Message for Singles

Last weeks my pastor preached a really great message for singles and their parents. It was entitled Finding a Marriage Partner.

Ephesians 6:1-3

Some are making the process( immoral lifestyle, courtship, betrothal, dating, ect...) too big of a deal. We need to forget the process and stick to what the Bible says.

1. Build a good relationship with your parents. They are your authority given by God. If they are Christians, they really want the best for you. Heed their instruction by humble faith. Listen! Give parents the highest regard of counsel in your life . Prov. 1:8 - There's a problem with children not listening to their parents. Parents must spend time with their children, you must have a close relationship with each other.
2. Learn now the skills you will need to be a good husband and wife. Prepare now, not after. Learn the qualities now. *Ladies: Titus 2:4-5, Keep a good spirit of live- you set the spirit/tone of the home, keep laundry washed, make beds, clean dishes, clean the house, prepare meals, shop frugally, budget, keep garden sew, serve your dad and brothers, care for children, homeschool, clear up any debt, save money, keep your body clean and neat. *Men: Budget, work skills, house and car in good repair, pick up after yourself, show respect and consideration, provide security, clear up debt, get a house ready, ask your father and godly men for advice.
3. The man is the pursuer and not the woman Song of Solomon- the woman waits Proverbs- the strange woman seeks Issac and Rebekah- both were obedient and waited and God provided.
4. Commit your desire for a partner to the Lord. Psalm 37:5 Do you really believe the Bible? God has to bring it together, trust Him to take are of it. Don't be impatient! Keep busy serving and praying. Serving ought to dominate your life, not being anxious about the "who". Be content while you are single. Phil. 4:11 - Give everything to the Lord. Surrender it all to His glory.
5. Never consider an unbeliever fro a mate. II Corinthians 6:14-17- be resolved that y0u will not even consider it. Some say they are saved but they aren't. Do you have a fervent desire to serve the Lord? Don't start a relationship with someone less than that! I Corinthians 7:39 - only those who are saved. Father knows best!
6. Work with and through your parents Samson did, and so did Isaac and Jacob. Amnon didn't, instead he listen to his wicked friend. Pray together, it's a godly decision. It will affect your family for the rest of your life. Discuss it with each other frequently. Have a relationship with each other and be willing to let your parents have control. If they say "no" then drop it and trust them.
7. Keep the relationship pure ICor. 6:13 - God made each of us unique and to be saved for marriage. I Cor. 6:18 - Only a fool. Romans 12:1 - Not our minds, our bodies. Run away from any temptation . Watch what you put into your mind. Eph. 5:3 - not once among us I Thess. 4:3 - Abstain from fornication

Only a rebel fights against God's will. I Thess. 5:22 - What does it look like? Stay away from the wrong crowd, the dark. Stay chaperoned at all times. Keep your relationship pure. As a teen to fail this is to ruin your life, as a parent to fail it to ruin your children's life.

Don't Fall Into the Rut

I was praying before I even left Germany that the Lord would help me not to fall back into the rut of life where I was. I grew and learned so much on my trip and I fell in Love with the most Special One and was reminded of how sweet His Word is to us. I knew it would be hard coming back home and how easy it would be to fall into the rut of things. So easy to spend massive amounts of time on the Internet, to be consumed with my friends (which aren't wrong), to read other books that aren't as refreshing as the Bible, to slack in my time of conversation with the One I love. All these things were things I was reminded of and learned to control while in Germany and I didn't want to go back to my old ways when I returned home. So I was praying even before I left and when I returned home I immediately began to slip. Our human nature gives us all these excuses to use, the main one I found was that I was dealing with jet lag so it was hard for me to get up early and read and talk to God. Oh, I still did it but I wasn't doing as well. Then you realize how unworthy you are and why God would use you. But He does, Praise God! I guess this is just a reminder to not fall back into the rut of something you've learned to control and if you fall into the rut ask the Father to forgive you and pick you back out.

All The Way

Fanny Crosby

All the way my Savior leads me:

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav'nly peace, divnest comfort,

Here by faith in His to dwell!

For I know what e'er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,

Cheers each winding path I tread,

Gives me grace for every trial,

Feeds me with the living bread.

Though my weary steps may falter,

And my soul a thirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me,

Lo! a spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me;

Oh, the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father's house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

Wings it's flight to realms of day,

This my song through endless ages:

Jesus led me all the way.

Finding Contentment

The other night we had our Aloha dinner singles activity and Dad gave the challenge about being used of God in this stage of our life. And the Lord had been working in my life lately about something anyway. He read us the verse in I Corinthians 13:11 where Paul says:

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:

but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

In this verse the word child doesn't refer to an actual child, it means an immature Christian. When we grow in Christ and slowly mature we become "men". This point, as singles, most of us have been raised in church and know what we are to be doing, we are the "men", and we need to not just sit back and watch all the older Christians do the work, we need to get busy. Because we are single we tend to have more time in our schedule that those that are married and have a family to care for. God's given us this time to serve Him without any strings attached. We don't have to worry about a spouse or children to take care of, just ourselves and anyone else we choose to care for.

Like I said, the past few weeks the Lord has been working in my heart, showing me His plan for me right now and slowly I was coming around to the fact that if the Lord wants me to serve Him and He wants me to do it alone, then I will. I am just like any other Christian girl, I want to find the one God has for me, settle down, get married and live happily ever after(now I know life isn't this way, but we tend to think it is). But after Dad's challenge, it hit me; I am single right now and need to be content until God says otherwise. There is no need for me to be wishing that things would just fall into place now. I realized on the way home that I wasn't doing that anymore. I didn't feel that way, I felt different...I am learning to be content in this area.

Philippians 4:11

"For I have learned, in whatsover state I am, therewith to be content."

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:"

How can we Do the Will of God?

The following is from a sermon preached by my pastor. Sunday nights he has started a series on the Lord's will for young people and for parents to help their young people. I was transferring this to my devotional and I thought that it was really good and might help someone. I know I read anything I can on finding the Lord's will.

How can we do the Will of God?

When we do understand what God wants us to do, Just do it!

1. God reveals His will to us one step at a time

Job 23:10 - We need to be praying; pray and ask Him to show you.

2. Each step requires obedience

Are we really willing to obey what He says?

3. What God orders God provides for.

God can take anything and use it to make our needs. God's will begins as a walk of faith,

we can't see ahead. He isn't going to let us down!

Heb. 10:36- God's going to take care of you

Gen. 22:7-8 - the devil is going to cause you to doubt once you've found God's will for you.

Just get out and do it! Put your faith into action!

Matt. 7:21 - It's all talk until we do it.

Gen. 22:13-14 - Jehovah Jirah, the Lord sees and provides

John 6:35, Phil. 4:19 - What God orders God provides for.

4. Do the things that you've learned!

Phil. 4:9 - Reading your Bible, keep praying, keep trusting the Lord!

Ps. 40:8 - We must delight in it- Christ doesn't give us fear. Have joy in your heart!

I Will Follow

Mac Lynch

I will follow Thee, My Savior,

Where'er the pathway may go:

Through the storm or throught the valley

Or through great Trials so low.

I will live for Thee, my Savior,

Tho' war and strife mark the way.

I'm so weak, but Thou are mighty,

So live through me day by day.

I surrender all, my Savior,

I hold no thing back from Thee;

Every part is Thine to use, Lord,

Thy living sacrifice be.

I rest in Thee, trust in Thee,

I place my life in Thy hands.

I will follow Thee, my Savior;

Lead on, my Shepherd, lead on.

A Quote To Think On

"Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain."
~John Piper ~