There is a buzz in the office and in our community. Holy Week is here! We start our journey with Tenebrae tonight at 7. On Thursday, Maundy Thursday, our service is at 6 PM (service includes dinner, remembrance of the first communion, foot washing and the stripping of the altar. The evening concludes with a 24 hour prayer vigil (have you signed up?). Good Friday has three services, noon, 2 PM and 7 PM). The 7 PM is our largest service. The noon service is a series of readings from a book called "The Day Christ Died," and the 2 PM service is called "Stations of the Cross." Saturday night is the Easter Vigil at 8 PM and our Sunday services are at the usual times, 8:00 and 10:30 AM.
I know that Holy Week is always extraordinary. Don't miss out and join me as we take the steps of Jesus to the cross and beyond. And remember to invite a friend on Easter Sunday as we celebrate the Risen Jesus!!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Will anyone stand up for the most vulnerable?
I read the following today. It broke my heart. I actually came across it accidentally and was stunned that it was written by a pastor. We live in contentious times and it's too easy to condemn the other side. I understand that. But I can't help but think that those who would put "choice" over life have lost their way. The most vulnerable have no voice. Doesn't God demand that we give a voice to these precious babies? Here's the letter:
OK, Virginians. It's time to step up again. Gov. McDonnell has until Friday to sign the bill on ultrasounds prior to abortions. Here's the letter I wrote to him tonight:
Dear Governor McDonnell:
Once again, I am writing you about Virginia's misguided attempts to reduce the numbers of abortions in the Commonwealth. HB 462 will not achieve what its sponsors claim to want. Instead, it will cause women to go elsewhere, even back into the alleys, to get abortions.
HB 462 is a travesty of justice, a travesty of morality, and a violation of everything for which the Republican Party claims to stand. It is an invasion of privacy, and a government intrusion into the private lives of its citizens. Of course, this bill only intrudes into the lives of WOMEN, putting upon them an unnecessary medical procedure, mandated by legislators who are NOT doctors, and who have no medical expertise.
If the Commonwealth wants to reduce abortions, it needs to step up and provide contraception for women, as well as health care, jobs and a caring heart in those cases of rape or incest that drive a woman or girl to abortion.
Women who seek abortions know exactly what they are doing. They have agonized over this decision. They have, I can assure you, cried and prayed and finally decided that this is the only thing they can do. The forced ultrasound, combined with the waiting period, is nothing more than the Commonwealth of Virginia's attempt to proclaim anew its war on women, who make up 50.9 percent of the Commonwealth's population.
If you desire to stay true to your Republican colors, sir, you will veto this bill. If you choose to sign it, you are saying that you truly do NOT care about Republican values, and care instead about attacking the majority of your constituents.
Stand up for your truest values as a Republican and veto this bill! The women of the Commonwealth are counting on you!
Sincerely,
(Name removed)
Join me in praying for the preborn. This is not a war on women. It is genocide among those who too often die without anyone standing for them.
OK, Virginians. It's time to step up again. Gov. McDonnell has until Friday to sign the bill on ultrasounds prior to abortions. Here's the letter I wrote to him tonight:
Dear Governor McDonnell:
Once again, I am writing you about Virginia's misguided attempts to reduce the numbers of abortions in the Commonwealth. HB 462 will not achieve what its sponsors claim to want. Instead, it will cause women to go elsewhere, even back into the alleys, to get abortions.
HB 462 is a travesty of justice, a travesty of morality, and a violation of everything for which the Republican Party claims to stand. It is an invasion of privacy, and a government intrusion into the private lives of its citizens. Of course, this bill only intrudes into the lives of WOMEN, putting upon them an unnecessary medical procedure, mandated by legislators who are NOT doctors, and who have no medical expertise.
If the Commonwealth wants to reduce abortions, it needs to step up and provide contraception for women, as well as health care, jobs and a caring heart in those cases of rape or incest that drive a woman or girl to abortion.
Women who seek abortions know exactly what they are doing. They have agonized over this decision. They have, I can assure you, cried and prayed and finally decided that this is the only thing they can do. The forced ultrasound, combined with the waiting period, is nothing more than the Commonwealth of Virginia's attempt to proclaim anew its war on women, who make up 50.9 percent of the Commonwealth's population.
If you desire to stay true to your Republican colors, sir, you will veto this bill. If you choose to sign it, you are saying that you truly do NOT care about Republican values, and care instead about attacking the majority of your constituents.
