Find A Christian Man

Category: Encouragement and Inspiration

Biblical encouragement for the seasons when you need strength, hope, perspective, or simply a reminder that God is still at work. Find Christ-centered inspiration to help you keep moving forward, stand firm in your faith, and face everyday life with renewed confidence in God and His Word.

  • The Toad Doesn’t Always Turn into a Prince

    The Toad Doesn’t Always Turn into a Prince

    Man Screaming At Woman

    Lachelle told me that she never loved a man as much as she loved Joe. I knew Joe before she met him. He is a handsome guy, but not overly so, and I found him to be kinda’ quiet. No one would accuse him of being too friendly, but he seemed nice enough. I had always heard that he has a bit of a mean streak, but was conscious of it and tried to hide it. My sister says that you have to watch out for the quiet ones because they always have something to hide, and you wouldn’t want to be the one to find out what it is. In my view, that’s a pretty accurate description of Joe.

    I was also struck by how little affection I saw them display as a couple. Normally, this is no big deal. There are plenty of compassionate and kind people that aren’t that keen on public displays of affection, but Lachelle is a notorious hugger and is one of the most affectionate persons I know. At first, I didn’t understand the changes I noticed in her, but one day it all made sense. Joe had no doubt touched something in her soul that she responded to deeply, but he was also physically abusive. She excused it away as him loving her passionately, and not being able to control it sometimes.

    Like a lot of abuse victims, Lachelle tried covering the bruises with too much make-up or refusing to meet up with us because her body (and soul) was too sore from the fight the night before. After around ten times or so of witnessing the aftermath of his anger, I stopped counting the times I suspected they had been fighting. They weren’t married, and sometimes she would swear to us that she would leave the relationship for sure, but time after time Lachelle went back to Joe. It wasn’t my first time seeing this kind of obsession play out in a relationship. You want so desperately to help, but the people involved have to want help.

    Sometimes, we teach ourselves to have wrong beliefs about love. Too many romantic fairytales, movies, and myths cloud our heads, and we start to believe that we’re missing something that only a prince on a white horse can give us. We wait and wait for him to come to our rescue. And even though we’ve not learned to discern whether someone is a real toad who’s just playing the role of a prince, some of us latch on to him. We do so because the proverbial toad has been playing the role long enough to spot a particular yearning in the princess, and he knows exactly how to pounce on it.

    In John 8:32, Jesus Christ said that the truth will set us free. This is a razor-sharp piece of yumminess that will keep God’s children on the path of their destinies, but one thing is required, and it is that we understand what it means to be free. God created us out of His love. He created us to be children of light! 1Thessalonians 5:5(NLT) says, “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.” In this verse, we can clearly see that God has made a distinct separation between light and darkness. From light, we get qualities synonymous with intelligence, liberty, confidence, love, joy, and peace. From darkness, we get the exact opposite; we get qualities that represent ignorance, bondage, fear, hate, sadness, and chaos. So, there can be no question that God’s Will for His children is that we be free, and not weighted down by bondage in any area of our lives. God’s standard for right living is one of liberty. That’s good news indeed!

    1Corinthians 13:5(NLT) tells us that love “does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”  If we are going to live with authenticity, with the conviction of purpose and gratitude, we can’t do it by gobbling up myths and lies about what life is and how it’s supposed to be lived. Nor do we have time to label something ‘LOVE’ when it’s not love at all, but a plot sent from hell to manipulate us out of our destinies. Those unable to acknowledge that they are being used for darkness, and not light, will sometimes hide behind the wickedness of abuse, but ultimately, they will be exposed. When they are, those that have suffered their wrath must have the courage to see them for what they are.

    A prince is a gallant individual that helps you shine, and will never do anything to hinder or cause you to hide your light. This is the kind of person you deserve. An abuser is often a toad that will never transform into a prince. He can’t even rescue himself from darkness, so it would be a mistake to assume that he can help rescue you. Be rescued by the light of Christ, and be willing to wait for the prince God will bring across your path. He may not have a white horse, but he knows the light and will help to preserve it in you.■

    Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

    “The Toad Doesn’t Always Turn into a Prince” written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Red Flags and Flashing Lights

    Red Flags and Flashing Lights

    It isn’t enough to tell you not to do something that will adversely impact your quest to get married. In order to provide you with substantive tools that will greatly aid your quest, you have to know WHY you should or should not do something. The right knowledge is power, and the source of all right knowledge is God’s Word. It is the definitive authority on everything that there is. Heavenly Father tells us in 2Peter 1:3 that through His divine power, He’s given us everything we need for living a good and Godly life. He’s provided us access to this kind of life through the knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. So, everything that you and I could possibly need to be fulfilled, accomplished, and happy can be obtained by living our lives by the example of Jesus Christ. Whenever we veer away from living our Christ reality, red flags go up and flashing lights appear. When it comes to your quest for marriage, you have to ask yourself if you’re ignoring the warnings.

