Friday Funny: Six Kids Is Enough
Joe shares a great story about having five daughters.
Finally, years later, number 6 was the lucky number!
No longer surrounded by all women, Joe had the son he always wanted!
Watch & Be Encouraged
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How’s Work Going?
Has someone asked you this lately? How would you answer?
We’re going to have to work. We have to find out what we’re called and gifted to do and get busy using our gifts.
I can imagine the wheels turning as people are reading this. “Oh, it’s tough out there, Joe. It’s different than it was ten or twenty years ago.”
It certainly it is!
I was born in 1951. I’ve seen the workplace change. I’ve worked at three different secular companies. I’ve worked for two different churches. I’ve been on my own for over a 20 years in my own ministry.
I want you to know that I don’t have my head stuck in a barrel. I understand that things have changed in the workplace, but God has not changed. He is still our Provider. He understands what’s going on in this world, but He has given us a way to prosper, even in the midst of a perverse and wicked generation—even in the midst of an unstable economy.
If we’ll follow His plan, we won’t just survive, we will thrive.
The Take Away:
We won’t be able to follow God’s plan until we know it. You can find God’s plan for you, your finances, and your work by reading His Word. Don’t wait—start reading today. Ask God to show you how to get answers to your questions.
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Whose Are You Going to Listen To?
Here’s a quick reminder that you are going to believe either God or the devil when it comes to anything in your life — including your financial situation.
There is no middle ground. There’s the truth and there’s the lie. Make sure you are telling yourself the truth on a daily basis because you’ll be faced with thoughts that are contrary to God’s Word. That’s how the enemy works.
But God’s Word gives us some instructions:
Casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV
That means it’s not a possibility, it’s a guarantee that you will have thoughts come at you that go against God’s Word. Your job is not to “try not to think that way,” but instead, to cast it down, to bring it into captivity. You do that by learning what God says and then speak, meditate, and act on it.
The Take Away:
Find out what God’s Word says about the situation you’re facing today and choose to believe the truth over the lie of the enemy. Practice taking every thought that makes itself bigger than the truth of God’s Word captive.
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Three Things to Pray for Your Child
Take time to pray for your children daily. Every morning when I get up there are three things I pray over my children. Make this your prayer too!
1. Father, I thank You for teaching my children to fear (reverence) You because Your Word says that the fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). And with wisdom, they will have long life, honor, and riches. (Proverbs 3:16).
2. Father, surround my kids with a shield of divine favor. I thank You that they will have favor with their teachers, the principals of their schools, their coaches, their employers, etc. They’ll be a highly favored and a blessing everywhere they go. (Psalm 5:12)
3. Father, I ask You to send good friends to my children—godly friends who will sharpen them like iron and cause them to be all You want them to be—and cut away any friends who would drag them down. (Proverbs 27:17)
The Take Away:
Pray these prayers over your children daily and watch God perform his word in your children’s lives!
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Friday Funnies: We Lost the Son Of God
When Jesus was 12 years old, Joseph and Mary found Him in the temple, talking and asking questions with the teachers there.
He was actually learning more about who He was.
Jesus was not born with an automatic understanding that He was the Christ. He learned about himself through the scriptures.
The Father planned it that way. We ALL have to find out who we are, by reading and understanding the Word of God. That is how we discover what God has called us to be.
Watch & Be Encouraged
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Your Biggest Fan and Cheerleader
Two key things men are looking for in a relationship are respect and honor.
And even though they don’t always do the right thing or make the right decision, they need to have someone who believes in them, prays for them, and is in their corner rooting for them. What they don’t need is someone who is constantly pointing out their flaws, putting them down, and nagging them about all the things they aren’t doing right.
In every relationship there are going to be things that get on your nerves about the other person, but that doesn’t give you the right to nag and constantly complain and criticize. That doesn’t mean you ignore those things, but there’s a way to address them, discuss them, and work toward a solution without being petty and demeaning. However, realize that some little molehills just aren’t worth making into a mountain because no matter how hard you nag, complain, bawl, or squall, they’re just not going to change. If they simply don’t like “green eggs and ham,” there’s nothing you can do to change that. It’s not worth making into a mountain. Accept it and move on.
So, men, as you’re looking for a wife, look for someone who’s not a doormat and who’ll help point out areas that you can grow in to become a better person, a better husband, and a better leader but who can do that in a constructive way that is encouraging and not demeaning. Bottom line, the person you marry should be an encourager. She should be your biggest fan and your biggest cheerleader!
The Take Away:
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Someone You Can Enjoy Life With
Something you definitely want to look for in a spouse is somebody that you can have fun with and who shares some of your interests.
