Daily Devotion from Ryan's devotional series, Thoughts

Thought 158

There is Forgiveness—an “Undone” Button

    If you have said something you wish you hadn’t you can never change it, but you can humble yourself and ask forgiveness. Ask the person(s) for forgiveness, and then ask God for forgiveness. If you have asked for forgiveness long ago, but are still struggling with guilt and condemnation, reflect on the cross and the resurrection. Jesus suffered a long time and paid the price and when He rose from the dead He conquered the power of sin in our life. So why not use this moment for God instead of dwelling on guild? Stop and thank Jesus for what He has done for you.

Daily Devotion from Ryan's devotional book series, Thoughts

Thought 157

Idols

         Anything that you put above God an idol. And those things cause you to miss more marks of living rightly every day are hinderances. That video game that you put above God and run to escape God’s conviction is sin. When that game is played you become desensitized like a drunken man. You “forget” your problems and use the game as an addictive drug. How do I know? Because I’ve been that video game crazed guy. Watching that movie you KNOW that you should not watch is sin. The soda, candy, girlfriend, etc . . . that you turn to when you want to sooth your conviction is a sin. Adultery, homosexuality, immorality, abortion, etc . . . are sin. Gossip, lying, cheating, stealing something “little”, etc . . . are all sin. Must I go on? When we put something above our omnipotent God we are making an idol of it. We truly need God’s forgiveness, and we need to repent.

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines repentance as:

1.     . . . sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God . . . . This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.

Encouragement:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Daily Devotion from Ryan's devotional series, Thoughts

Thought 156

My Comforter

 

Lord, thou hast known me from my making,

In my mothers’ womb You knit me.

And You gave me whispers of Your Word

To strengthen my developing soul.

Praise be to You for what You

Have made!

ME!!!

Consider the meaning of this poem and check out Job 10:8-12, Jeremiah 1:4-5, & Psalm 139:13.

Daily Devotion from Ryan's devotional book series, Thoughts

Thought 154

Make a Purity Creed

         Making a purity creed for yourself helps to steer your in the right direction. This is especially beneficial to men because of the battle against lust. Still, I believe that women can gain a benefit from developing their own purity creed as well. To give you an idea of what I mean, here is my personal purity creed:

#1 I will guard my purity in all situations and do my best to avoid potentially dangerous circumstances.

#2 I commit to guarding my eyes and Job 31:1 is my battle cry.

#3 Since my body isn’t my own, but God’s, why should I endanger it whether spiritually or physically?

#4 I turn to God for the strength to resist every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

#5 I choose guard myself from TV programs which display purity, sex, and using women as a mere ‘device’ and not a sin.

#6 I believe that God will guide me to the woman I am to marry. {Isaiah 40:31 KJV, Isaiah 48:17 NIV, Genesis 24, and Isaiah 30:21 NIV}

#7 I commit not to kiss the woman I will marry (and no one else) until my wedding day.

      Whether you agree with this creed or not, having your own creed will help you to “stay on track.” Just getting something down on paper and reviewing it does a lot to help you stick to what you wrote. Please taking the time to live it out.

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Daily Devotion from Ryan's devotional series, Thoughts

Thought 153

Trusting God in Finances

        This topic is one that many Christians struggle in. But if we can believe Christ has forgiven us, then I ask, “why do we not have faith that God will take care of our needs?”

Examine your heart before you start:

         Do you ‘love’ money for what it buys you or do you look gratefully to God and thank Him for what He has given you?

(If you are angry or feel convicted when you read the question above, get quiet before the Lord and ask Him why you feel that way.)

     For "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" 1 Corinthians 10:26 NIV1984

   This verse (1 Cor. 10:26) gives us a powerful principle: money exists in the world; therefore it is ALL God’s and He gives it to whom He chooses. The Scriptures are clear that if you give, you will receive back (Luke 6:38). That fact principle is applied by many of the world’s ranks and they are being blessed for it. Why do you think that humanitarian efforts are succeeding? Because they have the blessing of God? Because they are giving? Multitudes are feed, clothed, and given drink by people who give selflessly, but that isn’t the amazing part. The astounding aspect is that many of those who give so greatly do not have Christ in their lives. They are modeling an aspect of life that we Christians should be living. This principle of blessing is not just monetary, but I think we sure grasp the concept when it’s in dollar terminology.

