The Key to a Successful Marriage

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“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”  – Romans 10:12

Here comes the bride, all dressed in white….la la la la 

Summer is here and that means weddings.  Millions of couples around the world (including my nephew and his wonderful fiancée) will be exchanging vows, running off for a quick honeymoon and then settling in for their lives together in the best relationship God has ever given to mankind: husband and wife.  There are amazing stories of how individuals come together prior to that climactic moment of walking down the aisle.  Childhood sweethearts, traffic accidents, met at a skydiving clinic, work relationships, met online, and the list goes on.  There is always that feeling of nervousness, butterflies and anticipation leading up to the first date.  Then the familiarity begins to set in during the courtship, culminating in the infamous 5 words, “You may kiss your bride.”  That’s when it all truly becomes real.

Divorce rates in America are reaching (and surpassing in some studies) 50%.  For a variety of reasons people are deciding that the bliss that was there during the dating and courtship did not turn into the fairy tale marriage that they had hoped for.  That’s just it though.  Marriage is very seldom a fairy tale.  It takes hard work.  Anyone who has walked down that aisle can attest to the fact that it takes sacrifice, compromise and humility to make a marriage work.  There is no room for selfishness, ego, pride and jealousy.  God blesses the union of a man and a woman with their hearts focused on growing together with Him through serving each other.  A relationship that will stand the test of time is built on a spiritual bond first, then an emotional bond and then a physical bond.  So many today understand the physical part and can come around to the emotional, but never pursue or achieve the spiritual oneness that God has designed marriage to build on.  Take this verse in Romans and magnet it to your refrigerator where you and your spouse can see it daily.  Then every day ask yourself are you holding up your end of the marriage aligned to God’s principals for loving your spouse.  Devote yourself to your spouse and honor them, you’ll be amazed how much stronger your love becomes. 

Congratulations to all of you who will enter into the state of marriage this summer.  God’s blessings on all of you.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Promise Keeper

 

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“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”  – Deuteronomy 7:9

“But Daddy, you promised.”  The words of a six year old boy can cut like a knife through butter.  The trust that our children put in us and the faith that they have demonstrates to all of us how we must trust in the Father.  When you make a promise, at work or at home, are you a man or woman of your word?  Have people come to know you as trustworthy, filled with integrity and reliable to your commitments?  This value set is becoming a rarity in today’s world where most people are looking out for themselves and less at the impact their decisions have on others.  To be held up with integrity requires that we be bound by our word and the honor of our character.  Look around society today at the small promises broken every day: airlines arrive late, undisclosed surcharges and fees are added to agreements, meetings are cancelled at the last minute, bills are over due, foreclosures are up as are bankruptcies.  We often times commit with every intention of following through, but allow life to alter our plans before we actually execute to our commitment.

God has demonstrated throughout time that His word is truth, reliable and trustworthy.  He is faithful to His promises over and over again.  It may not always align with our expectations, but it is always in alignment with His promise.  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:20 – “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ…”  Through the sacrifice of His Son and God’s grace, we are promised eternity in heaven with Him one day.  Just like every other promise recorded in His word, this to can be relied upon as the truth.  Your fate is no different than any other person on this earth – we all will die one day.  When we stand upon God’s promise though, we are certain of our eternal destiny.  So, when you find yourself doubting those around you, look up for God’s word is something you can always count on.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Is It Just an Act

 

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“I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.”  – Psalm 22:22

It’s easy to stand in church on Sunday and raise your hands to praise the Lord.  There’s a comfort in knowing that everyone else in the building believes the same thing you do, more or less.  Certainly they are all at a different maturity level in their faith and some are just there to support their spouse, but for the most part we find comfort in being around other Christians.  Whether you are serving in the church or helping in the nursery or sitting in the pew, there is an openness and acceptance to being in the presence of God once you have entered the building.  What is it though, that makes us become reverent when we walk into a church that is not present when we are walking into Wal-Mart or McDonald's? 

