Extravagant Love

Sharon Glasgow

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

I was SO mad, I thought I would explode! The contents of that explosion would have been hazardous to anyone in my path—namely, my husband Dale!

Anger was emanating from every pore of my being. What was he thinking? How could he not see the obvious? The more these thoughts swirled in my head, the madder I got. And he didn't seem to care about my feelings either! He just looked at me. That was it! I decided to pack up the kids and leave.

And (the nerve of him) he didn't even ask where I was going! Apparently, the suitcases said it all. I stormed out.

Oh, boy. Those were the days many years ago. I'm glad that was then and this is now. My husband said and did a lot of things I didn't understand. It was like we were from two different planets with totally opposite brain and emotional functions.

All marriages will struggle at some point. Crisis in a marriage has the potential to make or break a marriage. It's tempting to harbor hurt, retaliate with spiteful words and focus on your spouse's faults. But experience has taught me those things do not add up to marital bliss.

After being gone from Dale for 24 hours, I couldn't stand it any longer. I came home and we made up. Because this wasn't something I wanted to become a pattern, I decided to look carefully at my actions and change the way I loved my husband.

Turns out there were things I could do differently. Through a lot of prayer and focused choices, I found there were several key things that radically changed my marriage for the better: an attitude of oneness, extravagant acts of love and turning intimacy into a flame of passion, not duty.

I didn't always feel like doing these three things. As a matter of a fact, many days I didn't have any desire to do them. I knew I needed to draw love out of a deeper well than my own. So I kept Colossians 3:12-17 close at hand and followed it as a way to love Dale. These verses describe a sacrificial and extravagant love, showing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

They also encourage us to show love in the name of Jesus, which is a way to honor Him. That was my focus as I re-trained my thought pattern not to emphasize the negatives or the momentary stresses. But instead, to keep my eyes on God. It got easier, knowing that by loving my husband well, I was pleasing God.

I've seen many struggling marriages ignite with passion when one spouse pours out extravagant love on the other. Sadly, I've also seen times when it didn't work. In those instances, we can take heart in knowing that Christ rewards us for how we live our lives wholeheartedly for Him. You may not be rewarded on earth, but you will be in heaven.

Extravagant love can transform an ordinary marriage into an extraordinary one, induce greater love, ignite intimacy, help us live above our weaknesses and spend less time quarrelling. For over twenty years, I've been putting Colossians 3 love into action in my marriage. From watching the movie my husband picks even when I don't like it, to saying "yes" instead of "I have a headache," to caring for him when he's sick, every little act of love adds up to a big reward. It blesses my husband and honors God!

Jesus, help me love my husband extravagantly! Sharpen my marriage into a beautiful display of Your glory! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Have a Blessed Wednesday,

Richard

Unmixing Our Motives

Amy Carroll

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (NIV 1984)

I'll never forget when mixed motives almost killed my true calling. Soon after accepting a leadership position in the women's ministry of my church, a friend on the team came up to me. "Oh! We forgot to tell you," she said with a grin. "You're in charge of the annual women's conference."

Despite the surprise, I loved every minute of organizing the event. But as I interacted with our guest speaker, envy began to wind itself around my heart. If it could have spoken aloud, it would have said, "I want THAT!"

I wanted her platform.

I wanted her eloquence.

I wanted her audience.

I wanted her cute outfit.

Fortunately, I recognized these "wants" as signs of covetousness rather than signs of my calling. I knew God had called me to be the women's ministry director during that season—not to speak. And each time I desired what that speaker had, it took my focus off what God had for me.

So I asked God to kill the weed of envy that was choking the life from my calling to lead women. I asked Him to purify my motives and steer my heart to the women He had called me to serve.

It's so easy for wrong motives to creep in to our hearts. You might not want to be a speaker, but maybe you're the mom who dresses her children to impress others. Or maybe you're the employee who takes charge of the room to show your boss your readiness for the next step up.

There's nothing wrong with cute children or promotions, but so many times our motives trip us up. Instead of being pure, our motives get mixed with other things that sully the outcome—emotionalism, pride, and strong personal preferences are just a few.

Several years after my prayer to remove my "speaker envy," God started whispering to me about speaking as I prayed and read the Word. My first reaction was to think, "There's that old, nasty envy again. God, purify my heart!"

But this time was different. As I unpacked my motives, I realized God had really changed my heart. He'd refined my motives to just one, and that was to obey Him.

