MY Thoughts For You Today...

God loves You And So Do I?

Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens. -Song of Solomon 2:1

You are Amazing

Letters To My Bride | Overcoming Exhaustion...

I love this photo by Dalla over at Flikr.  It had me thinking about my last letter What to do when you are exhausted.  Here is some more thoughts from God's Word.

When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.  - Psalm 138:3, 7-8

When you begin to feel exhausted, overwhelmed, put upon remember to call on the Lord.  Reach out for help.  He will protect you.  Know that God loves you and So do I.

 

God's Man

Letter To My Bride | What To Do When You Are Exhausted...

What To Do When You Feel Exhausted - Day 1

Dearest Wife,

I have noticed over some time that you have been dealing with being/feeling exhausted.  As I prayed for you this is was given to share with you.  This is taken From Psalm 37:34-40.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

I know that things are very hectic for you right now.  I am sure between me, the kids, church, and work you are being pulled in so many different directions.  I hope that I have been able to help you by taking some of the tasks that had fallen on your shoulders.  Outside of that I hope that you will take the beginning of this passage to heart.  When you begin to feel exhausted look to God to help you prioritize.  When you do that you will be surprised how he is there to handle the rest.  Don't let the "greener" grass pull you down.  You are doing an amazing job as a wife, mother and leader.  Don't let the expectations that others want to project on you add extra weight.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

Reach out to your mentors and those who love you (Me).  Where it is safe; share.  Where you cannot than take it to God.  He will order your steps and provide you the strength and if necessary the rest to make it through.  I am so glad that we are walking together.

Love,

Your Husband...

Letter's To My Wife | Using the Weak

 God Uses the Weak To Baffle Those Who Think They Are So High And Mighty

... God has chosen those whom the world considers to be puny and powerless - even laughable.  These are the very ones God will use to confuse, frustrate, and baffle the political powers of the world! - 1 Corin 1:27

My Prayer For You Today
Lord, help my bride see herself with the full potential she has in Jesus Christ.  She is tempted to see herself according to her past, but starting today I ask You to help her see herself through the promises of Your Word.  She knows that with Your grace and power, she can rise above any weakness or infirmity that has hindered her in the past.  Help her to turn to Your grave and I ask You to release Your power in her so she can step into the reality of the person You have made her to be!  I pray this in Jesus' name!

My Confession For You Today
I confess that my bride is NOT substandard, second-rate, low-grade, or inferior.  She is filled with the Spirit of God, and she has the call of God on her life.  Even if her gifts and talents seem small in comparision to others, she has all that she needs in order to do what God has asked her to do.  God wants to use her to baffle the "know-it-alls" and to bewilder people who are more talented than she is but who do not trust in the Lord.  God wants to get glory because of what He does through her!  I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

Questions For You To Consider

1. If nothing could hinder you from fulfilling your dreams, what dream would you most want to fulfill in your life?
2. Do you really believe God can help you fulfill such a mighty dream?
3. In what ways do you need to change the way you think about yourself in order for you to become the kind of person who carries out this kind of dream?

-adapted for my Bride from Sparkling Gems from the Greek by Rick Renner

Letter's To My Bride | My Prayer For You Today Psalm 33...

Psalm 33

 ¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; 
       it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

 ² Praise the LORD with the harp; 
       make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

 ³ Sing to him a new song; 
       play skillfully, and shout for joy.

 ⁴ For the word of the LORD is right and true; 
       he is faithful in all he does.

 ⁵ The LORD loves righteousness and justice; 
       the earth is full of his unfailing love.

God I sing joyfully to you and ask that you would revive the Joy that is in Deidre's life.  She needs to see your Glory right now.  Restore her with your love.

 ⁶ By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, 
       their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

 ⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ^[a] ; 
       he puts the deep into storehouses.

 ⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD; 
       let all the people of the world revere him.

 ⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be; 
       he commanded, and it stood firm.

Thank you Lord for the reminder that your Word has Power.  Power to change any situation.  Power to impact lives.  Power to change the landscape.  Let Your Power flow in my wife and let it flow from her to change the atmosphere around her.  Calm the tensions, heal the broken, and release both her and those around her from the lies of the enemy.

 ¹⁰ The LORD foils the plans of the nations; 
       he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

 ¹¹ But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, 
       the purposes of his heart through all generations.

 ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, 
       the people he chose for his inheritance.

She loves you God because you stand as a guard around your people.  I ask that you would be the shield around my wife today.  That you would bless her as she belongs to you.  Take her into your dwelling place and surround her with your love.  Stand against those who would cause her harm.

 ¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down 
       and sees all mankind;

 ¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches 
       all who live on earth-

 ¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all, 
       who considers everything they do.

 ¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army; 
       no warrior escapes by his great strength.

 ¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; 
       despite all its great strength it cannot save.

 ¹⁸ But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, 
       on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

 ¹⁹ to deliver them from death 
       and keep them alive in famine.

I know that, because of who You are she is able to stand.  Her strength comes from you as does her resources.  Deliver her from the hand of the one who would see us fall.  Give her eyes to see, ears to hear, and the strength to stand for you.

²⁰ We wait in hope for the LORD; 
       he is our help and our shield.

 ²¹ In him our hearts rejoice, 
       for we trust in his holy name.

 ²² May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, 
       even as we put our hope in you.

Lord, thank you for being the reason why we can have Joy.  Never worrying because You are on the throne.  Continue to shine through my wife and be the smile that is on her face.  You are amazing Lord, and I thank you for bringing her into my life.

In Jesus Name I Pray

Letter's To My Wife | The Esther Challenge...

I have been holding onto this for a few months and have been trying to avoid it because, frankly it scares me. Late last year while I was studying I was taken to that well known passage from the book of Esther Chapter 7 versus 1-2.

So the king and Haman went to dinner with Queen Esther. At this second dinner, while they were drinking wine the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what would you like? Half of my kingdom! Just ask and it's yours." - Message Translation

I always wonder what was it about Esther that made the King want be OK with giving up everything. Was it her beauty? Was it her intelligence? Was it her skills in the kitchen? Was it her skills in the bedroom?

Whatever the reason, Xerxes was comfortable with whatever he thought Esther might ask that he gave her a blank check. So I am going to go out on a limb and take a chance just like Xerxes and offer my bride something different. I am also issuing a challenge to any of the husbands that visit here or over at my other blog God's Man. I know that there are are a few changes that my bride would like me to make and a few that she has not told me. This year I am offering my to take on a change of her choosing.

Starting on February 1, 2010, if she is willing, I will share what my bride has asked of me and my plan to make her request a reality.

Any husbands out there that are interested in taking the Esther Challenge with me?

Letter's To My Wife | Being Like Minded...

What it means to be in love

There isn't really anything that I can add to this... 1st Corinthians 13:3-7 (Msg)

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.