Finding Solutions To Our Sins

It always amazes me how foolish people can be. Oh, I count myself included. I woke up this morning with a headache. After I took a couple of allergy pills, let the dogs out, grabbed a little breakfast, and had my morning cup of coffee I sat to ponder my day. How I wished I could be like the character in the TV show Bewitched today. Then it would not matter if I had a headache, I could just wiggle my nose and I would take care of everything. I could wiggle my nose and my laundry would be done, my house would be clean, bills would be paid etc. How great that would be right? Well I tried it and it didn't work, not that I really expected it to. Yet, we all would like to find the quick fix and the easy answers to our problems wouldn't we? The problem with the quick answer is that usually the underlying problems would still be there and just get worse. If we don't take care of the problems and just look for quick solutions to the effects we are still left with the problems and they will just surface again and again. What it all comes down to is us making the hard choice to discipline ourselves if we want to solve them. The longer we live with the problems and in sin, the longer and harder it is to brake bad habits and achieve solutions to our problems.

If we are going to successfully deal with any problem we must first stop avoiding it or trying to find the simple painless solutions to solving it. A good example of this is the very GROWING problem America is having with being overweight and under fit. Again, I have to count myself included. Now for some of us there can be medical problems that are part of the root problem. This is true in my case. After I had my second child I had to have a hysterectomy. Since that time I have battled weight problems due to hormone problems. Saying that I will also tell you that I have not always done a good job at attacking the problem and staying in control of it. Things go well for awhile and then I get busy and backslide until I again have no choice but to face the problem. By current statistics I know that I am not alone. Now, I am not saying we all should look like the body builders or the twig looking models. Weight control should be looked at as health maintenance. What I am saying is that we would have far less medical problems if we would tackle our obese problems head on. We would not have them at all if we would tackle the problem while it is still a small problem. What is even sadder is to see the statistics of our youth that are facing major health problems because of early obesity.

Do we face our weight problems and tackle them head on smartly? Well some do but most aren't. We ignore the problem, look for miracle cures in a bottle of pills, try the latest diet fad, make short lived resolutions to change, talk a lot about it, and in some cases wait until the problem is so bad that we are willing to risk our lives to find a cure.

Still Gluttony is a sin that Christians often seem to try to ignore. We find it very common to hear sermons or messages given on the evils of smoking and drinking as sins, but gluttony seems to be one of those sins that offends people to talk about it, so few like to preach on it. It becomes one of our "tolerated" sins. The Bible makes it very clear however what God thinks of gluttony. Proverbs 23:20-21 warns us, "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." It also speaks of gluttony in Proverbs 28:7 when is says, "He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father." Proverbs 23:2 tells us, "put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony."

Gluttony is a sin just like any other sin and God hates sin. When it all comes down to basics, all sin revolves around the root problem of our ability to control ourselves and not give in to temptations. If we are unable to control our habits of what we eat, we are letting our eating control us. If we are not showing self-control here we are also probably allowing lack of control into other areas of our lives too. Just like those pounds that can creep up on us so easily if we do not have a good plan of defense against them, other sins in our lives can do the same thing too.

God is a gracious and loving God who blesses us by providing for us the things that we NEED on this earth. We need to honor God by not letting the sins of greed, temptation, and lack of self-control get the better of us. 2 Peter 1:3-9 tells us, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

How do we honor God by not letting the sins of greed, temptation, and lack of self-control get the better of us? The answer to tackling any problem must first start with God. A good way to start would be facing your sin head on as Psalm 51:1-4 says, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge." It is though the strength God can give us by our faith and trust in Him that we can tackle our sins and develop the strength of self-control to resist the temptations that would have us backslide. It is not really self-control as much as it is faith-control. The more we turn control of our lives over to God the stronger our faith-control becomes.

We don't need to look for miracle cures or quick fixes. Our cure is through faith in God alone. We need to make sure that with any plan we are making to handle a problem we are having in our lives, that we include God in our solution if we want to guarantee success. Remember just as it is easy to let our weight slide on the scale without being active and proactive in controlling it with the proper ways of eating and good old fashioned exercise, it is also just as easy to let our faith slide if we to not take active and proactive steps to include it in our lives too. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." Strive to honor God mentally, physically, emotionally, and faithfully in all you say and do. It is through faith-control that we grow closer to God.

Find the prayer for this post at http://www.morefootstepsinthevalley.blogspot.com/
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FaithfulToOne©2007


Solutions

I keep looking for solutions
I know the quick fix I'll never find
It is only through faith-control
I'll find my peace of mind

Some days it's one step forward
Other days it's two steps back
Forgive me when I backslide
And the faith that I still lack

When temptations overwhelm me
And in strength I grow weak
Lord let me feel your presence
It's courage though You that I seek

God I seek your guidance for my sin
For answers I'll search Heaven above
I know my solution will be found
Surrounded in God's gracious love

FaithfulToOne©2007

Forgiveness At The Crossroads Of Love And Anger

Finding Forgiveness

Where do we find forgiveness
What must be offered and must be sought
Forgiveness from pain and agony
It can’t be bartered for or even bought

Where is the place called forgiveness
A place our souls can find a home
Where remorse finds peace and deliverance
With forgiveness each can call their own

Where vengeance and guilt find no place to hide
A place where broken hearts can mend
To find the love that once was lost
A place where friendships never end

Lord light the path that leads us now
To a special forgiveness of our own
For true forgiveness can’t be found
Unless true faith is in the home

Only faith removes these heavy chains
That binds anger tightly to the heart
In prayer we must look to the cross
Where true forgiveness had its start

Our Savior is our loving refuge
And our righteous battle sword
Trust in Him to give you justice
Our power’s in the Living Lord

Forgiveness you must give
If it is to be received
Only then can chains be broken
Only then our souls relieved

FaithfulToOne © 2007


Harvard Women's Health Watch published an article a while back that said that forgiving those who hurt you can improve your mental and physical well being. In the article it gives five reasons that we should forgive someone. We often think that giving forgiveness to someone only benefits the person being forgiven, but that is not true. Harvard Women's Health Watch discusses the five health benefits that were scientifically studied that effect the forgiver:

1. Forgiving reduces stress in the forgiver. Relieving grudges and offering forgiveness can reduce strains that can show up physically in ways such as: Muscle tension, higher blood pressure, and increased sweating.