Philippians 2:5 states our ideal position: "Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus" (NIV 1984). Our one motive should be to follow Him and become more like Him. That's the motive that should supersede and reign over any others. How do we practically live that out?

I think the clue is in the following verses. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:6-7, NIV 1984).

Our focus has to be on becoming nothing. Nothing is not our status or worth. We are always holy and dearly loved children of the King.

Nothing is to be our chosen position as a servant.

How does this look in everyday life? Jesus is our perfect example. He is everything: the Lord of lords and the King of kings. He is so incredibly powerful and important that Colossians 1:16 says "all things were created by him and for him" (NIV 1984). Despite His exalted position, Jesus showed the purity of His motives toward us by giving up all He had.

As I've thought about how to imitate Jesus in my motives, I ask myself two questions when making choices:

• Does this put me or others first?
• Is this a choice to be more or to be nothing?

These two questions expose any twisted motives and bring me back to my chosen position of nothing. Day by day, my motives are refined. It's a painful process sometimes, but it's a good process that ultimately produces pure motives with divine outcomes.

Lord God, You are the only One with uncontaminated motives. I confess mine are often mixed with pride, emotion, or personal opinion. Please purify my heart. Forgive me, un-mix my motives, and help me move forward with a pure heart. Amen.

Triggers

Lysa TerKeurst

"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-18 (NIV 1984)

I was elated one day when the number on my scale dipped below the plateau weight I'd been stuck at for two weeks. I did a little happy dance and thought, "Finally, I'm making some real progress in this journey. It's going to be such a great day. I'm super motivated. Bring on the raw veggies. Nothing's gonna stop me now!"

Too bad things didn't stay that way. Life can be unpredictable and includes many variables, kind of like math. I'm no math whiz, but I do remember there being these things called polynomials. Polynomials are algebraic expressions that include real numbers and variables.

That's the way my food issues are—they contain real numbers and variables. I suspect yours do as well. And while we must pay attention to the real numbers by eating less and moving more, we would do well to consider the variables in our lives as well.

Variables are those daily triggers we didn't account for but will detour even the best intentions. Triggers can be as large as the stab of loneliness from a broken relationship or the memory of a childhood trauma. Triggers can be as small as a discipline "chat" with a teen out past curfew or stumbling across fresh doughnuts in the office break room. They can prompt the thought, "Life will be better if I eat that."

Triggers have nothing to do with physical hunger or the need for legitimate nourishment. They are lies we've thought so routinely they've become well-worn paths to careless eating. Life is not made better because we overindulge in an unhealthy choice.

The best thing we can do in these triggered moments is to pause and ask ourselves, "Do I want to eat this right now because I need nourishment or because I'm feeling empty emotionally or spiritually?"

If I need nourishment, I can choose a healthy option. If I'm just feeling empty, I must realize food can fill my stomach but never my soul.

The only way to negate an emotional eating trigger is to match it with truth. The truth is this: "I'm not physically hungry right now, but I need to be filled in another way."

The Bible tells us that we can be rooted in love, not emptiness; that we have power to choose truth; and that as we comprehend the love of Christ, we will be filled to the measure of all the fullness—not of that brownie—but of God. Let's look at Ephesians 3:17-18 together: "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:17-18 NIV 1984).

Here's the great thing about truth: it contains no variables! Truth is stable, secure and a surefire way to get me through the unpredictable moments of life.

Take time to pause and use God's truths to challenge your triggers. And, when you're truly physically hungry, that pause will give you the moment you need to choose a healthy snack. Then you will be truly full.

Dear Lord, please help me to battle each of my triggers today with truth. Your truth. Moment by moment. I understand that food can fill my stomach but never my soul. Only You can fill my soul, and I am thankful for that. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Happy Monday... We made it...

Richard

Faithful in Your Words

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation." James 5:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
In June we take time to focus on fathers, and I've discovered in talking with teenagers that many of them harbor bitterness and resentment. Much of that resentment is directed toward their fathers over the serious matter of broken promises.

If you're a dad who wants to restore your relationship with your teenager, one of the best things you can do is to remember those broken promises. Then go and say to them with a remorseful spirit, "I've asked God to forgive me, and I want you to forgive me." Then ask this question, "Have I ever made a promise to you that I've failed to keep? If so, I want you to tell me because I want to repent. I want you to believe that your dad is a faithful man."

ACTION POINT:
Are you a man of your word? If not, start fresh today and make a commitment that you will stand behind your word.

