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  • When You Know Better, You Do Better



    Ephesians 1:17-23(NLT)
    17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

    Most of us have heard the saying, “when you know better, you do better.” After reading the passage of scripture in Ephesians 1, it’s very clear that Heavenly Father wants us to know better. He wants the eyes of our understanding to be wide open to all the rich spiritual blessings that He has given us. So the saying “when you know better, you do better” should be changed to “when you know God better, you do better.”

    In the first verse of the passage above, the feeling of longing for intimacy that God expressed through the Apostle Paul is palpable. Like many of us today, during the time of the early church, there were some areas of the faith that the people of God understood very well; but there were other areas—important areas—that they weren’t grasping. God knew that in order for them to see the greater revelation of His goodness and blessings, they needed to be enlightened. So Paul was praying that they received the supernatural anointing of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they would recognize the bigness of God.

    Our capacity to operate through, by, and in the Holy Spirit is in proportion to the knowledge of God that we have in our arsenal. When I think of what it means to have power, I think of someone that is unstoppable, someone that has the ability to master anything and everything they put their hands on. This is God’s intention for us. The passage above tells us He desires that our eyes are open to know the hope of our calling in the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we can operate with love just as Christ did.

    The hope of our calling is no joke. The hope of it alone is super fantastic, imagine how tremendous the manifestation of it can be.

    Verse 19 tells us that the riches of the inheritance we have received as God’s holy people includes access to His incomparably great power. He has made it available for us to walk in HIS power through the Holy Spirit that indwells us. If it were only human power that we are working with, then we’d have incredible limitations, but this is not the case. God has provided through the Holy Spirit access to His unlimited power. What could be better than that?!!!!!

    God has given these extraordinary gifts to us through His beautiful and powerful Son, Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus that we have received this inheritance of spiritual abundance. God has placed every single thing under the feet of Jesus and appointed him as the head of the church. We’re the body, we’re the church. We are complete in Christ! We don’t lack anything.

    This is who we are!!! As God’s children we are filled to capacity with the love and power of Jesus Christ. The only thing that stops most of us is that we don’t see it or we do not believe it enough to walk in it. God wants us to take Him at His Word. Can you imagine how much further in life we’d be, how many more people whose lives we would impact if we were fully persuaded that we are who God says we are?

    God wants us to be activated in the power of the Holy Spirit, because studying God’s Word and learning to walk in the Spirit with the mind of Christ is necessary to stay close to Heavenly Father. And not only this, knowing that we have access to God’s power gives us the confidence we need to love, help, and minister to others. We need to be convinced of the magnitude of God’s limitless and unconditional love, so that we can be confident enough to walk in our inheritance. Our goal should be to become the person that God has destined us to be. When this is our motivation, we’ll do better than we ever imagined.

    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.

    “When You Know Better, You Do Better”, written for findchristianman.com ©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Was That Really You Lord?

    “Was that really You Lord?” is one of those questions that I believe God is very use to His kids asking Him. This is especially true after we’ve made a decision that we thought was on point with the Lord, but the results speak another story entirely. Parents can identify with this. Your child does something that is totally off the wall and ends up making a huge mess of things. After being confronted they immediately give you the line, “but I thought you said I could!!!” This is the go-to they use to try and get themselves off the hook.

    Authority is key. We consider the word of the one on whose authority we depend as bond. This is the rack we hang our hats on. For children, parents are the preeminent authority figure, but sometimes, children will try to play the sneaky card. They do things of which they know the parent would not approve, and will try to manipulate their parent’s authority. They do so by saying they somehow perceived permission, when permission was never given. No new tricks under the sun; this one is classic.

    Instinctively we know that if permission is given, the outcome is not entirely one in which we will bear total responsibility. Part of the outcome can be attributed to the one in authority; the one on whose permission we rested our foray into the unknown. The reasoning behind this is: “It’s not totally my fault if I took a risk, and it didn’t pan out. I did it because I received permission, and I equated permission from my authority figure to the promise of a safe and positive outcome.” This is the kind of mentality we bring into our relationship with God at times. But we must be careful, because sometimes we attribute signs from the devil as God’s greenlight.