    In Romans 12:1(NIV), God tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” God wants to live through us so that we are more effective in introducing His Kingdom on earth, and so that our experience of life on earth is more fulfilling and abundant. He desires to work in us to will and do of His good pleasure. He never takes from us, but gives continually; and in Romans 12:1, He’s asking us to give Him greater space in which to work in our lives. He’s asking that we present ourselves before Him as a living sacrifice. This informs us right off the bat that sacrifice is a very important piece to living through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is also a very essential component to preparing for and maintaining a marriage.

    In order to rescue believers from the pit of hell and purchase us back from the ruler of darkness, Jesus had to offer his life as a sacrifice for our sins. He had to die the most horrific death imaginable. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that this was a price he paid gladly because of the joy that was set before him—the joy of having us, you and me, in God’s family. He did it to please the Father, and because of his great love for us all. You and I were not capable of ransoming ourselves from the devil. Our sinful nature kept us locked in his dungeon of darkness and despair. But although we could never have paid the price that Jesus paid, we should understand the pattern that he’s set. Through his example, Jesus Christ has demonstrated pure faith. He showed us that sacrifice is endured gladly when the joy of the reward is believed wholeheartedly.

    Do you believe God will bless you with a good and Godly husband?
    Have you sacrificed fleshly pleasures because of the conviction of your faith?

    There can be no question that there are going to be some things we have to give up in order to gain more and go higher. Some of those are things we find pleasurable. Everything in life, and when I say ‘everything’, I mean EVERYTHING in life is spiritual. If you want to understand the ‘why’ of things, you must put them in the context of spiritual. God is a Spirit. He created everything there is, and everything that He created was intended to flow harmoniously with His divine Will, which is good and perfect in every way. Whenever the intention of our minds and hearts seeks to step outside the Will of God, we will experience in life what amounts to red flags and flashing lights. These come in the form of interrupted peace, mistakes, missteps, and hiccups. We would do ourselves the greatest favor by taking corrective spiritual action before things become worse.

    In Matthew 16:19, Jesus Christ declared that He’s given us the keys to the Kingdom, which means whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven; whatever we bind on earth, will be bound in heaven. When it comes to the choices and decisions we make daily, we have only these two buckets of which to cast our energy and resources. We either bind or loose. SIN binds, OBEDIENCE loosens.

    It’s important to understand this because we don’t always make the best choices when it comes to honoring our temples. We can’t partner with sin and expect a Godly result. Heavenly Father is a God of order, and obedience to Him requires that we follow His Word. Women hold the keys to a happy and fulfilling marriage through being obedient to God’s Word. You represent the greatest asset in your own quest to partner in marriage, but understand that God can’t help you partner in sin. He’s helping you prepare for what you’ve been about by loosening the walls around your heart, so that you love freely and unconditionally, through HIM! Red flags and flashing lights in your circumstances are queuing you in that disobedience has reared its ugly head. Don’t ignore the signs. Line up your actions and decisions with God’s Word.■

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

    “Red Flags and Flashing Lights” written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Dust It off and Keep It Moving

    Dust It off and Keep It Moving

    facm-keep-it-moving

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • No Point in the Look-Back

    No Point in the Look-Back

    I was going through some of my old emails over the weekend and came across a few that made me chuckle and reminisce about the old days. In one of them, a classmate had forwarded a picture he kept from our high school days. Here it is, over twenty-five years later, and he still has this picture of me. He even shared what I wrote on the back of it, “It’s not one of my favorite pictures, but I hope you like it.” I was fourteen years old and in the ninth grade at the time. Looking at that picture, I thought to myself, “Oh, if I could just talk to the girl in that picture and tell her what I know now.” 