Happy Father's Day

The God Moment that Changes Everything

Kyle Idleman

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!'" Luke 15:17 (NIV)

Not long ago, one of my daughters set my phone alarm tone to match that of her favorite animal. It's labeled "Horses Neighing." It should be called "Death by Stampede." At 5:30 in the morning my alarm went off and I shot straight up, wide-awake, a stampede charging through my bedroom.

While changing it back to my standard alarm, I noticed a wide array of other options. Some of the sounds wouldn't do anything to get me up, like the one labeled "Harp." It trills a soft melody, and just listening to it makes me sleepy.

The most effective alarm ringtone for me is labeled "Old Car Horn." Think in terms of a house alarm that you can hear on the other side of the neighborhood. Now imagine that you are sleeping inside the speaker. It's highly effective. And the great thing is this alarm has a unique backup system that's almost fail proof – my wife.

But here's what I've discovered: the effectiveness of any alarm is in direct correlation to how much you don't want to hear it. In other words, until your desire not to hear the alarm outweighs your desire to keep sleeping—you're not going to wake up.

Similarly, a sudden awakening takes place when God finally gets our attention. The alarm sounds, and this time we hear it. We immediately become aware of our present circumstances and the reality that something must change.

The Prodigal Son experienced this in Luke 15. After taking his inheritance money from his father, wasting it and reduced to feeding pigs, the Bible tells us the son, "came to his senses ..."

At this point the son sat straight up and suddenly realized what his life had become. When he ran away, he'd never thought his journey would have that ending. But now life had his attention, and he knew things had to change.

Have you ever had a moment like this? The Holy Spirit opens your eyes, and you see something that you had somehow missed before. You have a startling realization that changes everything.

You realize you've been trying to live out the Christian life from your own power and strength rather than out of the power of the Holy Spirit.

You realize you weren't actually following Jesus; you were just following a list of rules and rituals.

You realize you spent so much of your life wrestling with guilt and shame, because you thought being good enough would save you.

And then suddenly you realize a truth. That truth has always been true, but for some reason, you just didn't see it before. Like the Prodigal Son, it was the right time and the right place, and finally realization woke you up and brought you to your senses. AHA!

This is an "AHA" moment, and within the parable of the Prodigal Son, I discovered there are three ingredients that are present in every AHA experience.

1. A Sudden Awakening
2. Brutal Honesty
3. Immediate Action

If there is an awakening and honesty, but no action, then AHA doesn't happen. If there is awakening and action, but honesty is overlooked, AHA will be short-lived.

But when God's Word and the Holy Spirit bring these three things together in your life, you will experience AHA—a God-given moment that changes everything.

Today if you are finally hearing the alarm and realizing you are far from your Heavenly Father, know you can turn to Him. Luke 15 shows us that God is a loving Father who is merciful, gracious, and caring. No matter how far we wander from God, He wants to do more than just help us—He wants to save us. And it starts with AHA.

Dear Lord, help me to see the areas of my life that need transformation. Please give me a genuine Awakening, help me to be Honest with myself, and be with me as I take Action. Jesus, I surrender my life to you, and I thank You for the work You're doing in my life! In Jesus' Holy Name I pray. Amen

A Call to Action

Lysa TerKeurst

"Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food." Romans 14:20a (NIV)

Five years ago I was stuck in a rut of wishful thinking and excuses with my weight. At the beginning of each day I would say I wanted things to be different. I would even make a plan to stop the snacks, increase the veggies, and say "no" to desserts.

But then life would happen, and excuses were plentiful. My resolve would melt away like butter on a hot yeast roll.

The next morning I would get up and weigh myself hoping that somehow, something would have happened over night. Despite my indulgences from the day before, maybe the numbers would have gone down.

But the scale was not impressed with my wishful thinking. It could only tell the truth.

Do you know who I'd get mad at?

God.

I'd beg Him to help me one minute while scarfing down an order of fries the next. And then I'd be doubly mad He didn't steer my car away from that drive-thru.

I deemed myself a victim of tragic genetics, overactive taste buds, and a stomach that demanded large portions.

What I failed to realize is there was a much more significant issue going on.

More important than the ever-increasing size of my jeans was the deception going on inside my heart. My weight wasn't God's curse on me. My weight was an outside indication of an internal situation.

