May 6, 2015

"10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 

11Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 

13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 

14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. 

16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 

17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 

18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 

19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 

20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 

22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 

23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 

24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 

26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 

27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 

29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." 

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 

31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Proverbs 31:10-31

Sunday we will be celebrating and honoring our Magnificent Moms!

Honestly, I chose that theme for the alliteration of it - it sounds good! And I chose it because it captures the thoughts expressed in Proverbs 31 describing a godly woman!

I also chose it because it is true of every lady who graces the doors of FredWes on Sundays!

It's certainly true of the lady who resides in my house!

However, I didn't know how right I was until I actually looked up the definition of magnificent!

Check it out and see how perfectly this fits the FredWed females!

adjective:

1.

making a splendid appearance or show; of exceptional beauty, size,etc.

Forget the size part........

2.

extraordinarily fine; superb:

Right on!

3.

noble; sublime:

Everyone of you!

4.

(formerly used as a title of some rulers)great; grand:

Rulers.........yep, that fits!

5.

lavishly munificent; extravagant:

Lavish and extravagant, indeed!

See what I mean! We have Magnificent Moms!

May 5, 2015

7 Things You Need to Know About Your Wife (But May Not)

Ron Edmondson

Sometimes we do the wrong thing before we even knew we did the wrong thing.

Guys, can I be honest with you? Marriage can be hard.

Did you know that already?

Sometimes you do the wrong thing before you even knew you did the wrong thing. You try to figure out the one you love the most, but the more you try, the more confused you get. I get it. I understand.

Men and women are different. (You can tweet that.)

We don’t always think and respond to life the same way.

And, likely there are some things about your wife you just didn’t know.

Over the years, through counseling training and actual counseling—and learning from my wife—I’ve observed some things. And I’ve realized some men simply don’t know them—or don’t realize how important they are to their wives.

Here are 7 things you may not know (but you need to know) about your wife:

You step on her feelings more than you know.

You just do. And you don’t even mean to—or know that you've done it most of the time. She may think you know, but you don’t. You’re just not as aware of how she’s wired emotionally. And most of the time she overlooks it. She knows it wasn’t intentional. But it hurts. And the more you do it, the more it hurts. So be careful with your words.

This leads to the next one.

Your words are heavier than you think they are.

You need to know that. When she asks you how she looks, for example—yes, it is a quandary on how to respond, and there are plenty of jokes around about that dilemma—your response matters. Probably more than any other response of her day. It’s a small question to you but a big question for her. And you communicate things to her continually through how you say what you say and the body language you combine with your words. And they weigh a ton to her. A ton.

She wants you to take the lead.

At least occasionally. I know all the women’s rights issues cloud this for you. It can be confusing, but there’s likely something in your wife just waiting for you to make a decision. She values your input, and she wants you to lead in the home as well as she sees that you can lead elsewhere. And, speaking on behalf of men, I know you don’t always want to be the leader. She’s better at making many of the decisions than you are. Still, she’s waiting, hoping that you’ll step up when and where you need to lead.

She doesn’t want to be like her mother.

Or to be compared to her mother. And these type jokes aren’t funny. Ever. Trust me. And, in fact, she doesn’t want to be like any other woman either. She wants to be seen for the unique wonder she is—which by the way was God-designed.

She is likely with you even when she’s not.

At least in her mind. Our wives are very relational. So if she asks about your calendar, now you know. She’s not trying to be difficult or suspicious. She’s trying to be with the one she loves.

It’s okay just to hold her hand.

And, also, to occasionally be romantic. You may have established a long time ago that you’re not the romantic type. She may realize she married funny—or serious or dedicated—more than romantic. But every woman needs a little romance occasionally. It makes her feel special, especially when it comes from you.

The way her world looks is often how her heart feels.

All her world. The house, for example. You think it doesn’t matter, but to her it reflects her—not you. She’s also conscious of what others think of her appearance. She carries this burden heavier than she wants to sometimes. Don’t diminish this to her. Understand it.

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be  praised Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Proverbs 31:30-31

May 4, 2015

^"Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.  I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” Exodus 14:13-18

Moses knew what the rest of Israel was about to discover, God will always make a way! If He leads you in He will bring you out! At this point Moses didn't know how but he knew Who!

Deliverance is God's part. It is His specialty.

God told Moses that what looked like their dilemma was about to become their deliverance if they would make the right decision. God is SO good at doing that! He will take the very thing that looks like a disaster and turn it into your deliverance!

