Find A Christian Man

Category: Devotions

Christ-centered devotions for the everyday places where faith meets real life. Find biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and reminders of God’s truth to help you grow in Christ, trust Him more deeply, and live out your faith wherever this season finds you.

  • When You Know Better, You Do Better



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Choose Love

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Search Me Lord

    Search Me Lord

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Be Still

    Be Still

    Dear Heavenly Father,

    As we read and study Your Word, one of the things we learn very quickly is that You teach us through patterns, parables, and practices. You showed us first by the examples of faith-filled, Godly individuals. You inspired the written record of their witness and example in Your Word, so that we can study it and put it into practice. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of Your Word, because he is the LIVING Word! We learn most about being the people You desire us to be from his example.

    Jesus was teaching in John 8:38(NLT), and he said, “I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father.” In John 5:19(NLT), he explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” Your Son followed Your example. He spent a lot of time in prayer with You. Prayer is communication that goes both ways. We speak to You and tell you our desires and requests. We invite You into our lives and to intervene in our circumstances. And You speak to us. You tell us what to do, just as You told Jesus Christ what to do.

    You know our futures. You know our pasts, and You know our present. You know exactly what we’re doing and what is going to happen in our futures. In John 16:13(NLT), You said through the Lord Jesus Christ, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” We have an intimate relationship with You. It is a connection so deep that we hear You spiritually, from Spirit to spirit. We just need to listen. This is why You tell us in Psalm 46:10 to be still and know that You are God. We need to quiet ourselves and meditate on Your Word, so that we can hear Your voice internally.

    Thank You for reminding us to spend quality time with You every day. By doing this, we build up our relationship with You, and we grow in spiritual strength. We often seek great blessings from You, yet we don’t spend enough time developing the relationship You desire; we don’t put enough effort in our relationship with You. Therefore, we lack the strength to do what You require.

    Jesus taught us by his example that we can see what You’re doing through Your Word and through Your communication to us. This is one of the reasons it is so important to pray and to be still, so that we can see and hear from You spiritually. Thank You for teaching us this wonderful spiritual lesson, and for letting us know that You desire this intimate connection with Your children.

    You are so awesome and amazing, Most Holy God. Thank You for Jesus Christ, and thank You for the Holy Spirit. Please help us to be a blessing to Your Kingdom, and let Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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

    “Be Still”, written for FindingChristianMan.com©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • The Lord Sees It Differently

    The Lord Sees It Differently

    1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)
    “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

    There are varying opinions with biblical scholars over whether Jesse had seven or eight sons, as one record in 1 Samuel 16 in the Old Testament mentions eight, and the other record in 1 Chronicles 2:13-15 mentions seven. It is entirely possible that one son passed away, but there is no contradiction in God’s Word; of this we must be sure. The record in 1Samuel 16 tells us that God sent Samuel, the prophet, to anoint David as the King of Israel. By all outward appearances, Jesse thought that any one of his seven sons would be the one that Samuel might choose. They were older, taller, and muscular looking men, but thank goodness God doesn’t look at us in the way that we look at each other. He looks at our hearts.

    I can’t help but think of the many single women that are holding out for a man that fits their image of how he ought to look. They have it down to complexion, height, build, and level of facial attractiveness. If a man shows up, and he looks significantly different than the image they have in their minds, he’s relegated to the ‘not a possibility’ column with all due haste.

    We often talk about this being a tough one, because physical attraction is important in a marital relationship, but it’s not the principal thing. Some of us make it so. It boils down to a matter of priorities, and God sets those. He values your spiritual growth and the spiritual growth of your future spouse more than any other thing. And He tells us very straightforwardly in Matthew 6:33(NKJV), “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” If we don’t hold what God thinks is important at the top of our lists, we will continue to attract the very opposite of what is best for the path God has laid before us.