Honestly, I might as well have taken Psalm 23 which talks about the Lord being my shepherd and my comfort and replaced His Name with various foods. I was relying on food to be my comfort, my ever-present help, my guide. Food was the thing that got me through the valleys. It became the friend I wanted to celebrate with in the good times.

I don't write to point out anyone else's issue. There are certainly medical and genetic circumstances that can cause weight gain. But I discovered that my issue was spiritual. And no diet would be permanently successful until I got to the root of my problem—craving food more than God.

I desired and depended on the instant high of physical gratification because I hadn't learned how to let God satisfy my deepest needs. This realization became a call to action.

Maybe something is stirring in your soul. I know this is a tough issue. I've walked through the tears and the feelings of failure. But I wanted freedom. And I realized that if I wanted to have my deepest desires met by God and not food, I would need to restore God to His rightful place by changing my old thought patterns. Here are some examples:

Old thought patterns: "I need these chips. I deserve this ice cream. I must have that extra large portion."

New thought patterns: Chips will only taste good for the moment. But the calories are empty and will do nothing good for my body. 2 Corinthians 7:1 reminds me, "...Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit ... out of reverence for God." (NIV 1984)

This ice cream will give me a sugar high but then I'll crash and feel terrible. Psalm 34:8 reminds me to get into God's Word and let it satisfy the hungry places of my soul: "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." (NIV 1984)

This extra large portion will overstuff me and make me feel sluggish. I can't look to this food to soothe me. Psalm 34:5 says, "Those who look to [God] are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." (NIV 1984)

Learning to do this has been a process that I have to intentionally choose day after day. Eventually, I lost the extra weight. But the real reward was what I gained with Jesus in the process. He became the best part of my journey. And I wouldn't have missed this new found closeness with Him for anything.

Dear Lord, if this devotion is a call to action that I need to make, please help me. I want to see the root of my issue. I want to learn to crave only You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

CARELESS WORDS

by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).
 

We seem to think our words simply fall to the ground and die, or vanish into thin air and dissolve into nothingness. Not so! Our words live on—they do not die! 

You may say, “But I only told this gossip to one friend and he promised never to repeat it. It will end with him.” No, it will not! Every single word you and I utter is recorded, written down in eternity, and we will hear them all repeated to us at the judgment. 

I recall coming under deep conviction after sharing a vicious bit of gossip with a friend. What I said was indeed true. It was about a moral situation I had had to deal with concerning a minister. His name came up in the conversation and I said, “Don’t trust him. I know something about him!” Even as I mouthed off, I felt convicted. The Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Stop right there! Nobody needs to know that. Don’t say more, because there’s no purpose to it. Even though it’s true, don’t repeat it!” 

What I had already said was bad enough. But then I blurted out the lurid details! I knew I should have been quiet and sure enough, I was deeply convicted by the Holy Spirit. So later I called my friend and said, “I’m
sorry, that was gossip. I was out of order. Please don’t repeat it. Try not to even think about it.” 

Is my sin covered by the blood of Jesus? Yes, because I fully acknowledged that I had sinned and I allowed the Holy Spirit to show me some of the legalistic pride left in me. I allowed Him to humble me and heal me! Now, whenever I begin to say something against somebody, I obey the Holy Spirit as I hear Him say, loud and clear, “Stop!”

Handling Conflicts

(Adapted by Louis Lapides from John Powell, Why I am Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?, Argus Communications)

The late US syndicated columnist Sydney J. Harris accompanied his friend George to his favorite newsstand. George greeted the man selling the newspapers courteously, but in return he received gruff service. He barely acknowledged his customer and never even looked up at him when he requested the late night edition. Accepting the newspaper, which was shoved rudely in his direction, George politely smiled and wished the newsman a pleasant weekend. The proprietor grunted an indiscernible sound and seemed relieved that the two men had completed their transaction.

As the two friends walked down the street the columnist asked, "Does he always treat you so rudely?" "Yes, unfortunately, he does," George responded. "And are you always so kind and friendly to him?" "Yes, I am!" George continued as they turned a corner. "Why are you so nice when he is so unfriendly to you?" With a look of deep contemplation, George explained, "Because I don't want him to decide how I am going to act."

----

Who decides how you are going to act? Is it your circumstances or the difficult people in your life that determine your responses? When we allow our conflicts to control us, we behave as though getting rid of our predicaments is our only priority. Therefore, it doesn't really matter how we treat one another.

