God knows who you really are, does your spouse?

In Psalms 138:1 we are powerfully reminded how God knows our inner being more than anyone else. "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely."

In the journey of marriage, it is essential to bring our authentic selves into the relationship. Yet, do we truly do this?  Do we actually open up about the aspects of ourselves that shine as well as those we find challenging?  God's intimate knowledge of our inner being calls us to embrace both vulnerability and honesty with our spouses.  I invite you to reflect and think about any aspects of your character that you are still hiding from your spouse.  Being authentic with your spouse will not only deepen your connection but also, with God's help, those areas of your life you find challenging will start to ease up as you grow to trust your spouse.

I urge you to take a moment to reflect on any parts of your character that you might be holding back from your partner. Being genuine with each other not only enhances your connection but, with God’s grace, can also help you overcome any difficulties you face. Embrace this opportunity to grow together!

Whom shall I send?

In the Bible there are amazing stories of God choosing a person to bring his message. Abraham, Moses, Gideon, David, Peter and many more. Each one in the natural unqualified; but when God spoke they listened and chose to follow his orders.

Fear and adversity had given way to obedience and courage. What things in your life are you afraid to confront? The Bible says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.Joshua 1:9 NIV

God doesn’t say it’s a suggestion, it’s a command. His word is a reminder that we are His children, and as a loving father, He gives us the confidence by telling us He is with us no matter how the odds look. Our Father rules the natural and unnatural.

Be strong and courageous, my brothers and sisters for no challenge we face in life and in marriage too big for our Father to help you overcome.

Broken Beautiful

The other day there was an issue that came up and for some reason I remembered this famous mother goose poem. 

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

As men we bear the responsibility to make our wives feel that we are their security. Security and trust in a relationship are the glue that holds everything together. 

What happens when we fail and fall? 

As men, we try not to hurt our spouses by saying little lies that we believe will have no consequences, but that is so far from the truth.  Our words have repercussion and just like the little rhyme says they couldn’t put humpty back together again. I know what you’re thinking, it’s a little extreme, but understand that once that trust is shattered you might put it back together but it will never be the same as before. 

So, I challenge you to be mindful when tempted to speak a little white lie. A simple lie can steal the security of your wife.   Many long marriages have cracks but they continue in perfect imperfection because there is a belief that together they can handle what ever the issue is.  It’s in the cracks that we can look back and admire the marriages that have weathered the storms. 

My brothers and sisters in Christ, renew your mind every day and cherish what God has given to you, especially your spouse. 

Humpty couldn’t be put back together by all the king’s men, but we know it’s the King of Kings that we serve, and no matter how broken we are, HE can put it back together for his purpose again. 

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:22-23 NIV

Faith

We were at a class and the topic of discussion that came up was about faith "what does faith mean to me" to be exact.   After spending some time thinking about what faith means to me I came up with what I believe is the accurate definition of what faith is in my life.

Faith

"A peaceful and confident journey, trusting and knowing that Jesus is walking with me while God is ahead of anything that I face, whether good or bad, but either way ending with the gift of eternal life."

What would our lives really look like if we actually lived this out?  What effect will this have on your marriage? Imagine waking up each morning, opening your eyes to see Jesus right there, ready and waiting to walk out the day with you.  What would that feeling be like? Would you feel intimidated, confident, nervous, on guard, safe, loved?  How would this change your actions, behavior, and responses throughout the day? 

 I mean, we say we have faith but  we wait to encounter difficult situations to pray out to God often seeking resolve for what we go through but how about if  walk out in faith ahead of time?  Think how different our lives would be, how many setbacks  we would  avoid, how many arguments would we prevent if we actually walked out the faith we speak about, pray about and learn about.

I challenge you to start your day imagining Jesus walking beside you each day so that you can enjoy a peace that surpasses all understanding, so that you can experience a new relationship with our Father during your time here on Earth.  Psalm 121:8  says, "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Let us embrace this scripture and really believe what we say we believe, as God is already ahead of anything we can encounter.

A Transparent Marriage

Check yourself

It is so easy for us to quickly loose our temper and have a plan of attack when faced with situations where people take advantage of us and hurt us, if you are like me your mind rushes to plan out your revenge, you can see it playing out in your head to make those who hurt you pay for their actions. Then there is a minute where the Holy Spirit takes control and says Remember Jesus' teachings, the bible says to be slow to anger.

We all struggle with issues sometimes beyond our control that can escalate. As Christians, we are called to forgive, "be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26–27). Although it is not always easy, we should check our attitude as well as our motives before becoming angry with others.

Paul gives us some sound advice on the appropriate approach: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:19–21).

A Transparent Marriage