Do you believe that?

You say, "I want to believe that! I see it in this story and I know the promise that with every trial and temptation He will make a way of escape but I am not seeing it."

Let's look at the story again and see if you can gain some insight.

God will turn your dilemma into your deliverance if you will wait - “Do not be afraid. Stand firm"

Waiting is always hard! Always! It gets harder when you have an vicious army riding down at you in your vulnerable moment.

Every instinct in your body is shouting, "Run!" but the voice of God whispers, "Wait! Don't be afraid, just wait!"

Why does He ALWAYS want you to wait?

I don't know all the reasons but I do know His timing is always perfect and yours isn't.

God will turn your dilemma into deliverance if you will watch - "you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again."

You have to do something while you are waiting for the Lord - so, why not just watch Him do what He does?

If you aren't keeping your eyes on God guess what you will do? You will either be focused on the enemy or fixed on yourself. Niether of those will get you delivered!

When those winds began blowing and when those waves rolled up on either side and that way of escape opened wide, don't you think they were glad they were watching!

Do you need deliverance from your dilemma? Wait! Watch!

God will turn your dilemma into deliverance if you will walk - "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left."

There is a time to wait and a time to watch but then there comes a time to walk! God WILL open a way but when He does you must be ready to walk through it!

What an amazing way He chose to deliver them! Imagine seeing a wide and deep sea open up and make a path of escape from the enemy!

Now, let's be real about this! God could have built a gigantic battleship that he could have pulled up to shore to deliver them and then opened the big guns and missiles on the Egyptians.

Or, He could have just had the Israelites simply walk across the top of the water like Peter did once.

But God chose to open the sea to deliver them so He could close the sea and destroy the enemy! They were delivered and the Egyptians were destroyed!

One thing you can expect from God - He will make a way for you!

But He will expect you to wait on Him and watch for Him and walk through the way when He opens it!

May 3, 2015

"25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise." Luke 10:25-37

The Great Commandment is a tall order!

Loving people to life requires a supernatural assist!

So not only does Jesus command you what you should do but He also gives you a picture of what that should look like in the well-known story of the Good Samaritan!

Look at this Parable and learn! How did the Samaritan love this man to life?

He Saw, V. 33

All ministry begins with seeing a need and meeting it!

Someone saw your need and loved you to live, right?

Are you attuned to the needs around you?

Is there someone you could love to life in Christ?

He Stopped, V. 34

The "professional need meeters", the priest and the levite did not stop. Apparently they had more important things to do.

They illustrate and important point! In order to be more effective and available to start ministering to the needs of others you may have to stop some things that keep you from stopping!

He Served, V. 34b

This Samaritan gives us a great picture of what it means to serve. First. he treated the felt need. He cleansed the wounds with oil and wine. Think about the symbolism of that! Second, he transported him to a safer place where he wouldn't get hurt again! Third, he took care of him so he could recover and heal!

It doesn't get any clearer than that!

He Sacrificed, V. 35

It is expensive to meet needs! If it wasn't probably more people would be doing it! This Samaritan demonstrates sacrifice in this story! He shelled out two days wages, he gave up a big portion of his day and then he left his credit card to make sure future care would be provided!

Someone sacrificed for you to make sure your needs were met! Someone paid the bill for your spiritual healing!

Will you be willing to sacrifice for others?

He Stayed Involved, V. 35b

This Good Samaritan had to get on with his business but he stayed involved with this needy man over time! That is hard! That is rare! But that is what love demands!

Eugene Peterson once said, "Discipleship is a long obedience in the same direction!"

Meeting needs and loving people to life is a long-term proposition! That is why it is easier to write a check than to commit time, talents and for the long run.

Someone stayed invested and involved in your live!

Will you do it for someone else?

Wow! What a powerful picture of what it looks like to love someone to life! I worked for the Samaritan and it will work for you!

Jesus told this lawyer, "Go and do likewise."

Will you?

May 2, 2015

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all you mind.” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10 25-28

You have a clear and compelling call to love others to life!

That is your purpose to leverage every acquaintance, every friendship and every relationship into loving them to life in Christ.

Jesus, later in this passage, tells a story about a Samaritan who literally loved a needy man to life.

In this Great Commandment teaching Jesus is telling you that in order to love others to life you must allow Him to love you to life.

How could you hope to love like Jesus unless you are loved by Jesus?

He loves you with all His heart so you must open all of your heart to receive His love if you want to be loved to life.