For example, we say, "This person is causing me distress right now so I don't care about exercising patience, self-control, and lovingkindness. Instead, I want to let them to know how angry I am because of their actions."

We forget our trials will eventually subside. But the way we handle conflicts will influence our lives for a long time. Will you only respond to the momentary crisis or will you be more concerned about the enduring value of what kind of person you are becoming? Who decides how you will act when the pressure is on? 

Today's Thought:
The more a man bows his knee before God, the straighter he stands before men. 

Have a Blessed Day,
Richard
 

BRIDEGROOM

 BRIDEGROOM

"At midnight the cry rang out:
‘Here's the bridegroom!
Come out to meet him!'"
Matthew 25:6

FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, not even I know the time when I, your bridegroom, will return for My church and My children. Only My Father knows. Stay close to Me and keep the light on in the window of your heart. Watch with anticipation for My return. And when the time is right, My bride, you'll shout with joyful heart, "Here comes the groom!"

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
Lord, I can only imagine the wedding day, when You, my bridegroom, say to me, "Come!" With fluttering heart, and trembling hands, I'll join my long-awaited love and celebrate an eternity of joy in the home You have prepared for me. Lord, there is no other love but You. Your bride is ready!

SIMPLE TRUTH

The bridegroom never breaks His vows. He loves you today, tomorrow, and forever.

Have A Blessed Tuesday,
Richard

Just As I Am

(from J. Vernon McGee's commentary on James 2:13)

A story is told that took place in London when a great preacher, a very fine young man, by the name of Caesar Milan was invited one evening to a very large and prominent home where a choice musical was to be presented.

On the program was a young lady who thrilled the audience with her singing and playing. When she finished, this young preacher threaded his way through the crowd which was gathered around her. When he finally came to her and had her attention, he said, "Young lady, when you were singing, I sat there and thought how tremendously the cause of Christ would be benefited if you would dedicate yourself and your talents to the Lord. But," he added, "you are just as much a sinner as the worst drunkard in the street, or any harlot on Scarlet Street. But I am glad to tell you that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, will cleanse you from all sin if you will come to Him."

In a very haughty manner, she turned her head aside and said to him, "You are very insulting, sir." And she started to walk away. He said, "Lady, I did not mean any offense, but I pray that the Spirit of God will convict you."

Well, they all went home, and that night this young woman could not sleep. At two o'clock in the morning she knelt at the side of her bed and took Christ as her Savior. And then she, Charlotte Elliott, sat down and wrote the words of a favorite hymn, "Just As I Am":

"Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come!"

And then the final stanza:

"Just as I am - Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come!"

My friend, may I say to you, that this is the basis on which all of us must come to Christ. 

Your Daily Thought
"When a soul is saved, the heart of Jesus becomes the night sky on the Fourth of July, radiant with explosions of cheer." - Max Lucado
 

Happy Monday,
Richard

Marriage Is Good But You Have To Work At It

By Waylon Bailey [Edited]

I can still see him in my mind.

He's a tall, thin man standing on his raised front porch. I am his pastor and have visited in his home as part of my pastoral relationship. We've had a nice time visiting and he walks me to his front door. I'm standing next to my car with the door open.

The subject changes to the my upcoming marriage. It's a big deal when the young pastor of a church is about to be married. Sometimes over those several months Martha and I were engaged, it was hard to get the subject to anything else.

I don't know how old Braxton Leverette was. I was 20 or 21 and he had children my age-I played baseball against one of his sons. I suppose he would have been the age of my parents. There were a lot of things I didn't know then, and he helped me with one of those that day.

Standing on his front porch he talked about my upcoming marriage and he gave me advice which I've never forgotten and I've seen the value of over and over:

"Marriage is good but you have to work at it."

I've kidded Martha through the years, telling her I didn't have a clue what he meant until the day of our wedding and then it became clear. It's not a joke, it really did become clear.

Marriage is good. I highly recommend it. Martha has enriched my life. She's brought a joy and companionship that was beyond my imagination when I stood by my Ford Mustang that day.

But, you do have to work at it. You have to work at patience and kindness. You have to work at communication and understanding. You have to work at a hundred different things, and it is so worth it.

We all want our spouse to work at it, but we're the one who has to work at marriage. Marriage won't work if you won't.

When God told us to love our wives and respect our husbands, He was telling us to work at our marriages. Love and respect are things that you do, not what you feel.

I can assure you that you will have to work at your marriage, and I can assure you it's well worth the effort.

