TEN TIPS TO HELP PROTECT YOUR MARRIAGE AGAINST ADULTERY / EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS – (TIP #8)

June 27, 2012July 1, 2012Kim Sweeting 2 Comments

10 TIPS TO HELP PROTECT YOUR MARRIAGE AGAINST

ADULTERY / EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS – (TIP #8)

“TOGETHER FOREVER”

Adultery –“voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man and someone other than his wife or between a married woman and someone other than her husband”

(Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary)

Of late, many Christian women that I either know personally or Christian friends or associates of these women were shattered by the discovery of their husband’s involvement in an extra-marital affair, or multiple affairs.

At some point, a door opened in the marital relationship that led from one thing to the next and now, in some cases after 20-25 years of marriage, the specter of divorce looms menacingly over a covenant relationship that once brought joy and fulfillment to the husband and wife and glory to God.

Many in today’s permissive society consider extramarital sex as acceptable and blameless, however in God’s view, this is not so. His sexual standard for marriage is fidelity, i.e. sexual relations between a man and his wife or a woman and her husband only.

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

(Exodus 20:14 – KJV)

“No adultery.”

(Deuteronomy 5:18 – The Message)

“Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.”

(Hebrews 13:4 – NLT)

“Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex.”

(Hebrews 13:4 – The Message)

God’s stand on extramarital sex is clear. He makes absolutely no room for sexual relations with anyone other than your spouse and provides no exceptions to His rule.

In light of this, here is TIP #8 to help protect your marriage against adultery.

TIP #8

Guard Your Thought Life

No one suddenly decides to have an extramarital affair.

A spouse who commits adultery has been unfaithful in his or her heart and mind long before he or she begins an affair.

All adultery begins in the mind with a thought so this is why guarding your thought life is an important strategy to help protect your marriage against adultery.

Entertaining, nurturing and or meditating on lustful thoughts about someone other than your spouse or on the prospect of an affair will increase the likelihood that you engage in an adulterous relationship.

Instead, cast those thoughts down and focus your mind on what the Word of God says about marriage and adultery and on thoughts that will kill lustful desires, strengthen your spirit man and increase your propensity to remain faithful to your spouse.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

(II Corinthians 10:4, 5 – NIV, 1984)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”

(Philippians 4:8 – NIV, 1984)

When faced with the prospect of an adulterous relationship, the first, best and most powerful line of defense you have is in your mind.

If you take your mind off of what the Word of God says about adultery and focus your thoughts on what you believe would be the pleasurable aspects of an extramarital relationship, then you will automatically increase the likelihood that you will cheat on your spouse.

Conversely, if you set your mind on what the Word of God has to say about adultery and your thoughts on the damaging aspects of an extramarital relationship, then you automatically decrease the likelihood that you will cheat on your spouse.

So rather than focusing on thoughts that will draw you toward committing this sin, instead focus your thoughts on what will draw you toward God and away from committing it.

Focus them on how the Word condemns such a relationship, on God’s love for you and Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for you, on the responsibility that you have to God when it comes to your blood bought body, and on the inevitable damage that such a relationship would bring to you, your spouse, your natural and spiritual family and most of all, your relationship with God.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

(Proverbs 4:23 – NIV).

Remember, nobody wakes up one day and suddenly decides to have an extramarital affair.

Whatever you focus on in your mind becomes magnified in your life; what you behold, you become.

All adultery begins in the mind so help protect your marriage against adultery by vigilantly guarding your thought life.

The prevalence of marital infidelity is sad, disturbing, and extremely grievous to the Holy Spirit of God.

Fellow Christians/Believers in Christ/Kingdom Ambassadors/Saints, by the grace of God, let’s do all we can to protect our marriages and keep them away from the snare of adultery / extramarital affairs and encourage others to do the same all to the honor and glory of God.

Visit again for TIP #9.

Peace & Blessings!

Kim

Image “Romantic Couple” by Digitalart courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

THE TRUTH IN LOVE OR “CHURCHICALLY-CORRECT”

September 12, 2011September 17, 2011Kim Sweeting

THE TRUTH IN LOVE OR “CHURCHICALLY-CORRECT”

Speak the Truth in Love

The Word of God admonishes us to speak the truth in love, but do we really practice doing this to the extent that we ought to in the Body of Christ?

Do we speak the truth in love, or do we opt for giving “churchically-correct” responses.

“Good morning Sister Donna, how are you doing today?

Churchically-correct response: “I’m just fine praise the Lord!”

