Subscribe to my eNewsletter
The Single Heart
and in 48 hours you will receive via email the first two chapters of my new non-fiction book, How To Date and Stay Saved, for Free!
Holiday Specific
Free Times 3 – Thank God I’m Free!
As we embark upon the weekend preceding the 4th
of July, I’m reminded of the fact that this holiday is
a celebration of freedom. It denotes the time when
the colonists decided to break free from Great Britain’s
rule, regulations and taxes and declare
America an independent country free to govern and
maintain itself.
Within the Declaration of Independence, it states:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable rights, that
among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.
As a Christian, I am thankful for the freedom I have in Christ Jesus.
Jesus came so that I might have life, and that more abundantly.
Because I have been made free in Him no longer and I held in
bondage to the enemy’s tricks and tactics. I’m free to be all
God predestined me to be, even before the foundation of the world.
When the enemy thought he had my hand, God had a plan.
The liberty I have in Jesus, because of His shed blood, lets
me know that I have been made free from sickness, free from
disease (or “dis-ease”), free from fear, and free from anything that
disturbs my peace; thank God I’m drama free!
While it is true I have freedom as a Christian and as an American
citizen, I’m also thankful for my current freedom as a single believer.
As a single Christian, I am free to come and go as I please
while answering to no one but God. I can travel the world and
live my dreams with no one to discourage me or hold me back.
I can enjoy time with family, friends and those who truly matter
in my life, and I can ration my time any way I choose and be as
productive as I can possibly be without any hindrances,
distractions, or disturbances.
While I look forward to that great day when I shall celebrate
oneness with my spouse, I embrace the fact that I am already
whole and complete now, as a single believer, and I live life to
the fullest in the present while pursuing happiness in Christ
and all the freedoms which come right along with it.
So this Independence Day, I’d like to encourage you to celebrate
the three ways in which you’ve been made free: Free as an
American citizen, free as a Christian, and free as a single
believer.
Hallelujah! Thank God you’re free!
Scripture References:
John 10:10
Jeremiah 1:5
Genesis 50:20
Isaiah 53:5
1 Corinthians 7:32
1 Corinthians 7:35
Mark 10:8
Colossians 2:10
7 Ways To Date and ‘Stay Saved’ on Valentine’s Day
Soon it will be Valentine’s Day – the day when most normally celebrate with a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates, topped off by a romantic evening which may ultimately lead to the bedroom if the guy is lucky, right? Or so they say.
What’s a Christian couple to do in a culture that promotes promiscuity and the notion that ‘sex sells’ with its many suggestive advertisements and other media?
In other words, how can a Christian couple date and “Stay Saved” on Valentine’s Day?
In my book, How to Date and Stay Saved, I answer this question and also explain how to date God’s way and in His proper order and how it is possible for a couple to meet, date, and enjoy a romantic relationship while not having sex until after he ‘put a ring on it’ and marries you.
Below are 7 ways to date and “Stay Saved” on Valentine’s Day:
1. Date in Public.
Most people aren’t inclined to ‘get their groove on’ in a public place where the public is watching. Dinner and a movie on Valentine’s Day is nice and also romantic.
2. Date to encourage dialogue.
As you date in public, gather information about the person you’re dating. Seek friendship before romance. Constant verbal communication during the date also helps prevent ‘holy hands’ from roaming.
3. Dress modestly.
Valentine’s Day is already set up to be a romantic night on the town, so the flesh is already ready to receive something even before the date begins; ladies, don’t give it any more stimulus such as wearing a low cut blouse exposing the girls or a super tight ‘booty hugging’ skirt. That man is already in a trance about how fine you are so don’t be a stumbling block to him during your date. As much as we love a nice compliment, focus on dressing modestly yet still attractive and stylish.
4. Turn Luther off!
As you and your date converse, there may be music playing in the background, such as during the car ride. Instead of playing “Maxwell” or something else meant to get you in the mood, instead play gospel music such as gospel jazz or praise and worship. Doing this sets the environment and it keeps your mind focused on above. I have a saying: Music is like a ride, it’s meant to take you someplace, so don’t allow the music you listen to during your date take you somewhere you don’t want to go.