    Hebrews 4:11-13(NLT) says, “11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 

    12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

    As a people who really and truly love God, we need to know that He has provided a way for us enter into rest. Rest is a state of being where there isn’t any chaos; there’s no indifference or struggle. There is a peace that comes with the rest that God provides. This is His goal for us. He tells us that we can’t get to this place of peaceful rest through disobedience. It can only be accessed through obedience.

    Heavenly Father goes on to tell us in Hebrew 4:11 that His Word is alive! It’s not asleep, so there can be no ifs, ands, and buts about the doctrine, instructions, and corrections that His Word provides.  God’s Word is perfect and definitive. When it comes to the whopper conundrums that we sometimes end up with, make no mistake about it, there are instances when we genuinely believe that we’ve heard from God. We believe that He’s given us a green light to proceed. Then, we end up making one of the biggest mistakes of our lives.

    “Was that really you Lord? Didn’t You tell me he was the one? Didn’t You tell me it was okay to marry this man? Why am I now facing this awful situation? I thought You told me that I could proceed and You would make sure that I’d be blessed?” Our Heavenly Father knows the decisions we will make even before we make them. Not only does He know them, but He already has seen the outcome.  In truth, when we leap into making decisions, thinking that God has given us the green light and things don’t end up being the absolute best for us, we should then realize a few things. Chief among them is how much we may have compromised ourselves through impatience. We didn’t give ourselves time to really find out God’s agenda for our lives.

    The Word of God is sharper than any sword because it cuts through the confusion we enter into when we don’t know what to do or which way to turn. This is why we must study His Word. As we get into God’s Word, we can receive wisdom from other sources as well, and these sources will also back up the Word we’ve received. Sometimes through a close friend, family member or even a co-worker, God can help to zap us into consciousness. Some of us begin to recognize the help, but others of us remain asleep and refuse to wake up about what we’re doing. We have a habit of intentionally avoiding what we know is right because we want something on the double.

    Discernment takes wisdom and through wisdom we should know that if we are committed to a life of obedience, God is willing and able to keep our feet from falling in any situation. We are never the worse for being patient. And even when we make the mistake of impatience…when our hearts may get a little bruised from time to time, we’re still in the game of living and learning; and this is always a blessing we should never take for granted.

    So always remember that nothing is ever hidden from God’s sight, and everything with Him is uncovered and laid bare before Him. He will not make decisions for us. We can’t ask God to make guarantees that are already provided through obedience to His Word. Hebrews 4:13 tells us that we are the ones that must give account of our actions. He has made it very plain that He doesn’t keep from us the information we need to hear. He’s told us that His Word is alive and active. Therefore, following His Word will always lead us down the right path, and His Word will never lead us astray. So let’s be very real about this one, because it’s never about whether or not He’s spoken to us. It is always about our willingness to have patience, study, to listen and obey.■

    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.

    “Was That Really You Lord?” written for findchristianman.com© 2019. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  

  • You’re All in, But Him, Not So Much

    Gifts of expensive jewelry, bouquets of beautiful flowers, and dinners at nice restaurants; these are the tangible things that a lot of us associate with a man who is really interested in the woman he’s seeing. Keeping it real, these things can’t hurt, but the true foundation of the relationship is actually how a man interacts with you. The ‘umph’ in a relationship is when both partners are validating each other’s thoughts and feelings. In other words, it’s when he lets you know undeniably, that you are the woman he honors above all others.

    Of course, we should never make any person our all in all. Only God deserves this place in our lives, but Heavenly Father wants every woman to experience what it feels like to be genuinely valued and appreciated supremely. The man that chooses her as the object of his affection has the distinct responsibility to validate her in this way, and she has the responsibility for doing the same for him.

    Relationships lasts when both people are mutual in their degree of willingness to share and interact with each other while having a goal of increasing their love and support in mind. If you’re all in, and the other person isn’t quite there yet, you’re probably not going to receive the validation you need, and you shouldn’t settle for this.

    God said in Jeremiah 29:11(NLT), “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.  “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Heavenly Father has your back. He has a plan for you, and it is a good one. God only wants what’s best for us, and He knows what it will take to bless us. We can trust Him to take care of our needs, and we can know resolutely that He would not have us picking up crumbs on the floor when He has prepared a feast at the table.