Your Thought for Today

I'VE LEARNED...
that when you harbour bitterness, 
happiness will dock elsewhere.
 

Men & Women

By Alan Smith

 Haircuts -
* Women's Version: *

Woman 2: Oh! You got a haircut! That's so cuuuuute!
Woman 1: Do you think so? I wasn't sure when she gave me the mirror. I mean, you don't think it's too fluffy looking?
Woman 2: Oh no, it's perfect! I'd love to get my hair cut like that, but I think my face is too wide. I'm pretty much stuck with this style, I think.
Woman 1: Are you serious? I think your face is adorable. And you could easily get one of those layer cuts - that would look so cute on you. I was actually going to do that except that I was afraid it would accent my long neck.
Woman 2: Oh, now that's funny! I would love to have your neck! Anything to take attention away from this two-by-four I have for a shoulder line.
Woman 1: Are you kidding? I know girls that would love to have your shoulders. Everything drapes so well on you. I mean, look at my arms - see how short they are? If I had your shoulders I could get clothes to fit me so much easier.
Woman 2: Do you think so? Oh, you're just saying that!
Woman 1: No! Really, I mean it...

* Men's Version: *

Man 2: Haircut?

Man 1: Umm hmm.

In case you haven't noticed, men and women truly are different. We think differently, we relate to one another differently, we express our emotions differently. It is those differences that often are the source of conflict in marriages (she wants to talk things out right now, he wants to sit and think about it without saying a word). Yet, ironically, it is those same differences that cause me to appreciate my wife. I admire the differences in her (when they aren't irritating me :-) , and I'm well aware that being married to someone just like me would be absolutely horrible.
All this is to say that God obviously knew what he was doing when he created men and women. Eve truly was "suitable" for Adam as a mate (Gen. 2:18).

The differences require a bit more patience and understanding on our part at times, but it's well worth it!
"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." (I Peter 3:7)
Give thanks to God for your mate today, in spite of (no, because of) the differences between you. 

Embrace the differences...
Happy Saturday,
Richard

I Really Should Have More Fun

Glynnis Whitwer

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:11-12 (NIV)

Why is it so hard for me to stop working and just have fun?

Other people have no trouble doing this. They look for any reason to drop the dust rags, ditch the dirty laundry, turn off the computer, and head to the park! Or the movies. Or a hike. Laughing all the way.

I wish I were more like that.

Couldn't the personality tests I've taken throughout the years just once show a different result? But alas, they always confirm what my family knows too well: I'm the responsible, serious one. The one who picks up cups and plates at someone else's party. And watches the clock at events to ensure they're on schedule. I'm the one who wants to make sure we get all the work done first — before any fun begins.

Only the work is never done. When I finish one task, another sits waiting for me. There's always something more to do. As a result, I experience false guilt. All the time.

Every strength has a good and bad side. The good side of being responsible is, well, I'm responsible. If I say I'm going to do something, you can be fairly sure it will get done.

The bad side of being responsible is feeling like the weight of the world rests on me. It makes a girl crazy worrying about assignments that are hers — and even those that aren't. It's hard to relax. My heart can get resentful when others aren't carrying the weight of the world with me. How do they have so much time to not work?!

The reality? Not every assignment is mine to do. To assume responsibility for more than is mine speaks of a lack of trust ... in God to do His job ... or in others to do theirs.

I'm pretty sure this all-work-no-play routine wasn't the life Jesus intended me to live as one of His disciples. Carrying the weight of burdens that aren't mine to carry. Choosing to interact with a computer screen rather than being with people.

The Bible values hard work, but Jesus' message is clear: Love God. Love people.

In John 15:11-12, Jesus said, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

Jesus, with more to do in His three years of active ministry than I'll have in a lifetime, focused on His main assignment — to love people. Sometimes that meant teaching them. Or serving them. Yet other times it meant just hanging out. Enjoying dinner with friends. Celebrating at a wedding party. Welcoming children. These fun times weren't empty of significance. Rather they were filled with value as Jesus showed love in a different way.

We love God and others when we work. And when we have fun.

This is a truth I need to apply to my life more often. My idea of loving others is often shown by serving them. But some people feel loved when I simply spend time with them. And for some, that time needs to be a little less task-oriented and a lot more laughter-filled.

That's my challenge. To be intentional about having fun. To initiate getting together with others. To say yes when invited. To stretch outside my comfort zone. And to relax about the details.

