WHAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK FROM AN AWESOME MARRIAGE?

What do you believe is holding back the awesome marriage you could be having? Are you sure? Fear is usually the main culprit for us not having the marriage of our dreams or the career we want. Some people actually have a fear of success. They fear that if their life will be too good, then it may not last. They fear what could happen instead of working on obtaining the results they want for their life and marriage. 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” Amplified Bible

 

In Luke 19: 1–9, we see that Zacchaeus had a goal; he wanted desperately to see Jesus. However, a very large crowd was in his way and being a short man he couldn't see over the crowd. Instead of him saying "Well I can't do this", "I am too short", Zacchaeus came up with a plan. Zacchaeus made a decision to see Jesus through the crowd. He decided no one would stop him. Zacchaeus expected Jesus to show up by the sycamore tree. He made a plan and followed through. He didn't allow others to dictate what he would receive from God. He didn't allow others to dictate the outcome of his dream. We must expect Jesus to show up in our marriage and in our bedroom. Tony & Alisa DiLorenzo have a great podcast on Jesus in my bedroom. Yes, Jesus is in your bedroom also. Why wouldn’t He be, God made sex for us to enjoy with each other and as a way to bring us closer together. Access the podcast here> http://www.oneextraordinarymarriage.com/130-jesus-in-my-bedroom

 

Let's now examine our marriages. Whatever barriers you believe are holding you back, no matter what they may be, they are only temporary barriers or obstacles. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells us to speak to our mountains. Too many times we make mountains out of molehills. Is the barrier (subject) a molehill or a mountain? Is it really worth battling with your spouse? It could just be that the barrier is worth both of you fighting for. Your marriage is worth fighting for! Fight with your spouse (not against them) to win the battle. You are on the same team.

 

No matter what, or who, Satan puts in our way, even if the doors seem closed, or barriers are in the way to accomplish your dream, be like Zacchaeus! I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippeans 4:13 NIV

 

Zacchaeus ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. Zacchaeus refused to say no. "If I can't get past the crowd I will climb that tree to see Jesus." Jesus saw Zacchaeus when he arrived at the tree; he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Jesus wanted it to stay at his house.

 

Don't let the fear of anyone or anything stop you from obtaining the marriage God has for you. Make a plan with God, be creative, and aggressively pursue a relationship with Jesus and pursue the awesome marriage God designed for you. Jesus will pass by and He will see you.

 

Jesus wants to stay in your house! It is up to us to invite Him in so we can live in the reward that He has set aside for us.

WHAT REJECTION MEANS

What does rejection mean? Rejection keeps us at a distance from those we love, like someone with an infectious disease. This is especially true for those of us who are adopted. The great news is that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are adopted into God’s family. So I am adopted twice, a double blessing so to speak.

 

Rejection is one of our greatest fears. Being rejected by someone makes us feel small, insecure and unwanted. We lose our self-confidence.

 

When a husband is rejected by his bride, he feels unwanted, unloved and unvalued. Instead of saying no, why not ask for a rain check and set a day and time to come together again intimately? Do not let Satan or his demons win the mind game they will play in your husband’s mind. Satan, our enemy, uses the pain of rejection to stop you and keep you away from the call that God has for your life. His goal is to steal, kill and destroy – your marriage, family, finances, health, etc.

 

Husbands, if we are rejecting our wife’s advances, they will feel the same as when the tables are turned on us. So, here is our homework – 1 Corinthians 7:3-4, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.” This is never to take advantage of your spouse but to show your love for them and to bring you closer together. Becoming One Flesh Ephesians 5:31, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

 

Rejection and the fear of rejection did not stop Jesus! He was determined, and persistent in his ministry. Even to the point of death on the cross for you and me. Jesus gave us authority over Satan and his demons.

 

Jesus was moved by the Holy Spirit whether people accepted him or not. Jesus knows all about rejection. He understands how we feel when we’re rejected because he experienced it so powerfully and personally.

 

God cares about you! You are Loved, Valued and Accepted. We must show our spouse how much they are loved, valued and accepted not just by our words but also by our actions.

 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3 God draws us to Him in the same way we are to be drawn to our spouse.

 

"These people who survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!" God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I'll start over with you and build you up again," Jeremiah 31:3 Message Bible.

 

Are you hurt? The best medicine is God's Love + Love Others. We need to stop being selfish in the frame that we believe others owe us anything. We need to learn to care about other people and then the pain will go away.

 

Make a Decision. Live in God's Love.

 

Don't allow the rejection from a few stop you from blessing others – especially your spouse!

WHAT ARE YOU BELIEVING FOR IN YOUR MARRIAGE?

