Dailymirror.us

The Book of Genesis shows that marriage was meant for companionship—“It’s not good for man to be alone,” It was meant for raising kids—“Be fruitful and multiply.” And Genesis gives us a third glimpse into marriage: It is meant for shared, fulfilling service. God places Adam and Eve in the Garden and says in essences, “Take care of this, you two. It’s a big operation, and you’ll need each other. Till, plant, replenish, create.”

We hunger for this. Cooperating together. Meshing. Working as a team on something bigger than both of us. God ha planted this hunger deep within every married couple. It’s more than a hunger for companionship. It’s more than a hunger to pour our lives into our kids. It’s a third hunger, a hunger to do something significant together. We were joined to make a difference. We were married for a mission. But too many couples, after developing companionship and having kids, may be missing one-third of what God created marriage for—serving him together. In marriage, as in other areas of life, Jesus’ words hold true: in saving out lives we lose them, and in losing our lives in love to others, we drink of life more deeply.

~This is from our Couples Devotional Bible and was written by Kevin and Karen Miller.

As Becky and I were reading this devotional thursday, it really hit home that God has brought us together, not just as soul-mates, and not just because we are better together than apart, but that we are better together for a reason! God has a plan for us as a couple and a path for us to walk down that will glorify Him. While I was at Focus, we read a book called Sacred Marriage and the premise of the book was ‘marriage is to make you holy, not happy’. Not that marriage doesn’t make you happy at times but rather marriage is not just for our pleasure but more importantly for HIS pleasure; for us to bring HIM glory.

Dad! Soldier surprises sons at school I saw this when I was watching the news this morning. All i could think about is how I can’t wait to run in to my Heavenly Fathers arms when I get to heaven and yell “Dad! Is it really you??!!”

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12 (New International Version)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18 (New International Version)

I have been relying heavily on these scriptures lately it seems…over the last couple weeks my car has been broken into, I have been sick as a dog, we have had some huge techinical issues at work, all during one of the busiest weeks of the Prestonwood year (Fall Festival on the 31st). But, God has been increasingly grascious in pouring out in His blessings on our efforts with Wrights Direction. I will go into more detail later but I gotta run shoot.

I had the chance to hear Lee Strobel (“The Case for Christ”) and he said something that really started me thinking…actually he said alot of stuff that I was thinking about but one thing in particular was the question “Would you be convicted of being a Christian?” If you don’t know anything about Lee, he was the legal editor for the Chicago tribune and a stanch Atheist. But as he began to approach Christianity and investigate it from a secular view and whether there was evidence to support it, God began to do a huge work in his heart. Anyway, he has a law background and that is kind of his mind set. Oops…gotta go…

The thing the Holy Spirit will detect in you is your nature that can never work in His service. And no one but God can detect that nature in you. Do you have anything to hide from God? If you do, then let God search you with His light. If there is sin in your life, don’t just admit it— confess it. Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master, whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be?

~from the September 24, 2007 My Utmost For His Highest

I never thought about the difference between “admitting” and “confessing”; in fact I have used them somewhat interchangeably. But in the way that Oswald teaches in this devotion, it made me realize the incredible difference in heart condition between the two words. Just because I admit that I have done something, that doesn’t imply that I am sorry for it or regret doing it; in fact, it almost implys the oppisite! If I am simply admitting to something but do not have the heart or desire to actually confess it to the Lord, I beleive that it reveals a stubornness in my heart and a lack of genuine spiritual remorse for having done it. 1 John 1:9 does not say “if you admit your sins”; it says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(NASB)
When I die and instantly am in heaven with God the Father, I don’t want Jesus to walk in and just admit he knows me before the Father; I want Him to confess his intimate knowledge and relationship with me, to plead for me to be saved from the fires I richly deserve, to be excited for me to have finally made it home so that I may hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant“.

The purpose of a creed is to act as a yardstick of correct belief. A creed is an epitome, not a full definition, of what is required for orthodoxy. It was hoped that by memorizing this summary of the faith, lay people without extensive theological training would still be able to recognize deviations from orthodox doctrines based on the Bible as interpreted in Christian Tradition.

Nicene Creed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I am working on an entry about what I beleive and came across this site which lists all three of the major creeds. I realized that even thought I am a beleiver, I have never really written down literally what I beleive. I mean, I have even memorized the Nicene Creed but now I want to re-write it with exactly what I beleive. I am hoping to finish it soon….

5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

BibleGateway.com

Here is the End-of-Weekend video done by my buddy Ross. He did a great job!

I was perusing around my dad’s study, which is alway entertaining because you never know what you will find that will spark a memory from the past, and happened upon this book. I have heard about “The Calling” before but have never had the oppertunity to read it…well, baring divine intervention, I am going to be spending a very quite week at the office between Christmas and New Years…I wonder what I could do with all that time and good lighting???