We are not created equally...we are different for a reason!

This makes me laugh....

 

“It was Saturday morning and John, an avid hunter, woke up ready to go bag the first deer of the season. He walks down to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, and to his surprise he finds his wife, Mary, sitting there, fully dressed in camouflage. John asks her, "What are you up to?" Mary smiles, "I'm going hunting with you!" John, though he has many reservations, reluctantly decides to take her along.

They arrive at the hunting site. John sets his wife safely up in the tree stand and tells her: "If you see a deer, take careful aim on it and I'll come running back as soon as I hear the shot." John walks away with a smile on his face knowing that Mary couldn't bag an elephant -- much less a deer.

But not 10 minutes pass when he is startled as he hears an array of gunshots. Quickly, John starts running back. As John gets closer to her stand, he hears Mary screaming, "Get away from my deer!" Confused, John races faster towards his screaming wife. And again he hears her yell, "Get away from my deer!" followed by another volley of gunfire. Now within sight of where he had left his wife, John is surprised to see a guy, with his hands high in the air. The man, obviously distraught, says, "Okay, lady, okay! You can have your deer! Just let me get my saddle off it!"

Keep laughing...you know I love ya, Don

Created to compliment ... "You complete me" is a lie!

God designed Eve to complete, that which was lacking in Adam’s life. “And Adam said, She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23). Marriage is God’s gift to humans. It was given to resolve the problem of human loneliness by providing complimentary companionship between a man and a woman. Marriage is an illustration much like a completed rubics cube. A wife needs someone who understands and honors her. So Bible instruct to husband, "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." (1 Peter 3:7). A husband needs someone who is meek with noble character. ” So Bible instructs to the wife, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, (1 Peter 3:1) This is why Bible says “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." (Proverbs 31:10, 11) A husband is to protect his wife by laying down his life for her. (Ephesians 5:25.) A wife is to protect the interests of her home. (Titus 2:4–5.) And Parents are to protect their children and to raise them up as a Godly seed.

How is this accomplished?

At the end of the Movie Jerry McGuire … Tom Cruise is an arrogant Jerry McGuire who is a Sports agent for big name sports players. In the end he realizes it is not about the fame, money, or the prestige, but about love. He is begging for his girl friend / wife to come back and he cries out, “She completes me.” I am here to tell you that is a lie of the flesh. Your spouse does not complete you. In fact, if you lay that responsibility on your wife or your husband, you will be very disappointed. You are only complete with God…what your spouse can do is offer to you’re the ability to draw close in a relationship that draws you even close to God.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) Equality is reflected in the first marriage as the man and woman were created in the image of God and given co-regency over the created order (Gen 1:26-28). For believers in Christ, marriage is a covenant of companionship between two spiritually equal human beings (Gal 3:26-28). Yet equality does not eliminate roles in a marriage relationship. Nor do roles in marriage diminish the call to mutual love and respect. The main purpose of marriage is to display the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church. In other words, God designed marriage most deeply, most importantly, to be a parable or a parallel of the way Christ loves his church and the way the church loves and follows Christ. Jesus affirmed it in Matthew 19:4-6.  Marriage and relationships are eternally bound when there are three present… you, your spouse and God.

According to Scripture, the husband bears primary responsibility to lead the home in a God-glorifying way. His leadership clearly involves authority and should be honored by his wife and family (Eph 5;22-33,6:1-3). His authority, however, must be based on divine love (see: Eph 5:25, 33, John 10:11-13, 1cor 13:4-8) and thoughtful consideration (see: Phil 2:3-5). Scripture warns against husbands who treat their wives with insensitivity (1 peter 3:7). Husbands must never forget that they are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Cultural limitations or biases should not be placed on this command any more than on the command for wives to respect their husbands. You are only complete in Jesus by total submission to each other in His word and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The question becomes, “Is your relationships complete because they serve the other person or are they complete because serve your selfish desires?” “Is your marriage complete because of Jesus in the relationship or is there something missing?”

You know I love ya ... Don

A Crowning Achievement!

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According to Dr. David Mace, "Poor communication is the main problem in 86% of all troubled marriages." A happy and healthy home is one of the best places on earth, while an unhappy and unhealthy home is one of the most miserable places. Someone rightly said “Where purpose is not known abuse is inevitable…” When a person does not understand the purpose of a thing, they almost always abuse that thing and marriage is no different. An all-wise God who created order out of chaos, handcrafted man and woman in His own image, and then instituted and ordained marriage must have had a purpose in doing so. What then, one must ask, was God’s purpose in creating marriage? Indisputably … the most fitting answer will be found in harmony with the will of God as it is revealed for us in His Word. In the next few weeks we are going to turn to His Word in order to find the divine purpose of God’s institution of Marriage… in fact this series is an examination of all our relationships.

There are those who call the church the body of Christ, and there are those who call the church the bride of Christ. Some modern teachers have argued over which is correct. They say, “If the church is His body, which is male, it cannot be His bride, which is female.” 

The fact is, in the first marriage between Adam and Eve, Eve was both Adam’s body and his bride. She was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, yet she was separate from him in form and inseparably bound to him in spirit. As believers in Jesus, we are inseparably bound and eternally married to the Lord Jesus Christ in Spirit. Yet, on this earth, we live out His life in our flesh. We are body and bride simultaneously… That is why our relationships are so important… important in marriage, in families, with co-workers, with neighbors, and yes, even in our relationships with our enemies.