    Some of the most profound words of wisdom was spoken to me this week. The pearl I received was “God wants us to get comfortable with trusting and relying on Him and not relying on man, money or anything else the world has to offer.”  The earth is grooming ground for our faith. No matter what we go through in life, it is the trying of our faith that brings out the best results, because we must trust God through it all.

    The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT), “12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” This has always been one of my favorite passages. There is no point in looking back at what used to work or making ourselves miserable by reliving the embarrassment of past mistakes. There’s no need to even look back at old relationships. Let what happened in the past remain just that…in the past.

    We need to keep our focus and attention on God, and what He has in front of us! God wove the wisdom of age and maturity into our growth. He designed it to be a process instead of an instantaneous event. Our faces may look different, but if we’re in Christ, we’re a better version of ourselves than we could have ever hoped to be.

    I really wouldn’t trade anything that has happened in my life. Every circumstance, every tribulation, every heart-break and every great moment that has been afforded to me, has deepened my well of gratitude for the love of Christ. There’s no point in the look-back if it isn’t to celebrate the goodness of God and the reality that the best is yet to come!■

    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.

    “No Point in the Look-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!

     

     

  • He Will Do the Rest

    He Will Do the Rest

    A couple of weeks ago, I was coming out of the grocery store on the way to my car when a homeless man approached me and asked if I could give him anything to get food. Like most folks, I’m extremely careful whenever I’m approached, but it was in a well-lit area, lots of folks around, and this man seemed to be cognizant that keeping a safe space would better his chances of receiving; he made sure not to appear threatening in any respect. I had slipped a few dollars in my coat pocket and felt that giving them to him would be well with my soul, but before I did, I asked, “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?”

    As Christians, we miss enormous opportunities to witness the Word of God to people every day. Either we’re too proud to open our mouths, we’ve made the horrendous mistake of devaluing and overlooking others, or we are persuaded that our two-cents will not have a significant impact. Whatever the case, we’ve created a culture within Christianity where many are quiet when they should be vocal, and they are vocal when they should be quiet.

    Without hesitation, the man quickly answered, “Yes, I sure have. When I was a child, I went to church all the time.” He said. I could’ve taken his word for it right then and there, and given him the money, but I sensed that I was to say a bit more. I didn’t want to take a chance on losing a divine opportunity, so I said to him, “Before I give you this money, would you mind repeating this scripture with me.” I quoted Romans 10:9-10, and he repeated every word I said. After encouraging him with more of the Good News, I then gave him the money.

    There was a time when I, along with other of my Christians friends, did a fair amount of this, but this was years past. We would be unwise to ignore the dangers that are present today, but this doesn’t mean that we abdicate our obligation to the call of God. It means that we are to be even more committed to walk by the Spirit, so that we can hear His voice and heed His call.

    In Revelation 3:20(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” This invitation from Jesus Christ should come through our lips to the hearts and minds of others as we introduce, or reintroduce, them to his love. God’s Word is alive! He said in Isaiah 55:11(NLT) “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Our responsibility is to be a beacon of light in the earth, and extend to others what has been so freely extended to us. We are not to be concerned about how we are received. Our only obligation is to put God’s love in the atmosphere and be a witness. He will do the rest. ■

    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.

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

  • God’s Contagious, Ever-Abiding Love

    God’s Contagious, Ever-Abiding Love

    I’m sure you’ve heard people make the statement, “You can’t help who you love” or “The heart does what it wants to do.” It’s true that the heart can be untamed in its desires, but God has given us something called free-will. He has also given us the responsibility to exercise the gift of free-will when it comes to what goes in our hearts, and what comes out of them. So, He wants us to take a different approach when it comes to love, because love is serious business. 1 John 4:8(NLT) tells us “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” This verse lets us know definitively that love is a choice. We choose who we want to love and how we want to show it. To love God’s way is, and will always be, the key to success in all relationships.

    The world has a completely different formula and approach; it’s take what you can when you can, and if its anything left-over, take that too. As Christians, this sometimes unconsciously filters into our mindset and affects our relationships. Those that have been single for a long season have a pretty good idea of their likes and dislikes. Through both bad and good experiences, they’ve learned what irritates them, and what makes them feel valued and appreciated. It is good to know what we want, but we can make the mistake of holding so tightly to these things that they get rooted in our hearts.

