I saw what I saw and now...

This past weekend our church started the Hole in OUR gospel series that will go for the next five weeks.  The pastor was quick to say that their is no hole in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but there are holes in us, that we need to address and to change in order to grow in our Redeemer's love.This world is broken.  All we have to do is look around to notice people hurting and suffering.  The main scripture that we read this week was in Luke 4 and talked about when Jesus read from the old testament and upon reading it stated that the prophecy was fulfilled that day.  Jesus puts it all out there saying three important things that He was sent to do:  1) Proclaim the good news to the poor (both in flesh and in spirit) 2) Freedom to the prisoners (both physical and spirit - those who are captive to sin) and sight to the blind (I was blind but now I see - thank you Jesus) and to set the oppressed free 3) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

James, the brother of Jesus, tells us in the book of James that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27).  Jesus also told us that which we do to the least of these - we do to him.  Our marching orders are clear - Go and make disciples...

I am not sure about you, but what I am sure about is that when I am to be judged by Jesus and I bow my knees and lay at Jesus's feet that I don't ever want to look back at this short life of mine and have regrets for things that I could and should have done and didn't.  I do not want to have the look of disappointment in his eyes for the good works that he calls me to do and I didn't.

I make mistakes all the time (just ask my family and friends) and I continually have to ask for God's grace and forgiveness in this process of sanctification that only the Holy Spirit can take me through.  What I need to do is wrap myself around songs like this and people who understand what our marching orders are.

Do you want to help make a difference?  The great thing about this website is that there are tremendous amounts of charities that reach out to the poor in spirit and blind and oppressed - all we have to do is change our sights and say this phrase for the rest of our short remaining lives that are but a vapor:  Less of me and more of You (God).

Dante

The 5G Disciple by Pastor James MacDonald

PASTOR JAMES MCDONALD

September 11, 2011

The 5G Disciple

Based upon Colossians 1 – 3

The 5G Disciple:

Glorifies God in all he/she does

Growing – The Disciple is growing (there is fruit)

Gratitude – is thankful for all that he/she is given

Gracious – is kind to others in words and deeds.  This disciple will urge, comfort and encourage

Generous – has Stewardship down

PASTOR JAMES MCDONALD (click here)

 

http://www.jamesmacdonald.com/teaching/video/

Top 10 things to strengthen your marriage

Have you often ever wondered what goes on in a woman's mind?  I do!  And to this day I am not really sure how many things that they can think of at one time. My pastor once said that he heard a study that the average man speaks about 12,500 words a day, of which, he speaks 10,000 through the course of his work day, so when he gets home he only has 2,500 words left to speak.  The woman, on the other hand, speaks 25,000 words a day, of which through the course of her day (men, pay attention now) she still has 12,500 words left to say when we come home from work.  Prepare yourselves for my top 10 list of things to strengthen your marriage:10. Spend time with each other - if we could learn as much and study are wives like we do our passions and sport hobbies and statistics of various sorts, imagine what we could glean from our marriages.

9. Learn how to handle conflict with each other - in the Bible we read not to let the sun go down while we are angry with someone, this is especially true of our wives.  Sometimes we may find ourselves exhausted and having no other choice but to sleep, but don't let time get in between your forgiveness of each other.  When you disagree and when you have been wronged read 1 Corinthians 13. If you have baggage that cannot be resolved through one on one interaction with your spouse, then seek christian counseling based on biblical principles.

8.  Your marriage has to come first -- before kids or your job, and requires daily focus: touch-points, talk-points, date night, and honeymoon night.  Find times to date each other often - whether you have young kids or older kids. Money or no money or simply lack of time, then make time.  Kids will grow, money will be spent and life will move on past you if you forget who your spouse is.  We grow and mature and in some instances even change likes and dislikes, but if we invest time in one another then we can grow together.

7.  Need each other - each spouse has to have different roles in marriage and in parenting and in care taking of each other, kids and responsibilities.  If in the case that both spouses work, then clearly define what best approach compliments both.  When you share and assign roles and responsibilities then you foster even more trust (that the other will do their role) and that you can trust and depend on each other daily.

6. Be your best - whether we have a tough job and emotional problems our spouses don't deserve us to download all this negative stuff on them.  We can be honest and share our hurts and stress, but they are not the neighborhood dump.  Be considerate.  Be slow to speak, quick to listen and slow to anger!

5.  Take care of yourself - physically (eat healthy and work out regularly), spiritually and emotionally.

4.  Be your spouse’s biggest fan - While you’re studying your spouse looking for needs, also be on the lookout for strengths. What is your spouse good at? What do they enjoy doing? What are they passionate about? What gets them excited?

3.  Be third in your marriage - put God first, your spouse second and you third.  Read Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3:7 (if you are the husband).

2.  Be intimate regularly - this isn't just about sex and what the other should do for you.  This is a reminder that your body is not your own.  This is a vow and covenant to God.  The marriage should be playful and fun and relaxed and trusting.

1.  Pray together - a couple that pray's together stays together.  When you put Christ in the center of your marriage and your treat the woman as Jesus treats the church, then you should be prepared to die for her.  Women, likewise, your should protect and care for your husband and nurture him as Jesus takes care of us.

What are some of your top tens?

Dante