Stand up for your truest values as a Republican and veto this bill! The women of the Commonwealth are counting on you!
Sincerely,
(Name removed)
Join me in praying for the preborn. This is not a war on women. It is genocide among those who too often die without anyone standing for them.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Start the New Year With Progress
I share the following blogpost from Harvard Business Review. It's a great reminder of how to start this year off right. It was written by Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer:
To get yourself and your team off to a good start for the new year, focus on progress. Our research discovered that fostering progress in meaningful work is the most important way to keep people highly engaged at work — even if that progress is a "small win."
We call this phenomenon the progress principle; it works because people want to feel that they are contributing to something that matters. The new year presents a great opportunity for managers to put the progress principle into action.
First, note the progress made by your team or organization over the past year — the major accomplishments and the small wins, too. And communicate the list broadly. All too often, progress gets ignored as people move from one task or project to another. Simply noting what was accomplished and how it contributed to the goals of the organization can have a big impact on how people feel about themselves, the organization, and the work they do. Wesley, a researcher at a chemicals firm that participated in our study, made clear how much it meant to him when his VP did this at a holiday celebration: "We had a wonderful Christmas celebration, during which time our VP and Director of R&D reflected on our terrific achievements over the year."
Don't stop with enumerating the year's accomplishments. Celebrate that progress and recognize all those who contributed to it. People who work hard deserve the opportunity to celebrate and rejoice in what they have accomplished. It nourishes them psychologically and motivates them to accomplish even more in the coming year. And don't recognize only the people directly responsible for a particular achievement. Recognize everyone who contributed across the organization, including support staff. For people to give their best in the future, they must feel that their hard work really matters. They benefit, through satisfying engagement in their work. And the organization benefits, too. When employees are more engaged in their work, their performance improves — contributing to the bottom line.
Map out goals for progress in the upcoming year and say why that progress matters. Be sure to include both broad, aspirational goals and smaller, interim milestones. For people to be fully engaged, they must feel that they are making steady progress, not just slogging away in hopes of a major breakthrough. And be sure to articulate why those goals matter — why they are meaningful to the organization, customers, and/or society. Making progress on meaningless work doesn't boost engagement; people must feel that they are contributing to something they value. Great leaders at every level of an organization are able to communicate not only what needs to be done, but why it is important. This means communicating the mission and values of the organization, and ensuring that all employees understand how their own work contributes to the mission.
Finally, resolve to support people's progress each day in the coming year. For the progress principle to work, people should experience progress more often than setbacks. Give them the goals, resources, and time they need to succeed, and remove or reduce any obstacles to progress. And insist that people across the organization support each other as much as possible. Create a climate of attention to progress, where everyone is looking for opportunities, every day, to help colleagues move forward on meaningful work.
These actions are not difficult or costly, but they can have a real impact on employee engagement and performance. Make it your pre-New Year's resolution to give your people meaningful work to do and to support, recognize, and celebrate their contributions now and throughout the coming year.
To get yourself and your team off to a good start for the new year, focus on progress. Our research discovered that fostering progress in meaningful work is the most important way to keep people highly engaged at work — even if that progress is a "small win."
We call this phenomenon the progress principle; it works because people want to feel that they are contributing to something that matters. The new year presents a great opportunity for managers to put the progress principle into action.
First, note the progress made by your team or organization over the past year — the major accomplishments and the small wins, too. And communicate the list broadly. All too often, progress gets ignored as people move from one task or project to another. Simply noting what was accomplished and how it contributed to the goals of the organization can have a big impact on how people feel about themselves, the organization, and the work they do. Wesley, a researcher at a chemicals firm that participated in our study, made clear how much it meant to him when his VP did this at a holiday celebration: "We had a wonderful Christmas celebration, during which time our VP and Director of R&D reflected on our terrific achievements over the year."
Don't stop with enumerating the year's accomplishments. Celebrate that progress and recognize all those who contributed to it. People who work hard deserve the opportunity to celebrate and rejoice in what they have accomplished. It nourishes them psychologically and motivates them to accomplish even more in the coming year. And don't recognize only the people directly responsible for a particular achievement. Recognize everyone who contributed across the organization, including support staff. For people to give their best in the future, they must feel that their hard work really matters. They benefit, through satisfying engagement in their work. And the organization benefits, too. When employees are more engaged in their work, their performance improves — contributing to the bottom line.