Truth: I am an emotional basket-case because my marriage is a mess and looks like it will end in divorce.

“Hi Brother Paul, how are things going?”

Churchically-correct response: “Things are going great, God is good!”

Truth: “My business is failing and I’m stressed out because I fear not being able to support my family if it does.”

“Hi Patti. Do you like my new short hair cut?”

Churchically-correct response: “Oh it is beautiful, I love it!”

Truth: “Longer hair really suited her better; this haircut does nothing for her at all.”

“Hi Pauline, Pastor Bob wants to know if you can lead a cell group this summer.”

Churchically-correct response: “Oh sure that will be no problem.”

Truth: “I am mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted and I really need to use the time to rejuvenate and replenish myself, not to lead a cell group.”

Instead of speaking the truth in love, at times persons in the Body of Christ opt for what I call “churchically-correct” responses, responses that seem easier, seem more acceptable, and that hide or evade the truth.

So why do some Believers opt for “churchically-correct” responses rather than speaking the truth in love?

I believe some common reasons are:

Not being comfortable expressing the truth to a particular person/persons.
Not being comfortable expressing the truth at a given time.
Not trusting the person/persons to hold an issue in confidence.
Concern that a truthful response may offend the other person/persons.
Fear of hurting the person/persons feelings.
Fear of disappointing a person/persons.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of conflict.
Fear of condemnation.
The desire to protect their spiritual image/reputation.
Being ashamed of the truth.
Not knowing how to speak the truth in love.

So what about you?

When faced with a question or a situation that requires your comment or opinion, do you speak the truth in love or opt for a “churchically-correct” response?

Think about it.

Now here’s some truth in love.

Whenever you or I opt for a “churchically-correct” response, we are lying.

Whenever we opt for a response that in our view seems easier and/or more acceptable, yet hides or evades the truth, we are lying.

Ouch!

According to the Word of God, we are to be truthful in our communications with each other.

Ephesians 4:15 states:

“Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).” (Amplified Bible)

Ephesians 4:25 states:

“Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another.” (Amplified Bible)

SELAH!

If faced with a situation where you prefer not to disclose your opinion or to comment on a matter, instead of coming up with a “churchically-correct” response/lie, perhaps you can say:-

“No offense, but I really prefer not to speak to that issue right now.”

“I can appreciate that you want my opinion, but truthfully, I’d rather not comment on that situation.”

“I understand your curiosity but honestly, that’s not an issue I would like to get involved with.”

Or if someone asks you how you are doing and you are not okay but do not want to disclose the details of your situation, instead of coming up with a “churchically-correct” response/lie, perhaps you can say:-

“Right now I am really being tested in some areas of my life, please remember me in prayer”

“All is not well but God is faithful”

“I don’t want to get into details at this time but I am really being challenged in my marriage/with my teenage daughter/by a situation in my workplace etc.”

There are many ways to speak the truth in love as opposed to giving a dishonest response.

It may take some time, learning, practice, and definitely commitment, but with the help of the Lord we can grow up in this area.

So, the next time you face a situation that requires a response, remember that as Kingdom Ambassadors and representatives of Christ, we ought to speak the truth in love, to speak it respectfully, politely, clearly, honestly, and for the lasting good of those who hear us.

Be encouraged!

Kim

Image courtesy of jscreationzs/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

THE MOST AMAZING FATHER IN THE UNIVERSE

June 20, 2011June 20, 2011Kim Sweeting

THE MOST AMAZING FATHER IN THE UNIVERSE

I have the most amazing Father in the universe.

He is the most caring Father that you can ever imagine.

Before He formed me in my mother’s womb He knew me and called me and gave me a purpose and destiny to carry out on the earth, He even prepared good works in advance for me to do.

Although I have millions of brothers and sisters all around the world, My Father always has time for me. Whenever I call on Him, whether night or day, He is there. He has an open door policy and loves when I come to spend time with Him; He never rushes me out of His presence. Wherever I go, my Father is with me, in fact, He promised never to leave me nor forsake me. I am so special to Him that He has numbered the very hairs on my head, no I did not say counted, I said numbered, He actually has them numbered – wow!

My Father takes really good care of me. He is my source.

Because of Him, I do not have to worry about what I will eat, drink, or wear. When I have a need, all I have to do is ask Him, and guess what, He is so caring and attentive to me that He knows what I need even before I ask. Whatever I need My Father supplies whether spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, social, or material. He does it all according to His riches in glory. He has unlimited access to everything because He owns the earth and everything in it, including the cattle on a thousand hills, the gold and silver and all other resources. – My Father is rich and generous!

