Man Up!

I do prayer counseling at a local Christian theater for people who want to come the alter after a pray. Lately I've noticed a terrible epidemic, 99.5% of the people who come are women. That's great, don't get me wrong. Where are the men? Why is there not more men of God coming to the alter? Where are the leaders of the home and husbands who want to be Christ-like in the leadership of their wives? Virtually absent by the numbers at the alter.... I don't know if it's pride or ego, but it's not because we don't have models to go by. There are plenty of Godly men in the Bible. Barnabas, Daniel, Paul, Moses, Abraham, plenty of men to see how we are suppose to be in our faith. Guys, let go of the pride and ego. Go to the foot of the Cross, go to the alter and lay down whatever holds you back. Seek His leadership so that you can be a better man, a better husband, a better dad, or a better friend. We can't do it on our own, God doesn't want us to try either. MAN UP and CALL ON JESUS!

The Gift

When I was a kid, I remember wanting a toy rifle. It was just a little model rifle, nothing spectacular. But I wanted it so bad. Christmas was coming soon and I made sure it was on my list. As that day approached and gifts were placed under the tree, I was certain it would be there. I was utterly devastated on Christmas Eve when we had opened our gifts early and it wasn't there. There was a mistake at the store and my parents went back and picked it up. I was so happy. I remember playing in the yard with it, carrying it around all the time. I loved it. I made sure I took good care of it too. Not leaving it outside or throwing it down.
As adults and followers of Christ, husbands have received a gift similar to this. But too many times it is looked over. Too many times it is abused and taken advantage of. Men, wake up. Our wives are the best and most important gift we will ever receive. Love them for what they are worth. A good wife is worth far more than precious jewels, so we must love them with all that we possibly can. They are precious and fragile, don't close them out or talk down to them. Hold them tight and lift them up when needed. She is entrusted to us by Jesus. She is vulnerable to our leadership. So lead her in the right direction. The most precious and important gift to a man is his wife. Take good care of her.

Baptism

On June 15,2012,i had the amazing privilege of marrying the most wonderful woman I've ever known. We began our relationship with a common goal, to base our marriage completely around God. Marriage being the most important relationship God created, He used His Son, Jesus, and the Church as a model. At our wedding ceremony, just as Jesus humbled Himself to serve the church, I humbled myself, knelt down, and washed my wife's feet. A public display of humility and servitude towards the woman that I declared my love to. Over the course of our marriage, we have loved each other, praised God through thick and thin, and strived to learn and live as biblically as possible. With all that, we decided to be baptized together. A very special moment. I went first, and went to stand to the side as my wife went. Little did I know the pastor would ask me to join her in the water, to assist in the baptism. He simply said could do that now. At that moment, this special moment just exploded with symbolism and was a moment to be cherished deeply. To have my wife, the woman I lift to God in my prayers, in my arms as she was being baptized was..... indescribable. I was honored to do this for her. In doing so, the pastor "had a moment" before we got out of the water, as well as many in the congregation. I knew we had something special, and with the amount of people who approached us afterwards, others do too. I am blessed to have her as my wife. And we are blessed to be backed by an making God.

End Times

I watched a YouTube video today that was very interesting, calling out Barack Obama as the antichrist. Using two verses in particular, Luke 10:18 and Isaiah 14:14,and translating the president's name to come to this conclusion. The pronunciation of Barack is similar to the Hebrew or Aramaic word for the term lightening, while O is combining the word with heights. Translation to old language is pronounced close to Bama. End result of translation, Barack Obama equals lightening from the heights. We associate the heavens with being above the clouds which is what satan said he was ascending to in Isaiah. Makes sense, and while I can't debunk this, I can't really disagree either. During his presidency, Obama has manage to deteriorate and demoralize our nation as a whole. He has made us look weak and foolish to our peers and our enemies. If we look at recent events in the world, and watch John Hagee's Blood Moon sermon, this is definitely looking more and more like the end times than ever. It is not going to get better, I'm afraid. But I am thankful for the forgiveness and salvation that Jesus has gifted me with. When worse turns into worst, we will have ascending to our eternal home with Jesus Christ.