    1 John 4:13-16 The Message (MSG) says, “13-16 This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.”

    Jesus Christ made it crystal clear in Luke 16:13 that we don’t have the capacity to serve two masters at the same time. James 1:8 tells us that a double-minded person is unstable in all his or her ways. We have the responsibility and privilege to make choices, and staying in the middle is not an option. God is a jealous God. He alone must be worshipped and adored. His love must take centerstage in our hearts and minds, because fear and love cannot occupy the same space. We determine which one rules based on our free-will choice.

    1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) tells us, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” The love that this verse is pointing to is the all-encompassing, overwhelming, unconditional, unselfish love of God. Our relationship with God must come first, and we must participate in this relationship with Him by embracing His brand of love through the life, ministry, and example of Jesus Christ. This is what attracts blessings like a magnet.

    We live in a world that is riddled with fear, lust, envy, jealousy and pain, all symptoms of the cursed dominion of the devil. It’s in plain sight and gives us an ever-present reminder of what life without God and His love looks like. We have to be ever so careful about the things that we allow to dominate our hearts. God’s love is a huge reality. His love is so awesome that we don’t need to give anything else room. It’s so large that it will consume every crack and crevice of our existence if we allow it. As we make the choice to understand and express it in the way that He desires us to, 2 Thessalonians 3:5 tells us that God will take the wheel and lead us into this kind of contagious, ever-abiding love. ■

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

    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.

    “God’s Contagious, Ever-Abiding Love”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

  • Everyone Had Just Enough‌

    Everyone Had Just Enough‌

    When the Children of Israel were in the wilderness, God fed them manna from heaven. It nourished them to such an extent that none fell to sickness or disease during the entire season of which they ate it. Exodus 16:16-18 says, “16 These are the LORD’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.” 17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.”

    God has given us His Word so that we will know the truth, live by it, and walk in it. His truth is unfailing, and there are patterns that He has set forth in His Word for our living and learning. These patterns do not ever change. Numbers 23:19(NLT) tells us, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind.” When He does something that is revealed in His Word, He allows us a window into how He moves. In Exodus 16:16-18, we see the mind and heart of God at work. Manna fell from Heaven, and this demonstrates God’s exceedingly abundant provision; however, you and I must take note that neither greed or lack was tolerated. Everyone had just enough.

    As women, many of us have an innate yearning from youth to be partnered up. We desire a good man that will sweep us off our feet. I believe that God has woven this desire within our make-up as part of His divine plan that we be fruitful and multiply. It’s a beautiful thing, just as He intended it to be. Spiritual maturity demands that with the promise of provision of a good and Godly spouse, we also examine the discipline that God set forth in Exodus 16:16-18. Sometimes our expectations are out of balance. We want a husband to possess attributes and qualities that over exceed what is needed to keep us grounded in God’s plan.

    The Reset of Expectations
    This doesn’t mean that we aim low. Jesus Christ tells us in Mark 11:24(NLT), “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” We absolutely should desire to meet a man that will be committed to us, and love us with the heart of Christ.  But when you pray, you cannot have thoughts that all men are the same, or that you’ll never meet a good man because all the good men are taken. These thoughts do not speak the truth about God’s provision, and therefore, cannot support your faith.

    When we go to Heavenly Father with low expectations, our unbelief is revealed, and this is not helpful to the cause. We can’t have an attitude of ‘maybe God will answer my prayer’, because this is contrary to the truth that Jesus spoke in Mark 11:24. We have to know beyond knowing that God desires to bless us because He wants to see us happy and fulfilled, more than we want it for ourselves.

    Equaling Out the Scale
    While it is a blessing and a treasure to become someone’s wife, we must understand the other side of the equation, which is the capacity to satisfy the responsibility of caring for another person’s heart and well-being. The degree of your expectation must equal your preparedness and commitment to walk by the example of Christ, to love and serve out of a heart filled with his love.

    Galatians 6:7(NLT) tells us, “Don’t be misled:  No one makes a fool of God.  What a person plants, he will harvest.” This verse reminds us to be cognizant of the balance upon which God has established His laws. He is a God of order, and order demands that we walk in alignment and harmony with His Word. He instructs us to pray with faith, and to have our expectations appropriately aligned. If we’re not quite there yet, we need to pray to God for guidance and direction through the Spirit of Christ, so that we can experience the fulfillment of our desires. ■

    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. 

