Advice on Marriage

  Hello all,

  I'd first like to apologize about the fact that it's been over a month since my last post. This past month has been a pretty eventful one for my wife and I. Between work and other obligations, it has been hard to find time to sit down and write. Thankfully I have found the time once again.

  Well, my wife and I are closing in on our seventh month of being married; talk about a true blessing! Over these seven months we have had little ups and downs in our marriage, just like any other couple out there. But if one thing rings truer than anything else, it's that with faith in Christ we were able to overcome each and every one of them, and will continue to do so.
  I brought up this topic to ask the question: Why? Why were we able to do this? Some would say that it's because we are meant to be together and so everything will work out without any effort, as it is our destiny.
  My wife and I both disagree with this kind of thinking. I am sorry to be the one to break this to everyone, but there is no destined soul-mate out there for you. Although my wife and I do make a great team because we are evenly yoked, we both agree that marriage could have worked between her and another man or me and another woman. Marriage isn't this magical thing that just works itself out. No, marriage is a true blessing that has to be worked at, kept and maintained.

  The other night my wife and I were helping chaperone at one of my mother-in-law's homeschool dances. There I met a young Christian gentleman, who at one of the dances earlier in the year had discovered that Cryslyn and I had recently gotten married. He had approached me seeking relationship advice, and although the question caught me off guard, I did my best to give this young man the best advice I could.
  The biggest piece of advice I can give on marriage is to make it founded on Christ. For any good marriage to work it needs to be centered on Christ. You can look at this like a triangle (pictured below).

  With Christ placed at the top point of your marriage, the two of you will continue to grow closer together while at the same time grow closer to Him. If you are not fixating your sight on the Creator, you as a couple will more than likely look at life from a worldly, carnal perspective. Stating from experience, I personally believe that a marriage founded on Christ will not fail.

 
  Now, onto my next point. In our household my wife and I are partners in our marriage, though not on an equal level. Although we come to each other with decisions and talk things out beforehand, my wife knows that I am the head of the household, as it biblically should be, and she respectfully submits to me as she believes it is her place as a wife, honoring the scriptures as Paul wrote, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." -Ephesians 5:22-23.
  This does not mean that I make all of the decisions, because if my wife makes a good point or has a better idea then I am more than willing to go with hers. That's where the partnership of marriage comes into play. In our marriage, we as husband and wife are to submit to one another in fear of God.
"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."-Ephesians 5:21.

  I've often heard it said that a family that prays together stays together. I'm not sure how much truth there is behind this statement, but I do believe that as a husband and wife you should pray together as well as for each other. Prayer is a surprisingly powerful thing, though as I've said in previous posts, I don't believe that if you pray for something that God will magically give it to you. But praying consistently whether in times of joy or peril is something that is always sure to help in a marriage.

  As you can clearly tell, I have an amazing marriage that I am very happy in. After all, what husband wouldn't be happy when his wife is a God-fearing woman who keeps up our home with a clean and godly environment for me to return to after working out in a fallen world? I'd say that I am a very blessed man. ;)

 Blessings to all. I pray that someone was able to take something out of this.

Past, Present, and Future

  The past can be a touchy subject for many people. Some love their past and find zero fault in it, while others despise theirs and are ashamed of it; which when it rears its ugly head it can make some question how they could ever be accepted by such an Almighty Lord.
  When I first started my walk with Christ I dealt with this problem. I couldn't come to terms with my past.
  Although I pretty well have conquered that now, I do tend to notice here and there that something from my past or fleshly nature will pop up in my mind. Something that I know is sinful, yet it creeps its ugly head in every now and then to tempt me, whispering something like: "Come on, you used to enjoy this, you still could." These kinds of temptations creep up in a lot of people's minds, however, I choose to fight those temptations since I have chosen to follow Christ and His Word.

  Some would call that Satan trying to steer you from the path of righteousness. I personally don't believe that it's Satan standing there whispering in your ear, but I do believe that it's the human's sinful nature; their flesh. My father-in-law calls it 'flesh-talk'.
  In situations like these I find that prayer really helps to combat the sinful nature of 'flesh-talk'.

  Should we forgive our sins of the past? Yes, I think we should forgive our sinful nature of the past. Since we have been cleansed by the blood of Christ we have been reborn and given a second chance to make the right decisions. However, I believe that it is important that we look back on our past mistakes as a reminder to grow and steer away from them. Learn from them, but don't repeat them. Those sins are in our past, so we needn't allow them to affect our present and future.

