Find A Christian Man

Tag: Christian Advice for Singles

  • 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!

  • 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!

     

  • 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!

  • 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!

     

     

  • Right Shoe, Wrong Fit

    Right Shoe, Wrong Fit

    They’ve got videos now that supposedly teach you how to walk in five and six inch heels. Every time I hear about one of them, I chuckle to myself. Used to be that I could cut a stride with the best of ‘em back in the day, but now…what? Staying vertical is extremely important, and a sister is looking out for them ankles. I’m not trying to fall, and the older you get, the more important avoiding a mishap becomes. But keeping it real, I’m not opposed to pulling out that special pair of high-heels I keep in a box in the back of my closet. With the right outfit on the right occasion, I’ll suffer a little bit, but it’s got to be worth it. Anything over an hour and the dogs be barking; my feet start to hurt, and all I can think about is giving them a rest. Those heels might be the right shoe for the occasion, but they’re the wrong fit for long-term comfort. This is sometimes true when it comes to our relationships.

    My friend Gloria has been in a relationship for five years, and when I tell you she desperately wants to be married, trust, it’s an understatement. But here’s the thing about sister-girl, for all the years that she’s talked about her boo, she has never shared any of the details about their relationship—not even his name. And because we know that’s how she is, we’ve learned not to ask questions. Recently, and to my surprise, she shared a little bit, and because she did, I knew that she was hurting.

    Gloria finally told this man how she truly feels about him, and after that, crickets! Hadn’t heard from him in months. She made the statement, “Love chose me, I didn’t choose love, and he just happen to be the man that I fell in love with.” She told him that she wanted to be the woman he chooses to marry. This is a situation when it boils down to whether we will believe what God’s Word says about love, or we’ll believe what we’ve seen in movies or on television.

    God’s love is extraordinary. It gets expressed through us as we live by the example of Jesus Christ. 1John 4:16 (ESV) says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” To come to know and believe God’s love isn’t a suggestion; it’s a must! When everything is said and done, the love we have for ourselves is an extension of the love we have for Him. The two go hand in hand. 1John 4:19 tells us that our ability to love at all exists because He first loved us. We couldn’t love ourselves if God didn’t love us. And because He loves us, He teaches us to love Him back.

    Understanding this is critical, particularly when it comes to your desire to marry. It is important for us to comprehend, in the greatest way possible, that we cannot love another person beyond the level we believe ourselves to be loved. If you love God and love yourself, you will not emotionally invest in a man that does not assure you confidently of your worthiness to be his wife. Five years is just too long to wait for this kind of assurance, and you certainly shouldn’t have to ask for it.

    Self-love and self-care is more than a spa-day and pedicure. There’s not a hint of arrogance or pride in it. Self-love is loving God through Christ with all that we have, and doing it with the understanding that loving Him is the same thing as loving ourselves. This is why Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:25 (ESV), “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” We don’t have to worry about these things because when we put God in the number one spot, He will take care of everything we need and then some.

    So just as loving ourselves is an extension of our love for God, we will know the right fit for us because this man’s love will be an extension of God’s love for us. There are occasions where we may not love ourselves well because we haven’t yet learned to honor God’s love. In those instances, we might emotionally invest in a man that seems like the right fit, but he’s all wrong. We will outgrow him as our love for God expands. A sure indication that he’s the wrong one is feeling a need to prod him to make a commitment. Be confident that God loves you way better than this. ■

    English Standard Version (ESV), The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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

  • A Woman with Standards

    A Woman with Standards

    Proverbs 31:10(NLT) says, “A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.” We might be tempted to overlook this jewel because so much has changed in modern times, but then again, so much has remained the same. It should never be lost on us that men are just as concerned about finding a good quality woman as women are about partnering with a good and Godly man.  According to Proverbs 31:10, a good woman is hard to find but once a man does find her, she’s going to be the blessing that God promises in His Word. The spectacular thing is that this woman is you! You’re the promise that God has made to the man that is worthy of a woman with Godly standards.

    We’ve spent a good deal of time in our conversations with others in our respective workplaces and everyday life talking about the state of being single. It is so far from how things used to be back in the day that it’s mind boggling. To think that technology would change things to such a degree that for a huge amount of people, the initial stage of dating now begins online. The upside is that with these modern changes, we’re understanding much more about the importance of preparing for marriage mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We’re more strategic about positioning ourselves for what we want.

    Many single people have adopted this dating strategy of sitting in front of their computers, joining a dating website, taking the time to complete questionnaires, and trying to be thoughtful and transparent about the answers they are being asked to provide. When it comes to allowing God to point us in the direction of His divine destiny for our lives, we must not do less. Even more thoughtfulness and transparency is required.

    If our aim is to be a woman with standards, and to be the blessing that God promises in Proverbs 31:10, we must understand that the Lord is the orchestrator of our preparation process. It’s His good pleasure to help you partner, because your future union is part of His plan. One of the ways that God helps us is to reveal the areas where our standards might need some tweaking.

    So before we embark upon anything else, priority one of our strategy for crossing paths with the person that is to be our marital partner must be to keep an eye out for what God is revealing to us. We’re not perfect, but God’s plan is that we love completely through the perfect love of Christ. This is the love that binds the unity of our relationships, and there may be areas in your life where you need greater revelation and understanding in order to love completely.

    The mark of a standard-bearer is one who learns from her mistakes and grows in God’s love. 1 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV) tells us, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”  This verse is referring to the love of God in Christ. It must be anchored in our hearts, because if it isn’t, there’s no glue to hold a union in place. 1John 4:8 tells us that anyone that does not love with the unconditional, overwhelmingly good, patient, and everlasting love of God in Christ does not know God, because God is love. Surrender your dating strategy to His guidance. Let Him tell you what you’re missing, then let Him prepare you to receive the promise by teaching you to love according to His standard. ■

    English Standard Version (ESV), The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

    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.

    “A Woman with Standards”, 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!

  • 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!