  Are you stingy in giving?

My friends, Christ gave His very life. . . . Really think about that . . . .

      Are you investing in things that aren’t a necessity like cable, the internet, cell phones, ect…? Do you pay your cable bill before you tithe and then say that you can’t afford to pay a Tithe because you’ve spent it on temporary entertainment? Maybe you don’t need an increased paycheck, rather a decrease in “comfort” spending.  Please do not misunderstand me, the internet, cell phones, and ‘toys’ are fun, but sometimes, they are a hindrance because they are a addiction that we use as an excuse to not give.

“Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.”—2 Timothy 2:7 NIV1984

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks's devotional series: Thoughts

Thought 152

Strengthening

     For the past several months I hadn’t really heard from the Lord or felt anything from Him. I don’t know why.  I did not have the joy and the excitement of praising God that I had experienced so vividly in the past. But today God brought me to a certain place in Scripture, and after I read those passages and prayed, thanked, and worshiped God from my heart I experienced His joy again. My very inmost being was strengthened as I felt that God had come near again.

      The Bible says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) Wow!  If you feel distant from God or discouraged, seek Him and patiently wait. Strengthening will come; either from the Holy Spirit directly or through people, circumstances, and many other things.

      Emotional experiences alone are not anything in comparison to the times that God touches your heart, your soul, and your life! No relationship, other than one with the Triune God of the universe, the CREATOR of Heaven and earth can give greater satisfaction, fulfillment, and assurance of purpose. Let’s praise Him right now!

I sing a psalm to God from my heart and I bid you to do the same:

O Lord hide not Your face from me again!

Strengthen me in the light of Your glory all my days.

May my strength and assurance rest in You and not the wisdom of myself or men.

O God of my fathers, O Lord God of the Founding Fathers,

Come heal the land I live in.

USE me as a beacon in this dry and thirsty land.

I need you Lord, do not depart from me. Always show Your faithfulness to me.

Guide me to teach and to reach people for You, O Lord.

Let You be my focus! May Your power spill out of my life.

Amen and I say it again, Lord, Amen. May the world rejoice in you.

Amen.

       Take a moment and sing or write a personal song of praise to the Lord. When I praise God, I have the strength to continue. If there was a key to the Christian lifes’ success, I believe it would be true worship (prayer and worship from the heart in song, thought, word, and deed), because the joy and strengthening that you then receive no man can take from you.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 151

Be joyful in the Lord!

    Have you ever had an unexplainable joy come upon you, a joy form the Lord? It is a spiritual mountaintop experience. It is not just an emotion, it is a blessing from God. If you have never run in the joy of the Lord I pray that God will bless you with the gift of running in joy one day.

     Some people call this being “drunk in the Spirit,” but I do not really care what they call  it because I know that it is real.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 150

Believe what God promises

Read 1 Chronicles 17:16-27 (NIV)

      Have you ever struggled believing something that God told or revealed to you because it just doesn’t make any sense? I have. The only thing that I can tell you is that when you feel like giving up and not holding to that promise(s) anymore, is that you take a moment and cry out to God for help to stand firm and continue to fight the good fight to believe. When you want to give up because it isn’t normal or because it isn’t what is “in” or when you just don’t want to believe because it is hard to press on, guess what? God is still there.

       I know that some people are reading this book and thinking “this kid is only a fifteen or sixteen something, but how can he know all this stuff.” The truth is I know nothing. Without God, I am nothing. God is teaching me and has taught me things that are contained in these pages. The Holy Spirit personally teaches me, the Scriptures have showen me the TRUTH, the Father has continued to pour His affections on me, and the Son—Jesus Christ!— has saved me from all my sin by dying on that Cross for me. And I know that God wants to teach you as well: to guide you, to direct your steps, and to commune with you. I am a nobody that God chose to make a somebody. God wants to make you a somebody too. Talk to Him, and if He chooses to talk back…listen!