Not only is my Father caring, He is also extremely loving.

He loves me so much that He allowed my oldest brother, His first-born and only Son to suffer and die to pay the price for my sins just so I could be a part of His family. Can you imagine that? He gave His first and only begotten Son to die and pay the price for me to become a part of His family and because He made such a big initial sacrifice for me, He promised not to withhold any good thing from me – I am so blessed!

Not only is my Father caring and extremely loving, He is also very forgiving.

Whenever I do something wrong, if I go to Him and confess it with a sincere heart, He is faithful and just and forgives me of that sin and cleanses me from all unrighteousness. He never despises a broken heart. He is long-suffering, compassionate, and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love. He does not harbor anger. My Father never treats me as my sins deserve or repays me according to my faults. To give you an idea of the size of His love toward me, go outside and look up into the sky. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for me and as far as the east is from the west, that is as far as He removes my sins. – My Father is the best!

Not only is my Father caring, extremely loving, and very forgiving, He is also wise and powerful.

There is absolutely nothing or no one more powerful than He. As a matter of fact, He holds all power and authority in the heavens and the earth and any power you see manifested has been delegated or allowed by Him. He sets up kings and queens and takes them down. He reduces the rulers of this world to nothing, no sooner are they established, He blows on them and they wither away. He laughs at His enemies. He blows them away like chaff and they melt in His presence like wax on a candle. – You don’t fool around with my Father!

My Father is so powerful and wise that He created the heavens and stretched them out like a canopy. He created and named each star and hung them in the galaxy. He measured the waters of the earth in the palm of His hand and the dimensions of the heaven with the breath of His hands. He commands the winds and the waves. He is so wise that no one can counsel Him. He knows and declares the end of a matter from the beginning and whatever He declares becomes; He says “be” and it is. His purposes stand and He does whatever He pleases and absolutely no one or nothing can stop Him. – Mind blowing!

My Father is not only caring, extremely loving, very forgiving, powerful and wise, He is also entirely trustworthy.

Not only does He tell the truth, He is Truth. It is impossible for Him to lie. Whatever He says He will do, He does; He never ever breaks a promise. I can lean, rely, and completely depend on Him for all things and in all things. – I am so privileged to have such a Father!

Who is my Father?

He is the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel, the one and only true and living God.

He is Jehovah, the Self-Existing Eternal One.

He is Jehovah-Jireh – The Lord my Provider.

He is Jehovah-Nissi – The Lord my Banner of Love and Protection.

He is Jehovah-Shalom – The Lord my perfect Peace.

He is Jehovah-Tsid-Kenu – The Lord my Righteousness.

He is Jehovah-Shammah – The Lord, the Omnipresent One.

He is Jehovah-Saboath – The Lord of Hosts, my Protector.

He is Jehovah-Rapha – The Lord my Healer

To whom can you compare my Father?

To what can you compare Him?

There is none like Him, absolutely none!

I have the most amazing Father in the universe; He is simply amazing!

On this Father’s Day, as a small tribute to Him and an expression of my love for Him, I just thought I’d let you know.

Shalom!

Kim

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR DESPERATE WIVES

April 17, 2011April 17, 2011Kim Sweeting

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR DESPERATE WIVES

As a married woman of God, at times you may wonder, “Lord am I the only one going through all this stuff in my marriage?

Are any of my other married sisters in Christ experiencing what I am experiencing?

Conversations with various Christian women experiencing challenges in their marriages inspired me to write the following poem.

Read and be encouraged……….share and encourage someone else.

As priest of the home

Why doesn’t he pray?

When the kids want his company

Why doesn’t he stay?

I know we need money

To live and survive,

But if he’s working all the time

Our family can’t thrive.

I remember the times

We used to go out on dates,

But now all he does

Is come home tired and late.

He hardly gives affection

But is always ready for sex,

That’s not easy at all

It really makes me vexed

When I try to talk

I’m seen as a nag,

But if I sit and say nothing

Things will continue to sag.

I ask him to help

With things around the house,

He simply refuses

I can’t believe my spouse!

When he gets very angry

He screams and shouts,

He curses and hits me

I’m too ashamed to let that out.

I still go to church

In spite of my plight,

I sing, clap and praise

And try to do what is right.

Oh God I’m so lonely

I feel tied and bound,

My face has a smile

But my spirit is so down

Now I’ve met another man

Who says he’d be my all,

He is so caring and tempting

Lord help! I don’t want to fall.