    Be firm in your conviction to receive quality love, but also measure it against the love and support you’re willing to extend yourself. Recognize when you just don’t do it for the other person. Let him go in grace while you do the same. His refusal to be all in is a sure indication that he’s not yet capable of recognizing the jewel that is ‘you’. This isn’t a bad thing at all. You want someone who appreciates you and knows the importance of validating it in a loving and Godly way. So always remember that God wants the best for you and continue walking in faith until you receive it.

    Written for findchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Increasing Your Capacity to Love

    “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)

    I once worked for a man that most viewed as the ornery type. He was even called ‘Grinch’ because of his grisly voice and his somewhat grumpy outlook on life. After his first marriage ended, he declared that he’d never again get married. His previous wife had been unfaithful, and he didn’t feel he could allow himself to be so trusting again. This was until years later, when he met and married his current wife. Over time, we’ve kept up with each other, and I never dreamed his life would take such a turn. He’s been on quite the journey, and honestly, I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone that is willing to be as transparent about his life as he has been. He’s shared his ups and downs with me, and he has made a monumental impact on my life, as well as many others.

    After being married for only one year, his wife was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He made the decision to retire early so that they could enjoy as much time together as possible before this debilitating disease altered their lives. So, for the last several months he’s chronicled their everyday struggles with his closest friends. It gives him an avenue to vent, share, and give us an up close and personal view of what they go through.

    He calls their everyday struggles of adjustment, “the new normal”. His beloved wife has now lost most of her mobility. They were avid boaters, but have recently sold their boat because she is no longer able to climb on to it. Assisted walking, wheelchairs, long drives out of state to doctor visits are just a few of the new normal practices that consist of a typical day for them.

    There are a chorus of women singing the sad song of ‘not enough good men’, but it’s a tune I just can’t catch, especially after seeing this man’s commitment to care for his wife. I’ve gained immeasurable perspective from my ex-boss’s journey. I believe that if this kind of commitment and adoration can exist in the heart of a man who doesn’t openly profess the Lord, imagine the possibility of loyalty and love from one who does.

    He has given me an up-close and personal reminder of how love from a man should look, and what it should represent. In the case of many Christian singles looking to partner, often this is what is missing. It’s the connection between the love of Christ and the action, patience, and commitment it takes to carry it through. It’s a love that endures countless sleepless nights, and days filled with both agony and joy, all for the care of someone other than ourselves. It’s a selflessness that knows no bounds.

    Not only are we, as children of God, capable of exhibiting this kind of love, but we are commanded to demonstrate it to each other. Jesus Christ told us in John 15:12(NLT), “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” This is the capacity that God is cultivating and increasing within us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He’s teaching us to love with the humility, endurance, and faithfulness of Christ.

    God has told us through the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:16 that we need to pray to be empowered by the Holy Spirit with the strength to love this way. When we do, Ephesians 3:17 (NLT) says, “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” When we are so focused on the love we don’t have, and we begin to speak words of lack, we are communicating that we do not believe in God’s provision. This is not good ground, and our roots cannot grow in it. Jesus Christ came so that we could have a life of abundance. Everything that we could ever need, he provided access to it. Faith and trust in this truth is the ground we need, and it is the only ground that will produce the harvest we’ve been praying to receive.

    I’m not sure that my ex-boss knows the scripture as well as many of us do, but he made a very conscious decision that changed the course of his life. He chose to leave his past doubts and reservations behind, in an effort to love and care deeply for someone new. Instead of focusing on what he didn’t have, he chose to focus on the love that he could give. And I’m sure even he is surprised by the capacity and level of love he has demonstrated.

    Ephesians 3:18 (NLT) says, “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” It is so very important for each of us to understand that the love of Christ within us is limitless. It is more than enough for any circumstance, at any time. I will hear women say about a man that doesn’t meet their long list of ‘must haves’, “He’s nice, but I could never love him.”  Heavenly Father wants us to be beyond this kind of thinking, because the person that will bring to us the greatest joy will also bring the greatest challenge, and the unconditional love of God must be cultivated in our hearts in order to handle it. So while we’re yet single, we should strive to understand God’s love daily, and pray that He will empower us to know, live, and grow in the love of Christ. ■

    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.

    “Increasing Your Capacity to Love” written for FACM, findchristianman.com ©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • It’s Just So Unfair!