Map out goals for progress in the upcoming year and say why that progress matters. Be sure to include both broad, aspirational goals and smaller, interim milestones. For people to be fully engaged, they must feel that they are making steady progress, not just slogging away in hopes of a major breakthrough. And be sure to articulate why those goals matter — why they are meaningful to the organization, customers, and/or society. Making progress on meaningless work doesn't boost engagement; people must feel that they are contributing to something they value. Great leaders at every level of an organization are able to communicate not only what needs to be done, but why it is important. This means communicating the mission and values of the organization, and ensuring that all employees understand how their own work contributes to the mission.
Finally, resolve to support people's progress each day in the coming year. For the progress principle to work, people should experience progress more often than setbacks. Give them the goals, resources, and time they need to succeed, and remove or reduce any obstacles to progress. And insist that people across the organization support each other as much as possible. Create a climate of attention to progress, where everyone is looking for opportunities, every day, to help colleagues move forward on meaningful work.
These actions are not difficult or costly, but they can have a real impact on employee engagement and performance. Make it your pre-New Year's resolution to give your people meaningful work to do and to support, recognize, and celebrate their contributions now and throughout the coming year.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Serve and Honor God in All Things
I have new mission statement. The title of this blog entry is it. It sounds easy, simple and direct. But it is a very challenging mission statement. My tendency is to seek calm, quiet and the "easy way." But if I am to be faithful, then I must recognize this tendency and seek God's Grace to overcome it. Jesus forewarned us that we would face difficulty. Seeking the calm is not a faithful quest. Seeking fruitfulness is.
Because discipleship is difficult, we must remember to constantly seek renewal and empowerment. It is said that Martin Luther once remarked "I generally pray two hours every day, except on very busy days. On those days, I pray three." How much time do you spend in prayer? Are you seeking renewal and empowerment to face the tasks of the day? If you're struggling with those tasks, I encourage you to reflect on how much time you are allowing to connect with your Heavenly Father.
I often find Mondays difficult days. I've thought about this over the years and the more I reflect and pray about it, the more I have come to the realization that Mondays are difficult because of Sundays. I leave our weekend worship experiences both buzzing and exhausted. God is so good and so faithful. I always am thankful that He is so tangibly present. When Monday rolls around, I am not gathered with the wonderful people of COTHA. I still feel the exhaustion of the day before. There are tasks to accomplish and the week to prepare for. I look through all of that and it's to easy to lose my focus. I forget that God is with me on Mondays as much as He is with me on the weekends. I'm not alone. He reveals Himself to me and I know He desires to draw me close to Him. But, perhaps like you, when the regular things of life present themselves, I forget.
To Serve and Honor God in All Things means to recognize that He is present with me in all places, in all times. Ministry isn't just something done in church; it's done on Mondays as well. We are called to keep Him first. Even on Mondays. And so, I seek to "Serve and Honor God in all things," even on Mondays.
Because discipleship is difficult, we must remember to constantly seek renewal and empowerment. It is said that Martin Luther once remarked "I generally pray two hours every day, except on very busy days. On those days, I pray three." How much time do you spend in prayer? Are you seeking renewal and empowerment to face the tasks of the day? If you're struggling with those tasks, I encourage you to reflect on how much time you are allowing to connect with your Heavenly Father.
I often find Mondays difficult days. I've thought about this over the years and the more I reflect and pray about it, the more I have come to the realization that Mondays are difficult because of Sundays. I leave our weekend worship experiences both buzzing and exhausted. God is so good and so faithful. I always am thankful that He is so tangibly present. When Monday rolls around, I am not gathered with the wonderful people of COTHA. I still feel the exhaustion of the day before. There are tasks to accomplish and the week to prepare for. I look through all of that and it's to easy to lose my focus. I forget that God is with me on Mondays as much as He is with me on the weekends. I'm not alone. He reveals Himself to me and I know He desires to draw me close to Him. But, perhaps like you, when the regular things of life present themselves, I forget.
To Serve and Honor God in All Things means to recognize that He is present with me in all places, in all times. Ministry isn't just something done in church; it's done on Mondays as well. We are called to keep Him first. Even on Mondays. And so, I seek to "Serve and Honor God in all things," even on Mondays.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Leadership Reflections by Perry Noble
An Open Letter To Leaders
By Perry Noble
Dear Leader,
Leadership matters! It is listed in the Scripture as a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8), there are books in the Bible dedicated to what happens when God empowered leadership is embraced (Ezra, Nehemiah, Judges, Esther) and God has called you and raised you up for the purpose of making a difference.
