Walking the walk

As christians  we know that men and women of God can fall because the only one that was sinless was Jesus.  We put faith that those we follow as our pastors get up every morning to fight an enemy that is well aware of their weaknesses which we know nothing about. 

If you are blessed to get fed weekly from a pulpit remember to remove that man or woman  and focus on the message not the messenger.  Stop glamorizing these flawed humans, stop being a groupy and a cheerleader about their life.  Focus on the word not the man.

While these men and women are trusted into ministry and we all hold them at a high standard yes, but they are not Jesus, the enemy will continue to prey on them because he knows that is the quickest way to discourage both new and seasoned believers. Yes, moral failure needs to be exposed because we serve a God of excellence but please stop making your religious walk about church clicks and glamorize those in leadership, make it about the word instead so that when you hear about these things you are able to separate the two without affecting your walk and allowing the enemy to use those situations from discouraging you and your family from the spiritual walk ahead of you.

Broken Beautiful

The other day there was an issue that came up and for some reason I remembered this famous mother goose poem. 

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

As a man we bear the responsibility to make our wives feel that we are their security. Security and trust in a relationship is the glue that holds everything together. 

What happens when we fail and fall? 

As men we try not to hurt or spouses by saying little lies that we believe will have no consequences but that is so far from the truth. 

Our words have repercussion and just like the little rhyme says they couldn’t put humpty back together again. I know what you’re thinking it’s a little extreme but understand once that trust is shattered you might put it back together but it will never be the same as brand new. 

So I challenge you to be mindful of your answers. A simple lie can steal the security of your wife. 

 Many long marriages have cracks but they continue in perfect imperfection because there is a belief that together they can handle what ever the issue is. It’s in the cracks that we can look back and admire the marriages that have weathered the storms. 

My brothers in Christ renew your mind everyday and cherish what God has given to you especially your wives. 

Humpty couldn’t be put back together by all the king’s men but we know it’s the King of Kings that we serve and no matter how broken we are HE can put it back together for his purpose again. 

Peace 

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 3:22-23 NIV

Adams where are you?

A couple weeks ago one of our pastors was preaching and he asked a simple question during the sermon. Adam where are you?

He spoke how God was cutoff from seeing his children. Sin had come between them. It was at that moment they were cast out of Eden.

I’ve been waking up with same questions for a couple nights now and this morning as I write this the sun hasn’t come up yet.

We as men are the “ Adam’s “ of the world.

So I’ve been tasked with asking.

Adam’s where are you?

Where are you when we see social media being a tool of division than uniting us? We are like mice in a laboratory. The algorithm feeds us our wants and desires to keep us happy for hours on our phones. We are addicted to information to the point we miss out to much of what’s going on around us.

Adam’s where are you?

When the Gospel of love is being hijacked By the Lgbtq community to allow Gay pastors on the pulpit and Gay people in position of power within churches because we as men are told not to ask. Jesus is the prophet of love but He also said it simply “go and sin no more.” Are we not called to be salt in our society of blandness? Do we sit idly by seeing how our houses of worship are Lukewarm by being so all inclusive that we would rather fill seats than share the message of sin and redemption. Getting back to the basics of what sin is will go a long way of not letting it hide in plain sight.

Adam’s where are you?

During this conflict in Isreal. Do you chant the slogan from the river to the sea or do you stay quiet? Do you pray for Israelis and Palestinians equally knowing that war only brings pain to the innocent. Do you support terrorist or freedom fighters? Do you believe in the right of self defense and to live in peace? As for one who made a pilgrimage to the Holy land I can attest very few there realize how Holy that land really is. If they did they wouldn’t send thousand of rockets over the skies of Israel.

Adam’s where are you?

When we see antisemitic protests. Do we know where the root of antisemitism comes from? The fact is antisemitism was born out of the church during forced conversions.

From the inquisition to the crusades even to the expelling from countries our Christian forefathers have much Jewish blood on their hands in the name of the faith.

A past lie that was repeated throughout history was that the Jews killed Jesus. Yet forgetting that Jesus himself could have called legions of Angels to his side for protection. He went willingly to the cross as the sacrificial lamb.

We must as Christians know that past history as to never repeat it.

Adam’s where are you?

Do you share with your closest people your internal struggles. The dark hidden pain that trauma has made you forget. A pain that when if it were to come out into the light you would feel embarrassed. We must remember we have brothers in arms that will stand in the gap giving good counsel even when we fall there will always be hands to lift you up.

Adam’s where are you?

Have you as a child of God identified your generational curses? As a father and priest of your house have you identified from both your lineages the wrongs of your ancestors? Adultery, lying, cheating , stealing, addictions anger, envy. A good father leaves an inheritance. What inheritance will you pass on that is good for your future generations.