2. One study found a link between offering forgiveness and a healthier heart. Offering forgiveness showed improved blood pressure, better heart rates, and an eased workload put on the heart.

3. A 2004 study showed that a woman that was able to offer forgiveness to her spouse and show compassion for him was much better and more effective in resolving conflict situations and had stronger relationships. Men do you care to step up to the plate on this too? If God calls the man to be the faithful head of the home this is something he should be modeling for others too.

4. One study on people with chronic back pain found that if they practiced meditation that focused on converting angry feelings into compassionate feelings, they felt less pain and anxiety than those who just received regular care.

5. Forgiveness effects the forgivers bringing them greater happiness. One study revealed that if a person talks about forgiveness during therapy sessions they exhibited greater improvement then those that didn't. When you forgive someone, you are taking responsibility for your own happiness instead of giving it to the person that hurt or betrayed you.

John 20:23 says, "If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." So what are the dangers of not forgiving someone? Mark 11:25 says, And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Matthew 6:14-15 also warns us, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." The Bible tells us if we wish to have our slates wiped clean when we go to the Father and ask for forgiveness, then we must be willing to forgive those that have wronged us too. Ephesians 4:31-32 tells us, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

If you are seeking help with healing and forgiveness I would recommend the daily email messages from the DivorceCare website. I have a link here on my blog. Even if you are not getting a divorce there are some very powerful messages for dealing with the breakdown in relationships. I can with all faith and honesty tell you that I feel the ones I got recently were messages from God. The reason I can say this is that God used them to help me forgive someone in my life.

There was once a man in my life that I loved and cared deeply about. He was the one that broke off our relationship and we parted on very bitter terms. I had made peace with the situation, because I believed it was God's will at the time. I had not wanted to harbor any ill will for the man and prayed often for God to help me forgive him. I thought over time that I had completely forgiven him, but God knew that I still harbored pain for the hurt that was caused by our break up. God knew me better than I knew myself.

After our break up, there was one attempt that was made to reconcile our feelings and move on. I had hoped that we could at least be good friends in faith, but it ended with emails that only vented angry, bitter, hurt, and very negative feelings on both sides. We were both at fault this time. They were emails that did not show how two Christians should be treating one another. After that there was no real contact going on except for the occasional impersonal email being forwarded to each other. Over time I again prayed to find forgiveness and move on, but still I now know there were pains of resentment from some of the hurtful things he had said to me.

During this time we were not talking to one another so I did not know what was going on in his life, but after we parted ways God knew that there was work to be done with both of us. I can tell you that during this time God did a lot to bring me closer to Him and to give me real focus on things I need to accomplish for Him. God also had work to do for the man that had hurt me. Again, God knew him better then he knew himself. He had been harboring anger and bitterness in his heart for a long time. The longer it was there the more it ate away at him until finally in complete frustration he turned to God. As soon as he humbled himself in prayer and turned to God, God got busy. God revealed a lot to this man as he turned things over to God and continued to seek His will and direction. Saying all this God still had more to show him, because even though the man prayed and prayed, he saw no intersession.

What was God waiting for? Only later, would we both understand that God was working behind the scenes and it was God waiting on him. As God began to work in the man's life, he wanted to reach out to me and ask for forgiveness. The fear of rejection and the bitterness he thought I would respond with held him back. Then one day he took a chance and forwarded a touching story to me. He almost didn't email it, but he felt the Holy Spirit strongly urging him on. The email had no message or plea for forgiveness with it, it was just the story. The Holy Spirit was working on the other side too, because the story touched my heart. I sent him an email that thanked him for the story. I did not swing the door wide open, but it was the Holy Spirit leaving a crack in the door. If I had been more faithful at the time, I would have seen what was coming next a whole lot sooner than I did.

As God was preparing the man's heart to ask for forgiveness, God was preparing mine to receive it. I did not realize until later the many times God had tried to reach me, but I was too busy with the many things going on in my life, to hear His messages. Praise God, because he never gave up. God was determined to have His will known. I often find that if you really want to know what God is trying to tell you, that you have to find quiet time and a quiet place with him. When the world invades that quiet time and place, it is like static on a cell phone that keeps you from receiving what the other person is trying to say. God will find many ways to reach us and He will never give up on us. I find direction in God's word, through the scriptures and through devotionals that I read. Several times I have turned to the scriptures, heard a song on the radio, watched a sermon on TV, or read a devotional message that I know was a message from God or a direct answer to a prayer.

I have subscribed to three devotionals that are emailed to me everyday. I also get daily email messages from the DivorceCare website. The DivorceCare program and their daily messages did a lot to help me heal when I was going through my divorce. I still receive them because they are great messages that often inspire my writing. I am sorry to say that due to my very busy schedule at the time, I had fallen behind reading my messages and devotionals. I had gotten some strange feelings over the last two weeks and now see the ways that God was trying to reach me, but I was not focused on Him at the time, because I was too busy. It was so subtle the way I put God on the back burner. I felt so ashamed when I realized I had missed His messages to me. When I realized this I asked for God's forgiveness. To be forgiven we must forgive.

The day the man chose to email me the story, God emailed me a message too. It was from DivorceCare titled, Forgiveness Is A Choice. This is part of that message: "'It's not a matter of how you feel,' says Harold Graham. 'It's not even a matter of how you think. It's a matter of your will. Your will is the part of you that makes your decisions. Either you will or you won't, or you do or you don't. It is that cut and dried. The difficulty is once you make that decision, your emotions will kick in and say, 'Time out, I really don't want to do this.'" The rest of the message gave some very good ways to look at forgiveness. It ended with the prayer "God, I cannot forgive through my own strength. Thank you that there is forgiveness with You. Amen." As I read this I consciously did not make the connection, but I now know that the seed was planted.

I emailed a simple reply to the story the man sent. This email and the work God was doing in this man's heart was finally enough to break down the wall of hurt, anger, and bitterness that he had built. The next day, I was totally caught off guard and was not prepared for the email I received. It was a touching message of how God had been working in this man's life since our last bitter exchange. It was also a sincere heartfelt message asking me to forgive him. After I read it I just sat there because I could not believe my eyes. Could this really be coming from the same man? Was he really being sincere in his message? Could there really be hope in repairing our friendship or even more? Could God really change some one's heart so much?