Hebrews 11: 1 tells us, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” What are you certain of? We surely are certain of the sky being blue and the grass being green?

Why not be certain of having the marriage God intended? Is it the demon yelling in your ear that your spouse will never amount to anything, that they will never change, or that this is the best it will ever by in your marriage? You see, Satan loves to take a picture of where your marriage is right now and tell you that this is the pinnacle. Satan tells us to get ready because this will never get better.

First and foremost: tell Satan to take a hike! Jesus said, “Get behind me Satan” in Matthew 16:23. Jesus did not ask Peter why he said what he did. Jesus did not ask Peter if he was having a bad day. No. Jesus spoke directly to Satan. Remember, that we have that authority and we must exercise it daily.

We must use the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and our Spiritual Gifts (Ephesians 6: 10-18) to thwart Satan’s attacks. I know some will say these gifts died with the 1^st Century Church. It does not say that in the Bible. Either the entire Bible is true or all of it is false. Hint: it is all true – the living Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

If you really want your marriage to get better, here is the best way. Keep God first in our lives. By putting God first, we are seeking His will for our lives. This will help you hear the Holy Spirit speak to you on what to do next. A counselor friend says, “Do the next right thing.” Sounds easy but the world will try to rebuff your right thinking. Stand strong and then keep standing.

Put your spouse second. Many spouses put the children second by living their life through their kids. This is not respecting the husband or loving the bride. Ephesians 5:33, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” We must model the kind of marriage we want to our children. We don’t want the world modeling marriage for them. Satan is using inappropriate television shows and bad music to model the wrong kind of lifestyle to our children. They must see it at home first.

Our kids come third. Yes, third. Our role as parents is to train them up in the ways of the Lord. When they mature, 18-22, they will leave our nest and begin their own lives. Until then they are under our covering. But afterwards, we can become friends with them and give them advice – when they ask or if we see them about to go over the cliff.

Church and/or Ministry are fourth. Yes we all have a ministry whether we want one or not. It is to tell others of Jesus, to be the spouse God calls us to be, to model a Christian marriage to our kids and to teach our kids about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Verbal declarations are a great way to help set your mind on the things you are believing for. My bride and I have some we say daily. They are below. By saying them aloud, you are telling yourself, your mind, of what is to come. Remember Hebrews 11:1.

Our Declarations:

1. That we fulfill the call God has placed on our lives.
2. That our marriage is blessed by God and we are the spouse that God designed us to be.

3. That our finances are blessed and we have paid off all debt. That our finances increase because God prospers what we lay our hand to.

4. For witty ideas and inventions.

5. That we and our family walk in divine health.

6. That our children are blessed and they marry strong Christians, have a strong Christian marriage and that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren are strong Christians.

God spoke the world into existence so we must speak our great marriage into existence also. Words are very powerful! That is why we are commanded to say with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and not just think it in our heads. Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Keep speaking life over your marriage!

Praise Him In The Storm With Hands Held High

A few weeks ago, the Lord told me, “Praise Me with your hands held high as Moses did in the battle with the Amalekites (Exodus 17: 8-16) praise me with your hands held high and you will win the battle.” In Ephesians 6: 10-20, Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God, the helmet of salvation, breast plate of righteousness, and feet fitted with readiness. Paul then says for us to stand firm.


We must remember that the battle is spiritual. In vs. 18 Paul says to pray in the Spirit on all occasions. If you are not Spirit filled and flowing with the gift(s) of the Spirit, I urge you to read 1 Corinthians chapters 12 – 14. You will notice that chapter 13 is on love and is read at most weddings. It is not coincidence that God inserted a chapter on love between two chapters that deal with the fruits of the Spirit. God is love.

If someone tries to tell you that those gifts were just for the 1^st Century church, ask them where it says that in the Bible. Then tell me because I have not been able to find it. 1 Corinthians 12: 10 states, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” This is why you and I could never give one of the gifts of the Spirit to another person. If you still do not understand how each person receives these gifts, reread vs. 10 again and then pray for God to tell you. He will.

Trying to win the battle without the gifts is like trying to swim across the Atlantic in a hurricane.

God’s promises are always yes and amen. I am so blessed to be His child.

Keep the faith and fight with the gifts. Satan is already defeated! God wins!

The Bible & Taxes

Capital Gains Taxes

The Capital Gains Tax, which is a tax on profits, actually penalizes a person for success the more profit you make the more you have to pay (i.e., the more profit a person makes the higher tax rate they pay on that profit/windfall from an investment). However, In the Bible, the more profit you make the more you are rewarded. Both the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the parable of the minas (Luke 19:12-27) conflict with the notion of a tax on capital gains. “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” In other words, the Bible implies that those who do well (invest) with what they have will be given more.