  So,

 

 

"Then shall he also say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." - Matthew 25:41

  

  Let us always remember that no matter what Satan or the flesh throws at us, we who believe in the Lord Jesus shall prevail. Just read the Bible. The ending is not pretty for the devil and his followers. There is only one outcome for them.

 

Where's the Decency?

  Everybody knows of the classic, and sometimes hysterical "face-palm"; that thing you do when no words can describe how stupid something is. Well as I am doing mine, I have only one question to go with it. Where has everyone's decency gone?

  For those who don't know, decency defined is "behavior that conforms to accepted standards of morality or respectability." Anybody else notice today's clothing choices, or for a better word, 'lack thereof'? It's disgusting, immoral, and immodest. The saddest part? It's everywhere now. Let me give you a small story of what has set me on this little rant:

  Myself, my wife, brother-in-law, and parents went on a trip this last weekend to The National Mississippi River Museum/Aquarium; a family place for learning and fun, where I mentioned to my wife that everywhere I looked I either saw short-shorts or yoga pants. She told me to try not to look, and although I wasn't intentionally looking for them, it was hard not to notice when they showed up in my sight line everywhere I turned. It greatly irritated and disgusted me.
  On the ride back we were conversing about it and at this point the joke that "we came here with family to see alligators and fish, not people's back-sides hanging out of their shorts" was actually made.
  How sad is that? Of course to add salt to the wound, we stopped at Subway for supper on the way home, and lo and behold, the lady behind the counter was wearing short-shorts. And in a work environment of all places.

  Do you see my point? It makes me wonder a few things. 1). How can anyone dress like that and not feel weird or even naked? 2). How could any decent parent let their child out in public like this without feeling shame or guilt?

  I do understand that a lot of these clothing pieces were created for a reason and had an original intention:

• Yoga Pants - The name itself gives it's intention: to be used for exercise, preferably in a private area.
• Leggings - To be worn underneath a longer shirt or dress for extra style or warmth.
• Short-shorts - The only reason these were even designed is to attract male attention.

  Today, each of these are worn as everyday clothing items as if they were nothing more than a casual sweater. Yoga pants/leggings cling so tightly to the woman's body that she might as well be naked. In short-shorts, you're basically running around in your underwear with your back-side hanging out. In the Bible it is said that for the thigh to even show is seen as nakedness in the eyes of God.

  "...uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen." - Isaiah 47:2-3

  As a husband and man of Christ, to see this stuff upsets me. I am truly blessed to have a wife who cares about what others think and dresses modestly; choosing to wear skirts and dresses over jeans and yoga pants, which she finds to be immodest.


  Please see also: Today's Society // From Classy to Trashy  & Why I Chose Modesty
  Both of which were written by my wife over at Joyfully Inspired.
 

  Be Blessed,

 

Abortion: Murder or Not?

  One of the biggest crimes being committed in this world today is abortion. My readers may have different views on this subject, but I consider this act to be entirely diabolical and horrific.  The thought that over 25 million babies have been aborted just this year alone disgusts me.

  So many people seem to think that abortion is perfectly normal and acceptable, but as a believer of Christ and His Word, I don't find abortion to be "acceptable" at all. Abortion, in my opinion, is a murderous act. Therefore, it is unquestionably a sin.  In the Ten Commandments we are told that murder is a sin. (Exodus 20:13).

  To be a little more elaborate, here is a passage from Exodus 21:22-25 that explains how precious the life of an unborn child is:

  "If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished...  And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."

  I have heard many arguments from people defending abortion, so I would like to expatiate on a few of these arguments with my thoughts:

• "It's the woman's body, so its her choice" - Though it may be the woman's body concerning choices, it is no longer hers. Every human has the right to choose whether it should live or die, and by taking it upon yourself to make the choice to abort the fetus you are taking away this newly formed human's right.
• "Life doesn't begin until after the baby is born" - Who says? The fetus upon fertilization now has everything it needs to develop. It has it's genetic blueprint along with it's own DNA code, making the fetus a totally separate person from the mother.
• "I'm not ready to be a mother; I conceived after being raped" - I group these two together not because they're similar, but because my answer to them is. Though rape is a tragic thing and a child born this way may serve as a reminder of what happened, there is still an alternative to aborting the child. This goes for those who feel they are not yet ready or old enough to be a mother. Putting the child up for adoption is a great alternative. Think of all the people in the world who want to be parents yet cannot have children. Putting the child up for adoption not only gives them their chance at life, but could also help to build another family.