These are just a few of the questions that rapidly ran through my brain, heart, and soul. Then came the big question! With all honesty, could I really completely forgive him? I wanted to forgive him. I don't ever want to have ill will in my heart for anyone, but wanting to do something and having the will to do it as the DivorceCare message said, are two different things. I wanted to respond immediately but I couldn't. The more I tried, the more I reread the email, the more my doubts held me back. I knew of nothing else to do but pray, turn it over to God, and then wait on God for guidance. I knew what the Bible said about forgiveness, but the doubts that plagued me were very strong. Later that evening I was floored again when I opened up my DivorceCare message for the day. This message was title, Forgiveness Is A Decision You Make. The following is an excerpt from the message, "'Forgiveness is a decision only you can make. 'Forgiveness is a decision you make,' says Doug Easterday. 'I can't do it for you. Even the person who offended you can't. God can't do it for you. You're the only one in the history of the world who can make this choice. Therefore, you have something to say about your own destiny if you choose to forgive.'" As I read the rest of the message I knew God was definitely trying to speak to me.

After I prayed, I knew what I needed to do. I tried several times to write him back but could never find the right words to say, so I prayed harder. I got the same answer each time I prayed, "Free yourself and let him heal, forgive him." Still the words to write would not come. I was so busy and overtired with things going on in my life, I could not think. Finally out of desperation I prayed for God to give me strength. The next thing I knew I was calling the man on the phone, yet in the back of my mind I was hoping he would not answer. I had no idea what I would say and prayed that God would find the words for me. God did, because when he answered God gave us both strength. Our doors swung wide open and we forgave each other.

The next day I discovered something really amazing that I knew I had to share with him. While the man was praying for forgiveness from God and for my forgiveness, he had no idea how many times God was trying to intercede for him. I didn't realize it either until I went back to my email. When I reread the man's letter and the DivorceCare messages I began to wonder what was in the other messages I had been too busy to read. To my astonishment I found out that for eleven days God had been trying to reach me with messages about forgiveness. For eleven days the theme for the DivorceCare messages were on forgiveness. When I stopped to think about that I also realized other ways God had been planting seeds of forgiveness. Seeds I had not even realized until now. So what messages from DivorceCare were still to come over the next few days? I knew that there would still be doubts springing up? Did God have more messages for us? So I went to the DivorceCare site to check. God was not leaving anything to chance. He knew that our new found forgiveness would need reinforcement and nurturing so the messages that were still to come over the next few days were on forgiveness and reconciliation.

At this point I knew the messages I had received (and ones I was going to receive) were not just for me but they were for him too. Little did I know how right I was. When I talked to him that night he was in awe at the way God had been interceding for him even when he still had his doubts. We know God brought us back together so that both of us could forgive and heal. Our faith has taken another leap with this shared experience and we have committed our friendship to God. We will take one day at a time with our friendship and continue to pray that God leads us in our faith. We will seek His direction and His will for our lives. We know that even when forgiveness is honestly given it takes time. It does not mean that you just start over where you were before. We know that God loves and cares for both of us and that He does not want His children to suffer. It feels wonderful when you find forgiveness and break the chains that hold you back. If you are having trouble forgiving someone pray and turn it over to God so that He can heal you too.

FaithfulToOne © 2007

My Dream- Which Way Are You Facing Today?

One night I was reading the Bible before I went to bed and read Psalm 138:7, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. " That night when I went to bed I had a dream.

I dreamt that I was walking on a path. As I walked I noticed that only one set of footsteps were on the path that was behind me now. Long dark shadows were clinging tightly to my heels, casting fearful shapes that distorted everything they covered. The things in my life that lined the path I was walking became very distracting and kept me from feeling the peace I thought should be around me. I was like a child waking up to a dark bedroom in the middle of the night. Disoriented, I was fearful and scared because I saw everything through a dark veil. Anxious to be free of this nightmare, I closed my eyes hoping it was all a bad dream, only to open them again to the silent sights and sounds of loneliness. I felt hopeless and overcome by my restless feelings of abandonment. Then, just like a small child I cried out in prayer to my Heavenly Father. I had one plea and that was for Him to rescue me with His Heavenly light.

When I finish praying I heard God call to me like a loving and reassuring parent saying, "I am right here with you my child." "Where are you God? I can not see you!", I responded with great urgency in my voice. "Turn around child", He said. When I turned around His glorious light bathed me with His love. My heart rejoiced as I again felt His comfort and strength. In joy I praised His Holy name. Then dropping to my knees, now humbled and fully aware of the power that surrounded me, I prayed for God's forgiveness. I realized that God had always been with me. The darkness and shadows that had scared me were cast because of His light that He had always been shining on me all along. It was dark because I had turned my back on His direction and wandered off the path He had for me into the shadows. There was only one set of footprints on the path of trials that I was on, but I was never alone. He was there shining His light on the path that was His will for me, waiting for me to turn around and correct my way. Then I remembered that James 4:8 says, "Draw nearer to God and He will draw nearer to you."

God's light is always there ahead of us to light our way with His love, wisdom, mercy, forgiveness, courage, and strength. If we have faith and focus on His light trusting in Him, we have nothing to fear. The shadows that are behind us can not hurt us or blind us with darkness to the direction we should be heading to honor and glorify God.

I prayed, " Father please forgive me for ever doubting you. It was not you, it was me that had made the errors in our relationship. When I lost my focus on you I got distracted, turned around, and lost. All I could see was my past and what you had already put behind me. I could only see my life scared through the veil of darkness. Thank you for hearing my fearful prayers. You are the God as written in Psalm 68:19 who daily bears my burdens, and I praise you. You called out to me when I was scared and lost with such loving comfort, turning me back to you. Father, I pray that you now keep me focused forward so that your light shines brightly on me always. Guide my steps, so that the darkness can no longer scare me for my life is now yours. I now focus on you with great joy, for the blessings and the trials I face. I know that you are always there for me when I am in need. I wish to seek Your will and blessings for my life so that my life reflects Your light in a way that honors and glorifies You always. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

I woke up from the dream with such a peace and joy in my heart, as if a great weight had been lifted off of me. I also quickly grabbed pencil and paper so that I could share this with others. My question to you is, "Which way are you facing today?"

