A Kidnapped Culture “Preferences or Purpose”

It concerns me that many of our churches in America have hit a wall when it comes to growing.  Barna  Research Group is predicting that in 30 years , 25% of America will be Atheists! I think you would agree that the spirit of anti-Christ is growing daily in our nation. Why do we lose 96% of those who graduate High School from our youth groups?  Thirty years ago the church only kept 40% of our High School graduates in their youth groups.  Now, the church only keeps 4% of that same group!

Has the older generation decided that our hymns are more holy than the new praise and worship music  that has swept across the nation?  Are they REALLY  more holy or is it just our preference? I’m convinced that  the dearest songs to your heart will be those you sang when you gave your heart to Jesus.  They’re  more special to you  because they tie a thread to the most wonderful ,glorious day of your life.

Churches that tell young people that they  don’t have room for their style, song or beat, are going to dampen their faith and have difficulty in their responsiblity in passing off the baton to the next generation. Friend,  the most important thing we can do  is to focus on what we both have in common.
What DO we have in common? Do we ALL love the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we not ALL want to reach those who are in desperate need of the Saviour?  Do we ALL not know that one day Jesus will come again for those who are watching and waiting for Him?

Why would we want to split hairs on our differences instead of what is going to get people ready for heaven? Many people go to a church because they love the music; some put a higher priority on the preaching of the Word or their friendships that help them grow in the Lord. Some place a priority on the ministry that God has called them to fulfill .Friend,  before you consider leaving  your church, give thought to your priorities. NO church is going to be a 100% fit for you.  Be flexible and stay focused on PURPOSE instead of PREFERENCES .

The prophet Daniel was only 14 or 15 years old when God used him to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. David was only 17 when God used him to bring down the giant Goliath. Joseph was 17 as God prepared him to save many nations that would go through a famine. Young person,  you don’t have to wait until you’re  40 or 50 years old for God to use you. Mom and Dad, recognize that God’s hand is on them RIGHT NOW! God is preparing and shaping them NOW to be used in the Master’s hand. Don’t dampen their creativity, style or “out of the box “ways of being used by God. David didn’t use Saul’s weapons to bring down a giant! He used his own creative ways.

So will we focus on our preferences in building His Church? Or, will we choose to focus on our purpose to reach a lost and dying world? God will never change the MESSAGE,  but He will change  the METHODS to reach people. Focus on the SUBSTANCE and not the style.  Focus on God’s  PURPOSES and not your preferences. Focus on using your FAITH and not your fears Church, lets go for it; time is running out. We will all stand before God one day and give an account for reaching those without the Savior.

Dannysdevotional.com
Family Series Q&A Video Message

Victory For The Home & The Church?

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and their Temple in 587 B.C. Israel had turned away from Jehovah God and had sadly followed and worshipped false gods. Nearly 50,000 were taken into captivity to the ruling world empire of Babylon. Babylon’s walls were 87 feet wide and 387 feet high. Four chariots could even race side by side across the top of their walls! It was one of the most magnificent cities in all of history. Nebuchadnezzar also built the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

 Daniel and three of his dearest friends faced challenges like they had never faced before. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego  would face a fiery furnace, and Daniel would be thrown into a fearsome lion’s den. What could possibly keep them going when fear and intimidation could have easily caused them to cave in under the pressure? I believe there were 3 essential things that led them to Victory.                  

• Faith in their God is what would see them through the worst pressures of their lives. None of them would bend or bow to these stresses and pressures in their faith.
• Focus on their God is what kept them smiling, singing, and shouting His Praises.
• Fire from their God is what became greater than the roaring of the lions and the     flames of the fiery furnace.

There’s a lot of stress and pressure today on the family and on the Church. We live in a time where the spirit of Anti-Christ is rising more and more each day. Hell is at war for  re-defining marriage as only between and man and a woman. Satan works overtime to discourage the living Church, the bride of Jesus Christ, from being vibrant, alive and well.