You are going to have to make hard decisions…ones that will cause you to be unpopular and misunderstood. Remember, the Bible says that fear of man is a snare that leads to a place you do not desire to be (see Proverbs 29:25)…and also remember that if it is your goal to be popular, understood and loved by everyone then it is impossible to do so and be a fully devoted follower of Jesus (see Galatians 1:10). MANY people see the problems…very few people actually possess the courage to do something about it…and that is what God has called, equipped and empowered you to do what you do.
God has not called you to do this alone. One of the most amazing things about leadership is that the Lord WILL surround you with men and women to come along side to serve with you and help you do all that God has placed in your heart. LISTEN to other people (See Proverbs 15:22) and understand that being the leader DOES NOT mean that you are the smartest person in the room! (When you believe that…it’s over, the smart people will leave and eventually, over time, you will be the smartest person in the room in a room full of morons!) ASK FOR HELP OFTEN…it doesn’t mean you’re weak, it actually communicates to those you lead that you are strong!
You are going to get hurt…all great leaders do. People you thought loved and cared about you will turn on you, attack you and make false accusations against you. This will cause tremendous amounts of insecurity, pain and frustration; however, don’t allow one person who goes Judas on you cause you to believe that everyone you have around you will eventually betray you. I’ve seen so many leaders isolate themselves because of things like this happening and it just isn’t necessary. The only reason that you believe leadership is lonely is because you have most likely chosen to isolate yourself.
Your character can never be compromised–EVER!
Don’t feel the need to waste time responding to every critic. Life is too short and hell is too hot for you to come down off the wall and have a conversation with people who have a history of attacking others and who make ridiculous accusations against you but have never even taken the time to try to get to know you! (See Nehemiah 6:1-4.) AND…STOP obsessing over what “they” say about you…and my friend Craig Groeschel says, “Becoming obsessed with what people think about me is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about me.”
Pay the price to grow and develop as a leader (see Proverbs 4:7!) Don’t always expect everyone to hand you something for free. Conferences cost money! Books cost money! Quit complaining about the cost! Great leaders never whine!
And remember, He who has called you is with you…He will never leave you…He will finish what He began (Philippians 1:6)…you should NOT give up (Galatians 6:9)…and He has called you to fear no one or no thing but HIM (II Timothy 1:7!)
By Perry Noble
Dear Leader,
Leadership matters! It is listed in the Scripture as a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8), there are books in the Bible dedicated to what happens when God empowered leadership is embraced (Ezra, Nehemiah, Judges, Esther) and God has called you and raised you up for the purpose of making a difference.
You are going to have to make hard decisions…ones that will cause you to be unpopular and misunderstood. Remember, the Bible says that fear of man is a snare that leads to a place you do not desire to be (see Proverbs 29:25)…and also remember that if it is your goal to be popular, understood and loved by everyone then it is impossible to do so and be a fully devoted follower of Jesus (see Galatians 1:10). MANY people see the problems…very few people actually possess the courage to do something about it…and that is what God has called, equipped and empowered you to do what you do.
God has not called you to do this alone. One of the most amazing things about leadership is that the Lord WILL surround you with men and women to come along side to serve with you and help you do all that God has placed in your heart. LISTEN to other people (See Proverbs 15:22) and understand that being the leader DOES NOT mean that you are the smartest person in the room! (When you believe that…it’s over, the smart people will leave and eventually, over time, you will be the smartest person in the room in a room full of morons!) ASK FOR HELP OFTEN…it doesn’t mean you’re weak, it actually communicates to those you lead that you are strong!
You are going to get hurt…all great leaders do. People you thought loved and cared about you will turn on you, attack you and make false accusations against you. This will cause tremendous amounts of insecurity, pain and frustration; however, don’t allow one person who goes Judas on you cause you to believe that everyone you have around you will eventually betray you. I’ve seen so many leaders isolate themselves because of things like this happening and it just isn’t necessary. The only reason that you believe leadership is lonely is because you have most likely chosen to isolate yourself.
Your character can never be compromised–EVER!
Don’t feel the need to waste time responding to every critic. Life is too short and hell is too hot for you to come down off the wall and have a conversation with people who have a history of attacking others and who make ridiculous accusations against you but have never even taken the time to try to get to know you! (See Nehemiah 6:1-4.) AND…STOP obsessing over what “they” say about you…and my friend Craig Groeschel says, “Becoming obsessed with what people think about me is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about me.”