Anger Is The Wind That Blows Out The Light Of Reason

Anger is the wind that blows out the light of reason. Like love, anger is one of our strongest emotions. There are two different types of anger. The first is a righteous anger that we see examples of in the Bible when judgment and justice were passed against sinful people. It says in Numbers 14:18 “The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” I often wondered about this verse until I became a parent. Your children will not only learn your good habits and teaching, they will learn all your bad habits and weak character traits too if you are not careful. You condemn your children to the sins you have if you do not do something about them. If parents smoke there is a lot higher percentage of chance that the children will smoke too, than if they grow up in a smokeless home. If parents or other family members swear, use drugs, get involved with pornography, are abusive, have anger issues, etc. there is more of a chance that the children will follow in the parents footsteps than if they did not grow up around these things. These families will continue to suffer until someone has the faith and strength enough to break the chain and break free of the sins that continues to punish the family.

Anger is one of those emotions we can’t avoid but it is up to us to control. Anger is good when it gives us a call to action against injustice, but if we let it control us then it take on a very destructive and sinful form. This is the second type of anger: Anger that is a destructive parasite.

The Bible tells us that we should not let our anger get the better of us when we see the injustice and evil succeed around us. Instead it tells us to trust in the Lord and let Him take care of it. In Psalm 37:7-9 it says, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.” I hold tightly to this verse when people wrong me or others and they seem to get away from it. I know that God has so much love for us and only wants the best for us, but I also know that I would never want to make Him angry with me. Psalm 86:15 says, “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” He is slow to anger but He does not hold back forever. He will deal with the sinful that do not repent and turn from their wicked ways. Isaiah 13:13 says, “Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.”

The one thing I have discovered is that the second type of anger is a parasite that preys on its host. It is an emotion that can’t exist by itself. Matter of fact, it often masks or hides other emotions. You might see someone getting angry because they are jealous. Jealousy is the cause and anger is the effect. Someone can get angry at their spouse. Why? There are several reasons: They are selfish and did not get things their own way, because their love was hurt from betrayal or broken trust, because hurt feelings were never dealt with, etc. Anger is a reaction to things that happen to us. Uncontrolled anger is a parasite that continues to feed off its host, getting stronger and stronger building grudges and making us bitter unless it is discovered and removed.

We should strive to be like our Lord as it says in Psalm 145:8, “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” It is impossible to expect anyone never to get angry, it is not impossible to learn how to control it so that it does not control you. There are all too many ways that we see anger free to run in this world today: Road rage, divorce, domestic violence, swearing, and the “I’ll screw them before they can screw me attitude”.

The Bible addresses this type of anger several times. James 1:19-21 says, “dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” Ephesians 4:25- 27 says, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” When we allow our anger to fester and feed on us we are giving Satan a weakness to exploit and prey on. If we confront our anger and deal with it then it can not control us. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” This tell us that not only do we need to be responsible for controlling our own anger but that we should also help others control their anger too by not inciting more. When someone is showing the signs of loosing control your calm demeanor can go a long way to keeping the hot water from hitting the boiling point. We are also warned in Proverbs that we should not be friends with those that have anger management problems. Proverbs 22:24-25 says, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.” Lynch mobs and crowd violence are good examples of this. A few in anger stir up trouble until emotions are high and things get out of control.

Here are some suggestions to deal with your anger:

1. Take care of problems when they are small. Don’t allow them to fester and get the better of you. Don’t allow others to push your buttons. When you do that you loose control and give it to them.

2. If you are really angry about something don’t try to handle it in that frame of mind. Walk away and give yourself time to calm down first. Remember hurtful words said in anger can never be taken back.

3. Make sure you understand why you are angry. Is your anger masking another problem that is not being dealt with? If you have a real anger problems these issues that you mask with anger may go all the way back to your childhood. You may need to seek counseling to find out what childhood issues prevent you from expressing you anger appropriately. These might include fears, abuse, denial, etc.

4. You need to forgive and move on with your life. One of the best ways to relieve ourselves from stress and anger is to forgive someone. When you do not forgive someone you are hurting yourself more than you could ever hurt the other person. If you are dealing with anger issues it may be because you are still harboring your inability to show forgiveness and only feel bitterness against someone. If you are doing this you maybe punishing others with your anger because you refuse to forgive someone that has made you bitter and move on. If you are feeling guilty about something the person you may need to forgive is yourself. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” You need to take these issues to God in prayer. In prayer turn your bitterness and pain over to Him to heal and ask Him for the courage to forgive the person or people that wronged you. When you have done that then leave it with Him and focus on today and your future. Anger lives strong in our hearts when it has good hooks planted in the past. Remove the hooks and it has no hold.

5. Find appropriate ways to express your anger and ways to keep it from boiling over. For me prayer is the only sure fire answer. Listening to relaxing music to keep you calm on your drive home, to take your mind off traffic, might be an answer if you tend to get road rage. Keep a journal or write a letter. Sometimes it is just a need to vent our frustrations or express our hurt and pain that can help us control our anger. We may never even need to give the letter to the other person, but it can sure feel good getting it out. Exercise is also a great way to deal with anger. When we exercise our body releases endorphins which makes us feel better and will help reduce our stress levels too. Things like alcohol, drugs, overeating, etc. are all things that are escape tools that do not solve the problem they only mask it further and make it worse. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

Anger is a parasite that will continue to feed off of us until it show on us physically, mentally, and emotionally. This can show physically as: high blood pressure, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, trembling, constipation, sleep problems, contracted pupils, impotence, and more. Mentally and emotionally it can show itself as: Criticism, irritation, hated, silence, passive aggressive or aggressive behavior, resentment, bitterness, envy, jealousy, vengeful, insecurity, poor self-esteem, being judgmental of others, condemning, anxiety, apathy, depression, vindictiveness, malaise, and more.
Let us live by love not anger. If you have anger issues you are dealing with you can’t be focused on God’s will for your life. If you are dealing with anger issues give them over to God. Strive to live as the Lord is described in Psalm 145:8 “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” If you have wronged someone with your anger, ask them and God to forgive you. Jeremiah 10:23-24 says, “I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, LORD, but only with justice— not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing." God will show His love and mercy if we repent and ask for forgiveness. When He forgives us that is it. We are forgiven and we need to put it behind us and focus on what will honor and glorify Him. Nahum 1:3 says, "The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet." Why should you harbor your anger and bitterness when God can and will deal with your issues so much better. Forgive the person, free yourself from your parasite, and move on with your life in a way that honors and glorifies God. Let God deal with the guilty as the Bible tells us He will do.

