Nevertheless, an adverb which indicates the opportunity to change, yet maintaining the same direction or course of action.
This one word serves as a major turning point throughout the Word of God. This one word has stood center stage throughout the course of human history. Allow me to explain.
Recently I had the honor of hearing my pastor deliver a eulogy for a person who exhibited tremendous courage in the face of cancer. As we learned more about her, it became very evident that she used her illness as an opportunity to minister to others. When others called or visited her to share words of encouragement and prayer, she in turn, took that same moment to encourage them.
It was clear that she faced and conquered what I call a nevertheless moment.
In Mark 14:36, we find Jesus at one of the most crushing moments in His life. Temptation was pulling on Him, causing His flesh to war against His spirit. The agony that Jesus went through at that moment in the Garden of Gethsemane caused Him to cry out to His Father for help.
"And He said, 'Abba Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me..." - Mark 14:36v.
Have you ever wondered what would have happened if God (the Father) would have answered that prayer? What if Jesus yielded to His own desire that night? Satan would have certainly won. The virgin birth, the baptism, the miracles, the teachings, everything would have been for nothing!
But praise be unto God for this one small word: nevertheless.
"...Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." - Mark 14:36v.
Precisely at this moment in time, Jesus stood at the crossroads of eternity and held humanity in His hands. Jesus through prayer completely yielded His will, His desires, His flesh, and His plans to the Will of His Father.
If Jesus turned His back at that moment, we would not be reading this devotional. We would not have a moral compass to guide our thoughts, nor an ethical path to lead us to correct decisions.
Today we all face at times nevertheless moments. The decisions we make and the prayers we pray can change the very trajectory of our lives or that of another person.
Let's be sure that our prayers do not enable us to take the easy way out. Let's look and take the example of our Savior. Today, let us walk in His footsteps.
Along with his wife of 19 years, Jennifer, Elder Tony Wilson is the founders and facilitators of Marriage Retreat 365, an organization that encourages and models for couples various methods of maintaining intimacy while addressing the everyday responsibilities of being a family. A father of four, Elder Wilson is currently on staff at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, located in Lithonia, Georgia.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
GRAMMAR NO BE MONEY!!!!
English is not our mother tongue... but he surely meant well. For some of you who hitherto have read or listened to this magnanimous speech, then this is a refresher!
After a luncheon hosted by the Queen in London in his honor, the former Ugandan leader Idi Amin Dada had this to say for his vote of thanks.
My majesty Mr. Queen Sir, horrible ministers and members of parliament, invented Guests, ladies under gentlemen.
I hereby thank you completely…..Mr. Queen, sir;
and also what he has done for me and my fellow Uganda
who come with me.
We have really eaten very much. And we are fed up completely:
And also very thanks to you keenly open up from all windows:
so that those plenty climates can come into lunch. But before I go
back to my country with a plane from the Entebbe airport of London
I wish to invitation you Mr. Queen, to become home to Uganda so
that we can also revenge on you .
You will eat a full cow: and also feel up your stomach and
walk with difficult because of full stomach completely.
Even when you want to rest at night; I will make sure that
you sleep on top of me in the top up stairs of my mansion
completely so that you can enjoy all the gravity of fresh air.
"But now am sorry because I have to tell you that I have
made a short call on you only. But next time I shall make a long call
on you to last the whole moon completely. Thank you very much
to allow me to undress you completely before these extinguished
ladies under gentlemen sir.
Lastly but not list, I ask the band to play our international anthem
of the republic of Uganda and also the British international anthem...Your majesty sir, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and from the bottoms
of all the people of Uganda .
With this few words I thank you sir
Memorable Speech of Idi Amin Dad
After a luncheon hosted by the Queen in London in his honor, the former Ugandan leader Idi Amin Dada had this to say for his vote of thanks.
My majesty Mr. Queen Sir, horrible ministers and members of parliament, invented Guests, ladies under gentlemen.