        I have failed my Lord so many times. I have doubted, sinned, lusted, despised, and disobeyed the words of my God. May He forgive you as he has forgiven me.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 149

Take God at His word

²⁶Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: ²⁷ Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. ²⁸ Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.' " So they took her answer back to the king.  2 Chronicles 34:26-28 (NIV)

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 148

 Do you know Christ?

Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)

 ²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' ²³Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

    Take a moment… read the surrounding verses of this passage… do you need to get something right with the Lord Jesus? …….pray.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 147

“Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:9 NIV)

     Mere men and women should not separate what God has joined together and disobedience to God’s Word requires correction, just like disobedience to earthly parents requires punishment. Because men and women are not honoring the fact that God has joined them together families are being broken, children are being left fatherless, hearts are being broken, and people are selfishly following their own “needs” instead of God today.

    Are you the victim of a divorced family? Do you want to be the victimizer of another? Hopefully not! Dear friend, we must acknowledge what God has done: joining marriages for life. May we obey lest we reap the lasting consequences of our hastily sown seed of divorce in this country.

Think about this today:

Before a man and woman marry, one important block to lay in their relationship is the fact that they will never separate the bond that God created between them.

They say this in their vows, but won’t live it without true                                 commitment, that is, true love (1 Cor. 13).

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 146

An AMAZING ‘love’ story

    Read through the love story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24.

    What did you learn? In modern times, this type of story doesn’t seem possible, but God moves beyond cultures and ages to accomplish HIS will. Take some time and pray that God becomes part of your future or existing “love story.” Invite the Lord to permeate this area of your life so much that many people are touched with your joy and understanding that guidance to “the One” is given by God.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book series: Thoughts

Thought 145

“And the two shall become one FLESH….”

      God moves on to tell us in the first few chapters of Genesis that the reason for a guy and gal have to leave their mom and dad is marriage (Genesis 2:24). They leave so that they can become one flesh; and the two becoming one flesh is much deeper than the physical closeness of sex that some interpret it to mean. Instead, it is a spiritual bond, one where two individuals become one that is personified in two bodies. This one fact explains why divorce and losing a spouse is so devastating—they lost a part of themselves, not just a person they knew.   . . . what God has joined, let no man separate.

      When two people (a man and a woman and only a man and a woman) become one flesh, something happens to the one that has now been formed. Men become husbands, fathers, and providers. While women transition into wives, mothers, helpmeets, and nurture. Today, contemplate why God created the two to become one and how their new oneness is more balanced than their individuality.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 144

Marriage – an examination of the destination

    We are going to dive into an intense series where we will look at courtship, marriage and romance from God’s guidelines. Genesis is the best place to start, so your assignment before moving forward is to read Genesis 1:26-2:25.

      Adam and Eve’s “love story” is the first picture of marriage in the Bible. God created the Eve for Adam. God brought them together. It is important to note that they did not seek each other out or place an order. It was God’s working. The Lord knew that Adam (man) needed a helpmeet (woman), thus He brought them together in an extraordinary way.

       The name that Adam gave his helpmeet’s gender says a lot. Some scholars believe that Adam called Eve “woman” because she was the “womb man” in other words, that she was from the womb of a man (Adam’s body, his rib).  Another viewpoint, which isn’t scripturally grounded, is that Adam called Eve “woman” because when he saw her he was saying “WO!!! MAN!!!”

      For today, pause and contemplate the significance of God orchestrating the entire relationship between Adam and Eve and the fact that Eve came from God through Adam.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 143

1 Corinthians 7:27 vs. Proverbs 18:22

The Finding Principle

 ^“Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.” 1 Corinthians 7:27 (NIV1984)

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” Proverbs 18:22 (NIV1984)

    At first glance these Scriptures can appear to contradict each other: after all, one says don’t look for a wife and the other says that he who finds one receives favor from the Lord. How do you find something without looking for it? The answer is actually  very simple. Think about when you have misplaced an important item like your keys. As you look in odd places, you find things that you didn’t even know were there, right? It’s the same in our lives. If we seek the Lord Jesus and His kingdom first, then everything else we need will be added to us (Matthew.6:33). If you need a wife (or husband), God will provide (check out Genesis 24 for an example)!