Anger and forgiveness are for you to control. No one can do it for you. That does not mean you don’t have help. God will give you the strength to deal with it if you let Him. Pray and He will help you.

FaithfulToOne©2007

Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates. You Never Know What You're Gonna Get.

Well it is all the way you look at it I guess. I remember when the movie Forrest Gump came out in 1994 and Tom Hanks spoke Forrest’s now famous quote, "My mamma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.’” Then we got a far more cynical view in 1996 when the Cigarette Smoking Man on the TV series The X Files said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. A cheap, thoughtless, perfunctory gift that nobody ever asks for. Unreturnable because all you get back is another box of chocolates. So you're stuck with this undefinable whipped mint crap that you mindlessly wolf down when there's nothing else left to eat. Sure, once in a while there's a Peanut Butter Cup or an English Toffee. But they're gone too fast and the taste is... fleeting. So you end up with nothing but broken bits filled with hardened jelly and teeth-shattering nuts. And if you're desperate enough to eat those, all you got left is an empty box... filled with useless brown paper wrappers.”

So which way do you look at things? Are you like Forrest that takes life each day for what it is and tries to make the best of it, or are you like the Cigarette Smoking Man who prefers to see the worst of things and then has to make sure everyone knows about it too?

There are things in life that happen no matter how prepared or organized you are. Car accidents, the death of someone close to you, loss of a job, etc. are all things that can happen to us that we have no control of. What we do have control of at all times is how we choose to react to the things in life that happen to us.

First of all, there may be times we do not always understand why something happens to us, but we can lean on our faith during these times for strength and guidance. There have been several times in my life that I have gone through situations that were very low valleys in my life, however looking back on them I can see how events during that time either shaped my life and faith to make it stronger or how I was a key puzzle piece in the change of the course of events, that I know was part of God’s plan. I got a fortune cookie yesterday that said, “Courage does not come without fear or suffering.” As coaches often tell their athletes, “No pain… No gain!”

What it all really comes down to is whether or not we are living in the Spirit or not. It says in Galatians 5:16-18, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

You can slide into a negative lifestyle because of things that have happened in your life and become like the cynical Cigarette Smoking Man with your sinful nature evident for all to see. When you don’t live in the Spirit you can carry a black cloud with you where ever you go, casting a shadow on everything you come into contact with. Galatians 5:19-21 warns, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

You must make the choice whether or not you will dedicate your life to Christ and focus on making your life one of good character and strong faith. When we dedicate our lives to God we are blessed by the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-26 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” If we are willing to honor God’s will for our lives and work through the sanctification process, there are blessings and the fruits of the Spirit that we can look forward to.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “…Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." When we keep our focus on God the things of the world that would drag us down begin to fade away. We can begin to see God’s hand and purpose even in some of the most difficult and hurtful times. We can stand strong and hold fast onto our faith, because we know that God has no limits to His love or His power.

Life really is like a box of chocolates. True, you might not know what you are getting, but often there are clues for you to follow. By experience we learn what kinds of flavors come in what shapes, colors, and sizes. There may even be a diagram or description if we take time to look for it. With experience as we grow in our faith we learn and understand more too. The Bible is our best description and diagram for our lives if we would take the time to study it.

We may not always like all the chocolates in the box but some people must like them or they would stop making them. We may not always see things the same way or have the same opinion as other good Christians, but that does not mean that we can’t work together to honor God’s will and glorify His name. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe the reason for the “assorted chocolates” in your life are not for just you to eat, but they are there for you to reach out with the sweetness of life to share with others? What may mean so little to you, like the discarded chocolates you don’t care for in the box, might mean everything to another person if they are their favorite flavors. Oh, please don’t be one of those selfish and impatient people either, that goes through life poking holes in the bottoms of the chocolates, taking the one preferred piece and ruining the rest of them for others.

So what if you don’t like the chocolates. At least someone thought something of you to give them to you. Think of how many people won’t be remembered in any way. It is the thought that counts, just as it is how we choose to live and think by faith that will make the difference in the end. If you don’t like the chocolates rejoice that you can be a blessing and share them with someone else.

FaithfulToOne © 2007

Don't forget to find the link below for More Footsteps In The Valley. You will find the prayer that goes with this message there, along with other interesting links and information. Take care and God Bless.

Freedom

Free to be me! It just cracks me up to see things like tie-dyed clothes, peace symbols, flower power cloth patterns, toe socks, etc. return to the fashion scene with young kids acting like these are all whole new things. Then there are some new fashions like the ripped blue jeans too that are currently popular. Oh I’m sorry let’s not forget one of my personal NOT favorites- Slouching pants. You know the ones that wear the waistline down at their knees with a shirt pulled out over them (Sometimes with their boxers showing). Oh, ladies I can’t say I care much for your thong straps showing either.

I remember when I was younger, back when mini skirts first came in style. Of course the big argument at home was, “How short was too short?” Well, I can remember my father’s statement on this, “The skirt or dress could be short enough to be interesting, but it better be long enough to completely cover the subject.” He said, “If you have to go out advertising it all the time, then it can’t be worth all that much.” Oh, there are definitely those fashion statements that we would for sure say, “No Way!” if they ever tried to bring them back again, like the men’s polyester pastel leisure suits of the “70’s”. I really want to know how those ever came into style in the first place.

All this so we can express personal freedom and style. What is so funny is that often we think we are expressing our own personal freedoms and styles (especially when we are teens driving our parents crazy with them), but the funny thing is that we are often just getting sucked into the fashion trends of the time, with others dictating what is cool and current for today so that they can profit by it. Those that are really free in expressing themselves are usually the ones that people make fun of because they don’t fit in with the rest of the “Cool Group” of popular kids.

Then there is the whole freedom of speech thing. This is a very important right that we have as Americans in this country. The fact that we are free to express our religious views without fear of being thrown in jail or worse (like in other parts of the world) is something we often take for granted. However, with that said, I sure wish people would use some common sense with this. Our news media never ceases to amaze me in their quest for headlines. Like the one night I was listening to the news about a kid that was arrested after he made pipe bombs. When ask how he learned how to do it, the reporter said that the boy had learned how to do it from a site on the Internet. OK that much is fine, but then the idiot (sorry but this is my opinion) news people go and tell people the exact Internet site where they can find the directions on how to build a pipe bomb can be found. Gee, let’s give more troubled and dangerous people information so they can build them too!