Pay the price to grow and develop as a leader (see Proverbs 4:7!) Don’t always expect everyone to hand you something for free. Conferences cost money! Books cost money! Quit complaining about the cost! Great leaders never whine!
And remember, He who has called you is with you…He will never leave you…He will finish what He began (Philippians 1:6)…you should NOT give up (Galatians 6:9)…and He has called you to fear no one or no thing but HIM (II Timothy 1:7!)
Monday, June 20, 2011
The world it is a changin'
I just got back from spending a week at Kellogg Center for Nonprofit Management in Chicago. It was a fascinating experience and one that I will be reflecting on for some time. It was great to be affirmed in what we are doing at COTHA and to be challenged to improve on what is going on.
One of the interesting seminars dealt with the changes we are experiencing with the way we communicate. Here's some interesting data:
• 93% of Americans use mobile phones/wireless.
• 30% of Americans using smart phones
• More the two trillion text messages sent in 2010
• 56.3 billion mobile multimedia messages during the same period.
• 90% of the Global population with access to mobile networks.
• There are now 700 million subscribers on FaceBook
And what is the impact of all this? Does it really matter to us in the Church? Well, take a look at this:
The bottom line:
• More people are connected GLOBALLY in 2011 than ever before in history. Just not in person.
• Experts say these behaviors and technologies are still in their infancy and will continue to grow in the next 5 to 10 years. Therefore organizations must continue to adapt and change their marketing and communications.
What is the faithful way forward? For some, it's to bury one's head in the sand and hope it all goes away. Maybe if we wait around long enough things will return to the way they were!! Not a chance. We constantly have to be in the mode of evaluating and reevaluating what we are doing and what we should be doing. That is why we are so involved in social networking ourselves, especially with FaceBook, Twitter, and this Blog. But just as quickly as we get used to this, the world changes.
Our Saturday night service makes an attempt to bring into our worship the promise that Social Networking makes for creating community. We actively use Twitter and people can (and do!) make comments about the message and the service itself. The hope, though, is to take that technology and create further community throughout the week by connecting with each other. Does this work perfectly? Of course not. But we're not going to sit around and wait until things are perfect because the world will have changed again.
It does no good to hope this will all go away. It won't. We need to speak into the world in ways that we can be heard. We'll make mistakes with this but inaction is not an option!
One of the interesting seminars dealt with the changes we are experiencing with the way we communicate. Here's some interesting data:
• 93% of Americans use mobile phones/wireless.
• 30% of Americans using smart phones
• More the two trillion text messages sent in 2010
• 56.3 billion mobile multimedia messages during the same period.
• 90% of the Global population with access to mobile networks.
• There are now 700 million subscribers on FaceBook
And what is the impact of all this? Does it really matter to us in the Church? Well, take a look at this:
The bottom line:
• More people are connected GLOBALLY in 2011 than ever before in history. Just not in person.
• Experts say these behaviors and technologies are still in their infancy and will continue to grow in the next 5 to 10 years. Therefore organizations must continue to adapt and change their marketing and communications.
What is the faithful way forward? For some, it's to bury one's head in the sand and hope it all goes away. Maybe if we wait around long enough things will return to the way they were!! Not a chance. We constantly have to be in the mode of evaluating and reevaluating what we are doing and what we should be doing. That is why we are so involved in social networking ourselves, especially with FaceBook, Twitter, and this Blog. But just as quickly as we get used to this, the world changes.
Our Saturday night service makes an attempt to bring into our worship the promise that Social Networking makes for creating community. We actively use Twitter and people can (and do!) make comments about the message and the service itself. The hope, though, is to take that technology and create further community throughout the week by connecting with each other. Does this work perfectly? Of course not. But we're not going to sit around and wait until things are perfect because the world will have changed again.
It does no good to hope this will all go away. It won't. We need to speak into the world in ways that we can be heard. We'll make mistakes with this but inaction is not an option!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Marriage
I have been thinking a lot about marriages recently, not just mine but marriages in general. I know my mind has been on them because I'm in the midst of a message series about how to make marriages thrive. I've had a lot of conversations with people about the series as it has unfolded. As we know, marriages are under assault in our society and it seems that people don't quite understand the effect that has on everything from education to crime. Redefining marriage isn't the answer. Rediscovering the Biblical truth of what marriage means and how to live according to those Biblical standards is imperative for all of us, especially believers.
