when our priorities get out of whack.

    Heavenly Father doesn’t stop loving us when our emotions are all over the place. He comforts and teaches us. We see this in Isaiah 43, when Jacob and the Children of Israel got out of hand, and wouldn’t walk in the ways of God. They were stubborn, lost their zeal for Godliness, and treated Heavenly Father horribly. This landed them in a ton of trouble, because their priorities shifted away from God, but He did not abandon them. He told Jacob in Isaiah 43:1(NLT), “But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.””  God continued His love and care for Jacob and Israel. Romans 5:20(NLT) says, “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.”

    God looks at our hearts, and they must be anchored in Him. We really have to be careful in our relationships with men, that we recognize they can’t give us the kind of unconditional love that fills the emptiness in our souls. Only God can do this. God loves us all unconditionally, and when our focus is on learning to love as He loves, our relationships with others will blossom, because they will be centered on Christ and not on ourselves.

    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.

    Centered on Christ” written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Please Help Me Remain Obedient to Your Will

    Please Help Me Remain Obedient to Your Will

    Dear Heavenly Father,

    Thank You for placing people in my life that know Your Word and can offer me words of Godly encouragement and wisdom when I need it most. Recently, I had a very informative conversation with a close family member. Her counsel was so spot on and razor-sharp that it cut through all my reservations and doubts. It revealed the heart of Your desire for my life. In Proverbs 27:17(NLT), You said “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” You’ve made a way for us to be friends like this—friends that sharpen. I’m so thankful that You’ve provided us with truthful wisdom and knowledge that never fails.

    As sisters in Christ, we need people that will be honest with us, and tell us the truth when we might not want to hear it. This is especially true when it comes to new guys that we meet. We can become so excited about someone new that we lose our way. We forget that the Lord Jesus Christ will guide us through the right relationship with the right person. As a young woman, not only am I blessed to witness women of God that are obedient to Your Word, but I have also witnessed the blessings they receive because of their obedience to You.

    The Godly woman whose counsel I sought was single for a while, but has recently been blessed to meet a man that does many kind and generous deeds for her. On some occasions, she has been moved to tears by his acts of kindness. In our conversation, I asked if she was emotional because he made her feel so special. She answered by telling me that she was overwhelmed by how You moved through the man to bless her. It’s the favor You’ve shown her by working through this man that delights her heart. She is witnessing Your favor and Your faithfulness to Your promises.

    Psalm 5:12 (NLT) declares, “For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.” Thank You, Father, that Your favor is a reward of obedience to Your Will. This is what happens when we please You—when we seek the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit to make decisions and choices that honor You. Please help us to remember that the way to have the life we desire is to follow the example of Jesus Christ, because he is the way, the truth, and the life!

    Some of my other friends make compromises to please their boyfriends. In many ways, they are idolizing the man, making him their everything. This is never okay. It injures our relationship with You and causes us to go backward instead of forward. You want us to be loving and kind to those we care about, and You want us to show them our gratitude, but we must do so according to Your loving standards, not our own. Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek You first in all things. This is the way to make sure that our new relationships become lasting ones. All blessings flow from You! Please help us, Heavenly Father, as women, to trust that obedience to Your Will and Word will always be rewarded.

    Thank You, Holy and Glorious Heavenly Father for helping us to be a blessing to Your Kingdom. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

    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.

    “Please Help Me Remain Obedient to Your Will” written for Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • The Juggling Act

    The Juggling Act

    There’s a constant juggling act concerning exactly who should be doing what when it comes to finding love. Is it the responsibility of the woman, or is it the responsibility of the man? It’s a very important question, particularly now, when it seems there are more women interested in marital partnership than men. Should the woman take the bull by the horn and put herself out there—sign up with multiple dating websites and explore all the options available these days for the dating scene? Should she be actively engaged in the search, or should she be still, know that God has her back, and patiently wait on Heavenly Father’s presentation of a good and Godly man?

    If we check in on what God says on the matter, we all know the scripture in Proverbs 18:22 (NLT) that says, “The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD.” Some are of the mindset that it doesn’t matter who finds who, as long as they find each other, but divorce rates and relationship dysfunction are at an all-time high. This suggests that something that we’re doing isn’t quite lining up with God’s plan. The one thing we do know with absolute certainty is that God’s Word doesn’t fail. When we trust it wholeheartedly, results are eminent, because God always backs His Word. So, as a woman, dialing back your search efforts until you’re sure God is on board with it is a very wise move.