Lord this is so hard

I need a breakthrough,

There’s no where to turn

So I’m clinging to you.

My sister, my sister

You’re tired and worn,

You’re bleeding inside

But all hope is not gone.

God knows your desires

He knows your heart,

He feels the pain

That’s tearing you apart.

He hears your longing

He hears your cry,

He hears your questions

“Lord how long? Lord Why?”

Things may seem bleak now

You weep and you mourn,

But after your midnight

There will be dawn.

“……weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

(Psalms 30:5 – KJV)

“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”

(1 Corinthians 10:13 – The Message Bible)

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.”

(Isaiah 50:7 – New Living Translation)

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

(Ephesians 3:20-21 – NKJV)

“I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in His word do I hope.”

(Psalms 130:5 – Amplified Bible)

KEEP TRUSTING IN HIM

April 15, 2011April 21, 2011Kim Sweeting

KEEP TRUSTING IN HIM

When your best friend lets you down,

Keep trusting in Him.

When no one comes around,

Keep trusting in Him.

When your heart’s about to break,

Keep trusting in Him.

When there’s not much more you can take,

Keep trusting in Him.

When everything goes wrong,

Keep trusting in Him.

When you don’t even have a song,

Keep trusting in Him.

When your dream seems to have died,

Keep trusting in Him.

When you’re crushed with pain inside,

Keep trusting in Him.

When the funds are just not there,

Keep trusting in Him.

When people look and sneer,

Keep trusting in Him.

When it seems there’s no way out,

Keep trusting in Him.

When you’re plagued with fear and doubt,

Keep trusting in Him.

When your enemies seem to win,

Keep trusting in Him.

When you’re battling with sin,

Keep Trusting in Him.

When the questions run so deep,

Keep trusting in Him.

When you can not get to sleep,

Keep trusting in Him.

When it seems all hope is gone,

Keep trusting in Him.

When you feel you can’t go on,

Keep trusting in Him.

No matter what you face,

Keep trusting in Him.

You can complete this race,

Keep trusting in Him.

The end is very near,

Keep trusting in Him.

Press on in fervent prayer,

Keep trusting in Him.

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

(Psalms 9:10 – NKJV)

“Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah!”

(Pslams 62:8 – NKJV)

“In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.”

(Psalms 71:1 – NKJV)

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.”

(Isaiah 26:3, 4 – NKJV)

“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him”

(Nahum 1:7 – NKJV)

“Those who trust in the LORD Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”

(Psalms 125:1 – NKJV)

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

(Psalms 34:8 – NKJV)

“He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.”

(Proverbs 16:20 – NKJV)

COULD LOVE BE THE MISSING LINK?

May 31, 2010Kim Sweeting

Could Love Be The Missing Link?

What are you believing God for that has not happened yet?………..salvation for a lost loved one, healing in your body, a needed financial breakthrough for a friend, an increased understanding of the Word, an expansion in your ministry, revelation of God’s plan and purpose for you life?

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

(Hebrews 11:1 – NIV)

What do you have faith in God to do, see, or receive for yourself or someone else but there is no manifestation up to this point?

Perhaps what you desire is not within God’s will.

Maybe it is simply not yet time for manifestation.

Or, could it be that there is a lack of love somewhere in the equation……….. could love be the missing link?

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”

(Galatians 5:6 – KJV)

Galatians 5:6 (KJV) tells us that faith works by love.

According to Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word for worketh is “energeō”, which is pronounced “en-erg-eh’-o” and it means, “to be active, efficient: – do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).”

So then, faith is active, efficient, energized, and effectual, shows itself forth and works effectually in or by love.

Hhhhmmmm!…………..Considering this scripture, could love be the missing link?

Could a lack of love on your part toward God, yourself and/or others be why there has not yet been a manifestation of your faith?

How’s your love walk towards God?

Before you answer that, let’s look at what the Word has to say about how God expects us to prove our love toward Him.

In John 14:15, Jesus states:-

“If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.”

(John 14:15 – Amplified Bible)

In I John 5:3 it is written:-

“For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).”

(1 John 5:3 – Amplified Bible)

God measures our love towards Him by our obedience to Him and not by any warm, fuzzy, emotions, or good feelings that we may experience when we think of who He is and what He has done for us.

So I ask again, how is your love walk toward God?

Do you sincerely and earnestly seek to know and do His will each day of your life in each situation that you encounter?

To demonstrate our love for God we must obey Him and to obey Him, we must know what He requires of us through the Word and His Holy Spirit.