5. View each other as brother and sister during your date.
Would you take your sibling home after a night on the town in order to ‘get it on’ like Marvin Gaye? Remember that you’re brothers and sisters in Christ, first, before you will ever be anyone’s spouse or bedroom partner so treat each other accordingly.
6. No ‘late in the midnight hour’ dating at home.
As tempting as it may seem, and no matter how fine he may look especially after he ‘wines and dines you’ (with sparkling apple juice, of course) on your date topped off with a serenade by the lead singer at the restaurant as your date professes his love for you in front of a bunch of strangers, don’t invite that man inside your home afterward, and by all means, don’t go to his place. The night has been too perfect and the holiday is already set to be topped off with a roll in the hay. Instead, after you date in public, once he takes you home kindly thank him for a wonderful night and get inside!
7. If you insist on continuing the date after he has dropped you off at home, call or text.
This way you can still verbally communicate with each other and finish your date, instead of having your date come over and you wake up in the morning regretting what went down the night before.
It’s Good Friday – Jesus Endured, Will You?
Today is Good Friday – the day we, Christians, observe Christ’s final step of obedience to the Father in dying on the cross. To me, Jesus’ story is amazing because He didn’t have to do it. He didn’t have to fulfill the perfect will of God for His life, preach the gospel and heal the sick for 3 years only to end up having His hands and feet nailed to a cross, be ridiculed and mocked, spat upon and have a crown of thorns placed on His head just so He can fully accomplish God’s will which was total redemption for you and me.
Jesus, because He walked the earth as God in the flesh as well as a man with free will, didn’t have to carry out God’s plan fully. Even to the point of the night of The Last Supper, when Judas betrayed Him with a kiss and Jesus was about to be seized and Peter smote one of the soldiers ears with his sword. Jesus then quickly rebuked Peter, healed the man’s ear and reminded Peter that what’s about to go down has to go down so the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Jesus, a Man who had done no wrong but was falsely accused and sentenced to death, ends up on a cross next to a criminal who gets released instead of Him. Even Jesus himself realized that at any given moment He could have summoned 12 legions of angels at any given moment (which equals well over 60,000 angels) to come and rescue Him. But instead, Jesus said nothing, no whining, no complaining, and no “doing things His way so He doesn’t have to go through the pain,” and allowed the will of the Father to be done.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Isaiah 53:7
Jesus said nothing while being spat upon, ridiculed, crucified and beaten so badly that by the time it was over He didn’t even resemble a man anymore. He did it to fulfill His purpose in life and carry out God’s plan.
How many of us can honestly say we would do whatever it takes to carry out God’s ultimate plan for our lives? How many of us would honestly say we love God enough, in spite of our own wants and desires, to live our lives while carrying out His expectations and in doing so we will receive our ultimate reward on earth and in heaven from Him?
How many of us would choose, this day, to live our lives as singles and glorify God with our bodies and from this day forward not have sex until marriage? Sure, it’ll be hard on the flesh, but how many of us would be willing to carry that cross and follow Jesus?
How many married people would be willing to deny themselves their own rights and actually look to please and serve their spouse first, instead of always looking for what they can get out of something or what the other person can do for them all the time?
How many of us, who are believing God for something, anything, can honestly say, instead of whining and complaining asking, “Why, God, why” or “When, God, when” can say that instead of complaining or doing things our own way, that we will instead endure with joy knowing that the promises of God are yeah and amen?
How many of us singles, who want to be married, can accept the fact that we’re single now yet still run the race that God has for us with joy while enjoying who we are in Christ and the season we are in right now? How many can honestly say they will do that?
Jesus was put on that cross, and stayed there until He said, “It is finished” and gave up the ghost and died. How many of us can truly say we can endure our own race ’til the end?
Matthew 26:51-56
Luke 22:50-51
Isaiah 52:14
John 19:30