There are so many people that take our freedoms for granted and don’t understand that there are responsibilities and a cost that is paid for the freedoms that they have. It is the same for Christians too today. Christ paid the price on the cross so many years ago, so that we are free with our faith in Him. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says, “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Having freedom with the Lord means we are free from the bonds of death. We are free to become all that God has planned for us to be.

The more we grow in faith the more we are free from the temptations of our own sinful nature and the life we use to have. The more we trust God the more we free ourselves from fear, worry, depression, and many other emotions that can weaken our walk with God or even destroy us if we let Satan prey on our weaknesses. This does not mean we are free to do anything we want and still call ourselves good Christians. Galatians 5:13-14 says, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." This means it is up to us to maintain self control, through the control our faith now has when we trust in Him.

For non-Christians it may seem odd or nonsense when we say that when we give everything over to God with our faith then we are truly free. How can you be free when you give all control up? David wrote in Psalm 57:1-3, “Be gracious to me, Oh God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven to save me”. God does expect our trust and obedience but look what we get in return. If we have faith and turn it all over to Him then even in the darkest hours in “The Valley” times of our lives we can fell the freedom and peace that He gives us, when we know that He is in control and that He will take care of us.

I can remember an experience I had several years ago. I was teaching middle school art at the time. My students had painted a 6 panel mural that was chosen for national exhibition in Washington DC. Each panel was double sided and measured 4x8 feet. They were too heavy and big for me to move by myself. We were asked to exhibit the mural at our City Hall building for one week, before it was to be sent off to Washington DC. They had even planned a small reception after our City Hall meeting to honor the students’ achievement. Well, the afternoon came and I had to get the mural to City Hall and get it set up by 6:00 pm. My help fell through at the last minute so the only help I was able to get was loading it onto the truck at our school. When asked how I was going to get it unloaded and set up I told the person that asked, “Well, I prayed and turned it all over to God, because I have no solutions.” I remember seeing the expression on the person’s face more or less thinking I was crazy, as I drove off to City Hall. I did not want to disappoint my students and I had no solutions so, I trusted God and I continued to pray.

When I got to City Hall it was about 5:30 pm and it was like a ghost town. As I walked in the door all I saw was the elderly woman from our PTA that was setting up a table of refreshments for the reception. I asked her if she had seen anyone that could help, but she told me the place as far as she knew was empty since 5:00 pm. She asked me what I was going to do. I told her the same thing I told the other person. However, this time it met with a better response because the woman was a Christian with a very strong faith. She told me that she would trust in God too and that she would also pray for me as I set off to see if I could find anyone to help me. I thanked her and set off on my quest. As I walked down the hall where all I could hear was my echoing footsteps I continued to pray for God to help me find a man strong enough to help me unload and set up the mural. It was less than a minute after I finished praying that I heard some footsteps around the corner. As I hurried and turned the corner I could not believe my eyes. There walking towards me was a very big muscular man. When I asked him if he could possibly spare a few minutes to help me he gave me a huge smile. He said, “I can do better than that!” You see he was one of our city fireman that just arrived at City Hall for a meeting with our other firefighters. So not only did I get his help, but he went to the meeting room and rounded up 5 other big strong men to help too. I never touched a panel. They did it all for me. The PTA woman could not believe her eyes as I came back around the corner with the 6 men. I was smiling ear to ear and as I walked past her all I could say was, “Praise the Lord!” and she echoed my statement with a big smile of her own. God is so good. He heard my prayer and answered it with far more than what I had prayed for.

When we trust God and maintain self-control, we are protected from temptations and other things that would wear us down, prey on our weaknesses, and point out our failures. It is when we trust God and stay strong in our faith and self-control that God gives us peace and other blessings too. That faith and peace gives us true freedom. The Bible warns us that if we lose our self-control we can meet with disastrous results. There are so many ways that we can be tempted to lose our self control. When we lose self control we give up our freedom, because it is our weaknesses and vices that are then controlling us and not us controlling them. Swearing, losing our temper easily, spreading gossip, gambling, letting our quest for material things run our lives, addictions, lust, pornography, or other obsessive behaviors that do not honor God’s will for our lives rob our freedom and self control from us if we are not constantly on guard. The Bible also warns us in 1 Corinthians 8:9, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”

Developing self-control does not come from just wishing you had it. It is not just the action of doing something right, it is also the action of refusing to fall to the temptation to do something wrong. It takes strong faith and hard work. The frustrating thing is when we backslide to our sinful desires. It is not always easy to just walk away. But that is why we have the Holy Spirit to help us. When we pray and trust God by turning our cravings and temptations over to Him, He will bless us by allowing the Holy Spirit to move through us. When this happens, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome our sinful desires and frees us from the chains that the sinful desires bind us up with. We build self control through our faith and then we are free to resist temptations in the future. Real freedom comes with real faith. Are you ready to turn it all over to God so that you can find true freedom too?


Freedom

No ties to hold me
No Stings to bind
I need my freedom
My peace of mind
I will give you all
That I have to give
But I must control my life
To be able to live

No ties to hold me
No Stings to bind
I’ve found my freedom
My peace of mind
I will give you all
That I have to give
But my faith is with Him
And by Him I will live.

FaithfulToOne © 2007


1 Peter 2:16
Live as free men,
but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.


Remember: Use the "Footsteps In The Valley" link below to return to the top of the page. Use the "More Footsteps In The Valley" link below to take you to the second page of my blog. Check it out and see what I have added. I hope that this page and the new one that I have added inspires you and helps you grow with your walk in faith.

So This Is Love! - Part 2 The Perfect vs The Real

Ok, so where were we. Oh, yes the perfect man. For those of you that just tuned in, yesterday I was talking about a movie that I just watched called The Perfect Man. It stars Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, and Chris Noth. The story is a heartwarming comedy. It is the story about mothers, daughters and the lengths people will go sometimes for love. So if you missed reading yesterday’s post you may want to go back and read it first.

Today I’m on my second thought about the movie. It came because of the title of the movie “The Perfect Man”. What is the perfect man or for that fact the perfect woman? Well if all I have to do is answer this simple question my post today will be very short. The answer is there is no such thing as a perfect woman and the only perfect man was Jesus Christ. OK I’m all done. Well not really.

