Dear God,
I pray that my husband will not be money hungry, not willing to get money by questionable means, not greedy, not deceitful but of clear conscience.
A verse often misquoted regarding this subject is 1 Timothy 6:10. I have heard many say that money is the root of all evil when actually God says the LOVE of money is the root of all sorts of evil. Money can be an idol if we love it and serve it and put our trust in it or God can use it to accomplish great and mighty things for his kingdom (like adoption--read on).
Like so many of the prayer blogs I post, this prayer is for my husband but it is a challenge to me in particular. I have been idolizing money for years unbeknownst to me. It came sneekly, deceptively. I didn't love money just for all the things it could buy me...I let money control me. I gave to money things that belonged to God--my fears, my trust. God is graciously opening my eyes to the truth and leading me on to trust in Him (read my story below to see how).
It is hard to be a man in today's society and down economy. It's hard to be wife who trusts in God to provide through her husband but it is NOT impossible. God created man with the abilities and gifts and talents unique to providing for his family. As a wives, we are to come along side our husband and help him. We can help our husband by encouraging and thanking him for working hard for the family. We can discourage him by our discontentment bred through things like Pinterest and a host of other things. I love Pinterest just like the next girl, but if I am not careful, I start thinking I "need" to have a new this or that or redecorate or paint or what have you. There may be a time for that but it seems I most often want things at the most inconvenient times financially and that puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on my husband.
Getting personal--You know, when I look back at my behavior over the years, I have really had a problem trusting God with our finances. Here is one example. Many of you know Kendall and I are pursuing the Lord's lead for us to adopt. We feel incredibly blessed that God would call us to do so, but for reasons only He perfectly knows, He has asked us repeatedly to wait. We have prayed and prayed and sought the counsel of wise pastors and elders. When we pray together, we know right now God is asking us to pay off some bills (medical, student loan, car) so I can transition to a full-time stay-at-home mom. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt this is what God has asked us to do. I know God has reasons that are good and perfect and right for all He does. Still, I have a tendency to think this should happen today, so if the money isn't coming in as quickly as I want it to, then I starting thinking how can I do this quicker on my own (instead of praying and relying on God). It's like I was saying...God I think I will trust money instead because I know it will get me there faster. (as if) In my eagerness to obey God's call to care for orphans, I was disobeying God by not trusting in Him. I put myself in the driver's seat of my life when I didn't even know which way to turn next. How can I reduce all our bills, how many possessions can I sell to make this happen sooner? It's not wrong to sell our possessions for His will or to reduce our spending or live wisely with what He has given us but what is the motive? Is God asking me to do this or am I doing this because I am not trusting and waiting on God? Kendall and I take finances very seriously as stewards of dollars that belong not to us but to God. I am blessed to have a husband who is a financial planner and is wise in planning for our family. He shows me and reassures me that we are living wisely. We are giving to God first. We are obedient to God with our money. I still felt the need to contribute to get things done faster. I held umteen garage sales and sold much of my clothes on eBay. My husband began to question my motives in doing this. I didn't even realize that I was robbing us of God's blessings because I was working so hard to get it done on my own (and getting nowhere quickly I might add). I have since stepped back and let God be God....He really doesn't need my help--He does a pretty good job on His own. :-) I have stopped all of it. I continue to pray and rest in God and His will and it is so freeing. God is continuing to provide for us and bless us in abundant ways as we wait on Him. He knows exactly what we need just as He knows the needs of the birds, the animals, the plants and the rest of His creation. He also knows there are some of His little ones in the world who need families and He knows that we are eager to obey His command, and when He says "go" we will run to bring those kids to our home.
Thank You God,
Thank You God for guiding our family and leading us. Thank you for the freedom that comes when I trust You know best, when I step back and follow You in prayer and faithfulness. Life is not about money. Life is not about kids. Life is not about me becoming a mom. Life is not about me. This life, my life is for You Lord. Every day. May I not spend my days counting the what ifs and the what nexts but in serving You, in knowing You and living out the call of the Gospel on this earth. Thank you for centering me in Your Truth and in eternal perspectives.
Holy God, we are Yours. Amen.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Pray For Your Husband
This week our prayer for our husband is:
That he would not be thin skinned (not a pushover), not quarrelsome but peaceable, discreet, not quick tempered, not one to throw insults. May he not speak with loose, confusing or deceptive words. May he not be proud/vain (with no chips on his shoulder).
A man who is humble and loves God. A man who in his calm spirit will stand up to his wife when he sees her straying from biblical principles. A man who speaks with wisdom, not profanities, not prideful insult. Isn't that the man we all pray our husbands to be, a man like Christ?