 Can the House of God be Victorious? Can families succeed in this culture? Can the Church in this hour keep the Faith, the Focus and the Fire of God? Haggai was about 82 years old when he prophesied, “The glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former, and in this place I will grant My peace declares the Lord.” (Haggai 2:9)

I’m not giving in or giving up on the hope that God has in store; promises that have not yet come to pass. If four men in Babylon could hang tough with the pressures and stress of their day, there is still a God in Heaven who will make Himself known and bring about every promise that He has made in our day. I still believe, “The glory of the latter house shall be greater.” Is this promise available for families and His Church of this generation? What will your Faith, Focus and Fire determine?    

                   

     Dannysdevotional.com

Family Series Q&A Video Message

After You Say “I DO” The Odometer Gauge (5)

A few years ago my dad crossed 323,000 miles on the odometer of his Park Ave Buick! I said, “Dad, you ought to call Buick and do a commercial with those kind of miles.”

Before you got married, you met a person that you just couldn’t take your eye off of. You couldn’t stop thinking about them; you couldn’t stop planning dates and times to hang out together. You were constantly on the phone texting or just hearing one another breathe. Love letters or emailing back and forth kept the fire hot in the relationship.

Then one day you got married. Real life kicked in and you got busy with your job, continuing your education, starting a family and of course, your hobbies. Many spouses for the first time begin to experience real stress in the relationship. But there is a reason that some couples go the distance. It’s not because there aren’t challenges, curves, chaos or even bumps in the road. Couples who have been married 30, 40, 50 plus years have decided to Keep the commitment that they made to one another on their wedding day.

Do you remember saying, “For better for worst, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part?” Commitment to Christ and to one another is the thing that keeps couples together. Ephesians 5:25 tell husbands to “love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it.” Wives submit to your husbands, as you do unto the Lord. Is it hard work to keep pressing? You better believe it!

Most people never consider the pain of splitting up. The kids being shuffled back and forth from parent to parent, the stress in your finances, emotions up and down and being ripped apart. What about the work of healing up after the spit-up? Many don’t think about the attorney fees, the division and pain of dealing with in-laws and “former” friends…just plain starting over in every way.

Jesus said “He loved His church so much that nothing shall be able to pluck them out of His hand.” Guys is that Your love and Your commitment to your wife? Are you that determined that nothing is going to change your mind from the commitment you made at the wedding altar? Wives, are you committed to making it work “till death us do part?”

Most of us realize that it takes two to make that commitment to go the distance. You may have found yourself in a situation where your spouse isn’t willing to keep the marriage commitment. God knows and understands the pain of those who have chosen to break that vow of “till death us do part.” Life can get tough and messy but I’m so thankful there is a grace of God that can get you though any heartache or pain in life.

Regardless of where you are in life today, God is a God of mercy. He can give you another chance to go the distance in your marriage relationship. His mercies are fresh and new every morning. Today, allow Him to smile His favor on you as you going forward. (Eccl 7:8a) “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning.”

Dannysdevotional.com

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After You Say "I DO" The Temperature Gauge (4)

Most marriage partners don’t realize that what you say to one another can either raise the temperature gauge or keep it in the safe zone. When the gauge on your dashboard gets in the hot zone, you better pull over and evaluate what’s really going on.

Communication is one of the most important components of the marriage relationship. When you speak to one another, 7% of total communication is verbal, 38% is tone of voice, and 55% is facial expressions and body movement.  So what you just said to your spouse may have not truly been communicated to them.

When you and I get overheated in a conversation, very little good is accomplished. Sir, you may forget all that you said in a heated conversation in a few days, but she will remember what you said 2 years from now. I advise couples that when irritated about something to remember that the radiator cap says; “When hot do not remove.”