You do realize, I’m sure it goes without saying, that God is omniscient and omnipresent, right?  The same God that you worship and pray to on Sunday morning is sitting at your table on Tuesday night, and in the office on Wednesday morning.  At noon on Sunday God shouldn’t change into an afterthought in our hearts and minds.  Just because we are not in the presence of other believers and the comfort of the stained glass sanctuary, God is still God and deserves all of your praise, glory and reverence.  You can’t fear Him and connect with Him while the Pastor stands in the pulpit and then forget His sovereignty and authority as you leave for school the next day.  What will it take for you to make God part of your everyday life?  Perhaps you, like most of us, are comfortable in only spending a few hours a week with Him and then going back to your own plan throughout the week.  God demands more from us, as Christians.  We claim it boldly in the comfort of our church, I’m asking you to take a bigger stand in your life and let God walk you through every day as you seek to serve Him rather than yourself.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Reach Your Potential

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“I, even I, am he who comforts you.   Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass, that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretches out the heavens and who lays the foundations of the earth”

                                                                                                       – Isaiah 51:12-13

I saw Nick Vujicic this weekend in church.  He is such an amazing testimony to what the Lord can do through a person if we are only willing to allow Him to use whatever we have.  If you don’t know Nick’s story, go to the link just above and read about this man.  In short, he was born with no arms or legs, yet today he travels the world speaking to millions of people about Jesus Christ, salvation and the miracle of faith.  He faced unbelievable challenges, as I’m sure you can imagine, throughout his life.  Physically, of course; but also mentally from the criticism, teasing and staring of those around him.  He has nothing to hide about his walk with God through this lifetime.  He found Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 15 and has not stopped telling the world about Him yet.

I share this story with you only to inspire you to think about your life.  Not in a matter of guilt, but in a matter of potential.  You have two arms and two legs, and many fewer obstacles in life than someone like Nick.  If you chose to give it all to God, fully embrace His power and authority over this world, what amazing things He would do through you.  Nick’s situation certainly forces him to be reliant upon another; in this case God.  Your situation and mine are much open for our own agenda and choices to be materialized.  Realize, the only reason we aren’t serving God in a deeper, more meaningful way is because we have chosen not too, not because He hasn’t given us a plan.  You have tremendous potential to influence the world, you have to choose to use it though.  As long as you stay locked in fear of the unknown, you’ll never reach your potential in life.  Trust in the One who made it all.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Deep Thoughts on God

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“Who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been his counselor?” – Romans 11:34

One of my all-time favorite scriptures from Romans.  We never really step back and think about the unbelievable authority, power and sovereignty of God.  To most He is that power in the sky that we call on when times are difficult or when we want others to think more highly of ourselves by demonstrating our religiosity.   To many He is a God of convenience not Lord of our lives, or King of Kings.  So today – I’m simply asking that you stop what your doing, fathom the unbelievable and awesome works of the Almighty.

Who did He call when He was deciding what color to make the leaf, and to give it the ability to change?
Where did He get the concept of a star?
To layout the tectonic plates do you think God called a committee together for a discussion?
Was there a book from Dr. Spock to help God understand the perfect mixture of vitamins, nutrients and antibodies to put into colostrum and devise a natural way for babies to receive this after birth through breast milk?
When He separated the waters from the void and created land, where did He get the dumptruck to haul the dirt – and where did He haul it from?
Why did He put the earth on an axis that tilts exactly 23.5 degrees from the sun?

Let your mind flow with questions surrounding the unfathomable God we serve and then realize that He chooses to love you and longs to have you with Him in heaven.  You see for everything He did create and everything He does control, He gives you free reign to choose to follow Him or deny Him.  He designed us to love Him, but since the fall of man through Adam and Eve we have chosen to deny His love through our actions and lack of reverence of His presence.  Who is God to you?  Are you choosing to serve Him with your life, or making a place for Him amidst your busyness?  Don’t make God an afterthought, He created you for much more than that, just like He created the stars, the oceans, the land, plants, animals, moon, sun and everything else around you.  Quit pontificating on the uncertainty of His plan for your life and turn your life into an example of who He is to the world.

Putting it in action: Ponder the greatness, holiness, sovereignty of God.  Capture your thoughts in a journal or on a piece of paper.  Ask yourself, if you lost everything (job, car, home, friends) would you still be able to love Him and serve Him?  Would you serve Him more than you do today?  Perhaps these are the things you treasure rather than Him.  You see God doesn’t change, we do.  There is nothing you can teach Him, it’s just the opposite.  We can only learn from His examples and make this world a better place as a result.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com