Work will always be there — but the people might not be.

God has a pretty good handle on managing the world. I can leave that job to Him while I grab a loved one and make a lasting memory instead of checking something off my to-do list.

Heavenly Father, thank You for creating us to laugh. Thank You for putting in us the desire to enjoy life. Help me learn to relax and show love to others without worrying about the details. Forgive me for putting work before someone who needed my time and attention. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Have a Blessed Weekend,

Richard

Today I Stood!

Author Unknown

Today I stood at my window and cursed the pouring rain,
Today a desperate farmer prayed for his fields of grain.
My weekend plans are ruined, it almost makes me cry
While the farmer lifts his arms and blesses the clouded sky.
The alarm went off on Monday and I cursed my work routine,
Next door a laid off mechanic feels the empty pockets of his jeans.
I can't wait for my vacation, some time to take for me,
He doesn't know tonight how he'll feed his family.
I cursed my leaky roof and the grass I need to mow,
A homeless man downtown checks for change in the telephone.
I need a new car, mine is getting really old,
He huddles in a doorway, seeking shelter from the cold.
With blessings I'm surrounded, the rain, a job, a home,
Though my eyes are often blinded by the things I think I own.
1 Thes. 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
PRAYER: O holy God, we praise you for who you are and thank you for your blessings. May our lives be an expression of grattitude to you today. Amen. 

Your Thought for Today
"Thankfulness is the presence of gratitude and the absence of murmuring. Thankfulness is an attitude of appreciation for everything that is received; murmuring is an attitude of complaint for everything that is withheld. Thankfulness is rooted in humility; murmuring is rooted in pride. Thankfulness says, 'This is more than I deserve.'; murmuring says, 'I deserve more!' Thankfulness is the doorway to contentment; murmuring is the doorway to dissatisfaction. Thankfulness travels on the highway of joy; murmuring travels on the highway of gloom. Thankfulness causes the disposition to be sweet; murmuring causes the disposition to become sour." - Roy Lessin 

We have to talk!

I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. Psalms 142:2 (NKJV)

It's the most obvious things that can become the most neglected. Hold that thought as you consider David's declaration in the proceeding verse, "I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble." What's David saying here? He's simply saying that he took the time to share his troubles with God. David communicated with Him.

That's a rather obvious thing, isn't it? Of course David shared his troubles with God, and that's what all God's children do, right? Go back to our initial thought: We often neglect the most obvious things in the spiritual life, and this is especially true when it comes to our communication with God.

Talking to God, having true and sincere conversation with Him, is something we often get stuck on. It's very easy for us to slip into the rut of routine and allow our communication with the Lord to become a lifeless formality. Or we can just be plain old lazy when it comes to making an effort to talk to God.

Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, "Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer." He's right; prayer is not a given. Maintaining our line of communication with God through prayer takes faith and effort. There's a price involved in prayer, but it's always the price of victory and never of defeat. The big question is: Are we willing to pay for it as David was?

Let's not quickly skip over the obvious aspects of our Christianity, like prayer. Let's not make any assumptions in this area, but instead let's stop and determine if we're really doing what David did. Are we truly talking to God, or have we subtly slipped into the habit of neglecting something so fundamental to our faith?

Father, give us praying hearts. Give us hearts that come alive when we talk to You and rejoice as Your presence is sensed in prayer.

Think About It…

What does this passage reveal to me about God?

What does this passage reveal to me about myself?

Based on this, what changes do I need to make?

What is my prayer for today?

Thank God for hiding the future!

by John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885

There is no more gracious provision for our happiness, than what is contained in that brief saying of Scripture, "You do not know what will happen tomorrow!" James 4:14

If we knew in full, in this grief-stricken world, all that would befall us in the future--how sad would existence be! It would leave even prosperity without a note of gladness; for the certainty of losing our blessings, would rob us of all their enjoyment while we retained them. And thus moments of unbounded pleasure, would be clouded with the dark characters of anticipated sorrow.

How would the mother's joy be marred, as the object of her tender solicitude and affection was sporting by her side, or as she hung over the infant cradle--if she could pry with certainty into the future, and read the mournful sequel of that little history--the lingering sickness, the early grave, the blighted hopes, the desolated household, the broken heart. To know the future, would convert the few brief years of possession of her blessing, into consecutive hours of agony--the consciousness and foreknowledge that every moment was drawing nearer the fatal one--sitting by Time's sand-glass and marking grain by grain, as they dropped and fell, until the last grain of the diminishing heap announced, "The long-dreaded hour has arrived!"

