Will You Be My Valentine

Here we go! Valentines Day is once again here and approaching! So, you know I had to write about it.

I heard a joke once that Valentines Day is a Christian guys' worst nightmare. Really? Hmmm so therefore, I decided to write about what "I look for in a young lady"...Or am I?

Honestly, now that God has been revealing certain aspects to me I have a slight issue with the questions: "What do I look for" or "Is she the one for me." I will explain why.

These questions can almost put the decision making process on our own terms, instead of God's. Consider the following quote from author Michael Lawrence in his article entitled, Stop Test Driving Your Girlfriend. He says that, "it puts the woman on an extended trial to determine whether or nmeets your needs, fits with your personality, and satisfies your desires. It places you at the center of the process, in the role of a window-shopper, or consumer at a buffet."

I know I have fell victim to this very thing, but perhaps here is a better question we guys need to ask ourselves. "Am I the type of godly man a young lady would want to be with?" In other words, maybe we should spend less time evaluating the character of women around us, and more time evaluating and critiquing our own character, not just for a young women but ultimately so our character will be pleasing in God's sight.

Here is the point to all of this. Certainly we are supposed to have standards and some young ladies just won't meet our standards, but do not have an unrealistic expectation. Do not fall into the "Proverbs 31 syndrome", where she has to meet ALL those requirements and characteristics written in that chapter. Importantly, DO NOT put an expectation that is even higher than God's. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God." God's standard of glory is set so high that it would be impossible to reach it, that is why He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

"The problem of course is that as a single Christian man, not only are you going to marry [date] a sinner, but you are a sinner as well."--Michael Lawrence.


Let God be the number one standard and pray for wisdom (James 1:5).

My brother Sharell and his Fiance Althea

Picture from:
http://abww.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/blacklove.jpg

Faith Can Be Comforting.

Do not view moving out of comfort zones as only being discomforting to your comfort. Instead view it as a way of growing and changing you so that you may move into a new comfort...

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/13304/images_13304.jpg

Moving out of areas that we are most accustomed to, can be a very new and intimidating, especially when you are not certain of the outcome. Lately, I have found myself struggling with the confidence to move into this new "zone" in my life. Even though we are told to have FAITH; fear and doubt seem to still outweigh our faith...

But, what is FAITH? Why is faith sometimes hard to comprehend? Hebrews Chapter 11 can perhaps provide the answer.

Hebrews 11:1 in the New Living Translation (NLT) says, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things WE CANNOT SEE." Yes faith, the evidence of things not seen. This is why sometimes faith can be hard, because we cannot "see" the results, we can't see what is going to happen next, and we want the answers NOW. And after we are trying to grasp and comprehend all of this, we then get hit with Hebrews 11:6. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)says, "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek Him."

So, we may be already struggling with faith...and now without faith we can't please God...sounds comforting right? Well here is the beauty of it...

The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character: He truly is who He says! When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we are demonstrating truth faith. In other words who are we saying has more power? The present circumstance or God's future promises? Or perhaps this is a better question. Do we believe because faith makes sense, or do we believe because faith doesn't need make sense?

Consider Isaiah 40: 28-31:
28 Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 BUT those who TRUST in the LORD will find NEW strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Are You In?

First of all I would like to give all the thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I apologize for my sins and short-comings, but I am so ever thankful for HIS grace and mercy.

This note is for anyone, but it is really intended for my brotha's out there. Of course females are not obligated from reading this or being apart of this (I thank God for you all lol), but when I was writing this I really had the bro's in mind.

I was so strongly encouraged by this, that I HAD to write about this! I was reading Ephesians chapter 4, great chapter talking about unity within the body of Christ. Within in this unity I began to realize a much bigger spectrum about God's purpose/agenda. I would greatly encourage you all to take a look at Ephesians 4, but mainly look at 4:7-16. The message I got out of those passages will only make sense if you read them. I realized after reading these passages that God chooses to surround us with people who are different from us because He knows it will promote His purpose.

Verse 10 says, "He who descended (to earth) is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe." After reading the full context of these passages (4:7-16) I began to see how it can apply in my own life and interactions. For example, college, workplace, everyday interactions, etc. Therefore, in accordance with the theme of unity and being surrounded by people who are diverse from us, I began to think: What great things could God do to those who are fully committed to Him? 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT),"The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him..." With Ephesians and 2 Chronicles in mind, lets obtain and maintain a "New Year's" Resolution. Let's be unified, keeping eachother accountable, prayng for each other...let us truly impact those around us! This is no call for perfection, we all fall short but remember we do not have to be perfect in order to commit. SO May we Guard His Glory, and show His Glory SO that the body of Christ may be Built UP!....Are "yaw' ll" in??