Our Wife is the Church

Many men in today's society do not understand the task they had taken on when they joined their wife in marriage. Many men do not understand how we are suppose to treat our wives. See, a model was created a long, long time ago. That model simulates Jesus and the church. Our wives are in the position of the church. Men, we have the role of Jesus. When we look at how we are doing, passing or failing, well, we are failing and doing it miserably. We are suppose to love and cherish our wives above and beyond anything on this earth. We, as men, we're designed as superior, so that we could be inferior. So that we could take ourselves and put our wives in front of us, take care of her, massage her feet, play with her hair, whatever it is that she may need. See, while our wives are in the role of the church, we are in the role as Jesus. Many people think, "Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Look. We look at our wives daily but think not of putting them first. We don't think to ask her what we could do for her. I said earlier we were failing. Yes. But we don't even know why. Fear is why we fail. We are too afraid to be the men God is calling us to be as husbands. We are too afraid to kneel down and become inferior to our wives to serve her needs. It's OK. We can fix this. See, Adam was given a mate and her name was Eve. Adam didn't get it right back then either and allowed Eve to be fooled by the devil. The devil is sneaky and convinced Eve to pull Adam into the same trap. All because Adam wasn't the man he needed to be at the right moments. That's the short story. There was another man that was brought unto this earth later. His name was Jesus. He lived a life of service to His people and still serves His children today. He is King, yet He bows down to serve us. He, in His power, could bring havoc when we do wrong and be bitter towards us. But, see, He is a perfect gentlemen. When we fall, He falls at our side to pick us up. He dusts us off and He always listens when we pray. So look at your wife and ask yourself whether you want serve her like Adam served Eve, or do you want to love cherish and serve her the way Jesus does His church?

Appreciate Her

Appreciate her. Commonly misconcieved by the men of today's time. Our wives have a tough task on their hands. Housework is tough, managing finances is tough, and putting up with us is probably even tougher. In many aspects, our wives have it tougher than we do. I mean, most of us get up, go to work, come home and go to sleep. Completely overlooking the things our wives had done for the day, not to mention the mental battles she may have faced. Men have tendency to be consumed with the rest of the world of working and sports and so forth that we neglect our wives. Appreciate her. Think about all the things she does for the sake of us and the relationship. Compare that to what we do and you will see we are a little behind in that category. Show your appreciation to her for the things she does. It will make her day. When she has a bad day, let her lean on you. If she needs to cry, give her a tissue and an embrace so she feels safe. The little things she does, lipstick, makeup, hair, notice them. And complement her. All these things I say because if we as husbands do not appreciate our wives for the great people they are, they begin to feel empty. Then emptiness needs to be filled. That's our job men. We made that vow to our wives. Stop slacking.

Common Ground....

No two people are going to be absolutely compatible. No two will always see eye to eye. We won't always like the same things. Take my wife and I. She likes shopping for designer bags and wallets while I prefer car shows. If I attended all the car shows alone and she always shopped alone, that would create a gap, a distance. So, while I may look funny doing so, I will shop for bags with her and she will attend car shows even though she doesn't really care about the cars. We are together. The point is we are to reach out to find a togetherness whether it is doing something we like or not. Give and take... Sacrifice. If men would make a little more effort in doing this the women will probably follow suit. Two people don't have to look the same or act the same or like all the same things to be a great couple. But there has to be a connection. That's why it's a couple, and not two singles.

Touch Her!

Hey everybody. Sorry I'm behind again. We were gearing up for a spiritual retreat this past weekend. It was great! Last time I prompted everyone to jot a note a day, just a little something you love about your wife. Hopefully you kept them, or they are branded into your memory. Guys, those things that we love about our wives, they need to be acted upon. We need to show our wives the affection they deserve, aim for her attractions, and let her know you appreciate her. Even the slightest affection can go a long way. It's warm, it's comforting, and I'm willing to bet if you would take the time to do it, both parties will not only benefit, but will want more of it. We live today in a whirlwind... and many times we overlook the fact that we need to do certain things to nurture our marriage. Not just sex. A marriage is so much more than that. This week I want to challenge you guys. Make eye contact with her this week in passing. Reach for her hand, maybe even give her a pat on the butt!!!! Hold hands when you're walking across the parking lot. When she has her back turned, touch the small of her back and whisper in her ear. Randomly tell her you love her, and why. If she wants to talk, make time and open up and listen. When you sleep, intertwine legs, or fingers, or just make some sort of skin contact. Hug her. Kiss her. Let her know what she is worth to you and always make time for her. Combine many small things, it will build something huge. I promise.