    God has said that a man who finds a wife, finds a good thing. And not only this, a man that is actively looking for his Mrs. Right will receive favor from the Lord. A good man who’s looking to partner up is a man who probably appreciates the gift of women and the mutual wealth we bring to the table. This man is also looking to expand and increase according to the plan that God has sanctioned for unity and family. Mr. Right may not be someone with a great deal of biblical knowledge, but even unknowingly, he carries the promise of the Father. That’s someone you want in your life.

    Some have disagreed with me when I’ve said that I believe the first real love experience is establishing your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Loving him enough to make him the Lord of your life means that you’re willing to relinquish control and hand over the wheel. Salvation is our first lesson of surrender; it doesn’t stop there. Marriage will continue it. The lessons of humility and obedience to Christ are honed through marriage, so we’ve really got to make sure our quest to get married is in alignment with God’s Word.

    From the passenger side, we should be watching how Jesus Christ drives, how he maneuvers us through our bumpy roads and confusing turns with God’s grace. He’s taking us somewhere, and  1 Corinthians 7:1-6(NLT) gives the road-map for every single man and woman on the quest for marriage. It says, “1 It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.”

    1 Corinthians 7:1-6 contains both the surrender and constraint necessary to navigate with humility in the marital relationship. It doesn’t start when we get married. It starts as you surrender your desire for marriage in faith to Jesus Christ. Trust that he will help you prepare and get in position, so both you and your Mr. Right are at the right place, at the right time for God’s presentation.

    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.

    “The Juggling Act” written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

  • The Blessed Roles of Husband and Wife

    The Blessed Roles of Husband and Wife

    Dear Heavenly Father,

    The world has an agenda that is very different from Yours. It has distorted the roles of the man and the woman. It has done so to such a degree that the blessedness of their unique gifts is no longer held sacred. I remember the first time I heard the word ‘chivalry’. Even after I learned the definition, it seemed foreign among the people my age. My mother taught me that things like holding the door open, giving up a seat, and paying for dinner on the first date are all a part of chivalry towards women. These are courtesies of kindness demonstrated by the man, not because he thinks women are less, but exactly the opposite; he appreciates that women are a gift from God.

    On the other side of the coin, many women today think that the way into a man’s heart is to compromise their bodies. They don’t believe they are obligated to obey Your command in 1Corinthians 6:18(NLT) that tells us, “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.” Many of Your daughters do exactly the opposite of this verse, because they believe it is the way to get a ring on their fingers.

    Romans 12:1(NLT) tells us, “And so, dear brothers and sisters,[fn] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Heavenly Father, You’re telling us what to do with our bodies. We are to present them to You as a sacrifice that is alive and thriving, fully engaged in worshipping and glorifying Your Holy Name.

    In Romans 12:2, You told us not to copy the behavior of this world, but we’re so mixed up in it that we don’t even recognize Your agenda. You told us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to Your Word, but we’re not doing this, and that’s why we’re so confused about the roles of men and women. We are forgetting how wonderfully You’ve sanctioned, anointed, and appointed these roles for the uplifting of Your Kingdom. Many of us Christians have allowed Your Word to be watered down in our hearts, and we are not examining ourselves based on what You have called us to do. We’ve got to make a change, so that Your peace and blessings will abide over us.

    2Thessalonians 3:5(NLT) says, “May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.” Please bless us to wake up and realize that this is where we need to be. Father, unity is an expression of Your love. We must pray this prayer in 2Thessalonians 3:5, so that we bring ourselves back to the unity of purpose that You ordained for men and women.

    The man is Your gift to women, and the woman is Your gift to men. Our roles are different, but they are equally important to You. Your Word so clearly tells us the order that You’ve set up. Help us to open our eyes and recognize that Your Word and Will is the best way. You have a plan for our happiness, but we must be obedient and humble, and not think that we know best. As sisters in Christ, help us to be respectful of our temples, to honor our commitment to Christ, and to recognize and appreciate the gift of a man whose heart is pure towards You. Help our brothers in Christ to walk in obedience to Your Word, to fulfill their obligation to Christ, and to value the gift of a Godly woman. Help us to be committed and spiritually strong in our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we are fit for the roles of husband and wife.

    Thank You, Holy and Glorious Heavenly Father for helping us to be a blessing to Your Kingdom. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

    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.

    “The Blessed Roles of Husband and Wife”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

     

  • Train Your Mind for Victory

    Train Your Mind for Victory

    Have you ever lost something of value or had it stolen or taken from you? If you have, you’ll probably take measures to ensure it will never happen again. At the very least, you’ll become more appreciative of what you have and be mindful of its care. This is how precious we should regard God’s Word. Heavenly Father tells us to hide His Word in our hearts, and when we need it most, it will be near to us.