    Heavenly Father looks at the heart, because Proverbs 4:23 tells us that the issues of life spring forth from the heart. If our hearts are out of alignment with the Will of God for us, we run the risk of not being satisfied with the choices we make. It’s just that simple. We’ll be in a constant state of discomfort because our real self, the spirit ‘you’, has been betrayed by our wrong choice. We must be fully persuaded that the only way to honor the Christ in us is to be guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit, so that we please God and live through Christ. God wants us to be pleased with the person that is to be our partner, but our faith that He will not disappoint us with His presentation is a must. ■

    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 Lord Sees It Differently”, 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!

     

     

  • Desire Is What You Need

    Desire Is What You Need

    Isaiah 57:10 (NLT)
    “You grew weary in your search, but you never gave up.  Desire gave you renewed strength and you did not grow weary.”

    How many Christians do you know today that are tired of life and are constantly feeling like there’s no good left in the world? I know quite a few of them. More than ever, a number of us are complaining about the state of conditions today. God has a remedy for this. He tells us in Philippians 2:13 that we should constantly remind ourselves that He’s in control, and He is working in us through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. So, we have to ask ourselves if we are tired because we’re not leaning on the Holy Spirit like we should. Could it be that we’re not allowing the Spirit to be at work within?

    Through the Spirit, God has given us the ability to please Him. He tells us in Philippians 2:14(NLT), “Do everything without complaining and arguing.” This is where our heads and hearts ought to be. Some Christians are complaining because they have erroneously believed that God’s grace exempts them from trials and tribulations. Romans 11:6 (NLT) tells us, “And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.” God’s unmerited favor is His grace. It’s free, and we didn’t do anything to deserve, nor could we. It is His gift to us, but it does not mean that life is always going to be easy.  Life has a way of moving at a pace that we’re sometimes not prepared for. Sometimes we wish it would speed up a bit faster, and sometimes we want it to slow down. We want life to meet us at our comfort level. That’s not how it works.

    There are so many people that are saved, but are mad and angry on the inside because they know down deep in their gut there’s something they need to do, or something they need to stop doing. They just simply won’t get out of their own way, because they want to keep doing what they’re doing. Instead we complain, complain, complain!

    Rather than all this murmuring and complaining, God’s word plainly instructs us to be thankful in all things and in every circumstance. In 1Thessalonians 5:16-22 The Message (MSG), He tells us, “16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 19-22 Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.”

    When we go in the opposite direction of being thankful, we stifle the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and open a door for the enemy to come in. This is the last thing you want to have happen in your life. Keep in mind that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knocks at the door of our lives and waits for us to invite him in. The devil doesn’t do this. If you give him an opening through disobedience and doubt, the enemy will knock down the door and try to crush everything in sight. This is not something we want to happen, and by aligning ourselves with the plan of God we can prevent it.

    In Revelations 3:2, Jesus Christ calls on us to wake up and strengthen what remains. We must have a deep and yearning desire not only to please God, but to demonstrate our gratitude. Only then will we prioritize the things that are important to Him, and begin to shut down negativity. Desire is what we all need! Isaiah 57:10 tells us that the right desire will renew our strength. Desire is the very strong feeling that motivates us to action. We must stop using our minds, hearts, and mouths to add to the darkness of satan, and switch on the light of Christ by believing, trusting, and acting upon God’s Word.

    Feed your mind, heart, soul and spirit the right stuff.  Light dispels darkness, and Jesus Christ is the light of the world. God tells us in Romans 15:13(NLT) that HE is the SOURCE of HOPE. He’s our hope!!! He never fails or disappoints! We must let the practice of pleasing God take over our desires, and stop allowing our feelings and emotions to control us. Let’s stop all this complaining and switch it out for speaking constantly with gratitude and thankfulness for how good God is, and how good He has been to us. When you do this, you will let Him “fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”■

    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.

