As I said in the last blog, the Lord put revelation knowledge about men that I have found very helpful in understanding their need in time of crisis.   So in prayer I ask the Holy Spirit if God put in man the desire to provide, protect and be priest…..what did He put in the heart of women.  He quickly answered me…..

"To love, honor and obey."  WOW….I have heard that before, but I have also learned, that what I think something means, is not always what God means, so I always what to know what does it mean?  "To love un-conditionally regardless of circumstances (such as illness or poverty, separation–not in mental or physical abuse);  to honor (I love this one because the Lord helped me to understand how the woman can set the stage in the home for the man to to be respected and honored, even when he is not doing everything the wife wants him to be–the more she respects who he is to God, treats him as 'number one' and prays for God's will in his life, the more she will see change–and prays that God will change her where needed, that she can be the best wife possible.); and third that big word 'obey'.  In this case it means to obey the commandments of Jesus with her husband, not under his control, but led by his love and that of Jesus in their lives."  This is especially important in times of crisis.

These things seemed so simple, but sure helped me to understand God's plan for us….and how we sometimes miss it.  Trusting the Lord in all things…..helping each other through the tough times by leaning on, resting in the Father–His love, and security because of Jesus, and looking to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and comfort,  is the path we must take.  Nothing will separate us from the love of God. 

May the Lord quicken (make alive) all that you need to face, survive and have victory in each situation and challenge you have; may He meet your needs according to His riches and Glory in Christ Jesus!  Amen!

Pressing in and pressing on….

Men are GREAT!  However, in times of disaster…..like losing a job, a sick child or wife, or parent….the heart of a man is truly challenged.  Not being an ‘expert’ on men, I just want to share some insights the Lord gave me some time ago.

A friend asked me to go and pray for a friend of hers (that I did not know), who was very ill with cancer.  At her home during prayer, the Holy Spirit told me to tell her to forgive her husband.  It seemed he acted as though she was not sick.  He would take her grocery shopping, etc.  But refused to take her to the doctor or get her medications.  She had been very active in prison ministry, by mail….a woman of God….who could not understand her husband or his attitude.

First, many women feel a ‘call’ in their heart to minister in some area, and their husbands do not.  Their husbands support them and go on in their life,  just appreciating their wives activities.  Their reward with the Father is just as great as their wife.  They are doing what God wants them to do.  So if you are a wife who is nagging or praying for your husband to do more, be more in the church….stop it!  Just see them…as God does…..as men of  God,  encouraging and praying that God’s Will, not yours,  be done in their life……and pray for the thing that interests them, like golf, tennis, cars, etc. that God will be in those things with them.

Second, I asked the Lord, what He meant for her to forgive her husband.  The Holy Spirit told me that her husband could not cope with her illness and ‘denial’ was his ‘out.’    Some men even leave their wives when disaster strikes because they cannot face them and the situation.

When I got home, I asked the Lord to explain.   The Holy Spirit just loves to explain and talk about His Word in the Bible, or something like this situation.  “Men are given in their DNA, a desire to provide, protect and be priest of the home.” 

When anything happens that they cannot do that (and they are not aware of this) they can react in many ways…..denial, anger, withdrawal.  It is very painful for them, especially since they think it is just the situation and  do not understand the spiritual side.  Feelings of failure, hopelessness, depression and even thoughts of suicide can take over.

Losing a job is condemning even when the economy is good.  When it may involve something like losing a home, car or other family assets, it can be overwhelming.  Only when we know, as men and women, who we are in Christ Jesus can we pull on God  for the strength to go though the dark times. 

Only as a man turns his needs to the Father, relys on Jesus and the Holy Spirit, can he transfer that position of provider, protector and priest to Them, and trust for a turning point, a break in the situation.  It is the man’s job when he can do it (with help, reliance and guidance from Holy Spirit), but it  then becomes THEIR job, when he can’t. 

In times of disaster, a man can be the Hero in the family, just by stiring himself up in the Word with things like:

“There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walknot after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”  “Greater is He in me, than He who is in the world.”  “All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called for His purpose.”  And, there are many more….

No matter what happens, the important thing is that your family stay together….that you have each other.  And, the husband and father can make the family strong enough to endure, because of  his stand, and his trust in God.  We are in a war, and in war there are causalities….but for those who love Jesus it is a win-win situation because we receive eternal life and the Glory of God (His Grace–unmerited favor) can shine in us, at the worst of times.

It is not God trying or testing us……the thief comes to kill, rob and destroy……(what is there about that scripture we don’t understand?).    It is evil in the world, the devil, and bad decisions that bring these trials–even if we didn’t make those decisions.   The devil is evil; God is good….we must hang on to what is good….spiritual blessings in the worst of times!    Men (as women) can transfer their hurt, humiliation and discouragement to the Lord; surrender those feelings to Him, and actually choose LIFE, choose to go on, and help theirr family  to do the same.  As a friend of mine used to say, “God has strong shoulders.”

AND, MEN, WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU IN ALL SITUATIONS…..THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THE MEN IN OUR LIVES!

Pressing in and pressing on….