    2Corinthians 1:20(NIV) says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” Heavenly Father always keeps His promises to us. He’s always faithful to His Word. We know this, but the enemy will test our allegiance to God’s Word by causing situations in our lives that can potentially make us doubt the Father’s promises.

    Sometimes we feel alone and stressed, and it appears that no one has any answers or can provide the help we need. Many people panic in situations like this, because they don’t have the Word in their hearts and literally don’t know what else to do, but the psalmist said in Psalm 55:16 (NLT), “I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me.” If we’ve hidden the Word in our hearts, when we need it, God’s Word will come to our remembrance and comfort our souls. We’ll have confidence in our times of great trouble and need, because the Holy Spirit within will testify that God’s Word is true, and give us the assurance of God’s faithfulness.

    You work hard, play fair, and do your best in life, but we’ve all been through rough patches where it seems like we take one step forward, only to take two steps backward. You feel as though you’ve overcome one obstacle, only to find yourself confronting another one. Some seasons will feel this way, but don’t allow the enemy to wear you down. The Word teaches us in 1John 4:4 that “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are completely equipped to handle any situation.

    Isaiah 40:31(NKJV) tells us, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” No matter what we face, or how many times our faith is tested, we must learn and be committed to speak life into any and every troubling situation. God will continually renew our strength, because He’s the Source of all blessings.

    Do not faint or have doubt. Ephesians 4:23 tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. Always envision yourself with the things you desire; see yourself living the kind of life you want. Don’t train your mind for defeat; train it for Godliness—train your mind for victory by renewing it to God’s Word. Don’t allow the enemy to steal the Word from your heart and mind. It’s the Word of life, and God will forever and always back it up if we will trust and believe. ■

    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.

    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.

    “Train Your Mind for Victory!”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Revved Up Emotions Can Be Costly

    Revved Up Emotions Can Be Costly

    Feelings of betrayal cut deep to the core, there’s no question about it. Whether the hurt came from your husband, special person in your life, friend, or your own child, the hurt can be devastating; all you think about is the pain. Usually, this emotional tornado is brought about by an event or action that the person you love has taken. It’s something that you perceive as having been done against you, and it’s probably because the person you care about acted without regard for your feelings and well-being. They did something that you believe totally devalued the worth of your love. It’s as if they took your investment of emotions, time, resources, and energy, and threw it in the garbage. You can’t help but feel betrayed.

    Our emotions and feelings aid us. Through them we can understand the depth of God’s love. They also help us to comprehend on some level His displeasure of the things that do not please and honor Him. Because of the hurt of betrayal, we can understand to a degree what God felt when Adam and Eve betrayed His Word and bowed to the devil. We can have compassion and empathy for how alone and betrayed Jesus felt when they hung him on the cross. He didn’t deserve any of the bad treatment he received, yet he endured it for our sake. Because of our emotions, we not only understand what he sacrificed and suffered, but we can appreciate it.

    So emotions are beyond extremely helpful. They add to us in amazing ways, but we must also understand that emotions can get us into serious trouble, especially when we’re responding to a hurtful situation. I recently heard about a set of circumstances between a very dutiful mother and her 18-year-old daughter. The mother has worked hard to provide for her three children, and in her mind and heart, her daughter has done something so hurtful and disrespectful to their relationship, that she has disowned her.

    We can become so revved up emotionally that we can hardly see straight. We must remember that every time we allow our emotions to become our master, we diminish the intervention of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT) tells us, “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Regardless of the situation or circumstance, Christ is Lord! He is master. He has set us free from being governed by anything other than the goodness of God. Galatians 5:1(NLT) tells us, “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.”

    To be enslaved to a situation is to respond to it with anything other than the confidence of God and the authority of Christ. All of us are not there in our spiritual walks, but we must always remind ourselves that this is the goal—the goal to have forgiveness, love, patience, and compassion in our hearts and to allow these spiritual goodies to reign and shine forth in all instances.

    Jesus told us in Matthew 18:18(NKJV), “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” He’s instructing us regarding our authority here. You and I have been given this authority by him. If we bind a thing on earth, we cement it spiritually as well. So let’s make sure that we’re never so revved up and hurt by anyone’s betrayal that we seal negativity in our hearts. Let’s walk in the liberty of the love of Christ and recognize that he heals all wounds, and keeps us responding to God with joy in our hearts.

    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.

    “Revved Up Emotions Can Be Costly”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!