But, thank God that the future is veiled! The storm and coming wreck are concealed, in order that the calm of the present waveless sea may be enjoyed.

Yes, we again say, thank God for hiding the future, and allowing us only to be conversant with the joys and sorrows of today.

"You do not know what will happen tomorrow!" James 4:14

Have a Blessed Tuesday,
Richard

Why, God?

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, 'ELI, ELI LAMA SABACHTHANI?' that is, 'MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?'"  Matthew 27:46

Horrific and heartbreaking. That pretty much sums up the unfathomable tragedy suffered by those in Oklahoma after the category 5 tornado touched down for roughly 40 minutes, destroying everything in its wide path and claiming the lives of precious souls. Anyone with an ounce of compassion hurts for these dear people who have lost so much in a matter of minutes.

What are we to make of it all? How are we to reconcile the devastation with our faith in a good and loving God?  Why would He allow this to happen? Why, why, why!?

The "why" question always comes out when we are hurting deeply. It is normal. It is natural. Job asked why repeatedly when he experienced his monumental trials.  Even Jesus Himself asked why when He was hanging on the cross, gasping for breath in agony and blood.

A QUESTION GOD DOESN’T OFTEN ANSWER

While, in the midst of tragedy we naturally ask why, the reality is that God doesn’t often answer our whys.  He speaks directly to the questioning Job for four chapters (Job 38-41) … but never answers his why.  An important thing to remember about God: He is not in the business of explaining; He is in the business of sustaining.  And “when answers aren’t enough, there is Jesus.  He is MORE than just an answer to our prayer.”

If your heart and mind are flooded with whys today over the devastating circumstances of life … if you cannot make sense of that which seems so unfair and so uncalled for, keep in mind the bedrock things that you do know.

1.  God really does love us.  The cross of Jesus Christ proves this beyond any shadow of a doubt.  Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"   

2.  God really is in control and does everything with a purpose.  Nothing sneaks up on God.  He is the blessed and only Sovereign.  While He is definitely not the author of evil, evil cannot touchdown in our lives unless He, for whatever purpose He deems necessary, allows it to (see Job 1-2).  He is in charge and never makes a mistake.  And everything He does flows from a heart of love, because “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).

3.  We can trust God, no matter what.  God is worthy of our trust.  He is the one who takes all the bad things and works them together for our good and His glory (see Rom. 8:28).  While He doesn’t often tell us why things happen the way they do, He does tell us, “My child, even in this, you can trust Me.”    
                     

Will you trust Him?  In your own personal hurt, pain, and bewilderment, will you choose to come to Him and cling to Him, no matter what?  He is God, and there is no other.  He is the only One who can see you through.  Resist the temptation to get bitter at Him when you don’t understand, and surrender all your whys to His unfathomable love, His limitless wisdom, and His amazing grace.

Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

Have a Blessed Monday,
Richard

Quite a concert!

Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Psalms 148:2 (NKJV)
At some point in our lives, most of us have been to a concert. We saw our favorite band or singer's tour schedule, circled the date, saved our money, and checked off the days with great anticipation. The day finally came, the gates opened, we claimed our spot, and stood to our feet as the stage came to life. And as the first few notes of that signature song were played, we sang and shouted along like never before.
Why is that? Why do we take it to another level at a live concert like that? It's because we want to connect with something greater than ourselves. We want to be linked in a common chorus with the masses of other fans around
us. And when we hear our favorite song sung in unison, it fires us up!
Now, take that same principle and apply it to something infinitely greater than the ultimate concert experience. Apply it to praising God. Psalm 148 is a call to praise, but in verse 2 we're reminded that praise isn't just something that's happening here on earth. It's happening in heaven as the
angels of God, thousands upon thousands of them, are worshipping Him in unison.
Think about that for a moment. When we praise God here on earth, we're actually joining in with what the angelic hosts are continually doing in heaven. We're not alone, we're connecting with a chorus greater than anything here on earth, and we're literally singing in concert with heaven!
Keep that perspective the next time you have the opportunity to lift up your voice in praise. Remember that your voice is being blended in with the Heavenly Hosts and that you're taking part in a concert unlike any this world has ever experienced!
We give praise to You, O God…and we take joy in knowing that when our hearts are worshipping You, we're singing in concert with Heaven.
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?