Be Ready!

Being a Christian means much more than just believing Jesus is our savior and hoping that through our correct theological doctrine we will one day get to a place called heaven when we die. In fact, as Christians, we should be more concerned about Jesus returning to earth than us going to heaven.

A true Christian is one who joins Jesus in His work on planet earth. In other words, to use religious terminology, we are “saved to serve.” In Luke 12:35-37, a passage of scriptures on watchfulness, Jesus is reminding us of this fact that his people should be watching, they should be ready and they should be doing his work. Jesus wants an immediate response when He knocks on the door.

“35Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37(a)It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.” Luke 12:35-37a

Jesus also instructs us to be on our guard against the thief. Luke 12:39-40 says, “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

It is said that Satan once called to him the emissaries of hell and said he wanted to send one of them to earth to aid women and men in the ruination of their souls. He asked which one would want to go. One creature came forward and said, "I will go." Satan said, "If I send you, what will you tell the children of men?" He said, "I will tell the children of men that there is no heaven." Satan said, "They will not believe you, for there is a bit of heaven in every human heart. In the end everyone knows that right and good must have the victory. You may not go."

Then another came forward, darker and fouler than the first. Satan said, "If I send you, what will you tell the children of men?" He said, "I will tell them there is no hell." Satan looked at him and said, "Oh, no; they will not believe you, for in every human heart there's a thing called conscience, an inner voice which testifies to the truth that not only will good be triumphant, but that evil will be defeated. You may not go."

Then one last creature came forward, this one from the darkest place of all. Satan said to him, "And if I send you, what will you say to women and men to aid them in the destruction of their souls?" He said, "I will tell them there is no hurry." Satan said, "Go!"

I pray Jesus will find us watching, ready and working when He returns!

Built to Last

In today's fast paced world, it can be quite a challenge to build a strong and healthy marriage. Unfortunately, our society tends to define success based upon the things we accomplish and the possessions we accumulate. This mentality has caused many people to neglect that which should get the best of our time and energy. Nothing is more important than building a great marriage; therefore, those who are married should make loving their spouse a top priority. The condition of our society is always a direct reflection of what is happening in our homes.

I have discovered that many people have no idea on how to build a successful and prosperous marriage. Listed below are three keys to building and maintaining a great marriage:

1. Build solid and strong foundations.

Successful marriages just don’t happen because people have feelings of love for one another. People who once were madly in love with each other get divorced every day. Like a sturdy house, a great marriage is built. The most important part of the building phase is laying solid and strong foundations. Whether it is a house or a marriage, solid and strong foundations are what everything else is built upon. During the foundation stage of marriage is when the husband and wife solidify a wonderful friendship.

2. Love to serve your spouse.

So many marriages are doomed for destruction right from the beginning because people marry with the expectation that their spouse is supposed to meet their every need. As soon as their needs are not getting met the way they think they should be, too many people choose to end the marriage. Although there are legitimate needs in a marriage that God uses our spouse to meet, the most successful marriages are the ones where the husband and wife live to serve one another. Learning to serve your spouse during the different seasons of life is vital to creating an environment of trust and intimacy in the home.

3. Communicate, communicate, and communicate.

Developing excellent communication skills are absolutely essential to effective marriages. Poor communication in a marriage is one of the main causes of divorce. Communication begins with the ability to listen and understand what your spouse is saying. When in doubt or unsure of what is being communicated, you should go the extra mile to get clarity. It is also important that you learn how to argue righteously and resolve conflict. Learning how to communicate in such a way to resolve conflicts in marriage is another way to develop trust and intimacy. Your biggest arguments can be moments when you get your greatest breakthroughs in your relationship if you possess the right communication skills.

Are you building a marriage to last?