    “Desire Is What You Need”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Training in Godliness

    Training in Godliness

    Like many others, I have been glued to the television watching athletes from around the world compete for the gold in the Olympics. I happened to see a segment the other day on what it takes to be an Olympian. Three female athletes were interviewed. They explained the grueling, yet rewarding, preparation and training for the games. They have to pay close attention to what they eat and put into their bodies, and they spend hours working out daily to build their athletic ability. Even their sleep patterns must be regimented. There’s no question about it, to get to the Olympic games requires hard work and pure dedication, and the desire to be the best must be deeply embedded in your DNA.

    As we look at the requirements to be a top-notch athlete, we have to ask ourselves if we’re willing to give our Christians walk with God this same level of dedication and effort. God deserves and desires our best. That’s what He’s given to us. John 3:16(NKJV) tells us, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God gave His Son, a perfect Savior and Lord, to redeem the world and pay for our sins. He nailed them to the cross and crucified them. He didn’t have to do it, but he did. Through Christ, God has given us the best, and gratitude for this gift should fuel our every endeavor.

    1Timothy 4:8(NLT) tells us, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” People will give their whole lives towards physical training for an earthly trophy. God requires us to give our whole lives to train in Godliness for a heavenly crown. Through the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, God was training Timothy and us to be the leaders He has called us to be. We learn that physical training is good, but the rewards don’t compare to training in Godliness. Yes, there are certainly benefits to being in the best physical shape, and it’s important to stay healthy, but training in Godliness will greatly benefit us in this life and in the life to come.

    Psalm 19:7-8 (NLT) tells us, “7 The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.” As Christians, we’re training for strength and endurance to run the race that God has placed before us. The equipment that He’s given us to work with is perfect. We will never faint from exhaustion because His Word will continually revive our souls.

    Athletes work hard at being the best in their respective sports, we should place no less effort to put on Godliness so that we represent God’s Kingdom well. We need to spend time in His Word, learning His precepts so that we grow strong spiritual muscles in faith.

    1Corinthians 4:20-21a (NLT) says, “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 21a Which do you choose?” We all have to choose whether we’re running a marathon for God or for the world. At the end, our life’s journey will be measured by the time, energy, and devotion we’ve put forth to make God the number one priority in our lives. He’s given us the example of Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and His matchless Word to help us train in Godliness. If we follow His instructions, our victory and success is guaranteed. ■

    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.

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

     

  • Desire A Pure Heart

    Desire A Pure Heart

    Romans 12:2 (NLT)
    “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

    I was flipping the channel one day and came across a new reality show. Typically, I pass on those, but this one caught my attention. The young men and women were on the show to find their perfect match, and were given a test called ‘Don’t judge a book by its’ cover.”  The women were shown a picture of an average-looking guy who loved God and had Christian values. When asked whether any one of them would date a man like him, surprisingly, all were emphatically against the idea of being with this average-looking man who had a strong Christian background. When a more attractive man with the same values was revealed, all the women were on board with dating him.

    Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The willingness of these women changed based on the appearance of the man; there was no consideration given to the kind of heart he may have had. The world has a completely different standard when it comes to what makes a quality mate. Some women are uber focused on looks, others on what’s in his wallet. Romans 12:2 (NLT) warns us not to copy the world’s patterns, but to change the way we think and model our thoughts after Christ; then God will transform us from the inside out.

    You might have it settled in your mind that you want a certain type of man, but it is quite possible that the major characteristics you desire are completely opposite from what God knows you need. Any time that we place limitations on how, what, when, and where God blesses us, we are not operating out of faith, but out of fear. We have fear that God will not meet our expectations, or we fear losing control over this area of our lives.

    One thing is for sure, God wants us to have hearts that are pure towards Him and His Word. When we talk about God’s Word being rooted and grounded in our lives, we’re talking about the commitment we must make to stand on God’s principles, promises, and statues. This means that we are required to change our thoughts to honor the lives of those who have hearts that are pure towards God. That’s what’s important to Him, and it should be to us as well.■

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

    “Desire A Pure Heart”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • A Seasonal Shift

    A Seasonal Shift

    Spiritually preparing for marriage, Christian Advice for Singles, Growing in the Holy Spirit, Growing in Christ, the Mind of Christ, Spiritual Encouragement for Christian Women, Christian Women Ministry, Christian Women Organization

    Proverbs 3:5-9The Message (MSG)
    “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.”