I hereby thank you completely…..Mr. Queen, sir;
and also what he has done for me and my fellow Uganda
who come with me.
We have really eaten very much. And we are fed up completely:
And also very thanks to you keenly open up from all windows:
so that those plenty climates can come into lunch. But before I go
back to my country with a plane from the Entebbe airport of London
I wish to invitation you Mr. Queen, to become home to Uganda so
that we can also revenge on you .
You will eat a full cow: and also feel up your stomach and
walk with difficult because of full stomach completely.
Even when you want to rest at night; I will make sure that
you sleep on top of me in the top up stairs of my mansion
completely so that you can enjoy all the gravity of fresh air.
"But now am sorry because I have to tell you that I have
made a short call on you only. But next time I shall make a long call
on you to last the whole moon completely. Thank you very much
to allow me to undress you completely before these extinguished
ladies under gentlemen sir.
Lastly but not list, I ask the band to play our international anthem
of the republic of Uganda and also the British international anthem...Your majesty sir, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and from the bottoms
of all the people of Uganda .
With this few words I thank you sir
Effective Prayer
Pastor Paula White
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
In order to have an effective prayer life, it is important to understand the various ways that we can communicate with God using the tool of prayer. It is important to know why we are praying, and what we are praying for. It is important that we have worked our faith to a point where we can trust in God to answer our prayers according to His will for our lives.
The Bible instructs us to cast all our cares to God in prayer, making our requests known to Him with an attitude of thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). We are to request what we need and then trust Him to meet our needs. As we do that, God acts - imparting to us His peace, and providing all that is beneficial for our eternal good.
God may not answer our prayers when we want... or even how we want. But He will always answer - even if the answer is not apparent to us, and it feels like He has ignored us, or not heard us. God's ways are higher than our ways - and therefore, how He 'answers' our prayers, will also operate on a heavenly and supernatural level that reveals and carries out His best intentions and plans for our lives.
It is good to know that we can pray effectively when we are in covenant with God and aligning ourselves with His divine will - praying as a "righteous man," as James instructs in 5:16. There are also different prayers to use in different situations. Knowing why we are praying, what we are praying for, and understanding how God answers prayers is vital if we want to pray effectively. Different prayers we can approach God with include:
Prayer of Faith. The Prayer of Faith should always be based on God's revealed will and His Word. It requires boldly declaring the Word of God over one's situation. Instead of 'God, please heal me, " one should pray, "Lord, your Word declares that by Your stripes, I AM HEALED!" This way you are declaring what you already know to be true based on God's Word.
Prayer of Commitment. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us we should pray "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." This kind of prayer declares your decision to give all of your concerns, fears, anxieties and problems to God. It is a conscious refusal to worry or have anxiety. This type of prayer has two parts: stating all of your requests to God, and committing to all Him to handle each request without interference from you.
Prayer of Agreement. This is the most powerful type of prayer. Matthew 18: 19 -20 tells us, "that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." This is a profound and powerful promise given to us by Jesus Christ! It means that whenever two people will believe together, and with the utmost faith believe on the Word of God, whatever they seek will be granted.
Intercessory Prayer. This involves praying for other people, nations, cities, and against the powers of darkness. The best example of and intercessor is Jesus himself; Romans 8:34 says that Jesus sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us. He asks the Lord to forgive us, and it is through Jesus' prayer that our slates are wiped clean when we repent and seek forgiveness. We have the ability to 'stand in the gap' of others in the same way, petitioning God on their behalf to answer our prayers -- by meeting their needs, saving their souls, or simply by showing mercy.
And remember: take every opportunity to appreciate the smallest answered prayer, and to meditate on God's faithfulness. You don't have to wait until you 'see' that your prayer has been answered -- give Him a prayer of thankfulness and praise right now for answering your prayers in His time, in His wisdom, and according to His will.
Because God is Good!