    Are you unmarried? Don’t go looking for a wife! Seek the Lord. He will lead you and, as you follow Him, you will find that wife: find what is good and receive favor from the Lord!

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 142

Top two Commandments

#1 Love God with all you heart, all your soul, and with all your mind.

#2 Love your neighbor as yourself

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 141

Greed

“…men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain . . . People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:5-6,9-10 (NIV1984)

    We need to have wisdom in our finances, be faithful stewards of all the resources the Lord has given us, and work hard. However, if you love money and think that being a Christina is a way into getting more money, be careful! The Bible is full of financial principles in the Proverbs and elsewhere, but the Word also says, “Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse. (Proverbs 28:6 NIV1984)”

     I am not saying that it is holier to be poor than rich, but I am saying that contentment with the Lord is where the real gains lie. Gains of peace, joy, and eternal things.

     Loving money is not providing for your family or working hard to save for a house or other need. The passage in 1 Timothy simply teaches, don’t be eager for money. Greed is the problem, that is the attitude/motivation/spirit that God is dealing with in Scripture. So don’t be afraid to work hard, give, save, invest, and manage money wisely. Thank the Lord for what He has given you and for providing for your and others’ needs through your labors. The Lord simply wants us to be faithful with everything that He has given us and He has warned us of the common pitfalls of leaving faithfulness to self-centeredness to guide us.

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-10.

May God bless you in your finances and stewardship. And may you be humble and thankful for what the Lord has given, no matter how great or how small.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 140

Endurance: Standing Your Ground

Read Ephesians 6:10-20 (When you read verses 19 and 20 please pray those things for me, I need your prayers).

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. . . .Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Ephesians 6:12,13 (NIV1984)

    Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but it feels like it sometimes. However, let’s examine that feeling for a minute. When people just seem to get your nerves is it really them that you are frustrated with or is it something about them or something that they do? Read Ephesians 6:12 for the answer to what are struggle is with.

    I have been going through tremendous pressures recently. Not just a week or a few days, but months. At times, it feels like I hear so many lies and don’t see anyone sharing truth. It’s frustrating, but it is an opportunity to get to draw near to the Lord.

    I can’t say that it’s easy to stand and endure, but I can say that the Lord is with us! In the midst of the fight—yea the struggle!—stand firm! Let’s look at some Scripture and place our confidence in the Lord. Take courage in these, hold fast to them:

“So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV1984)

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long . . . .Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. . . .The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” Psalm 25:4-5,8-10,14-15 (NIV1984)

Thought 139

Sometimes you have to say NO! to ‘good’ things

    At times, we have to turn down “good opportunities” in order to do the work that God has given us or has for us to do.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 138

Choices

    The choices you have made are determining your life. Do you compromise? Are you following Jesus? These choices will determine a lot about your life. The same principle applies to large groups of people. Has a church become as wicked as the newly believing Corinthian Church or faithful like the Bereans? Again, choices determine a lot.

    Many Christians are not very different from the world other than the fact that they believe in the Lord Jesus and this is largely because of individual choices. They watch the same movies, are addicted to the same porn, take the same drugs, speak the same foul words, believe the same lies about male and female relationships, and the worst thing, is that many in the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, have prostituted themselves. Yes, prostituted! Because they are intimately connected and entwined in the fallacies and lies that entangle the Lost! . . . Come to the Lord. He is here, waiting to take you back in His arms, to forgive you and restore you with the full privileges of sonship, adopted into His family.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV1984

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:8-10 NIV1984

Read Luke 15.