Faith works by love.

So what about your love walk toward others, how’s that?

Could a lack of love on your part toward others be why there has not yet been a manifestation of your faith?

I Corinthians chapter 13, verses 4-6 describes the love we are to have toward others.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

(1 Corinthians 13:4-6 – NIV)

As you can see from this scripture, this love is action-based and not emotion-based. It is a love that we make a conscious decision to show in spite of how we feel. It is agape, the God-kind of love.

How’s your love walk toward those for whom you are praying?

Are you demonstrating this agape love, this God-kind of love toward the people whose salvation or deliverance you are believing God for?

Is your attitude and behavior toward them marked by love, kindness and patience, or by impatience, anger, rudeness and an arrogant spirit of condescending boastful pride in your own salvation?

“Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”

(2 John 1:6 – NLT)

Faith works by love.

If you find that you lack love toward others, maybe it’s because you do not truly love yourself.

In Matthew 22:36-40 when asked which is the greatest or the most important commandment in the law, Jesus replied:-

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

(Matthew 22:37-40 – NLT)

Jesus said we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.

How’s your love walk toward yourself?

Do you have the God-kind of love toward yourself?

Are you patient with and kind to yourself or impatient and mean?

Are you easily angered with and hold grudges and secret hatred toward yourself or are you merciful and forgiving toward yourself?

If we do not have Godly love for ourselves, it is not then understandable why we may lack such love toward others?

Faith works by love.

Could love be the missing link in our assemblies?

Could a general lack of obedience to God and a general lack of genuine love toward each other in the Body of Christ be a key reason why we have so much expressed faith yet so little manifested results?

Isn’t it ironic how so often we as Saints can willfully disobey God, thereby not walking in love toward Him, not repent, yet expect our faith to work and produce great results in our lives and the lives of others?

Isn’t it ironic how so often we pray in faith for persons, believing God for a breakthrough, yet harbor envy, jealousy, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, offense and grudges toward these same people, i.e., not walk in love toward them, yet expect our faith to work and produce great manifestation?

In Matthew 24:12, Jesus warns that one of the signs of the last days is that because iniquity, i.e., lawlessness and wickedness will abound, the love of many will wax cold.

Since faith works by love, as Kingdom Ambassadors, you and I need to make it a priority to guard our hearts to ensure that we are not counted among those whose love waxes cold because it will hinder the working of our faith and subsequently the outward manifestation of the Kingdom to the honor and glory of God.

Faith works by love.

So my fellow Ambassadors, today if you are believing God for something, in addition to checking to see if your desires are in line with God’s will, and checking with the Lord about His timing, I urge you to check your love walk too.

Take some time to ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are at in regard to your love for God, love for yourself and love for others, and ask Him to help you make any needed adjustments.

According to Romans 5:5, the Holy Spirit has already poured the love of God into our hearts, so the issue is not whether or not the love is there, it is a matter of by the grace of God, making a decision to die to self and practice walking in it.

Man of God, Woman of God, let’s not let love be the missing link.

Shalom!

Kim

THERE’S A STORY BEHIND EVERY STORY

May 28, 2010May 28, 2010Kim Sweeting

THERE’S A STORY BEHIND EVERY STORY

As Believers, many times we find it so easy to judge others when they behave rude, “out of sorts”, disgusting, touchy, or in some other negative, distasteful or sinful way.

There’s a story behind every story.

We find it so easy to look at the person’s attitude and/or behavior and piously think and/or say:-

“How could they do that?”

“How could they say that?”

“How could they act like that?”

“I would never do that!”

“I would never say that!”

“I would never act like that!”

We think these pious thoughts and/or speak these pious words forgetting the times prior to our being saved, and even since being saved, when we behaved rude, “out of sorts”, disgusting, touchy, or in some other negative, distasteful or sinful way.

There’s a story behind every story.

We think these pious thoughts and/or speak these pious words forgetting that we are not perfect and have not finished living yet so there is no guarantee that we will not display some of those same attitudes and/behaviors in the future, and if we do act in an appropriate or God-pleasing way, it is only because of God’s grace at work in our lives.

There’s a story behind every story.

We think these pious thoughts and/or speak these pious words without even wondering why the person is acting in this way and considering that perhaps they may be under pressure or battling with some unknown negative situation.

There’s a story behind every story.

The sad part about it is that if the Holy Spirit were to shine God’s revelatory light on our hearts when we are having such thoughts or speaking such words, to our shame He would find self-righteousness, pride, scorn, disgust, and condemnation instead of mercy, love, humility, concern, empathy, and compassion……Saints, in God’s eyes, this is simply not right.