    “Everyone Had Just Enough”, written by FACM for FindChristianMan.Com ©2018.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

  • Are You Ready to Hit the Reset Button?

    Are You Ready to Hit the Reset Button?

    The countdown is over and the New Year is here!  Some of us are seriously excited, and others of us…not so much. That’s not exactly the mindset God wants us to have. If you give it some thought, you’ll see that Heavenly Father has woven a few reset buttons within our existence, and a lot of us don’t use them to their fullest advantage. We set certain limitations in our minds and hearts. Most of us are okay with a little bit of change, but seldom do we allow ourselves the luxury of imagining a total transformation not only for ourselves, but for others as well.

    In Isaiah 43:13-15 The Message (MSG), Heavenly Father said, “13 Yes, I am God. I’ve always been God and I always will be God. No one can take anything from me. I make; who can unmake it?” 14-15 God, your Redeemer, The Holy of Israel, says: “Just for you, I will march on Babylon.  I’ll turn the tables on the Babylonians. Instead of whooping it up, they’ll be wailing. I am God, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King.” In this passage, God is telling and showing them (and us) who’s BOSS! He’s our Keeper, Protector, Shield, Provider, Maker, and King! He’s our everything, and there isn’t anything that He can’t do. He’s willing and able to help us fight any battle and win. Our privilege and responsibility is to trust Him, and remove the shackles of limitations from our minds and hearts.

    Lamentations 3:22-23(NLT) tells us, “22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” We are never too old to begin again, and God’s mercy allows us a continual fresh start. Every 24 hours God gives us a new day, and He’s been blessing us this way for longer than you and I can know. In like manner, every 365 days, He gives us a new year. Major reset there. We get to end each year by celebrating the birth of our blessed Lord and Savior. And we can also reflect, reevaluate, and unload some stuff that didn’t serve us well during the previous year.

    One of the major setbacks overshadowing the reset we all desperately need is forgetting to be thankful and remembering what the holiday season is all about. It’s meant to get us to take a breath so that we can refresh and get our minds anchored in the goodness of God. Instead, many of us have allowed the world to burden us with its agenda, and the season becomes riddled with anxiety and pressure. We lose the chance to reset according to the seasons and timelines that God has allowed.

    The start of the New Year is most definitely God’s wake up call to believers to leave the old behind and embark on a new chapter in life.  Most people get this, and that’s why just about everyone has a New Year’s resolution that they try their best to stick to every year. Some are successful, but a lot of us kick that resolution to the curb when we find it isn’t as easy as we thought it might be.

    We start off trying to take big bites, when a lot of the times we’re meant to just nibble our way through. But big chucks or small bites, in the end the whole point is that positive change is good! People are transforming themselves all the time, and Christians should have a mindset that believes transformation is possible for anyone who loves and knows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

    God has given us our marching orders in Romans 12:2. He tells us to renew our minds to the truth of His Word, so that we will be transformed through and through. If we look only at our stick-to-it-ness, and don’t factor in God’s overwhelming love, willingness, and ability to help us make changes, we might give up. We won’t believe in our own ability to change for the better, and therefore, we will also be skeptical of others; but when we trust in God’s power, we will prove what His good, acceptable, and perfect Will for us is.

    Hitting the reset button in our minds and hearts gives us an opportunity to be renewed in faith, and to believe in our ability to go higher in Christ. That’s what is most important, because when we believe the best in ourselves, it will spill over into believing the best in others as well. It’s not so much about how we look or the relationships we forge; it’s about understanding that change begins in our hearts first. There must be a spiritual transformation in us, and it can only happen if we’re making time to grow and know God better.

    Isaiah 43:16-21(MSG) tells us, “This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves, The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—they lie down and then can’t get up; they’re snuffed out like so many candles: “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” How awesome is this?!!! Change is good! It’s a necessity in order to grow in any area of your life. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, God has given us a chance to keep getting better and better. In 2018, let’s be committed to hit the reset button by making positive changes. We can start with small bites like changes in our attitudes and thoughts. As we make progress on the small things, God will continue to help us with the big things. If we’re alert and present, we won’t miss it when He pulls out all the stops and makes 2018 a monumental year of growth and blessings. ■

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

    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.