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Jot a Note!!!!!

Hey guys. I'm a little behind this week and I do apologize. This week I wanted to give every husband a challenge. Everyday, I want you to log into Facebook, write in a notebook, or place a note in your phone, think of one thing a day about your spouse. Has to be genuine and something different each day. Think back to your our love was fresh and it seems the two of you were always on top of the world, what changed? Time. Things erode. But unlike some things that erode, when effort is placed on our relationships, they can shift. They CAN be rebuilt. Life is too short to waste time on bitterness over some stupid little spat. Why be angry for days over something as small as laundry not being done or forgetting to do something? That is time wasted. As a couple, every issue needs to be dissolved in a very timely fashion, with no bitterness, and both parties move forward afterwards. Men, our wives are unique and fragile pieces of craftsmanship. We need to be careful of our words spoken to them in the heat of a dispute, even if she is being hot headed. It's hard. Anyway, back to the challenge. Take time for the next six or seven days to have some quiet time. Think about her with no bitterness, no negatives. Write about her. Share it with her when you feel comfortable. Women want us to have this side of us but many men do not think it's manly. WHATEVER! This couldn't be further from the truth.

Remember, she was created for us and from us as well. We need to nurture her and respect her. Serve her and lead her. She is the gift given to us by God. Thank you and God bless y'all.

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Good Friday and Easter

Good Friday marks the day that Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. When I sit back and think about this, it is truly overwhelming. He had followers that turned their back to Him. He had disciples that betrayed Him. He had people mocking Him. He had people spitting at Him. All of this, while He had a Father who commanded that He do this, DIE for us. At the time of His death, it was, I'm sure, pure chaos. To feel betrayed by the very people that only days before were His supporters and to know to fulfill the role He was sent here to portray, He must DIE. Not be beaten, not lose friends, but all things that we could not do for our brother. He was beaten a beating that would kill many men, and carried His cross up on that hill, and wept for mankind. People celebrated His death. The Pharisees felt that they were right all along. And those that followed Jesus felt lost. Good Friday doesn't sound so good from that aspect, but what He did for us on that day, that's what makes it good. I'm sure there was mourning on Saturday for those that were on His side. And I'm sure the celebrations continued for those that thought they had defeated Jesus. But here comes Sunday! The Sunday that Easter represents. This is the glorious day that Jesus cut those celebrations short, proved Himself to everyone that He was who He said He was, and still is today. That was the day He conquered death and conquered satan once again.

Easter isn't about the candy, or the bunnies, or the eggs. It's about the resurrection of the Man we call Jesus Christ. Take time tomorrow to put this into perspective. Sit down at some point and share this with the little ones, and the adults. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. And God bless you all.