If we are Christians and we are looking for the perfect man, what we are really looking for is a “Real Man”. By that term what I mean is a "Real Man" of faith. Let me put it this way. What is the difference between a real twenty dollar bill and a counterfeit twenty dollar bill? They may look the same, but one has value and the other does not. What you are looking for is the real thing. There are those that say they are saved and believe in Jesus Christ as their savior, but the way they live shows that their words have no value. A “Real Man” (and “Real Woman” too) live their faith every day. You have no doubt about their faith and their beliefs, because they live to follow God’s will for their lives, glorifying Him, and honoring Him each and every day.

So where can we find some guidelines to help us judge if a man is a “Real Man” or if a woman is a “Real woman” of faith. The Bible is always the best place for that.

Colossians 3:1-4 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” “Real Men” and “Real Women” put their faith first in their lives.

Colossians 3:5-11 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” These are things that you should keep an eye out for. “Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” Before you were saved you might have had no problems with these things, but now that you are saved if you are a “Real Man” or a “Real Woman” of faith, you should see these things as unacceptable. Before you were saved cussing and swearing, using bad language might have been a habit of yours, but now that you are saved this is something you should not do and you should not accept as OK either. Understand that the excuse, “Well other people do it.” doesn’t cut it with God. You are sinning and not honoring Him if you are doing these things. ”Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Oh, does this hit home when you see so many relationships going down the tubes because one or both people are not being honest with each other or God. Ladies and gentlemen you can’t be a player and be a Christian too! “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” It’s all or nothing with God. You have walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.

Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Now there are five character traits you should be looking for in a “Real Man” or “Real Woman”. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” A “Real Man” and “Real Woman” make every effort to work things out. They don’t carry grudges and they don’t keep reminding you of your errors once they are suppose to be forgiven. We may have disagreements and argue with others. Remember, none of us are perfect. But we make peace, forgive, and move on in a way that honors God. “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Above all we love each other the way God tells us to.

Colossians 3:15-17 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” You can see the peace and joy when it lives in someone’s heart. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God 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.” This is just telling you again that a “Real Man” and a “Real Woman” live their faith.

There is another place in the Bible that you can look too. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We should us Christ as a model for our lives.
Ephesians 5:3-7 says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” You can’t be a “Real Man” or “Real Woman” if you have these impure things in your life. “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Clearer words were never said. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” This is specifically talking to those that live their lives as counterfeit Christians.

Ephesians 5:8-14 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.” Children of the light are the “Real Men” and “Real Women” of faith. “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” It not only tells you have nothing to do with counterfeit Christians, it tells you to call them out for who they really are. “For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.” When you take a close look at people using these Bible guidelines, it becomes very clear how “Real Men” and “Real Women” of faith should be living their lives. “’This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’"

Ephesians 5:15-21 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." If you know the scripture and you know the Lord’s will for your life you can’t be fooled or sucked in by the worldly evil that is around us. “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” You don’t need to look for escapes or things to make you artificially happy if you are filled with the Spirit. An artificial “high” always come with a price too. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Again this is just telling you if you say you believe it you live it.

Now back to the “Real Man”. Proverbs 18:22 tells us, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” Funny, it does not say that the other way around. A woman is God’s special gift to a man and should be treated as such. I personally think it is the man's responsibility to make sure he is prepared faithfully to recognize the value of the gift God is prepared to give him. He must be ready to take care of it. He must be prepared to recognize the value of it, respect it, cherish it, and be faithful to it alone at all times. It should be cherished above all else except God. He should be ready to step up to the plate and be the Godly head of His faithful marriage. This does not mean being a dictator or a bully. It means that he is a partner to his wife that leads by modeling and by setting the example in their marriage. No faithful woman would have any trouble with a man being in charge of the household if the man truly loved and cherished his wife as the Bible tells him to. It says that a man should love his wife as Jesus loves the church. Men are you prepared faithfully to give a woman that much real love? Men are you "Real Men" of faith?

Ephesians 5:25-33 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body." As you can see God has a plan for us. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." "This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Ok women see that last line you aren’t off the hook. I personally think it is the woman's responsibility to make sure she is prepared faithfully to be a gift that has true faithful value to a man. A woman that lives her life in faith putting God first is something that is priceless above all other worldly treasures. She should be ready to submit herself to him. No that does not mean she is just his maid or slave. It means she is ready to be his partner by faith fully. To commit herself only unto him, putting him first above all else except God. To love him and give to him freely and unselfishly. No faithful man would have any trouble giving freely to his wife and unselfishly cherishing a woman that truly loved, respected, and honored her husband as the Bible tells her to. It is how we prepare ourselves faithfully that will show others if we are a priceless gem, a fake imitation, or a gag gift. Women are you prepared faithfully to give a man this much real love? Women are you "Real Women" of faith?

Ephesians 5:22-24 says, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”

With first marriage success at only about 50% these days and remarriage success rates even lower it is telling us that we have not prepared ourselves to be "Real Men" and "Real Women" first. We must build our relationship with God first before we can look at building a relationship with anyone else.

Have you ever been asked what are you looking for in a wife or husband? We looked at this subject once in a Bible study class I was in. I wrote two poems to my future husband.

Eyes of Love

Eyes are the window to the soul
Showing emotions that we feel
I’m looking for the eyes of love
Telling me now that this is real

More precious than any diamond
They will sparkle with honesty
Twinkling like the stars above
Showing true love for only me

I’m looking for the eyes of love
Sparking with heat from passion’s fire
Mesmerizing me with their glow
Until I tremble with desire

I’m looking for the eyes of love
Eyes with tears to share our sorrows
Eyes that smile as they look ahead
To the joy of our tomorrows

I’m looking for the eyes of love
Respect that mirrors compassion’s care
That looks for strength from God above
Closing each day in humble prayer

I’ve not yet found the eyes of love
That by faith will always be true
Still I’m hoping that my searching
May now finally end with you

FaithfulToOne© 1998

Matthew 6:22-23
22 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!


Seeds

Have patience my love we’ve planted our seeds
Faith’s fruitful harvest someday we’ll both see
Our devoted hearts He has heard in prayer
The course He now steers is to our destiny

Challenges and trials that keep us apart
Still like a locked door we just can’t get through
But its God’s will in the seeds we’ve planted
So it’s by His time I must wait for you

O precious Lord Jesus Christ our Savior
We seek your blessings and pray for new life
That faithfully we walk God’s lighted path
Someday soon as faithful husband and wife

Be vigilant my love with humble prayer
Joyful in hope may God’s words be your guide
Take comfort in prayer I am with you now
Pray someday soon I can stand by your side

FaithfulToOne © 2006

Romans 12:12
12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Decisions? Decisions? What Are You Waiting For?