Adam’s where are you?

In these turbulent times where right is wrong and wrong is right. Where do you stand with a man identifying as a woman to play woman sports. Where do you stand with society telling us not to offend anybody by calling people pronouns. By blurring the lines of what man and woman is we are allowing people to believe they are God. That by identifying other than what you where born as you are saying God made a mistake.

Adam’s it’s time we not only ask the hard questions but seek the hard answers. Will we as the Adam’s of the world continue to stand idly by as the Apple is passed around?

Adam’s wake up for there are many battlefields that await us.

Which field will you you be willing to fight on?

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.””

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Step away, choose to reflect instead

Ever had those moments when your spouse hits a nerve during a discussion that turns into an argument and quickly turns into world war three?  We all have, and coincidentally when you look back sometimes is hard to pin point where it took that shift.  All you remember is the offense and the scar left from it.  You are left with the pain of it all brewing inside, tempted to make drastic decisions.  The worst thing is the lingering feeling having to look  at your spouse in a different light because they disrespected you.  Now having to bring that person you love down from the pedestal that you had them on is heartbreaking.  It can be very challenging to have the discipline to see it coming and choose to walk away.  At that very moment, we all have free will to engage or choose to walk away before anything has a chance to escalate, but it is not that easy!
Often times the emotional damage has a long lasting effect that sets the tone of the future of your relationship, this is where reflecting can  be a useful tool.  When you pause and reflect on the good and the bad and really take time to identify any hidden issues that can be at the root of it all,  it can be the turning point you need to move forward happy.
It is important to be aware that the emotional injury that comes with the fight can have a long lasting effect and does open the door for future misunderstandings to  escalate.  But how do you find that discipline to step away in the middle of a heated argument especially when your spouse is the one that keeps adding fuel to the fire as you try to manage around keeping your temper in check?  Even more so, during that very moment  you may be  internally fighting your own demons to keep your cool and the other person just wont let up or even aware of your inner struggle?  All the classes, all the training, all the sermons, all the years of preparation not to fall into the default of our sinful nature goes out the window when one person decides to cross that line.  Then what?   
You are left with a scar,  if you know what is scar is you may know that under the skin there will be scar tissue formed during the healing process.  When God made our bodies, He created them to be able to have the ability for muscles to heal from the damage we do to them on a daily basis.  
The interesting thing about scar tissue is that when your body heals itself after an injury, that layer under the scar is never the same.  The new tissue formed is tough, and while the muscle fibers run up and down, these new fibers are like a spider web which is good and bad.  So what does scar tissue have to do with emotional wounds?  Well, sometimes scar tissue may need attention because it begins to get so tough that we need go to  physical therapy or get massage to loosen it up to restore mobility or range of motion to the area but it does make that area stronger regardless.  Likewise, when our spouse crosses that line, trust is damaged and the security of the future of your marriage is now questioned.  You must be intentional to seek the help needed to heal the relationship and ask The Holy Spirit for wisdom to help you sort things out.
One useful piece of advise is to reflect and spend time digging up those hidden issues to find resolve and prevent a future outbursts.  Finding balance in your relationship is key, maybe your spouse comes from an upbringing where if there was a fight  it was fixed with an "I am sorry" but you are the type that sees the offense as the end of it all.  Maybe your outburst hurts them so deep emotionally that causes them to withdraw from what they normally give day in and day out feeding into it more and more each time it happens. It is very important to discuss with your spouse how they feel about this sort of behavior ahead of time, that way you have an idea what their reaction stands to be ahead of time and also holds you accountable because  there is a line you should not cross regardless of how upset you are.
How many fights do we have to endure before we realize that the enemy is not our spouse.  The Devil is out there waiting patiently for that open door into your marriage, why would you give him the keys to walk right in? The enemy can use anything to harm and separate you if you give him the opportunity, and we do just that more often than not.  Even more, what happens when you address the hidden issues and  have prepare yourselves spiritually to fight any battles that may come you way but one spouse falls into the trap of the enemy by reacting in the very way they promised never to do, what then?  Is there a magic recipe to prevent arguments, fights, confrontations?  Sadly, there is not.  The Bible has plenty of scripture to tell us we will walk through the valley and we will have to endure battles the one thing that is for sure, there He is with you!
Ultimately, you know you have free will.  You can choose whether you snap and can choose to step away before things escalate. Know that each action does have its own consequences.  If you step away, you can have a peaceful discussion to find resolve at a later time. If you choose to go toe to toe you need to have present that if you cross the line, there will be a consequence.  Choose wisely, the wrong choice may carry a price you can't afford to pay.
A Transparent Marriage