There’s a story behind every story.

Every individual that we encounter in life is a complex combination of factors that influence their attitudes and behaviors.

There’s a story behind every story.

There are genetic factors, personality factors, cultural factors, childhood experiences, family experiences, school experiences, work experiences, friendship experiences, relationship experiences, marriage experiences, health experiences, spiritual experiences, verbal, mental, emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse, physical, mental and/or emotional pain, pressures, feelings of insecurity, unworthiness, rejection, anger, fear, and the sin nature, just to name a few.

There’s a story behind every story.

Many times the rude, “out of sorts”, disgusting, touchy, negative, distasteful or sinful attitudes and behaviors that we see displayed by a person are really a manifestation or byproduct of the story behind their story, i.e., a manifestation or byproduct of a combination of these factors, a manifestation or byproduct of what is behind what you see or experience from them.

There’s a story behind every story.

When considering this, and the fact that we too have a story behind our story, can we really justify judging them so harshly?

As Kingdom Ambassadors and Believers in Jesus Christ, the next time we encounter a person who is behaving “out of sorts”, rude, disgusting, or in some negative, distasteful or sinful way, instead of mentally or verbally flying to a state of pious condemning judgment, let’s pause to remember that there is a story behind their story and pray.

Let’s ask the Lord to help us see the person through His eyes, to help us see beyond their attitude and behavior to seeing a soul for whom He died.

Let’s ask Him to help us see beyond their attitude and behavior to seeing a person who has a life story that may be affecting the way he/she thinks, speaks and acts.

Let’s ask Him to help us see beyond their attitude and behavior to seeing a person who may be hurting and in need of love, understanding, compassion, salvation, healing or deliverance.

Let’s ask Him to bless the person and minister to them at their point of need.

Let’s ask Him if there is anything He wants us to say to or do for the person that would help or encourage them in some way.

We live in an era where stress, problems and “short fuses” abound, and as time winds down, so will persons who behave rude, “out of sorts”, disgusting, touchy, or in some other negative, distasteful or sinful way.

By the grace of God let’s train ourselves to not resort to harsh judgment in our thoughts and speech, but to instead, have a posture of love, concern and compassion, remembering that there is a story behind each person’s story.

Be encouraged!

Kim

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

(I Corinthians 13:4-7)

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.”

(John 3:16, 17 – Amplified Bible)

YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?….THE AGONY OF PURPOSE (PART 2)

May 24, 2010May 27, 2010Kim Sweeting

You Want Me To Do What???? – The Agony of Purpose (Part 2)

It took me 14 years to fully embrace and truly submit to God’s call on my life to minister His Word via preaching and teaching.

During most of those years although doing it, I did so silently hoping, wishing and praying that God would allow me to fulfill the burning desire He had placed in me to help others in some other way that did not require any form of public speaking.

I tried to “negotiate” other key ways that I could use to minister the Word to people such as opening a Christian bookstore, designing a Christian line of greeting cards with Word-based verses inside, writing Word-based books etc. all to no avail.…….it’s amazing how innovative we can become when trying to run away from what we see as a hard or undesirable thing God is calling us to do.

Well, needless to say, my “negotiations” all fell flat. Preaching and teaching was the key way God wanted me to minister the Word and He was simply not changing His decision.

At first I put up external resistance by turning down or avoiding as many opportunities to preach or teach the Word that I could. I eventually gave up this external resistance and accepted most of the presented opportunities, but with great reluctance on the inside.

After a few years of time doing this, the Holy Spirit began to strongly remind me that God is more interested in our heart condition than in what we display externally and to show me how although complying on the outside, I was really walking in rebellion because I was not fully submitted on the inside.

When that reality truly sunk in, I came to an end of myself and gave up. I confessed my rebellion as sin and asked God to forgive me and I repented; I changed my way of thinking about what God was requiring me to do.

Instead of seeing ministering His Word through preaching and teaching as an undesirable “form of punishment”, I began to see it as a privilege and an honor, as something that God would not ask me to do if He did not trust His ability in me to do it, and I began to see the lives that could be saved, healed, delivered and transformed by the Word.

After a long battle, I finally fully embraced and truly submitted to God’s call on my life and I am eternally grateful to Him for the love, grace, mercy and patience that He extended to me in the process.

Today when you look at your God-ordained revealed purpose:-

Perhaps like Gideon (Judges 6:15) you feel like the least likely candidate for the job.

