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  • Dust It off and Keep It Moving

    Dust It off and Keep It Moving

    facm-keep-it-moving

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Centered on Christ

    Centered on Christ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Please Help Me Remain Obedient to Your Will

    Please Help Me Remain Obedient to Your Will

    Dear Heavenly Father,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • The Juggling Act

    The Juggling Act

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

  • The Blessed Roles of Husband and Wife

    The Blessed Roles of Husband and Wife

    Dear Heavenly Father,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

     

  • Train Your Mind for Victory

    Train Your Mind for Victory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Revved Up Emotions Can Be Costly

    Revved Up Emotions Can Be Costly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • “I Don’t Think I Will Ever Get Married”

    “I Don’t Think I Will Ever Get Married”

    There may be areas of your life where the challenge is too great and you feel like giving up. Perhaps you feel as though your resources are too limited, it’s too emotionally exhausting, or you’ve expended too much time. It’s good to know your limits, and it’s wise to recognize when all the signs are signaling you to hang up your hat. Maybe you don’t want to continue putting time and energy into something where it seems that the payoff is so little. For many pursuits, this is the right conclusion to draw, but not when it comes to spending your life with the person God has ordained for your life.

    Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of sisters say things like, “I don’t think I will ever get married.” When I hear something like this on more than three or four occasions in a short span of time, I know that it’s an issue the Lord is getting ready to address. There is no question that a statement like this is made because a person has been influenced by something that is causing them to believe the wrong thing. There is a tremendous amount of error that has crept into the minds and hearts of women when it comes to partnering. This is a really big deal, and some of us haven’t seen it this way.

    Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. All of us have a measure of faith, but our responsibility as Christians is to increase in the faith of Christ. We are to grow in faith so that we can accomplish more for God’s Kingdom. We cannot walk in Christ without walking in faith, and faith comes by hearing the truth. So if you are hearing and believing a lie or something that isn’t the truth, faith will not come.

    The record of the Apostle Paul’s life is a very good example to illustrate this. If you take the time to study the Apostle Paul, you’ll marvel at his tenacity to teach others about the love of God in Christ. It is astounding to believe that at one time in his life, he slaughtered Christian people without even batting an eye. All that changed on his Road to Damascus experience. He was literally transformed in a matter of days. He was headed in the wrong direction before his transformation, and it was all because he believed the wrong things about God’s Word and Will for his life.

    When it comes to our desire to marry, some of us need to have a Road-to-Damascus transformation in our hearts and minds. Once Paul understood the right way of believing and renewed his mind to God’s Word, tenacity, perseverance, and unwavering faith became his trademark. No matter what hardship he endured, he knew God was with him in every situation. He knew that his faith in God would pay off, and today, you and I are the beneficiaries of his fully persuaded commitment to trust God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

    The Apostle Paul got turned-on to Jesus Christ in a major way, and thousands of years later, we’re still talking about him and being inspired by his example to follow Christ. At the end of his journey, Paul said to Timothy, his right-hand man in 2Timothy 4:6-8(NLT), “6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

    Paul knew that his race was not just about himself, but about all of us. He looked past any discomfort he might have been experiencing in the right-now of his circumstances, and he saw the fruition of what his faith would ultimately accomplish. How about you? Is your quest to be married all about feeding your own wants and needs? Are you thinking about the many that will be positively impacted from your union? Are you considering those that are watching your walk of faith, and how disappointed it will be to see you give up?

    Paul said in Philippians 4:13(NKJV), “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This is our reality as God’s daughters, but so many give up right before the breakthrough. Is being lonely challenging? It certainly can be, but it is a temporary state of mind, and the memory of it will one day add to your level of gratitude for the blessing of a husband. Fight the good fight of faith! Fight against the gravity of fear that is trying to pull you down. Refuse to give-in to it.

    No human being on the face of this earth can come close to matching what God through Jesus Christ can perform in your life, if you just lean on Him. And the beautiful thing about this truth is that He’s counting on us to put Him to the test. So stand your ground and trust God in this very important area of your life. He will not disappoint you.

    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.