  This devotion may have struck a chord with your heart, and if it really did, let the Lord speak to you and don’t read on. To those that read this objectively or had the Holy Spirit testify within in you that you are being faithful with your life, I ask you, and I believe our Lord Jesus would commend you as well, to pray for those who have read this devotion today—or will read it at some later date—that they may hear the Holy Spirit clearly and respond as the Lord convicts them. Please just pause right now and pray.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 136

Start Praying Now

Hey guys, how many of you want to be married?

Hey girls, how many of you want to be married?

    Alright, most of you probably want to get married one day. Are your reasons Biblical or LUSTFUL, though? The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will tell you if you’re honest with yourself.

     Pray for that ONE. Right now, set aside some time and pray for her or him. Pray for God to give him or her strength, to equip them, to empower them, to embolden them, to loose the TRUTH of God’s Word within them, to develop character in them, for them to have a thriving and dependent relationship with Jesus; for them to live stewardship right now (i.e. tithing, financial wisdom, and wisdom with their time, resources and talents - for God) and you complete the list.

       Invite God’s hand into the life of your future spouse—they need CHRIST and so do YOU. Give Christ Charge in their life today! Pray that special helpmeet or servant leader into the throne room of God right now. You may not know them, but prayer spans the miles.

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16 NLT

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 137

Role Model

     What kind of example do you display? Do people follow you for who you really are or as somebody you pretend to be? If people follow you, do you lead a rebellious riot or a united Christian body? Do you encourage others to obey authority, God, and the rules by your actions (that is, the fruit of your life)? 

     In my work with young men, I have experienced and had to deal with “rebels.” You see, when you are a young man and you “outrank” some other young men who are your friends, you will probably encounter some difficulties as you pursue trying to mentor and teach them. One thing I have taken note of is that there is usually a ring leader who stirs up the people. Authority should be respected because it is all chosen by God (Rom. 13:1-7); therefore, it should only be opposed if it is directly going against the Word of God. For example, I do not care what the government says about abortion; whether they declare it legal or illegal, I know that God is against it. However, when authority is opposed just because someone doesn’t like what they’re doing, it’s just have rebellion. What I am saying is without Biblical grounds, we shouldn’t oppose authority.

Be an example. more people than you know are watching you, trust me. Do your best to live an example, because your life bears the fruit of reputation. What kind of Biblical reputation do you want? “Hang around” people that model it and search the Scripture for it.

Call for Prayer and Fasting

"Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord." Psalms 25:7 NIV1984

  The situation of our nation, America, is grave. Our sins are mounted right up there with Sodom and Gommorah. Readers, I call out to you to pray. Please fast. Please ask the Lord to not remember our nations sins and our rebellious ways, ask Him to remember our nation according to His love. Pray for an outpouring of His mercy and that many may come to Him in a great revival.

  We must humble ourselves and pray and seek the Lord's face, or our nation won't last (2 Chronicles 7:14), but we have His promise right here in the Word that if we do, He will heal our land. Halleluajah and Amen!

 Please start off by spending some time contemplatively reading all of Psalm 25 and Ephesians 6:10-20 (please pray for me and all in spiritual leadership as Paul requests in verses 19 and 20).
Please pray!

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Day 135

Lack of Dependence on Each Other = DIVORCE ???

    Dear readers, as much as some of us hate to admit it, we are all dependent on others. For example, I am more dependent on my parents than I let on. They counsel me, bandage my bruises, and instruct me in the way of the Lord; but I still have a choice to make: will I be healthily dependent on them? What I mean is that I need to grow up, get a job, move out and get marred one day. It wouldn’t be healthy to be dependent on them for everything when I’m 40 when I have the capacity physically and mentally to provide for myself and a family.

     Without the same principle of dependence, a marriage is not possible. A husband and a wife are supposed to “become one (Gen. 2:24).” What does that mean? I have heard Kevin Swanson illustrate it this way:  an ax head and an ax handle are both needed to have an ax, right? One piece alone cannot, and will not efficiently cut down the tree. In the same way a man and a woman that have married need each other to “get-the-job-done.”

        When marriage is no longer dependence on one another; but rather, two separate people that just said some vows, live together, and have children, there is no reason for a marriage to continue in many minds. People get bored of a life like that. But God meant marriage to be so much more than what we think it is. It is to be the foundation of the family, yet also an intimate relationship where two people become one in the sight of God. O this is a mystery!