Pastor Paula White spacer A life coach, author, and highly sought after motivational speaker, Pastor Paula White is the host of her own television program -- Paula Today, which reaches an audience of 2.3 billion people worldwide, spearheading a number of global humanitarian efforts. Her mission in life is to Transform Lives, Heal Hearts and Win Souls. For more information about Paula, log onto www.paulawhite.org.
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
In order to have an effective prayer life, it is important to understand the various ways that we can communicate with God using the tool of prayer. It is important to know why we are praying, and what we are praying for. It is important that we have worked our faith to a point where we can trust in God to answer our prayers according to His will for our lives.
The Bible instructs us to cast all our cares to God in prayer, making our requests known to Him with an attitude of thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). We are to request what we need and then trust Him to meet our needs. As we do that, God acts - imparting to us His peace, and providing all that is beneficial for our eternal good.
God may not answer our prayers when we want... or even how we want. But He will always answer - even if the answer is not apparent to us, and it feels like He has ignored us, or not heard us. God's ways are higher than our ways - and therefore, how He 'answers' our prayers, will also operate on a heavenly and supernatural level that reveals and carries out His best intentions and plans for our lives.
It is good to know that we can pray effectively when we are in covenant with God and aligning ourselves with His divine will - praying as a "righteous man," as James instructs in 5:16. There are also different prayers to use in different situations. Knowing why we are praying, what we are praying for, and understanding how God answers prayers is vital if we want to pray effectively. Different prayers we can approach God with include:
Prayer of Faith. The Prayer of Faith should always be based on God's revealed will and His Word. It requires boldly declaring the Word of God over one's situation. Instead of 'God, please heal me, " one should pray, "Lord, your Word declares that by Your stripes, I AM HEALED!" This way you are declaring what you already know to be true based on God's Word.
Prayer of Commitment. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us we should pray "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." This kind of prayer declares your decision to give all of your concerns, fears, anxieties and problems to God. It is a conscious refusal to worry or have anxiety. This type of prayer has two parts: stating all of your requests to God, and committing to all Him to handle each request without interference from you.
Prayer of Agreement. This is the most powerful type of prayer. Matthew 18: 19 -20 tells us, "that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." This is a profound and powerful promise given to us by Jesus Christ! It means that whenever two people will believe together, and with the utmost faith believe on the Word of God, whatever they seek will be granted.
Intercessory Prayer. This involves praying for other people, nations, cities, and against the powers of darkness. The best example of and intercessor is Jesus himself; Romans 8:34 says that Jesus sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us. He asks the Lord to forgive us, and it is through Jesus' prayer that our slates are wiped clean when we repent and seek forgiveness. We have the ability to 'stand in the gap' of others in the same way, petitioning God on their behalf to answer our prayers -- by meeting their needs, saving their souls, or simply by showing mercy.
And remember: take every opportunity to appreciate the smallest answered prayer, and to meditate on God's faithfulness. You don't have to wait until you 'see' that your prayer has been answered -- give Him a prayer of thankfulness and praise right now for answering your prayers in His time, in His wisdom, and according to His will.
Because God is Good!
Pastor Paula White spacer A life coach, author, and highly sought after motivational speaker, Pastor Paula White is the host of her own television program -- Paula Today, which reaches an audience of 2.3 billion people worldwide, spearheading a number of global humanitarian efforts. Her mission in life is to Transform Lives, Heal Hearts and Win Souls. For more information about Paula, log onto www.paulawhite.org.
Friday, March 12, 2010
MIDNIGHT CREW NOMINATED FOR GHANA MUSIC AWARDS!!!
Hiyaaaaaaa!!!!
Our own Gospel group Midnight Crew has been nominated for the Ghana Music Awards in the category of African artiste of the year.
Bracket- Nigeria
Wande Coal- Nigeria
Flavour- Nigeria
Midnight Crew – Nigeria
Jozi- South Africa
Please let's support out own dear Midnight crew!!!!
Information on what numbers to send ur votes to will be communicated to you all.
Thanks
Our own Gospel group Midnight Crew has been nominated for the Ghana Music Awards in the category of African artiste of the year.