 
  Let's take another look at this. Imagine with me if you will:
  You are a 16 year old girl still in high school.  You're scared because you just found out that you're pregnant and you know that you're not ready to be a mother. You make the decision to have the baby aborted, life goes on. Years have now passed. You're now married with children of your own and realize the blessing that children really are. You now begin to grieve about the horrible act you committed to the precious child that you could have had.



  The Bible talks about how a child is human even before birth:

•  "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." - Psalm 139:13-14
• "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee." - Jeremiah 1:5

  I leave with this argument: all humans have souls. For God to have known them in the womb, their souls had to be present. Thus making them human.
 

    

A Failing System

   I'd like to make a request to all my readers; please send out a prayer with me to the world around us that is so desperately in need of it. It is very sad to see how far the world has fallen from God.
   I receive daily emails called 'Two Minutes with the Bible' (I highly recommend you subscribe), and I'm sharing a snippet from one of the articles I received in my inbox the other day.

   A Bible test was sprung recently on five classes of college-bound 11th and 12th graders in an American public school.
   Some thought Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers; that the Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther and John; that Eve was created from an apple; and that the stories which Jesus told were called parodies.
   Eighty to ninety percent of the students could not complete the most familiar quotations from Scripture.
   The teacher, Thayer S. Warshaw, was understandably upset and rightly asked: “Is the student to study mythology and Shakespeare and not the Bible? Is it important for him to learn what it means when a man is called an Adonis or a Romeo, yet unimportant for him to be able to tell a Jonah from a Judas?”
   This writer’s heart is with that teacher and all who are awake enough to see that the Bible is disappearing more and more from American life. How can we expect anything but juvenile delinquency, the rapid general rise in the crime rate, the growing divorce rate, increasing dishonesty at every level of business and social life — how can we expect anything but these conditions when the Bible is flaunted and despised? This departure from the Word of God is bound to get us deeper and deeper into trouble.
   But whatever the conditions about you, you may have the joy and peace and light that comes from that Blessed Book. The Bible tells us frankly that “all have sinned” (Rom.3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom.6:23) since a just God must deal with sin. Ah, but it tells us also that “Christ died for our sins” (ICor.15:3), and that the believer may have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”(Rom.5:1).
   Read the Bible, especially the Epistles of Paul, who was raised up to proclaim “the gospel [good news] of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). You will never cease to thank God for having given your attention to this wonderful Book.

   Our school systems have removed Christianity from their education when it needs to be preached now more than ever.

   " For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
    That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
   That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
    And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God." - Psalm 78:5-8

A Call to Stand Out

  It seems as though, in today's society, that 'Christians' tend to have a desire to fit in and conform. I had a problem with this as I began my walk with God. Everyone seems to have a fear of being judged because they're different, even though the Lord directly states:
 
    ^"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." - 2 Corinthians 6:17

  I underline 'be ye separate' for the clear point that we as children of the Living God are not to be like the people of this world. Instead, we are to strive for perfection and be transformed.

  "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" - Romans 12:2

  Our society is always careful not to offend anyone, EXCEPT God. We need to stop worrying about what the world thinks of us and start caring more of what God thinks of us. Like the Apostle Paul puts it: "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment." - 1 Corinthians 4:3

  God Bless, and stay separate!

A 'Daring' Introduction

 
  Over the past few months I have contemplated beginning a journal of my recent endeavors while delving in deep study of God's Word.  And while I hadn't thought of sharing them via the internet, as of recent, I have decided to express my views publicly. 

  Dare to be a David was designed to help men and women defeat the "giants" we are all forced to face daily.
  We all have them.  No matter what they are, each one of us faces giants every day.  We may not be facing a nine-foot tall giant with a sword, but no matter what your giant may be, it can be just as scary if we are not equipped with the right defense.

  We can better conquer our daily giants by remembering to put on the full armor of God (as described in Ephesians 6:10-20).

  Our day-to-day life will become much easier if we allow ourselves to lean on the Creator in times of toil, and, in celebration.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6