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  • 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!

  • Happy in the Lord

    Happy in the Lord

    Dear Heavenly Father,

    Sometimes we experience personal sadness because we look at ourselves and find fault. We don’t like our physical appearance or find some other attribute that we dislike. These kinds of feelings are sometimes intensified if we don’t have a special or significant person in our lives—someone that might reinforce the positive. You created us with problem-solving ability, and often we take matters into our own hands without consulting You. We try to come up with solutions to what we perceive as problems. This leads many single sisters to think that the answer to flipping the script from feeling bad about themselves is to have someone to make them feel good. This solution may lead them down a dark road, because they begin to attract from a place of brokenness instead of from a place of wholeness.

    Not only do we look to people to make us happy, but we look to things and situations as well. We’re seeking to fill a void, when we should be seeking You. Heavenly Father, You want us to be happy, that’s why You have given us life on earth and most importantly, it is why You gave Your only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He tells us in John 10:10 that the whole reason he came to earth was to give us access to a more than abundant life. So not only do You tell us that You love us and want to see us happy, You proved it by giving us the best that could be given.

    Our biggest problem can be stated simply, we look to other people and things to do what only You can do for us. You created us to hunger for the love that You give, but instead of accepting Your love with our whole hearts, we deny it. This causes us much unhappiness. Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek Your Kingdom and Your righteousness first. You are directing us to re-prioritize so that we put Christ in the driver’s seat of our lives.

    Our faith in You means that when we come into Your presence, we do so with a mind and heart that honors the greatness of all that You are. We can’t do this if we are seeking happiness outside of Your Will and Word. Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to redirect our steps so that we do not make this mistake. Forgive us for allowing anything or anyone to come before seeking You first through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

    Your Word tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Ephesians 2:10(NLT) says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” All we need to do is look in the mirror to see Your handiwork. You never make a mistake, and You made each of us according to Your divine Will and Plan. We shouldn’t need someone to tell us how extraordinary we are, because You’ve already told us this in Your Word. Our privilege and responsibility is to walk in all You’ve made us. You are our Source of happiness and wholeness, and when we seek You first, the blessings we desire will come to us.

    Please help us to be mindful of our thoughts, attitudes, and feelings. Help us to love others and ourselves with a Christ-kind of love, so that we do not indulge arrogance. Please help us to radiate a sense of self-worth that comes from humility and confidence from knowing Jesus Christ. This is the place every single woman must develop, so that she attracts her partner from a place of Your strength.

    Let us find happiness in You, Lord, so that our joy may be full. Thank You for our Blessed Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and thank You for the Holy Spirit. 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.

    “Happy in the Lord”, 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! 

  • Don’t Miss God’s Best

    Don’t Miss God’s Best

    I was in the city, walking downtown this week, and as I was crossing a very busy intersection, I crossed paths with a young woman that was totally consumed with a conversation on her cell phone. With her headphones on, she seemed to be oblivious to everything going on around her. I stared in amazement at how engaged she was, because cars were zooming back and forth, and she wasn’t concerned whatsoever. This kind of unmindful behavior can be very dangerous, particularly with so much happening in our world. I thought about this young woman later that day. It reminded me that this is the kind of opportunity the enemy waits for, when our focus is in the wrong direction, and we’re asleep and careless just as she had been. This is when many of us will walk right into traps unknowingly; especially when it comes to relationships with men.

    When we’re younger, we tend to take a carefree approach to life, but as we mature and get older, we see firsthand that things can change very quickly. A person’s world can be turned upside down in less time than the blink of an eye. God doesn’t want us to walk around in fear, but He does want us to be alert and aware.

    1Peter 5:8 (NIV) tells us, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Many single sisters are due for a season of supernatural blessings, the likes of which they have not experienced before. We’ve heard from great prophets, teachers, and preachers that the body as a whole is entering a period of accelerated increase on many fronts. The relationships we’ve been waiting on, the financial breakthroughs we’ve been praying to receive, the marital restorations and job promotions that we’ve been waiting patiently to embrace…these are all getting ready to burst through.

    The problem is that so many of us are still asleep. Our eyes are no more opened than they were two years ago. We’ve really got to do something about this, because mindfulness is one of the key ways in which Heavenly Father measures our ability to handle the blessings we seek. Not only must we prepare ourselves spiritually to receive, if we do not take care of the blessings we already have, like the man that hid his master’s silver in the ground rather than investing it, we may find ourselves in a position where they, too, will be taken away.