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Priorities

Men, in today's society we have a lot on our plate. It's a huge problem when we do not have the right things on that plate. The world has caused us to be consumed with things that take up time and effort that should be guided elsewhere. Money. Don't get me wrong here, we have to earn a living. That's just it, earn a living. There's nothing in the Bible that states we should earn an abundance of riches. In fact, the Bible tells us to give it away. Give to the needy, the poor, put back into the church. But we are stuck with this idea that we need more and more money. Whether it's to customize a car, fix a man cave, or to get tickets to a ball game, if it misaligns the priorities, it needs to be rearranged. Things cost more and more just to live, so please be careful to not put work before your wife. Quality time with your wife is priceless compared to a day at work. Trust me, she will appreciate it, too. Another thing that many men do not realize is the choices they make for friendships. Now, this may seem silly at first, but there really isn't any business for a man to have a female companion other than his wife. This is a dangerous red flag. May not seem so at first, but it could always lead to a temptation that can be devastating to your marriage. It may start with friendly talk, or a small moment of confiding in her after a dispute with your wife, and could lead to far worse. Leave the female friendships to your wife. And time....what do we spend our time doing? Are we reading our favorite car mag while our wife is striving for attention? Are we scrolling our fb while our wife impatiently waits for a conversation? Our time is so constricted already, we do not need to deprive our wives further. The only thing that should take precedence in this category is spending time with God; studying and praying. But even too much of that could be hazardous to your marriage. Our wife is our tender gift from God. He wants us to cherish her and take care of her every need. So let's get our heads right and straighten out our priorities. GOD, WIFE, KIDS..... everything else falls into place after these. The best love triangle in the world is that of God, husband, and wife. He created it, so to strive, He must be involved in it.

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The Husband's Role

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33 ESV)

This is an awesome passage. It is the PERFECT model for marriage. A man has a job to do in a marriage. And within that job he has some huge tasks. Head of household, spiritual leader, provider, disciplinary.... the list is long. But as men we tend to get get lost in this and confuse what God wants. We look at being a disciplinary as being the one who carries the big stick, so to speak. Not as one who disciplines out of love. Head of household, men are the boss. To a sense, we are. We are like the president of the house but we are suppose to clear all decisions with the cabinet (our wife.) We are not suppose to be a ruler over an inferior woman. We are equal. The two most important I think are spiritual leader and provider. We are suppose to follow God with all our might. And lead our families in the right direction. And LEAD BY EXAMPLE. At this we fail miserably. Next is being a provider, and in this falls many things. Provider of finances, tenderness and caring for the family, especially our wives. She is our partner. The other half of our one in God's eyes. We are to treat her with the greatest of respect. Time, the provider of time. Again, for the whole family, but most importantly the wife. Men must connect with the wife on many levels; mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. CONNECT! It's a great task, and with God's helping hands, we can and will prevail. I could go further  with the wife's role, but that is my wife's specialty. I'm focusing on the men and want to see the way the world treats wives turn around. This is something I found floating around on the internet and it's more good food for thought. "When God created woman, she was taken from the rib of man as described in Genesis. She was not taken from his foot so that she may be crushed under his heel in bitterness. Neither was she taken from his head so that she might rule over him. She was not taken from the hand so that she might continually fill the position of waiting on him. She was taken from the rib of man so that she might continually be by his side. She is to be loved and is to respond as a part of his body. Husbands and wives are a part of each other." 
Awesome. 

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Marriage is Important

I feel like the Bible is full of important relationships. In all of them there is instruction on how to nurture. Once all these relationships in the Bible have been laid out, you will see that the most important in God's eyes is the marriage (other than with Him, of course). We have strayed so far from the way He intended marriage to be that the world is in a sad place. Divorce rates are skyrocketing, and many times if a marriage isn't heading for divorce, one or both parties live miserably. It doesn't have to be this way. We live in a world that is so money hungry, fast paced, and full of sin that our priorities are out of sorts. Women are overtaking the workplace. Men who can manage a great corporation but can't manage a home. Husbands and wives sitting in silence for hours because of disconnect. It's time to get reconnected. Get connected with Jesus first and sort through and get priorities lined up with God's will, I promise things will start to look forward again. Over the next few blogs I'll try to hit on some high points specifically. These are high points that I have learned along the way, or things I gained through the readings in the Bible. So stay tuned in and I hope you enjoy. Have a nice day and God bless you all....and you marriages.

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Man- a leader, a servant.

Men are designed to be leaders. Not only of other men, but of their homes as well. For many men, this role is abused or sometimes abandoned. Jesus was a leader, but He was also a servant. First, yet He was last. This is the way He wants us to be as well. He wants us to love and lead our wives, but also to serve and respect her. If we follow the lead Jesus gave us, we can't go wrong. Treat her the way He treats the church, kindheartedly, humbly, with love and service. If this were the basis for which men treated women, I'm sure there would be a revolution in relationships all over the world.

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