Man of the House: Are you BEING the MAN? #ManUp #ServantLeader ~

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body (Eph 5:23)~~ A key flaw in the mindset of many husbands is that being the “head of the wife” or the “head of the house” means they possess some title of greatness because of their ‘manhood’ and they can live like some lavish king being served by his subjects and catered to by his minions! Even if the truth is not as far gone as the example, the point here cannot be stated better than by Jesus Himself: “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 10:43).

Being the head of the household and/or the head of the wife means work, duty and great responsibility. The “head” is the one RESPONSIBLE for what happens in the house and in the marriage and in the family. Look at the verse again – yes, it says Christ is the head of the church, but He is also SAVIOR OF THE BODY! That means He is responsible for its well being! Think about your body! Through your head comes what makes the body work! Through the eyes you see where your body is going. Through your ears, you hear what your mind and body respond to. Through your nose, you breathe what keeps your body full of oxygen to live. Through your mouth, you eat what nourishes the body. The head has the MOST to actually DO to keep the body going!! 

Husbands, you cannot enjoy the privileges of “headship” and not be willing to shoulder the responsibilities that come with it. Being in the role of ‘leader’ doesn’t mean you get to sit and dictate and be served – in fact, you are to serve and MOST OF THE TIME you will serve more than you will BE served! You can’t franchise, subcontract or outsource your husband responsibilities without hurting your wife and your marriage. You are accountable to God for the physical and spiritual welfare of your family. Make your wife’s life easier by carrying all of your responsibilities dutifully. Your wife was not created to carry out her role and yours at the same time. Your wife should not live like a widow while you are still alive. You are the man, the CEO, Priest, Provider and Protector of the family. Act like it. Be involved, be present, take charge, work hard, pray, plan and execute. Above all “husbands”, remember that your wife is your suitable helper, but you are her servant! Let her thank God that she is married to you! You are the “head” but are you “heading”? You are the MAN but are you BEING the man?

Man Up!

Disagreement Is Not Phobic Nor #Judgement ->

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? (1 Cor 5:12)~ God is the ONLY one that is righteous in judgement about the lives we live and the choices we make. Regardless of the laws and statutes and ordinances we make, His Word supersedes all. He is the only one qualified to judge nonbelievers, people outside of the church and outside of relationship with Him. We either understand His truth in relationship or we subscribe to man’s opinion in conformance to the laws and ways of the world; thus becoming ‘of the world’.

The world, because of the influence of the enemy sets out to force it’s way to all that are in it. It is the enemy of God (James 4:4). Those who are “of the world” claim their right to various freedoms yet seek to revoke that same freedom and silence the voice of those that speak in opposition to their “way”. Those that proclaim the Gospel of Christ and the Word of God as their compass are seen by the world as self-righteous when actually according to the Word, they are MADE righteous in Christ! Those ‘of the world’ see those that disagree or have a difference of opinion as judgmental, phobic, and biased; accusing them of shaming and hating. Their preaching demands tolerance.

Tolerance however doesn’t mean agreement nor compliance. Just as much as people in the world choose to go their way regardless of the Word of God; each person, including those that are proclaimers of the Word, that oppose the ways of the world, has a right to choose different – contrary to the “it’s the law” mindset of the world! It doesn’t mean one hates the other, they just don’t follow or agree with that choice! Their rights and freedoms are just as deserving to be protected as those they speak against!

Now, there is also a responsibility for those that claim to be followers of Christ. ‘But when He saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd’ (Matt 9:36). Jesus wants to help those who may not have a relationship with God find their way to Him. He is the way through the distracting noises of the world, and He has compassion on them because they are blind and confused. As followers of Christ, we should have the same attitude toward those who are spiritually blind. We must ask God to help us see others as He sees them and to give us a heart of compassion for those who may not have a relationship with Him. When they express confusion over the message of the Truth, we are to show them the real message in and of ourselves – not by shoving the Book in their face, but through the lives we live before them – letting our light shine before men.

People who are not living according to God’s Word may frustrate you, but as a believer, you shouldn’t judge them or treat them harshly. Instead, offer them “biblical” tolerance — treating them with respect and patience even though you disagree with their choices. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). The tables can easily be turned and you may find yourself at enmity with God just as well!

While I cannot rightfully condemn those whose life choices I disagree with, I WILL not be shamed, persuaded nor argued down to walk away from my faith, my beliefs nor my love for the Lord Jesus Christ and the Will HE has set before me. I will express it as I have it within me – that fire will not remain shut up in my bones! Whatever consequence, loss of friendship or distance the world places at me for my love for Christ, I would rather have than to conform to the ‘world’ against my relationship with the Lord! I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed (Ps 119:46); For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day (2 Tim 1:12).