A lot of couples have many diverse interests, but don’t have any that they share together. Others get caught up in the daily grind of making a living and handling the responsibilities of life and don’t know how to take time to just have fun.
Realize this, God wants you to enjoy life and not just endure life! In fact, the Bible says that God “richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17 AMPC). And Jesus said in John 10:10 (AMPC) that He came that we might “have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”
So, when it comes to marriage, if you’re going to spend the rest of your life with someone, you might want to pick someone who you enjoy hanging out with. Certainly, they need to be saved, have a good spiritual relationship with God, be well-groomed, and hardworking, but if you can’t have fun with this person, you might want to think twice about marrying them. You’re not marrying a business associate. You’re marrying a lifetime mate. So, make sure they’re someone you can enjoy life with!
The Take Away:
Some questions to ask before you get married: Are you good friends? Do you love being with each other and hanging out together? Do you have fun together? Do you have shared interests or hobbies that you do together? When was the last time you did one of your hobbies/shared interests together? When you’re not together, do you miss being together?
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Beware of the Shouters, Yellers, and Screamers
You may want to think twice about marrying someone who constantly yells, shouts, and screams at you and who thinks that kind of behavior is normal, and they don’t need to change.
Being in a relationship with that type of person isn’t going to be easy. It’s hard to solve problems when you’re constantly having nose-to-nose confrontations.
That’s doesn’t mean you’re supposed to be passive, always backing down or ignoring controversial issues to avoid conflict. But you can learn to deal with issues in a civil manner without shouting and creating excessive drama. Proverbs 31:25-26 talks about being clothed with strength and dignity, speaking words of wisdom, and giving instruction with kindness. First Corinthians 13:4-5 talks about love being patient, kind, and not easily angered. Those are the characteristics we need to have working in our lives, and that’s what our “normal” behavior is supposed to look like.
Nobody is perfect, but a prerequisite to having a successful relationship is a willingness to change. Just something to think about as you’re looking for that special person to spend the rest of your life with.
The Take Away:
If you’re in a serious dating relationship with someone who shouts, yells, and screams at you, you might want to think twice about whether you want to live with that the rest of your life. People can change, but they have to realize that change is necessary and then be willing to do whatever is necessary to make that change happen.
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Being Financially Responsible
Financial irresponsibility can be a big problem in marriage .
It’s important to have some business sense and understand how money works. Both the husband and wife need to be on the same page when it comes to tithing, giving offerings, spending, saving, credit card debt, and financial goals.
Guys, having a wife that knows how to handle money will be a big blessing to you. Proverbs 31:16-18, 24 talks about a virtuous woman who looks for good property investments and buys them. Then with her earnings, she plants a vineyard, or in other words, you could say she reinvests her earnings in order to make more profit. It says that she works vigorously and sees that her trading is profitable. She has a clothing business where she makes garments and sells them and supplies the merchants with sashes. She’s also gives to the poor and needy.
This woman has some business savvy. She’s not ignorant about money and knows how to handle finances. She knows how to make a profit, but she also knows how to give. She knows where her money is and what it’s doing, and because she manages it well, she doesn’t worry about the future.
The Take Away:
Make sure money and finances are areas that you discuss with your potential spouse. Does the person you’re dating handle their finances responsibly? Do they overspend and live beyond their means, racking up credit card dept and bouncing checks? Do they know how to balance their checkbook? Do they tithe? Do they have a saving account and are they disciplined enough to contribute to it regularly?
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Do Your Best to Look Your Best
Generally when people start dating, they put their best foot forward.
They pay a great deal of attention to their appearance and take the time to clean up and spruce themselves up as they’re getting to know one another.
Then after some time passes, they start thinking, They love me just for who I am. I don’t need to try and impress them. Familiarity kicks in, and they don’t feel the need to keep themselves up the way they used to. But the truth is that person you’re dating or married to does take notice, and they appreciate when you keep yourself looking attractive.
Proverbs 31:21-23 talks about how the virtuous woman clothes herself in silk and purple. In other words, she keeps herself attractive and dresses well. This scripture is not talking about a single woman who’s dating; it’s talking about a wife and mother. Not only does she keep up her appearance, but she also makes sure her family is dressed well. It says her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
So, when it comes to dating and marriage, appearance isn’t the only factor to consider, but is an important factor. You should be attracted to the person you end up marrying. Now, not every guy is going to look like Mr. G.Q., and not every woman is going to look like Miss. America, but everyone should do their best to look their best.
The Take Away:
Does the person you’re considering marrying take care of themselves and do their best to look their best? Or, are there areas that have slipped by the wayside due to familiarity? If those areas bother you now, they will definitely bother you after you’re married. So, don’t be afraid to bring them up and discuss them.