Here is the list of artistes in this category .....
Bracket- Nigeria
Wande Coal- Nigeria
Flavour- Nigeria
Midnight Crew – Nigeria
Jozi- South Africa
Please let's support out own dear Midnight crew!!!!
Information on what numbers to send ur votes to will be communicated to you all.
Thanks
Friday, March 5, 2010
Loving God's People by Bishop Walter S. Thomas
Hebrews 10: 24-25 says this:
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
It goes without saying that often in life we feel alone. We feel as if we are standing against the storm alone, fighting the rising tide alone, dealing with the difficulty alone, and living the great moments alone.
Life has been so unkind to so many of us that we have failed to cultivate or revisit the art of being close to persons and knowing the joy that comes from true and genuine fellowship.
We can find ourselves seeking to be alone because we feel it is safer and we won't be hurt. The real truth, however, is that we are missing out on what God has purposefully put in our path: His people.
God knows we cannot make this journey by ourselves and still know the fullness of the joy God has for us. What God has for us is intricately woven into fellowship and cannot be fully experienced until we allow ourselves to embrace the community of which God has us a part.
He has given us His people and now we must learn to love again. Jesus said that we would be known as his disciples 'by our love one for another.' God allows us and teaches us how to love and just what love means.
He teaches us that within the confines of God's family, we must learn how to love and to forgive. We must learn how to care and to be compassionate. We must learn how to celebrate and to serve.
I must admit...I love the people of God. They have been my instructors in life, my companions in suffering, my cheerleaders in success, and my friends in life. The writer of Hebrews said that we should not take this love 'for granted.'
We should seek out ways to build upon it and to encourage one another. We have a community that is always looking for new ways to inspire and to edify us. In the midst of a world that wrestles with the meaning of love, God has placed us in a community that seeks to practice love.
Let us not be naïve; the church is far from perfect. It has its flaws and makes its mistakes, but it is the bride of Christ being prepared for her Lord.
A love for God's people can help us all to realize that we should not live out our lives' journey by ourselves.
Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. spacer Serving as the pastor of the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland since1975, Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. is the presiding Bishop of Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors. Bishop Thomas is a certified Personal and Executive Coach. He also is the host of Empowering Disciples broadcast. For more information about Bishop Thomas, log onto www.newpsalmist.org.
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
It goes without saying that often in life we feel alone. We feel as if we are standing against the storm alone, fighting the rising tide alone, dealing with the difficulty alone, and living the great moments alone.
Life has been so unkind to so many of us that we have failed to cultivate or revisit the art of being close to persons and knowing the joy that comes from true and genuine fellowship.
We can find ourselves seeking to be alone because we feel it is safer and we won't be hurt. The real truth, however, is that we are missing out on what God has purposefully put in our path: His people.
God knows we cannot make this journey by ourselves and still know the fullness of the joy God has for us. What God has for us is intricately woven into fellowship and cannot be fully experienced until we allow ourselves to embrace the community of which God has us a part.
He has given us His people and now we must learn to love again. Jesus said that we would be known as his disciples 'by our love one for another.' God allows us and teaches us how to love and just what love means.
He teaches us that within the confines of God's family, we must learn how to love and to forgive. We must learn how to care and to be compassionate. We must learn how to celebrate and to serve.
I must admit...I love the people of God. They have been my instructors in life, my companions in suffering, my cheerleaders in success, and my friends in life. The writer of Hebrews said that we should not take this love 'for granted.'
We should seek out ways to build upon it and to encourage one another. We have a community that is always looking for new ways to inspire and to edify us. In the midst of a world that wrestles with the meaning of love, God has placed us in a community that seeks to practice love.
Let us not be naïve; the church is far from perfect. It has its flaws and makes its mistakes, but it is the bride of Christ being prepared for her Lord.
A love for God's people can help us all to realize that we should not live out our lives' journey by ourselves.
Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. spacer Serving as the pastor of the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland since1975, Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. is the presiding Bishop of Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors. Bishop Thomas is a certified Personal and Executive Coach. He also is the host of Empowering Disciples broadcast. For more information about Bishop Thomas, log onto www.newpsalmist.org.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Somebody Needs What You Can Give- Pastor Paula White
Numbers are significant to God.
The number "9" signifies "gifts," and "fruit." 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 states that we are given nine different ways in which the Holy Spirit shows Himself in our lives. And as with the "gifts of the Spirit" described in Galatians 5:22, these are inner qualities that bless those around us when we share them.
How we share our blessings, gifts, and talents with others is how we show God's love and allow our lives to be a light to the world around us.
Love is a verb - an action word. We can love those around us by our simple actions of giving. Each of us has something to give our world. And somebody out there needs what you can give!
Giving is not about a financial thing -- although that is one way to give. Sharing with others stems from our inner being; it is giving of ourselves, our talents and our abilities. Today one of the most valuable gifts we can give someone may be our time.
Any time is a good time to give, however, during seasons of struggle, hardship, or transition -- which many of us are experiencing now -- I think it is especially important. It is easy to become self-absorbed, and feel we have nothing to give.
Sponsor AdBut I assure you, you have something somebody needs. It may be a warm smile, or a friendly touch! I have found through my own experiences that when I'm going through difficult times, it helps to make a deliberate and conscious choice to give of myself to others.
While going through a series of very painful experiences, I visited a nearby nursing home and devoted a portion of every week to five elderly people who had nobody else visiting them. My gifts to them were simple:
I listened to stories of their childhood adventures.
I held their hands and told them stories of my own.
I joked with them.
Sometimes I brought them soft cookies they could "gum" on -- or little bouquets of flowers they could smell, even if they couldn't see them.
By sharing simple acts of kindness with these precious seniors, not only was God's love manifested, but it brought me incredible blessings of joy and happiness and allowed me to focus on the positive side of my personal life. When we give to others it is impossible not to be blessed.
I encourage you to take time to hear the small still voice within.
Be sensitive to God's Spirit in every area of your life. Find simple ways of sharing the gifts He has given you with the people around you. You will, in turn, find yourself filled with joy and contentment, as you become His hand extended to a hurting world.
Remember, your life is a gift from God - what you do with your life is your gift to Him.
Pastor Paula White spacer A life coach, author, and highly sought after motivational speaker, Pastor Paula White is the host of her own television program -- Paula Today, which reaches an audience of 2.3 billion people worldwide, spearheading a number of global humanitarian efforts. Her mission in life is to Transform Lives, Heal Hearts and Win Souls. For more information about Paula, log onto www.paulawhite.org.
The number "9" signifies "gifts," and "fruit." 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 states that we are given nine different ways in which the Holy Spirit shows Himself in our lives. And as with the "gifts of the Spirit" described in Galatians 5:22, these are inner qualities that bless those around us when we share them.
How we share our blessings, gifts, and talents with others is how we show God's love and allow our lives to be a light to the world around us.
Love is a verb - an action word. We can love those around us by our simple actions of giving. Each of us has something to give our world. And somebody out there needs what you can give!
Giving is not about a financial thing -- although that is one way to give. Sharing with others stems from our inner being; it is giving of ourselves, our talents and our abilities. Today one of the most valuable gifts we can give someone may be our time.
Any time is a good time to give, however, during seasons of struggle, hardship, or transition -- which many of us are experiencing now -- I think it is especially important. It is easy to become self-absorbed, and feel we have nothing to give.
Sponsor AdBut I assure you, you have something somebody needs. It may be a warm smile, or a friendly touch! I have found through my own experiences that when I'm going through difficult times, it helps to make a deliberate and conscious choice to give of myself to others.
While going through a series of very painful experiences, I visited a nearby nursing home and devoted a portion of every week to five elderly people who had nobody else visiting them. My gifts to them were simple:
I listened to stories of their childhood adventures.