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God Keeps The #Light On To Show Us The Way Home …

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him (Luke 15:17-20)~

No matter how far anyone has wandered away from God, no matter how deep we have gone into sin, whenever we turn around… (definition of repent), God is right there to receive us with open arms! God doesn’t care what we’ve done in our past! He only cares about what we’re doing right now and what we will do in our future! Thanks to the finished work of Jesus, no one ever has to be lost because of their past sins. We are only lost because we will not surrender (stop), repent (turn around), and accept (go back to) what Jesus has done for us.

If you have strayed away in your life, just stop, turn around and come back to the Lord! YES, it’s that simple…no working it off, earning forgiveness or proving yourself worthy! Christ has done the work, by Grace He has forgiven us. We in our guilt tend to feel like we’re not worthy of His grace, but the devil is a LIE!!! My friend, we’re SO worthy that Jesus gave His life to prove it! YOU are restored in relationship and covenant; redeemed of everything that separated you and reconciled to FULL authority and inheritance as a child of the Lord! God is eagerly awaiting you and will see you from Heaven as soon as you start to return to Him and He will draw you back to Him and meet you on the way – and what a meeting that is! Don’t stay away friend! God has the light from Heaven focused on you – waiting for you to turn and come Home! Just Come on Back!

God’s Got the Light On For You –

Stop Being Lukewarm… Get #FiredUp ~

O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me. For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence and plunder!” Because the Word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not (Jer 20:7-9)~~

Have you ever been in a position where you felt like your efforts were just mundane, without any impact, maybe even worthless? Have you ever just gotten tired of ‘doing the right thing’ and wanted to just break away and quit…even if just for a little while? Maybe you were discouraged and ultimately you just didn’t want to continue. Or what about that opportunity you were thinking about but you were wondering if it really was for you?

Yeah, me too… it happens to us all. We just want things to be easy going… just want to cool down… we’ve lost that fire -we’ve become.. lukewarm! Oh, you may still be doing what you should do, but God is trying to get you to see what through Him you COULD do. You may even be going through all the motions, but there is no victory in it. No power. No excitement. No fun. You resign to it saying, “well, you can’t be fired up all the time!” THAT IS THE LIE THAT GOT YOU IN THIS CONDITION! God speaks a Word on all of our lives and He intends for us to let SHINE the light that He placed in us…with life and enthusiasm. He’s not going to let us just quit what He has intended that we do: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isa 55:11-12).

There is a fire burning in each of us that cannot go out! When I’ve said to myself, I’m just going to back down and not do this or that, then I really find out if God called me to it.. because something about that fire just burned hotter in me! Romans 12:11 says that we should be fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. Fervent means to boil or to be hot… meaning whatsoever we do, we do it heartily, as to the Lord (Col 3:23) with life and excitement and enthusiasm – FIRE! Friend, the most exciting thing that ever happened could be going on right in your own back yard, but if you are asleep and lukewarm – refusing to let that light in you shine and that fire in you burn hot, you will not be excited by it. The Lord has called us to awake from our slumber, and fan the fire. Add the fuel of the Word He has spoken in you. He’s not gonna let you out of it, He’s already declared it done, and YOU are part of that Divine Will and Purpose so you might as well do it and do it well! Get into Him, the source of the heat, and be fervent!

Get FIRED UP! 🔥

God answers all #Prayers – sometimes His answer is ‘No’-

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Cor 12:8-9)~~ We love to hear that God can and will answer prayer. We’re all smiles as long as He’s saying ‘Yes’ to our requests. But sometimes God says “no” to our most heartfelt requests. Sometimes He allows things to be… even to the point of devastation or loss. This is sometimes painful and for some of us, possibly downright disheartening! As you look about yourself on things, have you discovered this to be true in your own life?

So, does this mean we just give up because we think God’s just going to say ‘no’? Does this mean we just quit praying since He’s probably not even listening to us? Surely not, the devil IS a liar! Don’t EVER give up on God, even when He says ‘no’; in fact, we should pray MORE because in Him saying ‘no’, He may be growing us for a later or different ‘Yes’. Sometimes He’s just saying “No, because I love you too much”. Because God loves us, He will tell us ‘no’ to protect us…sometimes from ourselves; to keep us humble; from being exalted above measure…keeping our ’selves’ in check; and denying certain desires to be fulfilled and even allowing some spiritual burdens to be ordered to cure spiritual pride. It could be that He’s allowing these things to turn our attention to Him!