Marriage is “made In Heaven” because it is God’s idea. He created the idea of relationships. He designed it. He established it and defined its parameters. Secondly, marriage is “made In Heaven” because God made Eve and brought her to Adam. Eve was God’s original idea. Our first parents did not woo, solicit, or choose each other. This was an arranged marriage, a match literally made in heaven: Eve is the absolute pinnacle of creation, the crown of Adam, “the glory of the man” (1 Cor. 11:7). How many of us look at our spouse as God’s crowning achievement in our lives?

You know I love ya.... Don

What's Your Purpose?

Purpose is the reason for which something exists. Purpose is an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal. Purpose is the determination and resolute attitude the Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. .

Living a life of passion and significance requires knowing what your definite purpose in life is. Defining and living your life purpose gives you an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and meaning to your existence because it provides a way for you to use your values and passions and directs them towards a meaningful objective. Your life purpose is the essence of who you are as a person. Once you know what your purpose in life is, you will be able to wake up each morning knowing that every action that you take that day will move you one step closer towards your ultimate purpose in life.

Paul told the Christian in Colossi in Colossians 3:12-14, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Our purpose is to put on Christ and whatever we are faced with will be accomplished through His purpose. Which is to shine the light of hope in every aspect of life.

You might be thinking, “Don, I can not do all things…” the reality is that God has created you to all the things he has gifted you to do. Which is much, much more than you allow yourself to do.

Look at the above graphic... If I were to draw two circles… in the first circle I would write, “Find your gift” and in the second circle write “share your gift” – where these to circles over-lap is your purpose. What do you feel gifted in doing and how are you sharing it? This is the purpose God has intended for you!

You know I love ya, Don 

I Can!

So much of the world is convinced that I … you … we can’t.  Paul says is Phil 4:13 “I Can.”

Runner’s World (8/91), told the story of Beth Anne DeCiantis’s attempt to qualify for the 1992 Olympic Trials Marathon. A female runner must complete the 27-mile, 385-yard race in less than two hours, forty-five minutes to compete at the Olympic Trials. Beth started strong but began having trouble around mile 23. She reached the final straightaway at 243, with just two minutes left to qualify. Two hundred yards from the finish, she stumbled and fell. Dazed, she stayed down for twenty seconds. The clock was ticking-2: 44, less than a minute to go. Beth Anne staggered to her feet and began walking. Five yards short of the finish, with ten seconds to go, she fell again. She began to crawl, the crowd cheering her on, and crossed the finish line on her hands and knees. Her time? Two hours, 44 minutes, 57 seconds.

Many of us are down and scraping our knees to just qualify for the race…Paul reminds us to not give up… don’t quit! Have the attitude that I can, I can!

1 Cor 15:58 states;  “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

“I Can” is a declaration of persistence… I can do. You know I love ya, Don

The Book of Ephesians Overview - Introduction!

On Wednesday Night, September 10th, 2014 I will begin an 8 week class / bible study on Paul's letter to the Ephesian Church. How many of us truly believe in the Holiness of God?

God sees the church as a wonderful possession. For Jesus the church is a beautiful bride, for whom he gladly gave up his life. But how do we see the church?

Do we see the church as a community or those who joyfully share every spiritual blessing? Do we see God’s poetry, a people saved by grace and united in love? Do we see the saints of the long-hidden secret, now strengthen by the Spirit, indwelt by Christ, growing to be like Jesus and renewed daily into the image of God? Do we see the love, light, and wisdom that make God’s people so special? Do we see a marching army, fully equipped and competent to stand against any foe?

If God’s people can just view ourselves with heaven’s vision, we can begin to live the heaven-bound life. This 8 week study opens opportunities for living each day in more complete awareness of who we really are in Jesus. The goal is to live in holiness and in eager anticipation of the dawn of heaven in our current life; living a consummation of everything God has created us to be.

I find it amazing how God has truly blessed us beyond words. My prayer is that through this class we might discover His blessing and apply it in our daily journey toward heaven. I will be sharing some of the insights on this blog.

You know I love ya, Don

If you are in the area of Central PA - Howard Christian Church, Wednesday Nights, Sanctuary Annex – 7:00-8:00 PM 
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Nothing but a little light in the darkness!

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.” God reached into our darkness and made it his joy to see the stars.

So we can conquer in God. The base word for “conquer” means “a means of success.” Not only that but it’s a “super” success. We vanquish our foes – the enemy has nothing on us, we are valiant warriors – not on our own but “through Him who loved us.” Sin no longer has mastery, trials no longer hold terror, life is no longer something to be dreaded because we ARE more than conquerors. It doesn’t mean we are free from suffering, but we are always connected to the One who works for our benefit – no matter what. As if that weren’t enough, Paul puts the cap on this wonderful chapter of promises with this:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What more could we ask for? - nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Paul lists four areas here:

·      “death nor life” meaning that nothing in our human existence can separate us from God’s love

·      “angels or demons” meaning nothing in the spiritual realm can separate us from God’s love.

·      “the present or the future” – and “height nor depth” perhaps suggesting that you can’t go anywhere where God’s love can’t go with you.

What great confidence we have, then. There is no one, no thing, no event, and at no time that you can be torn from God’s love in Jesus. There is no reason to fear. No reason to say “Oh, God can’t love me anymore after what I’ve done.” Oh yes He can and does. Far from separating from you He wants to forgive and cleanse you.

You know I love ya, Don