Perhaps like Moses (Exodus 4:10, 6:12, 30) you feel incapable.

Maybe you feel too young like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6) or Solomon (I kings 3:7).

Perhaps you feel that the assignment is distasteful and you do not want to do it, so you are on the run like Jonah (Jonah 1:2).

Maybe in your eyes, God’s assignment for your life is just too big, or that embracing it will take you in the opposite direction of where you’ve always felt your life would go.

Perhaps you feel it will cost too much….too much money, too much time, too much studying, too much conflict because it would be unconventional and against the religious norm.

Perhaps you are a stuck at the “what would others think?” post.

Whatever the case, take comfort because as you can see you are not the only one who has struggled with embracing revealed purpose, in fact believe it or not, even Jesus struggled with it.

Matthew 26:36-45, details Jesus’ battle with embracing His purpose in the Garden of Gethsemane; please take time to read it.

Three times, Jesus asked the Father if it were possible, to let this cup, this designated assignment pass from Him. What I find especially interesting about this is that although Jesus knew and had agreed to His divine assignment even before He came to earth in the form of man, when the time came for Him to fulfill it He was looking for another route, for an easier way.

This fact has been of great comfort to me in the times when I have personally struggled with my own revealed purpose and I hope that it is of comfort to you.

If Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and King, knew His purpose from before the foundation of the world was laid and still struggled with embracing it, should you or I as mere mortals really be surprised, embarrassed or feel guilty and condemned if we encounter such a struggle as well? – Certainly not!

Now do not misunderstand me, I am in no way implying that my purpose or your purpose is comparable with that of the Savior of the world, I am simply drawing attention to the dynamics of the situation.

One of the many things that I find noteworthy in this whole scenario is how even in this time of intense struggle, a struggle so agonizing that His sweat was as drops of blood, Jesus was still ever so mindful of pleasing the Father.

He demonstrated this in that each time He asked the Father if there was any other way to carry out His assignment, right on the heel of His request, in the same breath as it were, he would add, “nevertheless not My will but Thine be done”. – To me that is absolutely amazing.

After confirming that there was no other way to carry His divine assignment, Jesus fully embraced it. How? By:-

1) Dying to self

2) Exalting the Father’s will above His own

3) Setting His mind on the joy awaiting Him upon the completion of the assignment

To all my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, who are struggling with fully embracing your divine purpose and calling, do not despair because you are not the first to struggle and you surely won’t be the last.

I don’t know the basis of your struggle, but I do know that there is hope.

I know there is hope because even though Jesus struggled with the agony of purpose, He overcame His struggle and left us a pattern of steps that with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can take and overcome our struggle too; it’s how I overcame mine.

I pray that what I have shared today has comforted, encouraged and helped you in some way.

May God use it to empower you to fully embrace and submit to His purpose and plan for your life, whatever it may be, for therein lies your peace, fulfillment and success.

Shalom!

Kim

YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?…..THE AGONY OF PURPOSE (PART 1)

May 23, 2010May 23, 2010Kim Sweeting

You Want Me To Do What???? – The Agony of Purpose (Part 1)

If you are struggling to embrace and submit to your God-ordained revealed purpose then this word is for you.

At age twelve, one lunch time while standing on the balcony outside of my seventh grade classroom, I had a strong impression that my purpose was to help people resolve problems in their lives.

Since that day, from as far back as I could remember, friends, classmates, family members, co-workers, associates, fellow Believers, even strangers would somehow gravitate to me and pour out their hearts about pressing issues in their lives, seeking encouragement, advice, resolution, a sounding board or simply a listening ear.

In light of all this, I pursued and completed post-graduate studies in the field of Counseling Psychology thinking that on completion I would open a nice, quiet, thriving private practice where I would counsel others; it seemed logical to me that this was the path of helping others that God would want me to take.

In 1992, the Lord began to speak to me about His calling on my life and His plan for my involvement in ministry. At the time, He did not specify exactly what or how, but I naturally assumed that it would be focused on utilizing my counseling skills in the Body of Christ. This prospect excited me because whether done on a professional or casual basis, speaking to others privately in ways that helped them always brought me a deep sense of inner fulfillment.

Well it turned out that I was wrong; very wrong because in June of 1996, the Lord clearly indicated that counseling others privately was not the key way that He desired for me to help others. His plan was that I help them by ministering His Word, i.e., preaching and teaching His Word………. I was absolutely horrified!