He loves you with all His soul so you must receive His love with all your soul if you want to be loved to life.

He loves you with all His strength so you need to receive His love fully into your weakness. He and His love must become your only source of strength is you want to be loved to life.

Jesus loves you with all His mind so you must allow His love to transform and renew your mind if you want to be loved to life.

Loving others to life is the result of being loved to life by Jesus!

Do you know that love?

Have you received His love fully; into all your heart, and into all your soul, and into all your weakness and into all your mind?

That is what it means to love Jesus – being fully loved by Him!

That is how you love others to life! You let His life and His love flow through your heart, soul, strength and mind!

You can’t live until you have His love and you can’t have His love until you give Him your life.

Will you do that this morning?

Will you give all that you know about yourself to all that you understand about Him?

I think you’ll love it!

May 1, 2015

“He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:27-28

This is known as the Great Commandment and if you obey it and observe it you will live! If you don’t then you won’t know life.

That’s big! Real big!

In my last post I pointed out that this Scripture not only tells you how to love God but also shows you how God loves you!

He is totally committed to loving you!

He loves you will all His heart! And He has a big heart!

He loves you will all His soul! Every part of His essence and being is devoted to loving you!

He loves you with all His strength! Wow! When you are omnipotent and created the universe in a word, that’s a strong love!

He loves you with all of His mind! God is omniscient and all wise so that is quite a mind! That’s a lot of love!

So, no wonder His love gives life to you since all of His life is involved in His love!

It is up to you to receive His love, enjoy it and demonstrate it toward others. You can only accomplish that if you allow Him to love through you- through your heart and through your soul and through your strength and through your mind.

How does that happen?

LOVE HIM UNTIL IT HURTS

It is not an easy task to surrender your heart, soul, strength and mind to receive His love. And you can’t fully receive His love until you are emptied of yours. That hurts!

LOVE HIM UNTIL IT HELPS

If you will seek His love and surrender to His love He will shed His love abroad in your heart! He will fill your soul with His holy love! He will strengthen you in your inner being with the Spirit of His love, the Holy Spirit! He will transform your mind and renew it with His love!

LOVE HIM UNTIL IT HAPPENS

You will know you have His love because His life will happen in your life. And as you continue to die to Him live in His love, you will experience the evidence of abundant life and you will enjoy the assurance of eternal life!

As His love is manifest in your life another thing will happen, He will love through you! Others will be touched by His love through the love you show toward them!

Jesus wants to love you to life! Then He wants to love others into His life through you.

April 30, 2015

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:" Psalm 37:3-5

Everyone wants to know how to get God to give them the desires of their heart. Delight in the LORD seems easy enough! So, how does one delight in the LORD? There have been many fanciful interpretations of what it means to delight yourself in the LORD, but only one revelation of what this means is found in the Scriptures.

"Delight" here in Psalm 37:4 is the Hebrew word "oneg", which means "to treat as a delicacy." There are very few places in the Scriptures were the word "oneg" is used. Yet, because it is a rarity, it will help us solve a mystery. There is one place, and only one, where it tells us exactly how to delight in the LORD, even using the word "oneg".

This word used in the combination and context as it is here has the connotation of worship, which brings us to our second idea of how to desire God. We should WANT Him more that we want anything else on the planet. In the words of the Psalmist, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"

A second way He tells us we should desire Him is through WORSHIP. What does that mean?

Our word "worship" comes from to old English words "worth - ship" and literally means "giving worth" to God. What gives worth to God? Your devotion and desire! So, if you want to keep your desire above temptation make God the object of your chief desire. Honor Him with your emotion and your will.

Worship is so much more than what you often think. When you think about worship you may think about several songs an offering and a sermon. If worship is only a one hour per week deal with you, you will not give God the worth He desires - and deserves. Worship is a 24/7 and a 365 proposition. Worship is absolute devotion to God. As the Apostle Paul, one of the most devoted Christ-followers of all time, wrote: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."

If you want to strengthen yourself against temptation aim your desire - your wants and your will - at God. In other words, worship Him. Not just for an hour on Sunday, but live a life-style of worship. Live in His Word daily, that's worship. Walk in His ways daily, that's worship. Love your spouse and your children, that's worship. Give eight hours work for eight hours wages, that's worship. Whatever you do you do it as unto the Lord - that's worship. That is what He desires and therefore, what you must desire.

This is what the Psalmist meant when he said, "Delight yourself in the Lord". Will you take delight in Him today? Will you aim your want and your will at Him? How will you do that today?