There are times in your life as a Christian that you must make difficult decisions to honor God’s will for your life. They may not be popular ones. Popular world views today often disagree with what the Bible tells us is right. They may be something you don’t want to do. It is hard to break old habits. It is hard to separate for old friends that are bringing you down and making you backslide in your faith. It is hard to stand out from the group because you have made a faithful decision.

Satan often tempts us and then makes us comfortable in our sin, so it is hard to change. Even when we know it is wrong, sometimes the pull is too strong if we try to do it all by ourselves. Just look at all the smokers that honestly want to quit smoking. They know the health risks, but time and time again start back up. Just look at this website to see a list of things people can get addicted to http://www.addictionz.com/addictions.htm

God is there for us. He can be our shield and sword when we include Him in our struggles. 1 Corinthians 10: 12-13 says, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” It does not say you will be able to do it on your own. It says that you can succeed if you trust in God for help.

Some decisions may be ones that totally go against what we had planned for our lives. Sometime we meet someone and think this is it, but God has other plans. Sometimes it is a call to change jobs when we love where we are and don’t want to change. Our plans are not always God’s plans. We have to remember that God sees our whole path and the final destination. We see only what He lets us see. As they say, Hind site is 20/20. How many times have you worried over something or not understood what was going on in your life, only to look back days, weeks, months, or years later to see how God had His hand on the whole situation at all times.

Sometimes God uses these times to test us and to help us grow in our faith. He closes one door for us and then waits on us to get to a certain stage in our lives so He can open the next door. When we merely tread water instead of swimming to the goal God has for us He waits. Sometimes we get scared and pick something closer to us to swim to because we are afraid we can’t make it. This detour can cause all sorts of trouble until we correct our error. Sometimes we even have to get over the fear of getting into the water in the first place, because we can’t see the bottom. It is only when we trust God enough to dive in and swim for the goal that he has planned of us that he opens up that next door and reveals His plans and His blessing for us.

I remember an occasion that this happened to me. It seemed like what God wanted me to do, made absolutely no sense at all. I thought if I do this people will think I am crazy. So I prayed and prayed for what I wanted to happen. Each time I did and each time I talked to people about it, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach. God was telling me I already had His decision and I needed to trust Him and obey. Finally one night I fell to my knees and gave it all over to God. The next morning I woke up with such a peace inside of me. I knew it did not matter how crazy it seemed it was God’s will and it would be OK.

When I got up that morning I immediately proceeded to do what God wanted me to do. Each time I told someone about my plans and each time I did something to fulfill God’s plan I felt such a peace and joy inside me. Over the next few days all the things that I had fretted about and worried about were all taken care of by God, in a way I can only describe as miracles. He opened the next door.

I remember praying one night praising God and giving thanks. As I was praying I remember thinking, “God I still can’t believe all this. My Heavenly Father how wonderful you are, but what took you so long?” Well the answer came back loud and clear as if God were sitting right next to me. He said, “OH NO! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?”

Psalms 37:1-6 says, “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

Is God waiting on you to make a difficult decision in your life? Is he waiting on you to trust Him enough to just dive in and start swimming? Are you worrying and getting worn out treading water when you should be swimming? As I have said before, “It is not always easy to be a Christian.” The journey from where you are to where God wants you to be can look impossible sometimes. We need to trust God and remember that nothing is impossible with Him. I now have a new saying I tell people when things are rough. “You know the saying, God will never give you more than you can handle?” Well I now add after that, “I just wish He wouldn’t have such confidence in my abilities.” God is great and wonderful. He just believes in tough love.


All In A Year

I sit here alone now to reminisce
To ponder on the past of 2006
Days now gone never to be retrieved
For some I smiled and some I grieved

The sands of time still to trickle on
A new year arrives before the dawn
The past now set under lock and key
With a future ahead I can not see

Nothing I can do can stop the clock
I have no key that can open the lock
My life is now set to His plan and time
It belongs to Him and no longer mine

I’ve had my blessings and my trials
Love found and lost across the miles
My dear mother also passed in peace
Special memories of her never cease

Paths that were traveled abruptly changed
Sadly I accepted love lost and estranged
New direction sought in tearful prayer
Emotions stripped and lied bare

Then God showed me His healing touch
Giving me the peace I longed so much
In 2007 faith shall be my guide
I know my Lord will be at my side

New hopes and dreams now for 2007
Said in prayer and sent to heaven
Waking in the morning to a new year
With God I know no cause for fear

FaithfulToOne © 2006



Patience

Straining to look through the dense foggy mist
For elusive answers I can not see
Decisions made based on only blind faith
Surely God knows His divine plan for me

Temptations seek to make my faith falter
It reaches out clawing deep to take hold
The answers now will never be given
Until it’s His plan for me to be told

My own quick answers have their costly price
When it is not what the Master has planned
The constant fretter’s cost is often high
When he thinks now without God I can stand

Lord I pray for strength and seek divine light
For peace and patience that comforts my soul
I pray waiting on God’s wisdom and grace
It’s only blind faith that gives Him control

FaithfulToOne © 1998

Psalm 37: 7-9
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret- it leads only to evil. 9 For evil men will be cut off but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.



Silent Standing At My Door

Your words abrasive to my heart
Once so full of love and tender
My faith still leads me down a path
That forbids my weak surrender

The sweet verses softly playing
Now sound different from the first
But the message I keep hearing
Still the same one we once rehearsed

With love God beckons wait on Me
Show obedience don’t despair
The picture will be clear with time
Keep your faith strong with hope and prayer

I’ve released my fears and sorrows
Relinquished tears drop in His hands
God’s grace will choose the place and time
To see what’s written in the sands

Your course I’ll shadow with no blame
Though I feel you’re misdirected
A hard journey to forgiveness
Facing trials least expected

Now silent standing at my door
With feelings boding there’s no end
With God all things are possible
I must endure till He amends

FaithfulToOne© 2006

Psalm 37: 5-8
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.Psalm 40:1I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.