Our Men Are Under Attack

During my Bible study we were discussing the events that will occur during the last days and it's evident that we're living in the last days now but what’s interesting is the devil knows his reign is coming to an end so he's trying to get as many people as he can to turn against God. During our discussion I can’t remember what lead me to the thought something made me think about all of the marriages that are falling apart. I know that the family unit within marriage is something ordained by God and because of that holy covenant it is one of the sure things the devil tries to tear apart and with that he always goes for the weakest link. Usually it seems to be the children but here lately it seems that he is targeting the men. That is so sad when from the beginning God positioned the man to be the head and to lead his family TO Christ but at this point things are so backwards that it's the women trying to lead the families to Christ and hold the families together because that devil is really on the men's backs. 

I really feel for them because the devil is in full on attack of them and they don't see it.  For those that have an intimate relationship with Jesus there is a chance they will wake up and realize what's going on and put on that full armor of Christ and not let the devil win but for those who do not know or who don't open their eyes my goodness I feel so bad for them.

We all need prayer but right now I really feel the men of this world need a special prayer because we are all in a spiritual war but the odds seem to really be stacked against these men. We always seem to focus on bettering women and children but it seems we do more complaining about the men. So I’m asking that you please stop and say a prayer for them.  I have included a prayer below that you can say and or use as a guide.  I thank you and the men of the world thank you.

Father in Heaven,

By the power that you have granted me I take authority over the enemy’s attacks on the men of this world. Please enable all men to put off the old nature in their lives, and be renewed in the spirit of their minds, so that they may put on a transformed nature of holiness.

Grant all men to perceive the image of strength and love that You have bestowed on them, Father. And grant them the will to use these gifts for the benefit of their wives and families and for the greater good of the whole Body of Christ.

I ask this in Jesus Name,
Amen

Being Alone Ain’t Good

If man truly believed that God is the same as He was and the same as He will always be yesterday today and forever, then how come when He says in His word “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

man acts as if God has stopped making a helper suitable for Him? I hear single Christian men going around telling people they are waiting on God and that there are not that many good godly women to choose from and all this other garbage. But my question to you men in waiting is why would God say that it’s not good for you to be alone and then not provide that which would make your life good? He does not love you less than He did Adam. Open your eyes and believe that your suitable helper is somewhere near you.

Post shared by mrs relationship stuff

Build On The Rock

 
I’ve seen so many people try to build their loving relationships without Christ. This is impossible to do. You may stay together but being in love is so much better. I mean being alive isn’t enough, you have to be living! A man spends his life in jail, he’s alive but living, not. Most of us want more out of life, that’s why we do our best not to commit crimes that will land us in prison for life!

So to be in a prison of a relationship can be just as bad. A relationship can’t thrive unless God is in it. One of my favorite movies is “Not Easily Broken.” One of the things the Pastor told the newly married couple is that God had to always be in their relationship and the one steering the ship. Meaning, even though you want to do things your way, God’s word and His ways need to come above that, or else your relationship can end in shambles.

So I’m keeping it plane and simple today, only build on a solid foundation of Christ. God is the creator of relationships so He can be trusted.

Post courtesy of The Relationship Stuff

COMMUNICATION IN MARRIAGE

There is clearly a blessing in being able to effectively communicate and being on one accord with your spouse. So much so that in the bible in Genesis 11:5-8, the people of the land communicated using the same language began to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. Their actions resulted in God confusing the language, because nothing would be impossible to them who speak on one accord.
Communication in marriage or lack thereof has been cited for years as one of the primary reasons for divorce. Being able to effectively communicate your thoughts and feelings to your spouse is not only necessary to make a marriage work, but essential to maintain a harmonious household. Furthermore, good communication skills are necessary in every aspect of life.
For those who have issues communicating with your spouse whether it be difficulty expressing your thoughts or difficulty being a good listener there are some things you can do to become a better communicator. Listed below are a few tips to effectively communicating with your spouse:

• Take time each day to talk to each other.
• Openly talk to the other person, and actively listen.
• Express feelings without getting angry.
• Don’t be mean.
• Don’t give advice, unless asked for it.
• Watch your tone of voice.
• Don’t jump to conclusions.
• Don’t interrupt.