    We can’t help but look seriously at all that is happening around us. It’s occurring at a rapid pace. The weather patterns are beyond unpredictable, people are in panic mode, and the urgency of change is almost palpable.  We went from the excitement of a total eclipse to the fear of dangerous hurricanes.  These events seem to be out of order because they are such deviations from what we’ve come to know as the norm. The contrast and immediate transition in our emotional response to these events is stark. It should cause us to recognize that things are lining up, and through this contrast between excitement and terror, God is preparing us for an even greater shift.

    God tells us in Genesis 8:22New Living Translation (NLT), “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” He makes it very plain that there will be changes, so we should expect that change is going to be a part of life. Seasons of life will shift, and you and I do not decide how, when, and where those shifts occur. People may blame one thing or the other for these changes, but the truth is, it’s all in God’s hands. He does not cause calamity or the devastation that we see, but make no mistake that He is in control, and His timing is perfect.

    Through everything that is happening the message is clear, we can no longer count on the certainty of our comfort zones.  I believe many Christians are coming into this realization, and we’re going to have to make some changes to plan for what is to come.

    In Genesis 11, the bible tells us that the whole earth spoke the same language. The ‘Sons of Men’ came together and decided to build a city and a tower, so that they would be gathered together in one place, and not scattered about the earth. This sounded like a good plan to them, but it was not the plan that God had in mind. Genesis 11:6-9 tells us that God garbled their speech so they would not understand each other. Then He scattered them all over the world.

    For a person who does not know the Redemption Plan of Christ, they might look at this record, and be totally confused by what God did. Proverbs 3:5-9 (MSG) is always going to be the remedy for any confusion we have about God’s mysterious ways. We must trust Him with all our hearts, and not try to figure out all the details on our own. We need to lean on Him and allow Him to direct our paths.  As Christians, we must also understand that Christ was destined to come to the earth to redeem humanity. God has so orchestrated creation that every detail, plan, person, spirit, and thing will ultimately bow to His Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing will prevent this, and we must be eternally grateful for it, because His Son is our Savior.

    Romans 8:28 assures us that all things are working together for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose. This verse is speaking directly to us, God’s people. We are His elect! We are His called-out ones! So, we don’t have the luxury to cower in a corner, or to allow fear to paralyze us to inaction. We must wake up to the reality that nothing in life just happens. God is giving us a glimpse of what occurs when we allow fear to run the show. He’s revealing to us what the absence of love looks like. Some people will see this as doom, gloom, and apocalyptic. Other’s will see it as an opportunity to mobilize. They will use it to cast off the dust from life as it has been, and usher in something from the Lord that is amazing, fresh, and exciting.

    We cannot behave as if God’s Word hasn’t warned us of certain things. In many ways, we let our guards down. Now is the time to pick them up. How do we do this? In Matthew 22:37-40 The Message (MSG), Jesus Christ tells us exactly how to go about it. He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”

    It isn’t about the big things that we do. Very often it is those little acts of kindness that show the greatest love. God is combing through the earth looking for men and women whose hearts are pure towards Him. These are those that will not allow their need to dictate how they love God. They will not put up religious acts as a sign of love for Him, and think that their giving equals love. These are saints that have a genuine desire to obey His Word and serve Him.

    We need to get to a place where we crave fellowship and communion with God, where we desire to talk to Him often, to meditate on His Word, and to listen for His voice. This season we’re in will be like no other we’ve experienced, and it is just the beginning. We don’t know all the details, but we do know that like everything in God’s creation, this shift will make room for a greater revelation and revolution of Christ!■

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

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

    “A Seasonal Shift”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!