Many of you may read the blog "Grace Full Mama." My husband actually introduced me to it. Her July 13, 2012, post entitled "A Kind Wife," moved me and caused me to give pause both to the kind of husband this man (like my husband) is as well the type of wife I think I need to be vs. what my husband needs/desires. This husband's response melted my heart. It is that of a humble man after the Lord's own heart. Read this brief blog post and consider how God may be challenging you through it:
http://gracefullmama.com/a-kind-wife-2/
That he would not be thin skinned (not a pushover), not quarrelsome but peaceable, discreet, not quick tempered, not one to throw insults. May he not speak with loose, confusing or deceptive words. May he not be proud/vain (with no chips on his shoulder).
A man who is humble and loves God. A man who in his calm spirit will stand up to his wife when he sees her straying from biblical principles. A man who speaks with wisdom, not profanities, not prideful insult. Isn't that the man we all pray our husbands to be, a man like Christ?
Many of you may read the blog "Grace Full Mama." My husband actually introduced me to it. Her July 13, 2012, post entitled "A Kind Wife," moved me and caused me to give pause both to the kind of husband this man (like my husband) is as well the type of wife I think I need to be vs. what my husband needs/desires. This husband's response melted my heart. It is that of a humble man after the Lord's own heart. Read this brief blog post and consider how God may be challenging you through it:
http://gracefullmama.com/a-kind-wife-2/
Friday, September 6, 2013
Pray for your Husband
This week's prayer for our husbands is one I am DEEPLY passionate about. The Truth.
In our world today, we are taught that there are many ways, many truths so we should all be tolerant of one another. That is a blatant lie from the pit of hell. As Ravi Zacharias aptly notes, the definition of truth in and of itself is exclusive. You get what I am saying here? If truth didn't exclude some things then it could not be truth at all and its very existance would deteriorate. Something is either truth or a lie. Similarly, something that is light cannot also be darkness. It is either light or dark. We don't need Webster's dictionary or reason or logic to come to this conclusion (although ultimately they will), we run everything through what God says. In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that He is THE way, THE Truth and THE life. John 17:17 we read that God's Word is Truth. Anything apart from that is false/a lie. If God says it is wrong then it is wrong and not to be questioned. If God says obey then obey. Some today who label themselves believers will quote Scripture to stand on a soap box for many social issues; however, sadly they twist the meaning of God's Words to be convenient for them. This is no longer truth but deception. Christian friend, if you are not daily in the habit of feeding on God's Word, you will not know what He says and so you are in great danger of being seduced by the lies of society...and when that happens a lie will come in your ear and you will interpret it as Truth. This cannot be beloved sisters, not for us or our husbands or our families. This is precisely what Jude warns about in the New Testament. He is writing a letter to his fellow believers and you and I telling us to contend for the Truth. To contend means that we stand together against difficulties/debate the opposition. When Jesus is truly our Master, we do not mince our words and beliefs. We are either for Him or we are against Him. What caused Jude to write this letter is still happening today. There are those even from within the Church who stir things up and debate and follow the ways of world around them, the world that is enticed by the lusts of the flesh. These spread deception among believers and because they are part of the church body/same congregation or label themselves as a believer, they seduce many true believers. Yes, these who behave in this manner are not true believers at all. These (as Jude puts) turn God's Truth into licentiousness. They take what the see in the world and they dare to manipulate the chosen of God to believe homosexuality is okay because ___________, or abortion is okay because ____________, or any other way of belief or religion/another person follows by following a god who does not exist is okay because _____________. We have GOT to be careful who and what we are listening to and who and what we are calling gospel. Satan works in every way he can on this earth including from within the church. He is coniving, deceiving filth who NEVER tells a bit of Truth ever. If it seems fishy or manipulative satan is behind it...not God. Friends, let us be in the Word and know what it says. This is an issue to stand on, to draw a line in the sand over for your family. Defend the Truth. Let us not be like those who are easily moved from one conclusion/opinion to the next. Those who follow the opinions of the world reason like the world. The world reasons by instinct and 'oh this feels right, or oh this is what my mind/heart tell me is true, this is what I decide is right for me'....they make their decisions like unreasoning animals who are led my instinct and by things they really do not fully understand (Jude 1:10). When you pray for your family and pray for your husband and leader of your family this week pray that he:
Knows what he is talking about--irrefutable, not able to be put to shame, not able to be discredited with strict regard for the Truth. Pray that he know the Bible and how to use it to spur people to knowledge or to stop them in their tracks if they oppose the Bible...give stimulating doctrine and show when people are wayward.