Wages
The parable of the landowner and laborers (Matthew 20:1-16) is applicable to the employer/employee relationship and the issue of wages. The landowner hires workers at different times of the day and yet pays each worker the same amount at the end of the day. When the workers hired first complain, the landowner replies, “Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?” (“things” is translated as “money” in some versions) There is an implication that the landowner had a right to determine the wages his workers received, as well as an implication that the workers could accept or reject the landowner's offer of work. James 5:4 provides a balance in that the Lord hears the cries of the laborers who are cheated out of wages they are due.

Income Taxes

The current income tax structure in the United States mandates a higher tax rate or percentage the more a person makes. This tax system is contradicted by scripture, especially Exodus 30:11-15, which provided a “half a shekel” tax for everyone numbered. Verse 15 states: “The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel.” In addition, the Biblical Tithe is not applied progressively, rather it is applied equally to everyone (“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord. . . .And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30,32).

Inheritance Taxes

The Bible speaks to the issue of inheritance numerous times. Proverbs 13:22 states “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children” (something that is not likely with the current Estate Tax which can take up to 55% of an estate, leaving 45% to the children; when the children pass it on to the grandchildren, up to 55% of the remaining 45% can be taken, leaving only 27% of the original that would be passed on to the “children's children”). Ezekiel 46:18 states that “the prince shall not take any of the people's inheritance by evicting them from their property; he shall provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people may be scattered from his property.” Other scriptures that deal with inheritance are Proverbs 19:14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD., I Chronicles 28:8 So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever., and Ezra 9:12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.

RAIN DOWN

Lord, thank you for the rain you sent to us and the rain you are sending.

The weather for the next week does not look too promising for rain or any relief from the 100 plus degree temperatures.  Texas is in the grip of historic wildfires that have destroyed nearly 1.8 million acres of forest and grassland in the state as well as 400 homes. The almost 8,000 fires so far this year are unprecedented.

Many will see the only hope of rain and relief from the heat to be in the form of a hurricane hitting the Texas coast.  That would be bad for the people of the coast but good for those of us who would be blessed with the much needed rain.  I believe there is a greater hope. 

In 1 Kings 18:41-44, Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”  It is amazing that the only cloud visible to Ahab was the size of a man’s hand off in the distance yet Elijah told Ahab to ‘hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you’.  That had to be some rain for it to be able to stop a chariot.  That is the kind of rain we need now!  That is the faith we need now!

If you have been praying for rain – don’t stop.  If you have not – start.  Remember, when you pray for rain, carry your umbrella.  Show your faith.  Pray without ceasing for God to heal our land, fill up the lakes, rivers and creeks.

If you are going to pray for rain you need to carry your umbrella.

Where is your Umbrella?  Where is your faith?

PRAYER FOR OUR GOVERNMENT

God created government to protect our freedoms so we can spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  By hearing God’s word and praying for our country, we can lead a quiet and peaceable life which will enable us to spread the gospel.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 states: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

Satan tries to work through our governments to stop believers from spreading the gospel by either limiting or eliminating our liberties.

How can we stop this?
1. Spread the gospel
2. Pray
3. Vote our convictions

Father, give us leaders after Your heart! A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; leaders whom the lust of office does not kill; leaders whom the spoils of office cannot buy; leaders who possess your opinions and will; leaders who have honor; leaders who will not lie; leaders who does not use false claims and promises in order to gain power, and can withstand the treacherous flatteries without winking!

Father, give us Christian leaders who are not afraid to stand up for you.  Leaders who will do the right thing when the wrong thing will benefit them.  We thank You that we live in a Christian nation.

Father, we thank you that we and our leaders have your supernatural wisdom and the ability to make the right decisions every time.  Father, you said the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, so we thank you that you are guiding our steps and our leaders’ steps.

Father, I thank you that our leaders are strong in the power of your might and well able to do what you have called them to do.

Micah 4:5 states “All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.”  Lord, we thank you that we walk in Your name.

Father, you are our judge, our lawgiver, our king and only you can save us.”  Help us to always seek you when we enter the voting booth to elect Christian leaders and help us to encourage those who we elect.

Father I pray for our government officials to recognize Your authority and rely on You for wisdom, for our country to stand strong on the principles of our Founding Fathers, and that our leaders will make wise decisions rather than succumbing to special interest groups.

Father I pray Isaiah 1:26 over our leaders. You said, “I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning.  Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

We pray this in Jesus’ name.

Amen