As I prepare for the last installment of the series this weekend, my mind goes back to something I talked about last weekend. Temptations are a regular part of life, whether or not one is married. There are temptations to do things that we know are wrong. Married couples experience this in their lives as do single people. Marriages are meant to last a lifetime but too often we are tempted to seek comfort and support outside of that covenant. How many times have we shook our head at how Hollywood treats marriage with outright contempt. We know that Hollywood is full of desperately unhappy people (have you followed the Charlie Sheen saga?) and yet we don't seem to question their lifestyle. As I've said, some people in Hollywood change marriage partners as often as some people change socks!
How is it that we are to live in the midst of all the temptations that life seems to hand us? Remember, since the devil cannot claim your soul, he wants to claim your effectiveness. If we succumb to the temptations we face, we will experience the same blame, shame and fear that Adam and Eve faced following their sin. There is a better way.
In order to faithfully address the issues we face, we need to remember to not wait until the desires of temptation fill our hearts. We need to address these at the doubt and deception stage. Remember what the serpent told Eve in the garden: Did God really say that? That was the doubt stage. And then the serpent replied to Eve when she told him that God had told her that if she ate of the fruit, she would surely die. The serpent replied "oh no, you will not die." That is the deception stage. She didn't do anything about the doubt and deception, which led to her desire to actually eat of the fruit. It was too late.
James 1:15 reminds us of what happen when sinful desires fill our heart. They lead to destruction and death. This is where many marriages fall into the trap of unfaithfulness and sadness. I invite you to consider, today, how you may have allowed the doubts and deception to fill your mind, affect your heart, and have led you to actions that you may regret. The good news is that God will give you His power to overcome those temptations. Temptations aren't sinful, it's what you do with those temptations that can bring you life or death.
I am the poster child of mistakes and missteps. But I also know of grace and forgiveness. I am so thankful to Julie who has helped me be a better man. We have learned together and we have grown together. God wants to help you too. Turn to Him for help. Fill your mind with God's truth about His word and character. And then continue to put Him first in all things.
This weekend concludes the series on Marriage. I invite you to be present as we learn more about the role of forgiveness in our relationships. In the meantime, continue to seek God's presence and truth in your life.
As I prepare for the last installment of the series this weekend, my mind goes back to something I talked about last weekend. Temptations are a regular part of life, whether or not one is married. There are temptations to do things that we know are wrong. Married couples experience this in their lives as do single people. Marriages are meant to last a lifetime but too often we are tempted to seek comfort and support outside of that covenant. How many times have we shook our head at how Hollywood treats marriage with outright contempt. We know that Hollywood is full of desperately unhappy people (have you followed the Charlie Sheen saga?) and yet we don't seem to question their lifestyle. As I've said, some people in Hollywood change marriage partners as often as some people change socks!
How is it that we are to live in the midst of all the temptations that life seems to hand us? Remember, since the devil cannot claim your soul, he wants to claim your effectiveness. If we succumb to the temptations we face, we will experience the same blame, shame and fear that Adam and Eve faced following their sin. There is a better way.
In order to faithfully address the issues we face, we need to remember to not wait until the desires of temptation fill our hearts. We need to address these at the doubt and deception stage. Remember what the serpent told Eve in the garden: Did God really say that? That was the doubt stage. And then the serpent replied to Eve when she told him that God had told her that if she ate of the fruit, she would surely die. The serpent replied "oh no, you will not die." That is the deception stage. She didn't do anything about the doubt and deception, which led to her desire to actually eat of the fruit. It was too late.
James 1:15 reminds us of what happen when sinful desires fill our heart. They lead to destruction and death. This is where many marriages fall into the trap of unfaithfulness and sadness. I invite you to consider, today, how you may have allowed the doubts and deception to fill your mind, affect your heart, and have led you to actions that you may regret. The good news is that God will give you His power to overcome those temptations. Temptations aren't sinful, it's what you do with those temptations that can bring you life or death.
I am the poster child of mistakes and missteps. But I also know of grace and forgiveness. I am so thankful to Julie who has helped me be a better man. We have learned together and we have grown together. God wants to help you too. Turn to Him for help. Fill your mind with God's truth about His word and character. And then continue to put Him first in all things.
This weekend concludes the series on Marriage. I invite you to be present as we learn more about the role of forgiveness in our relationships. In the meantime, continue to seek God's presence and truth in your life.
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