Something I would like to draw your attention to is a mens' conference coming up this fall in three locations. My man is going to the Indianapolis conference. I pray that you would pray over this and allow the Lord to lead you to encourage your husband to go. This is important. This is a conference regarding what I just addressed. This is about men being men and acting like it. Men standing for the Truth and defending their families amidst an age of deception when even those among the Church have fallen asleep. It is time for the Church to wake up. It is time for deception of the darkness in our day to be challenged. We are the light of the world. We have to shine a light in the darkness. We have to speak out or the rocks will do it for us.
"Act Like Men Conference"
http://actlikemen.com/
Hamilton, Ontario October 4-5, 2013
Long Beach, CA October 18-19, 2013
Indianapolis, IN November 8-9, 2013
If your husband would like to attend with my husband, feel free to email Kendall directly kendallkoens@yahoo.com
In our world today, we are taught that there are many ways, many truths so we should all be tolerant of one another. That is a blatant lie from the pit of hell. As Ravi Zacharias aptly notes, the definition of truth in and of itself is exclusive. You get what I am saying here? If truth didn't exclude some things then it could not be truth at all and its very existance would deteriorate. Something is either truth or a lie. Similarly, something that is light cannot also be darkness. It is either light or dark. We don't need Webster's dictionary or reason or logic to come to this conclusion (although ultimately they will), we run everything through what God says. In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that He is THE way, THE Truth and THE life. John 17:17 we read that God's Word is Truth. Anything apart from that is false/a lie. If God says it is wrong then it is wrong and not to be questioned. If God says obey then obey. Some today who label themselves believers will quote Scripture to stand on a soap box for many social issues; however, sadly they twist the meaning of God's Words to be convenient for them. This is no longer truth but deception. Christian friend, if you are not daily in the habit of feeding on God's Word, you will not know what He says and so you are in great danger of being seduced by the lies of society...and when that happens a lie will come in your ear and you will interpret it as Truth. This cannot be beloved sisters, not for us or our husbands or our families. This is precisely what Jude warns about in the New Testament. He is writing a letter to his fellow believers and you and I telling us to contend for the Truth. To contend means that we stand together against difficulties/debate the opposition. When Jesus is truly our Master, we do not mince our words and beliefs. We are either for Him or we are against Him. What caused Jude to write this letter is still happening today. There are those even from within the Church who stir things up and debate and follow the ways of world around them, the world that is enticed by the lusts of the flesh. These spread deception among believers and because they are part of the church body/same congregation or label themselves as a believer, they seduce many true believers. Yes, these who behave in this manner are not true believers at all. These (as Jude puts) turn God's Truth into licentiousness. They take what the see in the world and they dare to manipulate the chosen of God to believe homosexuality is okay because ___________, or abortion is okay because ____________, or any other way of belief or religion/another person follows by following a god who does not exist is okay because _____________. We have GOT to be careful who and what we are listening to and who and what we are calling gospel. Satan works in every way he can on this earth including from within the church. He is coniving, deceiving filth who NEVER tells a bit of Truth ever. If it seems fishy or manipulative satan is behind it...not God. Friends, let us be in the Word and know what it says. This is an issue to stand on, to draw a line in the sand over for your family. Defend the Truth. Let us not be like those who are easily moved from one conclusion/opinion to the next. Those who follow the opinions of the world reason like the world. The world reasons by instinct and 'oh this feels right, or oh this is what my mind/heart tell me is true, this is what I decide is right for me'....they make their decisions like unreasoning animals who are led my instinct and by things they really do not fully understand (Jude 1:10). When you pray for your family and pray for your husband and leader of your family this week pray that he:
Knows what he is talking about--irrefutable, not able to be put to shame, not able to be discredited with strict regard for the Truth. Pray that he know the Bible and how to use it to spur people to knowledge or to stop them in their tracks if they oppose the Bible...give stimulating doctrine and show when people are wayward.
Something I would like to draw your attention to is a mens' conference coming up this fall in three locations. My man is going to the Indianapolis conference. I pray that you would pray over this and allow the Lord to lead you to encourage your husband to go. This is important. This is a conference regarding what I just addressed. This is about men being men and acting like it. Men standing for the Truth and defending their families amidst an age of deception when even those among the Church have fallen asleep. It is time for the Church to wake up. It is time for deception of the darkness in our day to be challenged. We are the light of the world. We have to shine a light in the darkness. We have to speak out or the rocks will do it for us.
"Act Like Men Conference"
http://actlikemen.com/
Hamilton, Ontario October 4-5, 2013
Long Beach, CA October 18-19, 2013
Indianapolis, IN November 8-9, 2013
If your husband would like to attend with my husband, feel free to email Kendall directly kendallkoens@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)