In closing remember that “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV)

Written by Terry 411 Cato

Love Her

 

“Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up… an unloved woman who is married.” Proverbs 30:21, 23a

 

What does a woman long for from her husband? Simply love. A husband’s love is like a fresh breath from heaven for a wife who feels vulnerable and at times fearful. His love is a rock of refuge after she reels from a relational conflict at work, church, or from another family member. The love of her husband goes a long way in satisfying that deep desire of a woman to love and be loved. 

“His banner over me is love” (Song of Solomon 2:4b).

Husbands, a gracious woman is not to be taken advantage of or to be taken for granted. Instead, thank God for a wife who wants to please the Lord and serve her family. When was the last time you loved your bride in a way that she wants you to love her, in a way that only you can love her? Have you asked her lately how she needs to feel loved by you?

Outside of Christ’s love, your love is the most meaningful, valuable, and satisfying to your spouse. She needs to know that all of you belongs to her and all of her belongs to you. There is never a place for a feeling of competition between your wife and another woman. Dismiss this danger at the outset. Make your wife feel the fidelity of a “one-woman man.” You desire no other.

“My lover is mine and I am his” (Song of Solomon 2:16a).

Where can you learn to love your wife? Ask her. Learn from her, for this is her natural disposition. Seek out men who love their wives well and gain insights from them. Ask God. He is the Lord of love and Lord over your marriage. Go to the source of love, your Savior Jesus, and He will instruct you in the way you can love your wife unconditionally.

By God’s grace, love her by protecting her. Love her by trusting her. Love her by giving her encouragement and hope. And always love her through the good times and the bad times. Love her with your words, love her with your time and love her with gifts and kind words. A wife loved well by her husband is beautiful to behold—she is a trophy of God’s grace.

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:7).

How does my wife want me to love her? How does God want me to love my wife?

Related Readings: Ecclesiastes 9:9; Hosea 3:1; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5:25-26

Respect Him

 

“The wife must respect her husband.” Ephesians 5:33b

Respect for a husband is like love is for a wife. It is a catalyst for his confidence and encouragement that he can fulfill his role as provider and leader. Most men question their ability to be everything they need to be for their family. But insecurities become insignificant in a home where a husband feels respect. A wife’s support energizes her man like jet fuel to a booster rocket.

Husbands need the respect and support of their wives. It of course works both ways, as the wife needs to feel the support of her husband. But, respect is huge for a man. A God-fearing husband knows the Lord has placed him in a position of leadership. It is overwhelming sometimes, feeling squeezed by the pressures of life. The last thing a husband needs to feel is distance or distrust from his wife. Her spousal support may be the only thing that is preventing him from giving up.

“He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect” (1 Timothy 3:4).

Wives: Do not underestimate how your support sustains your husband. Your affirmation is valuable and powerful for the ongoing success of your husband. Men are not as self-sufficient as they might seem. On the outside we may seem invincible, but on the inside we are needy and desperate for recognition and validation. A man needs to know his wife trusts his decision making and his ability to provide for his family.

Your confidence in him propels his confidence in himself to higher levels. Your belief in your husband builds him up to believe in himself. It is difficult for a man to rise any higher than the opinion of his helpmate. Men long to be built up by their brides. Brag on him in public and affirm him in private. Look to your husband as the leader God has placed in your life.

Pray for him to lead lovingly and wisely. Be patient and don’t usurp his authority when things are not getting done. Trust him to God, for He can handle him much better than your creative consequences. Give him over to God and trust in the accountability of the Almighty. Embrace your husband in the light of eternity. God wants him to grow up and give spiritual leadership. Let him lead—even when it means he fails. Your respect can grow the heart of your husband to love well.

“Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” (Romans 13:7).

How can I respect my husband in a way that encourages him and also honors the Lord?