Irregardless, The Lord of the universe isn’t under obligation to say “yes” to every prayer. That’s a good thing considering some of the things we request! God does answer every prayer; sometimes the answer is ‘No’. When He does, realize that He has His own reasons for why and His own purpose for what happens as a result of it. You just say ‘Thank you Lord, I won’t complain’; take it in stride and accept what God allows. He knows for sure we are better off for it!

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#Forgive … Really Forgive! ~

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)~ Jesus often talked of what would happen but He loved anyway. As soon as Christ was fastened to the cross, He prayed for those who crucified Him. Although He was in the greatest struggle and agony, He forgave! The example: don’t allow pain to dictate the course of your behavior by crippling your ability to trust or over cautiously holding back caring feelings so not to invest in too much emotional concern (in an fruitless attempt to protect yourself).

Stop using some unfair tragedy as an excuse to remain forever broken believing that you have a right to stay that way!! Instead of walking around with a chip on your shoulder embracing bitterness to justify yourself, and feeding the pain, LOVE, FORGIVE and embrace FREEDOM! You have a RIGHT to these beautifying things that only come through the dismantling of that fortress of false rights! We cause more hurt to ourselves than the person who inflicted us when we hold on to anger and bitterness.

Rather than coming back after those who called for His death and inflicting a revenge that no one would have survived, Jesus came back in peace. Yes, He’s God, but aren’t we in His image? Don’t we bear His likeness? Why is it Jesus can forgive the sins of the world….that He had to pay for in death but we are still holding bitterness for a pain that we can’t half remember just how uncomfortable it was. It’s time to put it down my friend.

Vengeance, vindictiveness and spite are not your right to imply..no, the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord’s!

Forgive!

The #Promise Of A New Day.. The End Of All Sorrows! ~

It seems these days and particularly most recently there is an acceleration of stories of death! Not a day has gone by since this pandemic began that we haven’t heard of the horrible tragedies of losses of life. Even as the pandemic seems to be fading from its original surge, it’s variances are hanging on and keeping up the trend. Aside of the sickness it brings, it seems the disasters of man’s own creations are nearly keeping pace with the destruction of Covid-19. Combine all of this loss with the slowing rate of births we are seeing in the world, statistics and some mathematical projections will likely show an end to mankind at some point in the future! It truly is discomforting and depressing!

There is however a prophetic word that was given and an aligned revelation of promise that the wonderful day is coming where this death we see in this world will not have its triumph, but that God Himself…. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (Isa 25:8-9 ESV)~~ There is that in the Truth which strengthens and makes glad the heart, and is fit for those who are under trials and tribulations and mourning for it. Christ Himself, in His resurrection, triumphs over death. Grief shall be banished; there shall be perfect and endless joy. Those that mourn shall be comforted. Those who suffer for Christ shall have consolations. But in the joys of heaven, and not short of them, will fully be brought to pass this saying, God shall wipe away ALL tears. The hope of this will do away with all sorrow, and all weeping. Sometimes, in this world God takes away the reproach of His people from among men; however, it will be done fully at the great day. Let us patiently bear sorrow now; for it will be done away with shortly! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Rev 21:4)

Be a Builder of #Peace ~

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Rom 14:19)~ Petty thoughts, actions and ideas, and the words that come as a result of them can ruin a friendship or the trust of any relationship. It may not always seem like a big deal while we’re going through it, but over time the smallest things can actually cause the biggest challenges.

Life on a stable, even plane requires everyday effort and we have to do our part by taking control of thoughts, controlling our mouths, doing what leads to peace and eliminating that which does not. There are certain ideas we cannot allow to creep into our minds with regard to our relationships. What sets itself in the mind eventually affects our heart and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt 12:34). Once it is spoken, the building or destruction of the relationship occurs because the tongue has the power of life and death (Prov 18:21). So we must be careful what thoughts we let inseminate us, what we carry in our hearts, what we speak to life and what we speak to death!

The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell (James 3:6). Words we speak are one of the most powerful but also the most dangerous weapons we have. Remember, with words God created the universe but with words He also destroyed the earth by flood. The courses of life and death were spoken of Him and we who are in His image have the same power. The key difference though is WE aren’t perfect and shouldn’t even pretend to be. We are human just like the next person. We make mistakes, exhibit attitudes, let our pride get in the way and sometimes act like children, just like other humans. We have to give each other the benefit of these imperfections and be willing to take ownership of what we bring that causes our relationships destruction and do the opposite. Rather than purposely destroy each other let us take that effort to intentionally uplift each other and make peace. Pick our battles carefully and rather than say destructive things, be a builder for the Kingdom of the Lord!

