Words of Encouragement

Today, do we believe that there is not one stormy water that God can calm?  Do we believe he can answer our prayers? Or do we simply need to do as a man from scripture did and ask "Help me in my unbelief".  Help us today to grasp hold of your truth and that is there is nothing to wonderful, or hard or difficult that you cannot do.

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. - 1 Peter 3:1-3

Reverence For God. To Submit Myself. Let me tell you why I choose this scripture to end the week with. I have heard from many over the last year or so that have wanted to walk away from their marriages because things were too hard, things seemed to difficult to be ever set right and they were losing hope of God doing anything in their marriages.

God ask of us those things that he desires because he already knows what we will face and he knows how he wants to fix them.  He calls for the wives in this scripture to submit themselves to an unbelieving husband.  See many of us accept this scripture of submission but we change it.  We say submit yourselves (but we teach it with the understanding that this is a "saved" husband). This says do so even if the husband is unsaved.  Why in the name of God would I want to do that?

I'm glad you asked!  You would want to do it because of the relationship that you have with God.  Your love, worship and reverence for God will show to that unsaved spouse something about the goodness of God.  And God says it is done that they may be won.  I want us to look at the word "may" differently than we do.

We normally look at this word "may" as if it is saying maybe it will or maybe it won't.  I want us to look at it from other versions to understand the importance of what is being said.  In one version it says do it so that your husband will be captivated (unable to turn away) from the beauty he sees in you that represents God. Another version says they will be won over with your upright and holy living.

Why do I share this?  It is a shame that as a community of believers we do not share with those going through difficult marriages the good news about God.  What is the good news?  The good news is this, God is bigger than divorce.  God is bigger than a bad marriage, unfaithful spouse or an unaffection husband or wife. 

God calls us (and this is not just a call to wives but to husband as well) to be that light in front of your unsaved spouse.  He calls you to live in such a way that your spouse will be captivated by what he or she sees in your relationship with God.  When they refuse to obey God's word, your godly living will draw them away from the sin in their lives and to a right relationship with God.  So then when we see people in distress about the conflicts in their marriages, what should we tell them?

We tell them God says in his word that it is by your godly and reverent life, that he can change the heart of your spouse.  If we are not willing to give this as the first advice, then why are we professing we believe God can do anything?  Isn't this anything!  So please let us as the body of Christ be the first to give the good news to those hurting on how their marriages can be saved. 

Is it easy, not so.  Is it going to happen over night, probably not.  But is it impossible to happen?  No Way. Stop supporting the thought that the only way out of a bad marriage is divorce.  Then as believers, where is our hope then?  Tell those in need that when they humble themselves like Joshua did, they can find themselves in the presence of God and there he will give them answers.  He will give them the way to be victorious in their own battle.  Let us tell them (and others) to come to God's house with an awe and reverence for God so that we can experience his presence and worship him his way.

Today Lord I pray that you would give to us the determination to trust more completely in you.  As we come into your presence we are in awe as we see your glory.  If we are allowed to experience your glory, then surely you will glorify yourself in any situation we find ourselves.  We reverence you today.  We honor you and we adore you.  For you are worthy of all our praise.

Words of Encouragement

Today, God we ask you, draw us to you as we see the daily mercies you give to us.  Help it to bring us to a place of reverence for you.

You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make straight your way before me. - Psalm 5:6-8

Reverence For God. Mercy Draws us to God's House in Reverence. The psalmist rejoices in the understanding that God will protect those that are upright before him.  God will destroy the ungodly (when he decides) but those that trust in him, he will keep.  This understanding of the great mercy of God draws the psalmist to come to God's house in reverence.

The mercy of God should draw all believers to come to God's house and be in awe of who he is.  We should come to worship him with a spirit of excellence. That means we are not satisfied with half doing anything for God.  We are not satisfied with not putting our best forward for the worship of God.  Excellence!  Let us search for the spirit of excellence unto the Lord.

Lord today, let us your children not be satisfied with doing just anything for you. Lord help us to give you our best because of your great mercy you give unto us.

Words of Encouragement

When we take building up the things that God has required of us, we can build up a strong "wall" that cannot be broken down.  Are you building up the "walls" that will protect others?  Are you seeking a presence of excellence because of your reverence of God?

Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels [a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we [b] did not acquire any land. - Nehemiah 5:14-16

Reverence of God. In Our Treatment of Others. Nehemiah is speaking about his intergrity.  Yes, when you are in a place of reverence to God, your personal intergrity is very important to you because it reflects who you are in God.

Nehemiah tells about how the one in leadership before him was not good to the people. Nehemiah said I did not treat you wrong nor did I lord my power over you, why?  It was because he was devoted to the things of God and that devotion required excellence in Nehemiah. This excellence is not his own excellence, but it is because of the reverence of God working in him and through him so that the excellence of God can be exhibited.

Today Lord we thank you for giving us the desire to work towards excellence in everything we do. Lord let it first start with you and then let it show itself in how we treat others.  This we pray, Amen.