 
Related Readings: Deuteronomy 1:15; Proverbs 31:23; Luke 11:43; 1 Timothy 3:2-4

Marriage & Family

If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel– 1 Timothy 5:8

We live in an age of self-justification. We can excuse or explain almost any personal behavior or habit or shortcoming, making a case for our own innocence. But Paul here cuts through all our layers of self-defense and plainly states our obligation.

If you, husbands and fathers, are not carefully laboring to provide the food, shelter, and clothing that are needed by your family—to the best of your ability—then you are not a Christian, no matter how much you may protest to the contrary.

In fact, Paul says, you have denied the faith of Christ by your actions; therefore, you are worse than an unbeliever, because you are bringing reproach on the name of Christ. You cannot claim an allegiance to Christ, on the one hand, and selfishly or carelessly deny the help to your family that Christ demands of you.

These words may sound strong or harsh, but in reality they are helpful and loving. We might be tempted to deceive ourselves on this issue, if it were not so plainly worded for us. Our families might suffer because of our thoughtless neglect, except that Paul has forced us to consider them.

If you have failed in this regard, do not give up; it is never too late to repeal your denial of the faith, to throw off your unbelief, and to show your commitment to Christ by laboring for the welfare of your family.

Passive Husband

“So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, ‘I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.’ He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.” 1 Kings 21:4

A passive husband is a poor leader. He lacks leadership for his wife, his children and his work. His passivity may be a result of many things. He may be stuck in neutral because he feels overwhelmed. The thought of doing anything locks him down. He may be unable to function as a leader because he didn’t get his way. If he can’t do things his way, he will not do them at all.

He may be passive because his dad was passive. This is the only role model he has ever known. A man may be suffering from chronic passivity because his confidence has been crushed. He has never recovered from a traumatic event that sent him into a sequence of bad choices. Or, a man’s lack of action may be a combination of these or other reasons. He is like a turtle perpetually stuck in his shell, afraid to come out and face the realities of life. He may be going through the motions of life, but something is missing. The fire to engage life has been extinguished, or is only flickering at best.

If that describes you, it is time that you awoke from your slumber of irresponsibility. Your wife and others have covered for you long enough. You are on the verge of losing what you have worked for all these years. More importantly, the respect of your wife may be quickly vanishing, and your credibility in the community may be eroding. Now is the time to take the reigns of your responsibility and do something. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Eventually, however, you need to lead. This is your role and calling from God as a husband, a father and a man. Leaders are made, not born. Indeed, this is probably a huge faith issue for you. Nevertheless, these are opportune times to model, for those who love you, explicit trust in God. He understands your apprehensions about leadership. Your heavenly Father is your leader. You can lead, because He leads you. Lead as He leads you. Model His leadership. You cannot improve on the leadership style of Jesus.

Because He leads you as a servant, you can lead as a servant. Because He leads you with humility, you can lead with humility. Because He leads you in love, you can lead in love. Because He leads you with patience, you can lead with patience. Because He leads you with compassion, you can lead with compassion. Because He leads you with purpose, you can lead with purpose. Because He leads you with courage, you can lead with courage. Because Jesus led, dependent on His heavenly Father, you can lead dependent on your heavenly Father.

The Holy Spirit is the leader of your life. Submit to His leadership—He will move you from passive to active leadership: a leader led by the Holy Spirit. When you are led by God’s spirit, you will lead. It is as natural as falling off a log. Yes, you will fail along the way. But it is better to fail as a Spirit-led leader than to do nothing in your own strength. This requires faith, especially for a husband to take a risk as a leader. Faith overcomes fear and failure. Your leadership at times will let down your wife, but she will love you even more as she experiences your leading in love.

Giving her everything she wants is not leadership. Giving her a husband led by the Holy Spirit is what she needs. Trust God to take care of her wants. You give her what she needs. A passive husband sucks life from relationships. An engaging husband gives life to relationships. Be a life- giver by trusting God with your leadership. Lead for God’s sake!