I held their hands and told them stories of my own.
I joked with them.
Sometimes I brought them soft cookies they could "gum" on -- or little bouquets of flowers they could smell, even if they couldn't see them.
By sharing simple acts of kindness with these precious seniors, not only was God's love manifested, but it brought me incredible blessings of joy and happiness and allowed me to focus on the positive side of my personal life. When we give to others it is impossible not to be blessed.
I encourage you to take time to hear the small still voice within.
Be sensitive to God's Spirit in every area of your life. Find simple ways of sharing the gifts He has given you with the people around you. You will, in turn, find yourself filled with joy and contentment, as you become His hand extended to a hurting world.
Remember, your life is a gift from God - what you do with your life is your gift to Him.
Pastor Paula White spacer A life coach, author, and highly sought after motivational speaker, Pastor Paula White is the host of her own television program -- Paula Today, which reaches an audience of 2.3 billion people worldwide, spearheading a number of global humanitarian efforts. Her mission in life is to Transform Lives, Heal Hearts and Win Souls. For more information about Paula, log onto www.paulawhite.org.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Truths about a happy home!!!
Like I told you sometime ago that a friend subscribes for a daily devotional that he forwards to me regularly.....He sent this episode and I feel I should share it with us all. Some of us might just be guilty of these things. This episode is by Milan Ford.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I'd dedicate today's devotional to all of my fellow MARRIED believers out there. And for those of you who are still SINGLE, be sure to tuck this one away in a vault; you may need to read it again one day.
When I first got married, I like so many of you reading this today, had a box full of desires that I came to the wedding altar with.
Desires to one day purchase a new home.
Desires for when and how many children I wanted to have.
Desires as to how I would like to schedule quality time with my wife.
Desires for how I would like to save and spend our money.
And yes, I even had a desire as to what I ALWAYS wanted to see my wife wear to bed! I was convinced that Victoria Secret was going to be a staple in our marriage forever.
But after six years of marriage (our seventh anniversary is coming up this October), I found out something very interesting about many of the desires I had prior to getting married. All of them have one common denominator:
The letter "I"
Every desire that I had grown up thinking would be a core value of my marriage was rooted primarily in what "I" wanted and desired to see happen. And at first, nothing seemed to be wrong with that kind of value system.
Our wedding ceremony was incredible.
Our honeymoon was unforgettable.
Our first home purchase was essentially a snap.
And the birth of our first child was indeed nothing short of magnificent.
But over time, something significant happened. In fact, it happens to relationships all across this nation every single day. Perhaps it is happening to you right now.
Sponsor AdThe values I had coming in to my marriage, many of which I thought were great values to have, slowly became something they never should have.
They became EXPECTATIONS.
Somewhere along the way, the desires I had about what my marriage was going to be like became an expectation, and whenever a desire is confused with or transformed into an expectation, the dynamic of one's marriage will drastically change.
For example: When a husband no longer 'desires' for his wife to assist with the cleaning of the house, but rather 'expects' her to do so, he (over time) may no longer become a husband to her. But rather her master.
Or (as another example) when a man no longer 'desires' for his wife to wear romantic lingerie to bed, but rather 'expects' her to, he (over time) may no longer see her as his wife. But rather as his 'releaser.'
(I'd use a different word there, but I think you get the point)
The following passage of scripture is one I had read several times before, but after reading it again this week, the words written here struck me like a ton of bricks.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with washing of water by the word, and that He may present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." - Ephesians 5:25-27
For six years, my wife has met, and more often than not, exceeding all of my desires and expectations as it relates what a good and loving wife should do. And yet, despite all of her attempts to make me happy, I realized that I tend to be entirely more focused on what she is doing, but not BECOMING.
I forgot that she also (prior to marrying me) had some desires as well. There were some lifelong dreams that she had that were not being fulfilled because her duties were confined to meeting someone else's expectations.
She was not being 'presented' as a glorious church BY her husband.