In my mind, God could not be serious. All of my life I had hated the forefront and always did whatever I could to avoid it and now He was telling me to stand up in front of people and speak His Word; He just could not be serious.

Like Moses after he received his divine assignment to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, I proceeded to come up with every excuse I could think of as to why I could not do what God was asking.

I “explained” to God that I could not speak in front of crowds, I would be wasting the effort and money that went into obtaining my degrees in psychology, I did not know the Word well enough and did not have the time to study intensely or to go to seminary school because I was married and had small children and was working a 9-5 job, I was a woman and my husband and pastors may not agree, and on and on…..I even reasoned that I probably heard Him incorrectly.

God quickly showed me that this was definitely not the case because in the ensuing years, He confirmed His calling for me to minister the Word over and over through my pastors, other persons in the Body of Christ, and even through persons who had no relationship with the Lord, and He also began to open doors and to create opportunities for me to preach and teach the Word, unquestionably proving that He had placed the anointing upon my life to do so.

In retrospect, it is kind of embarrassing to say what I am about to say next, but for the sake of helping others like you who are struggling or have struggled to fully embrace their God-given revealed purpose, I know that I must.

………………………………….to be continued

A SEXUAL WARNING

May 20, 2010Kim Sweeting

Many times in the church we are so quick to point out where the world is falling short of God’s standards in relation to sex, but do not want to confront and deal with the sexual sin that is present among us.

Sexual sin among us? Yes among us. Among the Believers, the Saints, the People of God, The Kingdom Citizens, among us.

The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit confronted the issue of sexual sin in the church at Corinth, admonishing them to:

“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.Therefore honor God with your body.”

(1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – NIV)

Although these words were penned hundreds of years ago to the early church, God is saying the same thing to us as the church today, we must flee from sexual immorality.

The following is a poem that depicts an all too common story involving sexual sin.

Please note that I do not know any persons by the names of “Brother George” or “Pearline” who had, or have, any kind of relationship with each other so any such occurrence is pure coincidence.

The purpose of the poem is to serve as a warning for us in the church to flee sexual immorality. It is written with quite a lot of Bahamian dialect so I hope those of you who are not from the Bahamas are able to understand.

God bless!

Brother George & Pearline

Brother George got up, stretched and rubbed his eyes,

Tonight I wonder which gal ga be my prize,

Some er dem so weak dey can’t resist me,

One compliment, one dinner, an dey dish it for free.

He sat on the bed and got out his black book,

He flipped through the pages to take a quick look,

Not Sister Donna, not Sister Marsha, not Lucy, not Clem,

Man dey ain no challenge I done run tru dem.

Then Brother George remembered Pearline the new lady next door,

Low cut blouse, skin tight pants hey who could ask for more,

Oh man she sooo sexy, I just can’t wait

So he got dressed went over and asked her for a date.

“Sure” Pearline said with a smile on her face,

Then she slipped on an outfit and they left her place,

But what Brother George did not realize to his demise,

There was much more to Pearline than what met his eyes.

After having dinner and now sitting on the beach,

Brother George grinned to himself “Now my prize is in reach”,

So he gently began to stroke Pearline’s hand,

And next thing you know they were rolling in the sand.

He took Pearline home and gave her a good night kiss,

Thinking “man I didn’t expect it to be as easy as dis”,

Back in his bedroom he puffed up his chest,

and said, “Boy, George you bad now, das annuder conquest.”

Two days later Brother George’s cousin stopped by,

Brother George told him about Pearline and he started to sigh,

He said “Boy I hope you ain talkin bout dat woman next door”

“Because she gat AIDS” – Brother George fell to the floor!

When Brother George’s cousin left he could not sleep,

“But she look so healthy, man dis really run deep”,

From the outside he did not notice one thing,

And now he sorrowfully regretted having the fling.

Months later to the doctor Brother George went shaking,

When called in for his test results his knees were quaking,

The doctor looked at him and sadly shook his head,

“I’m sorry except for a miracle you’ll soon be dead”.

Brother George went and found Pearline, his heart filled with dread,

“Girl you know you had AIDS” he angrily said,

Pearline shrugged her shoulders without batting an eye,

“Well you wanted me, right?” was her reply.

Pearline died first then Brother George followed her,

Leaving their families and friends in a blur,

It’s sad to say but the truth is you see,

What happened to them is a common story.

Many, many a life have been lost this way,

Because from God’s guidelines we go astray,

No, I sit not in judgment, all pious and scorning,

But as one that’s concerned and simply issuing a warning.

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;”

(1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 – NIV)