Speak Life!

#Reset – There’s Revelation In Restored Relationship! –

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3)~~

We have inter-mixed true relationship with God with precepts of carnality – allowing ourselves to be manipulated by the enemy and misled, misinformed and improperly aligned according to the influences of the ways of the world. Yes we love God and know who He is and believe in Him and even believe Him, but our lives are an indication that we are still missing … something! We are off and we just know that we’re out of sync with God and that’s enough to keep the turmoil going in our lives. We are hesistant and we back away from total commitment to God because we live in our guilt and fears because we haven’t been totally committed to Him. The world has us believing that commitment to ‘self’ is the priority; that we must do certain things and live a certain way and acquire gain at any cost, even the cost of being (just a little) misaligned with God so that we can be prosperous and successful. Believe in God, go to church, pray, do good things.. but be about YOU first and all will be well. Yes, the devil is a LIAR! Because something is just … off… and deep down, we know it!

Let us now repent of not being where God wants us to be – let us seek ‘authentic’ relationship with God, not just going for form and fashion because someone told us it’s the right thing to do. Let us give God glory in true spirit, uninhibited and without hesitation. God is restoring us of the years of loss and pain, He is resuscitating in us those things that have seemingly died in our lives that have sent us down these dark paths.Through Christ He has restored the Life in us that was first intended at creation. God has reconciled the world to Himself – that we may live raised up in His presence. He promises love for us regardless of the hints of the enemy that He has left us alone.

Let us realize once and for all that it’s more than just knowing ABOUT God, but through the revelation of these truths, it’s about KNOWING God in RELATIONSHIP. It’s about what we EXPERIENCE Him doing – preserving us, keeping us, holding on to us, blessing us, nurturing and growing us in Him; changing the very course of our lives and renewing our minds and Spirits – those things that go far beyond what we could read or talk about, those motions we go through with no true connection, just an action to check off of a task list; it’s about what is DONE in us, for us and to us by His love, grace and mercy; EXPERIENCING His Joy, His Peace, His Love! God is turning us around so much so that the people who have known us all of our lives may even see us as a complete stranger because we will not be what we used to be. In Him, we always come through different than when we started out!

When we RESET and come back to Him, He sets the order on our behalf! There is revelation in the relationship! God’s revelation in relationship to us will be the refreshment of life that cleans all things, nourishes all things, quenches all things, satisfies all things. It will bring forth the harvest of His promises to us in RELATIONSHIP. You’ve been waiting and planning and thinking of how and when and why to come back to Him, getting your life in order – even reading your Word and going through the motions of it all, but there is revelation in relationship!

Rather than getting your life together to come back to God, come back to God and get your life together!

Put in the Work On #Peace ~ It’s Worth It! ~

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men (Rom 12:18)~

During the weekend of Juneteenth 2021, I went to Buckroe Beach in Hampton, VA, about 45 min from Virginia Beach and what I saw was nothing BUT the result of hard work to have … peace! Nice people.. of all walks (colors, cultures and ages) speaking, being friendly, good music playing. It was like a big family reunion and everyone was related! All the craziness of life and stress between people seemed to have been cast aside and everyone was living their best life.. even if for a moment.. and it was worth it!

Peace with people can be as simple as acknowledging someone’s presence with a ‘nod’ or smile or casual greeting. Everyone has different personalities and emotions. Sometimes we feel happy, and other times we feel angry. How a person is feeling however should not change our peaceful state. Now YOU can’t control what the other person does or how they act and it’s easy to get out of sorts when they act in a way that disturbs your peace. But you can control YOUR reaction and you have the power within you to maintain your peace. This is the work you have to put in. And yes, it’s worth it!

If they are antagonizing things, God will take care of the negativity that person is creating; LET HIM – for the vengeance is His (Rom 12:19). But as fair warning, keep in mind that your reacting with a good cussing out or even worse only serves to give God a reason to deal with you. I don’t know about you but I cringe at the thought of God taking ANY type of vengeance on me! Getting along people may seem like a lot of work some days. But a peaceful space is a true treasure, something worth working for! Yes, it’s worth it!

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21) – DO THE WORK it takes to keep the peace, not trying to fix anyone nor straighten them out, but managing your own actions! And when it starts to get the best of you…take five and get into God’s presence! Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7) – Put in the work! It’s worth it!

May God bless you and keep you … in PEACE!