Bible Passage for the Week

Luke 21:15 notes, "For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."

So many times we have excuses as to why we cannot share God's word or be able to stand up for what we believe.  A very popular excuse...I don't know what to say.  The Lord will give the words and wisdom to us as we need it.  Rely upon Him and ask Him to provide you with the words of wisdom needed in any situation you come upon. 

Cheryl

Courting...Your Spouse

“My beloved is mine, and I am his.” Song of Solomon 2:16 

Courting is an old fashion term; one that many times gets a bad rap.  The word courting has been exchanged for dating in our society today.  When one takes a look at the difference in terms it is very interesting how we as a society have moved from “courting” to “dating”.  Courting, according to dictionary.com, means: “to try to win the favor, preference, or goodwill of; to seek the affections of.”  Dating, on the other hand, means: “to go out socially”.  By definition there seems to be a more deliberate action when one is courting versus when one is dating. 

Are you deliberate in your actions to “court” your spouse?  Do you take time to “save your marriage”? (Compliments of our friends the Sprick's)  Too many times, once the “I do’s” are said life gets in the way!  I remember thinking I couldn’t wait to get married because then we could be together all the time.  We wouldn’t have to set a date, or be deliberate in finding time to be together.  Then I got married.  He held a full time job, plus went to college full time.  I held two part-time jobs and went to college full time.  We stopped being deliberate about finding time to be together because we now lived together and that meant we were together; when in fact we were spending less time with each other.  Conversations revolved around schedules, bills, etc. and no longer revolved around getting to know one another.

Too many of us fall into the trap of “life”.  We stop “courting” or being deliberate about spending time together.  It takes effort to “court” one another and it is easy to let that fall by the wayside because the “I do’s” have been said.  Unfortunately, by letting it fall by the wayside it is a contributing factor to unhappy marriages.  The “fun” side of marriage is gone and all that is left is work.  Work to make sure everyone is taking care of, bills are paid, jobs are attended to, house taken care of, yard work done, and the list goes on and on and on. 

Have you ever taken some time to read Song of Solomon?  It is a book written in poetic nature.  One that King Solomon points out how beautiful his bride is as well as the bride complimenting her husband.  They see each other and speak of each other in a very loving way.  How often do we take time to see our spouse through the eyes we used to see them through; when we were “madly” in love?  Do we deliberately take time to spend with them outside of all the other “stuff” that has to be done?

The Sprick’s shared with Dan and I how they used to tell their kids, “We are going to save our marriage”.  This meant the kids were not invited to participate in the activity/date that was planned for the evening.  I do believe they have insight into the success of a marriage!  If we are not deliberate and take time for our marriage we run the risk of losing our marriage.  It slowly dissipates until one day you realize that there is very little left of the two of you.  Take time to “court” one another!  Everyone’s marriage needs to make sure the fun still exists!

Cheryl 

Bible Passage for the Week

Proverbs 15:1 notes, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

So many times our loved ones receive the harshest answers we give.  Post this around your house to remind you that a soft answer will turn away the wrath that comes from being harsh.  Our loved ones do not want to be the recipient of harsh words and it opens the door for better communication when a soft answer is given.

Cheryl 

Bible Passage for the Week

James 1:5 notes, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

It is comforting to know that God will give generously the wisdom needed to get through anything; all we have to do is ask.  So many times we forget to turn to the Lord and ask!  Place this bible passage around the house to remind you to turn to the Lord first and not as a desperate last effort.

Cheryl

Bible Passage for the Week

"He is not here; He has risen!"  Luke 24:6a  He is risen, Alleluia!!

Thank you, Jesus for paying the ultimate price for us!  What a glorious gift we have been given.

Happy Easter to all!

Cheryl

Are you Weary?

Psalm 6 is a Psalm of lament.  It is one that David pours his heart and soul out to the Lord.  Specifically looking at verses six and seven, David is drained.  The first words in these verses are “I am weary…”  His weariness is shared in the prior verses.  He states, “O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor discipline me in Your wrath…”  “My bones are troubled; my soul also is greatly troubled…”  “O Lord, deliver my life…”  For in death there is no remembrance of you…” Then we have verses six and seven.  “I am weary…every night I flood my bed with tears…my eye wastes away because of grief.”

Wow!  It is exhausting just reading those words let alone truly feeling those words.  We, as sinners, are asking our Lord not to rebuke us in His anger nor discipline us in His wrath.  We deserve nothing less.  We sin over and over and over again.  In fact, we sin the same sin over and over and over again; nonetheless, we are asking our Lord not to discipline us with His wrath.  Go figure! 

Despite the fact that we continually sin, we have a Savior that chose to die for us.  He chose to pay the price for us sinning over and over and over again.  He felt the physical pain of being hung on the cross all because we sin; yet all we have to do is believe and we are forgiven.  Go figure!  Acts 10:43 notes, “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” 

Psalm 86:5 states, “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”  This brings me back to Psalm 6 – “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears…”  The moaning and tears are because the Psalmist, David, is calling upon the Lord.  He is pouring out his heart and it is causing him to be weary and broken hearted.  The weight of sin is overwhelming!  Psalm 88:9 notes, “My eye grows dim through sorrow.  Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you.” 

Do you call upon the Lord every day?  We sin every day; therefore, we should be calling upon Him every day.  Sin, something we do all the time, gets brushed under the carpet and “forgotten”.  Yet, the weight of sin overtime can truly drag us down.  We should be calling upon the Lord daily bearing our hearts and souls to Him because we need that forgiveness.  We don’t have to be weary.  We are covered in His grace.  He has extended His forgiveness!

Lamentations 3:22-23.  “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”  We get to start new every morning!  Don’t start your morning with the weight of sin because you chose to shove it under the carpet.  Call upon the Lord daily!

As we spend time this Good Friday reflecting upon the magnitude of what our Savior has done for us, come to the foot of the cross asking for forgiveness.    

Cheryl   

Bible Passage for the Week

Holy Week is upon us.  A time to reflect upon what our Savior truly did for us.  So the bible passage for this week is John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

This is a great bible passage to remind us of the grace we have been given because Christ paid the price for us.

Cheryl