If you remove the cap when it’s hot, you will get burned. If you try to solve your issues when you are hot and upset, somebody is going to get harmed. Always go cool off and settle down before trying to solve the issue. Now don’t wait forever to try and solve what’s gotten you so upset. “And don't sin by letting anger control you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry.” (Eph 4:26)

It’s not going to do you any good to allow your anger to turn into an erupting volcano. Sooner or later your anger will turn into bitterness, depression and even sin. An overheating engine will warp the pistons and cause engine failure. Friend, whatever has gotten you overheated in your relationship must be dealt with if it’s going to survive.

May I remind you there is nothing that God can’t heal and fix.  God can cool things off in you and in your marriage. You need to address things sooner rather than later. Don’t ignore a gauge that shows you’re in the danger level.  Pull over and ask for God’s help NOW!   If need be, get some professional help. Ninety percent of those who go for help will succeed.

The Lord is there waiting to pour in His healing coolant. When He does our love for one another will continue without anger, unforgiveness  or divorce. The highest evidence of God’s love in us is not when we can prophesy or speak in tongues, but rather when we can forgive and love each other. Let go of your hurt today and watch the temperature gauge move into the safe level and succeed.

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After You Say "I DO" The Fuel Gauge (3)

Have you ever run out of gas in your vehicle?  I hate to admit it, but I have done it. You say to yourself, “Ah, I can go a few more miles.”  My dad and I have walked more than once to find gas.  You would think that the pain would cause us not to repeat this foolish mistake.

Many of us have also ignored the fuel gauge in our marriages.  You have to put fuel in your marriage to keep it going. Each of us married folks can remember the things we did before we got married, like opening the car door, and spending an hour getting ready for our date. I’m not sure what happens after we have been married a few years; I think we go brain dead!

If we would keep doing the things we did before we got married, most of our marriages would stay alive and vibrant. I would like to encourage you Sir, plan out a vacation for you and your wife. You need time with one another and yes, without the kids.  Take her on a cruise, wash and vacuum her car, shave and dress up a bit for your weekly date.  She’s worth it.

You must put fuel in the relationship in order to keep things exciting. If you ignore it, you will soon be out of energy in the relationship. Ladies, make his favorite chocolate pie or dessert.

If you’re a stay at home mom, greet him when he comes home with an attractive dress rather than your nightgown. Before you got married, you wouldn’t think of spending just 5 minutes getting ready for a date. All these things are putting fuel in the tank.

Texting one another during the day, taking walks together, leaving one another love notes, buying special gifts, are ways to show one each other how much you value them.

 When was the last time you really looked at the dashboard of your marriage? Is it running close to E? Are you going to risk losing one of the best things that ever happened in your life?  Don’t say, “I really can’t afford a cruise, flowers, or time off work. Listen, it’s cheaper than the court system or a lawyer! 

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After you Say “I DO” The Oil Gauge (2)

Mom called me as she sat on the side of the road. “Danny, there’s steam coming out of the engine.” As I pulled up beside her I noticed steam and heat coming out from the hood. Mom had ignored a red light that came up on the dashboard. The engine light was telling her to stop. She had insufficient oil in the engine, and now it was toast.

Ignoring our gauges on the dashboard of our cars can be very costly, but even more costly in our marriage. I would like to use the oil gauge as the oil that comes from the Holy Spirit to empower each of us for the journey in life. Jesus told his disciples when I leave, “I will send the Holy Spirit to empower you, to guide and lead you into all truth.”

It’s essential for each of us to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. He will help us to work out our stress and struggles that each of us contends with. Taking out your stress on your spouse will cause the engine of your marriage to overheat.

How often do we take the time to allow the Holy Spirit to change our thinking, our hurts that cause us to toss and turn in the night? One word from the Holy Spirit can settle down our emotions and our temperament. The Spirit of God comes to keep us cool calm and collective in the storms and stress of life. When your upset about something, the last thing you need to do is to take it out on those around you.

God says; “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.” “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.” God sent His very best when He left this world to help us. Why would we not lean on Him to see us through the uncharted waters of life? Your marriage doesn’t have to die in a hot desert.

Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to heal your past hurts, jealousy, abuse, or even an affair that is hindering your going forward? There is nothing the Holy Spirit can’t heal in your life or your past. Maybe you have suffered physical or verbal abuse from your past. Today allow the Holy Spirit to bring healing to your pain and sorrow. He died on Calvary; He paid for your hurt and pain, and yes even our mistakes. By His stripes you are healed.

Refuse to allow your relationship with your spouse to burn out. Refuse to be stranded on the side of the road for thieves and robbers to destroy. If the oil gauge is running low, “Stop," and allow the Holy Spirit to refresh and renew you even as you read this devotion.

 “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles and shall run and not be weary and shall walk and not faint." God can quickly change your gauge today and bring fresh life, peace and power back into the relationship that seems impossible to repair. Had Mom stopped to pour in some oil, the engine would have lasted many more years. How much longer would your marriage last if you would stop to let Him pour in you today?   

   

Dannysdevotional.com
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After You Say "I DO" The Amp Gauge (1)

Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

If you have driven a car very long, you realize that cars have important gauges on the dashboard that are to be watched and not ignored. I was praying about our Marriage Series and it came to me that there are also gauges to watch in our marriage. Have you thought about what the gauges are indicating in your marriage?

Several years ago, the Saturday Evening Post published an article entitled “The Seven Ages of the Married Cold.” It revealed the reaction of a husband to his wife’s colds during their first seven years of marriage. It went something like this:

·       The first year: “Sugar dumpling, I’m really worried about my baby girl. You’ve got a bad sniffle, and there’s no telling about these things with all this strep throat going around. I’m putting you in the hospital this afternoon for a general checkup and a good rest. I know the food’s lousy, but I’ll be bringing your meals in from Rosini’s. I’ve already got it all arranged with the floor superintendent.”

·       The second year: “Listen, darling, I don’t like the sound of that cough. I called Doc Miller and asked him to rush over here. Now you go to bed like a good girl, please? Just for Papa.”

·       The third year: “Maybe you’d better lie down, honey: nothing like a little rest when you feel lousy. I’ll bring you something to eat. Have you got any canned soup?”

·       The fourth year: “Now look, dear, be sensible. After you’ve fed the kids, washed the dishes and finished the floor, you’d better lie down.”

·       The fifth year: “Why don’t you take a couple of aspirin?”

·       The sixth year: “I wish you’d just gargle or something, instead of sitting around all evening barking like a seal!”

·       The seventh year: “For Pete’s sake, stop sneezing! Are you trying to give me pneumonia?”This humorous story describes the decline of marriage as seen through the common cold… A funny look at a not-so- funny reality.

I have been married 32 years, and while I have never accused Vonnell of barking like a seal, I have seen changes in our marriage, and not all of them for the good. Today I want to talk about being proactive in keeping the spark in our marriages.

Let’s look at the AMP Gauge. It’s important to know if the right electricity is running through your car. More importantly is if it’s still in the marriage. When you first got married, there was plenty of electricity in the relationship. But as we journey through the uncharted waters of marriage, we tend to forget the things we did with each other before we got married.

Do you remember how sweetly you asked how she was doing each day? And how long it took to get ready for a date? You got all dressed up, shaved, brushed your teeth, put on cologne, and couldn’t wait to share the night together. Has the fire gone out? No one likes to get in a vehicle with a dead battery.

There are things you can do to get the fire back. Guys, how about washing and vacuuming her car this week? Get the oil changed and fill up the tank instead of having her do it. Ladies, make his favorite dish and surprise him by being all dressed up when he comes home from work. Are you watching your AMP gauge? Are you maintaining the electricity in the marriage?

Remember, if the battery goes dead in your car, you don’t buy a new car; instead, you replace the battery or get it recharged. If the amp is reading low, begin doing things that will ignite a new fire in your marriage.     
                                    

Dannysdevotional.com

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