But rather busy 'building' a church and sanctuary for HER husband.
Friends, that is not why Christ came.
And that is not what His love is all about.
So before you head out to that department store to purchase some new perfume for your spouse or significant other, and just before you reserve that table for two at your favorite restaurant this weekend for Valentine's Day...
...be sure you carve time out to truly INSPECT what you EXPECT.
There perhaps may be no greater sign of God's love than to free those in our lives we have held captive to fulfilling our desires. Let's break this cycle once and for all.
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. A lover of Red Vines Licorice and all things pointing North, Milan released his first book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing in December (2009). You can find Milan rambling and writing at at ThePewView.com.
When Desires Become Expectations
Milan Ford
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I'd dedicate today's devotional to all of my fellow MARRIED believers out there. And for those of you who are still SINGLE, be sure to tuck this one away in a vault; you may need to read it again one day.
When I first got married, I like so many of you reading this today, had a box full of desires that I came to the wedding altar with.
Desires to one day purchase a new home.
Desires for when and how many children I wanted to have.
Desires as to how I would like to schedule quality time with my wife.
Desires for how I would like to save and spend our money.
And yes, I even had a desire as to what I ALWAYS wanted to see my wife wear to bed! I was convinced that Victoria Secret was going to be a staple in our marriage forever.
But after six years of marriage (our seventh anniversary is coming up this October), I found out something very interesting about many of the desires I had prior to getting married. All of them have one common denominator:
The letter "I"
Every desire that I had grown up thinking would be a core value of my marriage was rooted primarily in what "I" wanted and desired to see happen. And at first, nothing seemed to be wrong with that kind of value system.
Our wedding ceremony was incredible.
Our honeymoon was unforgettable.
Our first home purchase was essentially a snap.
And the birth of our first child was indeed nothing short of magnificent.
But over time, something significant happened. In fact, it happens to relationships all across this nation every single day. Perhaps it is happening to you right now.
Sponsor AdThe values I had coming in to my marriage, many of which I thought were great values to have, slowly became something they never should have.
They became EXPECTATIONS.
Somewhere along the way, the desires I had about what my marriage was going to be like became an expectation, and whenever a desire is confused with or transformed into an expectation, the dynamic of one's marriage will drastically change.
For example: When a husband no longer 'desires' for his wife to assist with the cleaning of the house, but rather 'expects' her to do so, he (over time) may no longer become a husband to her. But rather her master.
Or (as another example) when a man no longer 'desires' for his wife to wear romantic lingerie to bed, but rather 'expects' her to, he (over time) may no longer see her as his wife. But rather as his 'releaser.'
(I'd use a different word there, but I think you get the point)
The following passage of scripture is one I had read several times before, but after reading it again this week, the words written here struck me like a ton of bricks.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with washing of water by the word, and that He may present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." - Ephesians 5:25-27
For six years, my wife has met, and more often than not, exceeding all of my desires and expectations as it relates what a good and loving wife should do. And yet, despite all of her attempts to make me happy, I realized that I tend to be entirely more focused on what she is doing, but not BECOMING.
I forgot that she also (prior to marrying me) had some desires as well. There were some lifelong dreams that she had that were not being fulfilled because her duties were confined to meeting someone else's expectations.
She was not being 'presented' as a glorious church BY her husband.
But rather busy 'building' a church and sanctuary for HER husband.
Friends, that is not why Christ came.
And that is not what His love is all about.
So before you head out to that department store to purchase some new perfume for your spouse or significant other, and just before you reserve that table for two at your favorite restaurant this weekend for Valentine's Day...
...be sure you carve time out to truly INSPECT what you EXPECT.
There perhaps may be no greater sign of God's love than to free those in our lives we have held captive to fulfilling our desires. Let's break this cycle once and for all.
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. A lover of Red Vines Licorice and all things pointing North, Milan released his first book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing in December (2009). You can find Milan rambling and writing at at ThePewView.com.
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