Wednesday 4 July 2012
Love Wisely
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."
Saturday 31 March 2012
Saturday 16 January 2010
Possess Right Attitude towards Singlehood
Let us adopt a new attitude towards singlehood as a gift. Learn to be content with friendship while we are still single. With our free time and energy, we can pursue more effective ministry and deeper friendship with people of both genders.
Until we realize God's gift of singlehood, we'll probably miss out on the incredible opportunities it holds. As a single we have the freedom right now to explore, study, work and tackle the world. No other time in our life will offer these chances.
In The Book of Virtues, William J. Bennett comments, "Too often, people want what they want (or what they think they want, which is usually "happiness" in one form or another) right now. The irony of their impatience is that only by learning to wait, and by a willingness to accept the bad and the good, do we usually attain those things that are truly worthwhile.
We can only determine the appropriate time to pursue romance when we understand God's purpose for singles and trust in His timing for relationship. One person rightly stated, "Don't do something about your singlehood - do something with it!" Stop for just a minute and evaluate whether you're using God's gift of singlehood as He desires.
Waiting for God's timing (to provide) requires trusting in His goodness and wisdom. We develop patience as we trust that God denies us what we think is good only because He has something better for us - both now and in the future.
Joshua Harris in his book - I Kissed Dating Goodbye freely admitted, "I often have difficulty trusting God when it comes to my love life. I have a nagging fear that He wants to keep me single forever. Or I fear that if He lets me marry, He'll match me up with some girl to whom I won't feel attracted. I know these worries are silly. In my better moments I admit I haven't based these fears on the reality of the loving, caring Father in heaven that I've come to know. I fear that God might forget me. Instead of trusting in His perfect timing, I often try to take things into my own hands. I grab my life's calendar from God and frantically begin to pencil in my own plans and agendas."
Let's commit to using our singlehood to its fullest potential. Let's rejoice in it and enjoy its opportunities today. Let's practise trusting God by pursuing His Kingdom and His righteousness with all our hearts and allow Him to handle the scheduling of our relationships. He will reveal the right person to us at the right time under the right circumstances.
"For I know the plans I have for you," God says, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). Let's live our todays for His Kingdom and entrust our tomorrows to His providence.
We couldn't lay our futures in better hands. All we have to do is to trust Him.
Until we realize God's gift of singlehood, we'll probably miss out on the incredible opportunities it holds. As a single we have the freedom right now to explore, study, work and tackle the world. No other time in our life will offer these chances.
In The Book of Virtues, William J. Bennett comments, "Too often, people want what they want (or what they think they want, which is usually "happiness" in one form or another) right now. The irony of their impatience is that only by learning to wait, and by a willingness to accept the bad and the good, do we usually attain those things that are truly worthwhile.
We can only determine the appropriate time to pursue romance when we understand God's purpose for singles and trust in His timing for relationship. One person rightly stated, "Don't do something about your singlehood - do something with it!" Stop for just a minute and evaluate whether you're using God's gift of singlehood as He desires.
Waiting for God's timing (to provide) requires trusting in His goodness and wisdom. We develop patience as we trust that God denies us what we think is good only because He has something better for us - both now and in the future.
Joshua Harris in his book - I Kissed Dating Goodbye freely admitted, "I often have difficulty trusting God when it comes to my love life. I have a nagging fear that He wants to keep me single forever. Or I fear that if He lets me marry, He'll match me up with some girl to whom I won't feel attracted. I know these worries are silly. In my better moments I admit I haven't based these fears on the reality of the loving, caring Father in heaven that I've come to know. I fear that God might forget me. Instead of trusting in His perfect timing, I often try to take things into my own hands. I grab my life's calendar from God and frantically begin to pencil in my own plans and agendas."
Let's commit to using our singlehood to its fullest potential. Let's rejoice in it and enjoy its opportunities today. Let's practise trusting God by pursuing His Kingdom and His righteousness with all our hearts and allow Him to handle the scheduling of our relationships. He will reveal the right person to us at the right time under the right circumstances.
"For I know the plans I have for you," God says, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). Let's live our todays for His Kingdom and entrust our tomorrows to His providence.
We couldn't lay our futures in better hands. All we have to do is to trust Him.
Right Perspective of Love
1 John 4:10-11:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
True love is selfless. It gives, it sacrifices. "Greater love has no one than this," Jesus said, "that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13)
Every relationship is an opportunity to love another person like God has loved us. To lay down our desires and do what's in his or her best interest. To care for him or her even when there's nothing in it for us. To want that person's purity and holiness because it pleases God and protects him or her.
Proverbs 3:3, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." God wants love and faithfulness to be connected. In His plan, the personal benefits of an intimate relationship - emotional or sexual are always closely linked to self-sacrificial love and commitment to another person's long-term good.
The best relationships are between two people who care more about each other's good. Where is true joy? It's found in God's brand of love - love founded on faithfulness, love rooted in commitment. The joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)
"If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). True love always expresses itself in obedience to God and service to others.
Romans 12:9-10
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
True love is selfless. It gives, it sacrifices. "Greater love has no one than this," Jesus said, "that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13)
Every relationship is an opportunity to love another person like God has loved us. To lay down our desires and do what's in his or her best interest. To care for him or her even when there's nothing in it for us. To want that person's purity and holiness because it pleases God and protects him or her.
Proverbs 3:3, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." God wants love and faithfulness to be connected. In His plan, the personal benefits of an intimate relationship - emotional or sexual are always closely linked to self-sacrificial love and commitment to another person's long-term good.
The best relationships are between two people who care more about each other's good. Where is true joy? It's found in God's brand of love - love founded on faithfulness, love rooted in commitment. The joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)
"If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). True love always expresses itself in obedience to God and service to others.
Romans 12:9-10
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.
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