    “I Don’t Think I Will Ever Get Married”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Loving Someone Who Doesn’t Love You Back

    Loving Someone Who Doesn’t Love You Back

    It doesn’t matter what we set out to do, from the smallest to the greatest of feats, if we do not begin it from a place of respect for God’s truth, the outcome will not be as awesome as it could be. This will always, always be the case, and it is never more true than when it comes to our quests to partner in love. Because this is such an extremely important area of our destinies in Christ, we should anticipate that it will also be an area where we learn the greatest spiritual lessons of our lives.

    It should never come as a surprise to us that learning spiritual lessons is a constant in life. God’s goal for us is to grow in His love, and this is the destination of all our experiences. If we don’t see this, we will prolong the agony of lessons learned poorly. Through the Apostle Paul, God tells us in 1Thessalonians 3:12 (NLT), “And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.” God’s love causes us to expand exponentially, to the point that we’re overflowing in love for others. Our expectation, quite naturally, is when we’ve loved in the best way we know, that the love we’ve given will be returned. This isn’t always the case, and when romantic feelings are involved, it can be a crushingly devastating blow.

    It’s no secret that we will know our true treasures in life by what we choose to invest our hearts into. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:21 that wherever our treasure is, our hearts will be there also. In other words, a person can find your treasure by going where your heart leads them. They will know the qualities, characteristics, relationships, and other things that you hold dear by following the trail of your emotional investment, whether that investment is positive or negative.

    We, you and I, set this trail. Whether you’re doing it consciously or unconsciously, you determine the target of your emotions. This means that anyone seeking to get at the thing that is closest to us OR most important to us, theoretically they can follow the trail our emotions or hearts leave behind. At the end of this trail they’ll find the thing we’ve treasured. It begs any woman interested in pleasing God to ask herself a question. Theoretically, if someone followed the trail your heart leaves, would they find God at the end of it or someone else?

    We give our hearts away, and many of us do so very easily; with very little vetting. And the truth is that we make emotional investments in men who may be right for some other woman’s destiny, but he isn’t right for ours. We would do ourselves a world of good if we recognized this sooner rather than later. Heavenly Father didn’t leave us without His wisdom in this area. In Proverbs 4:23(NLT), His Word tells us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” This lets us know that we ought to be extremely careful about the trail we follow and the one we leave.

    The world is pushing us to buy into its ‘the hearts wants what the heart wants’ agenda; this out-of-control, fall for anything type of attitude when it comes to love. We all want to feel valued and appreciated, and once someone gives us enough of an opening to cast our nets, sometimes we make the mistake of falling in too deep. God’s agenda is that we remain on guard when it comes to casting our nets. This will give us an opportunity to walk in wisdom and determine if a man is truly capable of reciprocating the love of Christ that we put out there.

    Know this, it is a huge problem if we have allowed a person to mean more to us than our relationship with Heavenly Father. We can’t hide this sort of thing. God knows when He isn’t in the number one spot in our lives, and our emotional state after we’ve been hurt by someone is a pretty big indication of what we’ve treasured. When we fall for someone without having God’s stamp of approval, and it becomes apparent that this person doesn’t love us back, the wise thing to do is to seek God with all our strength, because we may have slipped into idolatry, for which we must seek God’s forgiveness.

    We must also know that there are many spiritual lessons about patience, walking in wisdom, and real love that we need to learn. If we are genuinely interested in honoring God with our whole lives, He will teach us through His Word. He will also teach us through the indwelling Holy Spirit and others if we are willing to learn.

    God’s Word tells us in James 1:2-4 The Message (MSG), “2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” Learning lessons about the world’s brand of love isn’t going to propel you forward in spiritual treasures, because it’s brand of love is often flawed, and sometimes so is ours. There’s some kinks in its chain. As we grow in Christ, those kinks are ironed out, and our love is transformed into a Christ-kind of love. Don’t run from the spiritual lessons you may need to learn from the pain of loving someone who doesn’t love you back. Let God develop His love within you, so that you are confidently anchored and blessed in your future relationship. ■

    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.

    “Loving Someone Who Doesn’t Love You Back” written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!