    James 3:17 (NLT) “17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”

    “I just can’t go to another wedding! My last single girlfriend just snagged a good man, and I don’t understand it. She hasn’t been on this Christian journey as long as I have, and I don’t think she’s as dedicated as I am. To make matters worse, she’s on her second go around, and I’ve never had a ring on my finger! It just doesn’t seem fair. Where am I going wrong?” This summarizes the sentiments of many sister-friends that are very frustrated. They’ve been single longer than they’d like and don’t understand why things are not working out for them.

    God provides for us a sure Word, a Word that we can count on no matter what, because God’s Word will never fail or falter. We can stand upon it and it will never let us down. In James 3:17, He tells us that His wisdom is pure. It is unadulterated. So when we see things that look to us to be unfair, we can rest assured that they may look that way, but God’s way is perfect.

    It is when we allow ourselves to indulge this sense that we are being wronged or unfairly treated in life that we make huge errors. The first mistake is forgetting that God’s wisdom is unfailing, and the second is neglecting that it does not show favoritism. This train of thought gains traction from our emotional responses, and once it does, it then has the power to affect our outcomes.

    God has told us to renew our minds for a reason, and one of those reasons is because the way we think plays a huge role in the amount of peace, abundance, and fulfillment we experience in life. Without putting ourselves in check, we begin to move in reverse and attract the exact opposite of the blessings we desire.

    The blessing of marriage is a spiritually forward, progressive, and higher level reality. Therefore, it stands to reason that it will require a spiritually forward, progressive, and higher level mentality and emotionality to build capacity for it. We can’t get there by indulging negativity and letting bottom feeding thoughts and emotions drag us beneath the realm of Godliness.  You can only get a higher functioning mind-and-heart set from trusting, knowing, and feeding upon God’s Word.  

    James 1:5 (NLT) tells us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” The same energy that we waste by thinking and reacting to doubt, we can reroute towards having faith in the generosity of God. Transitioning from single to married takes decisive steps, just like any other thing that we seek to do in life. If you’re doing something that you shouldn’t be doing, or you’re not doing what you should be doing, and you’re not quite certain where you’re veering off the path, ask our generous God if you can’t figure it out. He won’t be mad about it. Through the Holy Spirit, He’ll tell you exactly what you need to do in order to receive the blessing you so earnestly desire. ■

    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.

    “It’s Just So Unfair!”, written for Findingchristianman.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Choose Love

    Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NLT) “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. 28 But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.”

    In Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NLT), Moses warned the Children of Israel to be careful to obey the commands God had given them. If you think of all the miraculous signs and wonders by the hand of God they had seen, it is hard to imagine why the Israelites would need to be warned. God had given them specific commandments, and it should have been enough for them to simply hear and obey, but that wasn’t the case. Repeatedly, God reminded them of His delivering power, because they would not listen to or heed His instructions.

    The Children of Israel had a choice. They could choose to love the Lord their God by walking in His ways and holding tightly to Him, or they could allow their hearts to be deceived, and worship other idol gods. This is a no-brainer, but throughout biblical history, we see God’s people deviating time after time from what they knew to be true.

    As sisters desiring marriage, many of us will abdicate our responsibility to God and fall into disobedience. We know what God’s Word says, but we will place the man’s desire for pleasure over God’s desire for us to honor our temples.

    “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:30(NLT)

    God didn’t want robots. He wanted a family. He wanted children that would love Him because they chose to, not because they had to. Love is a decision. We make the choice as to whether we will walk in God’s love through obedience to His Word and be blessed, or whether we will love the world and forfeit the destiny God has given us.

    A cursed life is one that exists when a person chooses to be blinded from the truth. Jesus Christ told us in John 14:6 that he is the way, the truth, and the life. The world has refused him; therefore, the world has refused the truth.

    We don’t need to do anything but look at the news to see how foolish and perilous the world has become as a result of refusing to accept Jesus Christ. It is riddled with fear, lust, envy, jealousy and pain, all symptoms of a cursed life. This is what a life looks like without the foundation of God’s love. As believers, we must choose to obey God’s Word. Let’s make a greater commitment to stand upon it. It isn’t burdensome. It’s a choice to more fully love God, and to love others His way.

    “Choose Love” written for FindChristianMan.com©2019. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

  • 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 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 offer this kind of friendship to one another through Christ, so we can be friends that keep each other sharp. 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 to 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 FindChristianMan.com©2019.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • 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!