I am very dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has looked upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!
Read More“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised” (Song of Solomon 8:6–7).
Read MoreIf we desire to find our soulmate and build a Christ-honoring foundation which stands the test of time and trials of life, our focus must shift to building Godly character in our lives through saving faith, trust in God’s sovereignty, humbling ourselves daily, and committing to forsake all others till death do we part.
Read MoreFailing to affirm your wife is simply cancerous to a marriage because the enemy will exploit her insecurities and cause her to adopt a negative self-perception of herself. Consequently, once seeds of doubt begin to take root in her mind, it is difficult to convince her heart otherwise if the only opportunity you take to affirm her is erratic, rare or indifferent.
Read MoreWhen we embrace the truth that we go no place by accident, we understand that seasons of life are inevitable, but the beauty of the Gospel gives clarity and direction to how we embrace each season.
Read MoreWhat is the difference between faith and trust? Why does it matter? What wisdom are we to gain from knowing the difference? Simply stated, faith is believing while trust solidifies belief over time. Faith begins the process while trust grows and strengthens in response to faith.
Read MoreOh Lord, I have so many enemies, so many against me. Oh Lord, so many are saying that You'll never rescue me. You, Oh Lord, are a shield around me. You're my glory and the lifter of my head. I cried to the Lord and He heard me from His Holy mountain. I won't be afraid. I am not afraid.
Read MoreWith surgical precision Solomon pinpoints what hinders us most from enjoying peace and tranquility this side of heaven, which is our unwillingness to submit to God. Because if we cannot submit to any authority other than our flesh, we will never understand what it means to fear who God is because He is almighty, or obey His Word because He is holy and righteous.
Read MoreThe longer we live, the greater perspective God blesses us with. Experiential knowledge increases over time as we navigate through joys and triumphs, trials and tribulations. With each experience, God teaches us something new. Whether we choose to hold fast to wisdom or foolishness thereafter is another question altogether, but the seed is planted in our hearts and minds for future application.
Read MoreWe tend to forget that due to the daily hustle and bustle of our practical lives and lose focus of how our busyness distracts us from focusing on what is most important. Our attention is diverted toward a myriad of practical functions each day related to our marriages, families, employment, homes and hobbies that often pull us in conflicting directions. In each case, there is a cost associated with our time investment.
Read MoreInvesting wisely means diversifying our portfolio in order to protect the assets entrusted us by God and ensure we are producing the greatest dividends possible by adhering to sound financial principles. Spiritually-speaking, God calls us to weigh our decision-making by seeking first His kingdom and adhering to the truth of His Word.
Read MoreWhen we choose our words wisely, we win favor with others because we speak graciously. We implement discretion to filter out fleshly motivations that are inconsistent with God's Word. We carefully consider both the immediate and long-term impact of not only what we say but how we say it, so that we draw others unto Christ rather than drive them away based on our behavior.
Read MoreWisdom and folly impact the direction our hearts gravitate toward as well. Because wisdom and foolishness are polar opposites, they force us to make decisions each day which guide and direct our path. We are always presented with forks in the road regardless of our spiritual maturity or length of time as followers of Christ, but we have the choice to determine our final destination (right or left).
Read MoreThere are no guarantees in life! No matter how hard we try to shape the trajectory of our future by the decisions we make in the present, the fact remains that our knowledge is limited. We cannot predict our final hour, the manner in which we will pass from this life, nor the reasons behind God's decision to end our days here on earth.
Read MoreOpportunities will undoubtedly arise in our marriages to flee when conflict abounds and temptations to justify sin seem rational. But to those who persevere in the face of danger, infinite blessing awaits. The question is whether we will embrace the lot we have been given or turn away from the refiner's fire that purifies our hearts and allows us to love our spouses as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up unto death for His bride.
Read MoreAssuming we knew what day would be our last, how would we choose to live? Would we take more risks? Would we live with purpose? Who or what would we prioritize with our time? Would our lives be marked by foolishness and irresponsibility or wisdom and diligence?
Read MoreThere is an infatuation within our culture today that manifests itself by the desire to KNOW. Our flesh longs to have answers to all of life's questions and our culture is overwhelmingly flooded with desperate attempts to educate man with scientific and philosophical knowledge, opinions and perspectives, all the while distancing itself from the absolute truth of Scripture. Why?
Read MoreFEAR! What immediately comes to our minds? Are we afraid of anything in particular? Are we consumed by our fears? Truth be told, fear is a powerful motivator. The real question is whether our fear is healthy or unhealthy.
Read MoreSolomon sifts through the clutter of our hearts to reveal the greater underlying issue—not whether we agree or disagree with a particular issue, but whether we are willing to submit to the various authorities over us who may indeed be evil, immoral or unjust.
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