    God neither holds our blessings back nor takes them away. He has designed the universe in such a way that opportunities appear when we are ready to seize them. God’s people have prepared themselves through His Word, and they are poised to take possession, but there are still some of us that haven’t focused on God to the extent that we can recognize danger in our midst. 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us that satan disguises himself as an angel of light. This alerts us to the fact that something that seems like a blessing can end up being a set up.

    2 Peter 1:10 (NLT) tells us, “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. “As single Christian women, we must be more than confident that God is going to bless us with a wonderful husband, because He is absolutely going to do this, but we can’t be so caught up in what we want that we forget our allegiance to be dutiful and diligent to God.

    No matter how comfortable things may look and feel, don’t let your guard down. Don’t discount the fact that often things happen to us because we allow them to. Know that before your breakthrough comes, the enemy will seek to find out how far you are willing to move away from the foundation of Jesus Christ. Don’t take the bait. Don’t make the mistake of missing God’s best. Seek Him continually, diligently, and earnestly before you make investments of love and care in a new relationship. Wait on His divine directive and be willing to walk away if you don’t receive it. If you pay much closer attention to God and continue to make Him your focus, He will make sure that you don’t miss your blessing. ■

    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 HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. 

    “Don’t Miss God’s Best” written for FindingChristianMan.com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Good Enough to Date But Not Good Enough to Marry

    Good Enough to Date But Not Good Enough to Marry

    Many in modern society think it’s an antiquated notion for a man to be careful with a woman’s feelings and only seek to have a relationship with a woman he considers worthy of marriage. Heavenly Father is not interested in our opinions regarding the laws and statues He has created. They are drenched in His love and for our overall benefit. God’s standard is very clear, and His directive to any man seeking a relationship with a woman is to treat every woman with honor. It’s brilliant instruction, because the honor bestowed to the woman will be reciprocated. She will honor the man. God designed us to function this way in relationships. We learn very succinctly how wonderfully He has designed unity to work, and we also cultivate a deep appreciation for the blessing of unity in our relationships.  

    When a man follows God’s standard of treating every woman with honor, he will never date two women at the same time. And as it relates to dating, he will endeavor to always be careful not to cause any emotional fractures to a woman’s heart. He will seek God to help him recognize the woman upon which he should invest his time, energy, and emotions. Seeking God is a requirement for everything in life, but it is especially important when pursuing and dating a potential partner. Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness first, and in so doing, blessings will be added to us. All of us should make the righteousness of God our goal for handling the pursuit of relationships.  

    I’ve personally known of situations involving two attractive, seemingly intelligent and well-suited people. They come together in a relationship, but ultimately the man just isn’t interested in making the woman his wife; and the woman was sure that he would be. Many women will want to continue the relationship under these circumstances, and will often pray for God to change the man’s heart. Heavenly Father is so loving and merciful to us, and His grace is amazing. But it is not wise on our part to ask God to help us continue to be dishonored.  

    When the man has not lived up to God’s standard of how he should honorably behave towards the woman he’s in a relationship with, we must be willing to see this for what it is. It is very likely that he does not consider her worthy to be wifey. It would be wise for us, as women, to listen to what the man’s action, or lack thereof, is communicating. It is a very hard thing to accept, but if the man’s opinion of a woman is that she is good enough to date but not good enough to marry, it is often unproductive for her to continue hoping for him to change.  

    1John 4:9-10(NLT) says, “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” We are the apple of God’s eye. He loves us with an unyielding, unconditional, and limitless love. He wants the best for us always. There is never a time that God doesn’t want things to go well for us. He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that we could become His children, and have His Spirit abiding within us. The gifts of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the greatest gifts that could ever be given in all of eternity. God saw fit to impart these gifts onto us. Heavenly Father will not help us lower ourselves. He helps us to go higher in Christ, so that we can see ourselves the way He sees us.  

    Deep down a woman knows when she’s not being treated with the utmost honor and respect. When a relationship is in this condition, asking God to change the man’s heart means the woman has placed the emphasis on her perceived need for the man, and not on her need to see herself as deserving what God has for her. Spiritual maturity beckons us to grow beyond the practice of asking God to partner with our efforts to lower ourselves to the same level as a person’s low opinion of us.   

    1 Peter 3:7 The Message (MSG) says, “The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground.” Again, God instructs the man to behave with honor towards women, so that when he marries, this honor is organically expressed out of a habit pattern he’s built in his manhood. As women, when our good appreciation of ourselves meets the standard of the example of Christ, it is inevitable that we will meet a man that will equal our standard. It’s not about the man giving you what you believe you deserve, but about you partnering with a man that helps you both remain in God’s plan and purpose for your lives.

    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.

    “Good Enough to Date but Not Good Enough to Marry” written for FindChristianMan.com©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!