Dear Christians, the divorce rate is higher in the Church than the world!

We do NOT live what we preach and what Jesus taught!

      Young adults, children, young men and women, older boys and girls or whatever you want to be labeled, you need to ground your marriage in God! Both of you being dependent on God together will be the strongest binding force of your marriage. Please, do not just become another statistic in the divorce rates when you get older. You have a role to play in a lasting marriage! When you marry, you have a part to play in the one person that emerges from two. Work together, love each other, but most importantly grow in Christ’s Truth together!

     Dependence is a key to marriage. You must be dependent on each other and God, you cannot separate, that is the only way a marriage can last. Husbands, no other woman will do. Wives, there is no other man for you. You are made for one person. Your vows last the whole lifetime that you are both to spend in this world. Live, learn, and grow in God’s love; grace; purpose; plan and everything else HE has for YOU TWO.

Read 1 Peter 3:1-7.

    God bless, and may this simple description of God’s rules change your life and convict your actions. In Jesus Name, amen.

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 134

Women, fulfill Your Biblical Role

      Women, your Biblical purpose is to be a helpmeet (Gen. 2:18, 20-23). Submission, modesty, and character comprise your helping purpose (Prov. 31, Titus 2, 1 Tim. 2:9-15). God knew that men needed somebody to support them, to help them be balanced, to help train the children, to live closely and intimately with, and a fellow Christian to serve the Creator.

      The subject of submission is misunderstood by many today. Submission is not a man ruling with an iron rod. The best example of Biblical submission is Jesus Christ. Christ was submissive to the Father. Here is how the spiritual chain-of-command works: Christ is submissive to the Father, men are submissive to Christ, women are submissive to their husband, and children are submissive to their parents.

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines submission as: 

1.     Acknowledgement of . . . dependence ; humble or suppliant behavior.

4. Obedience ; compliance with the commands or laws of a superior. Submission of children to their parents is an indispensable duty.

5. Resignation ; a yielding of one’s will to the will or appointment of a superior without murmuring. Entire and cheerful submission to the will of God is a christian duty.

     Scripture tells men that they must live their lives sacrificially for you as Christ did the for the Church. Women, your husbands have it pretty hard as well, don’t think that people are pointing fingers at you telling you to “submit.” The only submission we’re looking at is Biblical submission.

Read Ephesians 5:22-6:9, this explains submission perfectly.

     You have to decide if you will follow Scripture. Nobody else can decide that for you. What will you choose, regardless to how un-cool or counter-cultural Scripture might be?

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 133

Accept the Challenge –Be a MAN!

      Some “men” really are not men. Yet, some “boys” really are men. Let’s look at the Biblical definitions of a man: he provides for his family (1 Timothy 5:8), he is a servant leader (Eph. 5), he is humble (1 Peter 5:5), he is committed to Christ, (Phil. 3:12-14), and he is diligent (Heb. 6:11). There are many more Biblical qualities of a man, but we do not have enough space to go into them all.

Boys, you are not growing into men of God in our culture. You cannot be both a child and a man – you can only be one or the other.

 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13 NIV

“When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV

Are you obedient, submissive, and dependent to the Father? Are you bold, confident, and sure of your faith in Christ? Men . . . .  and boys, you like a challenge, don’t you? Here’s one: except the challenge of genuine manhood. You can never be perfect, but by God’s grace you can improve, grow and learn (from the Holy Spirit and Scripture). Dwell on these character traits of manhood below, really think about what they mean. You might even want to write down ways to apply the two or three that you need most right now.

Humility                            Initiative                                 Motivated

Loving kindness            Strong Character                     Grounded

Strength                         Providing Spirit                      a Defender

Warrior                              Patience                                 Firmness

Resilience                      Peaceableness                      a Slow Tongue

Conviction                         Frugality                                 Fruitfulness

Willingness to Listen       Diligence                                Responsibility

Commitment