Submitted by Don Case

When a Christian man gets married, he declares his wife to be holy unto himself. This does not mean she's perfect but he sets her apart, in his eyes, above all other women on earth. She becomes his prized possession to cherish, love, and protect for the rest of his life. She is his responsibility to guard and keep in a place of honor. A Christian man needs to be faithful to his wife and to lead her with Christ like love. He should know that the greatest love, and strongest marriages are found in the guidance of God and in His presence. He created it to be the most satisfying, and intimate relationship on earth. When a man and his wife obey what God tells them to do, they will have significant breakthroughs in their marriage and more fully enjoy it and one another.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her... Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church. (Ephesians 5:28-29).

Praying For Your Wife

Pray that she would...

• Love the Lord with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength. (Matt. 22:36-40)
• Find her beauty and identity in Christ and reflect His character. ( Prov. 31:30, I Peter 3:1-3)
• Love God's Word and allow it to bloom her into Christ likeness. (Eph. 5:26)
• Be gracious, speaking the truth in love, and avoiding gossip. (Eph. 4:15, 29; I Tim. 3:11)
• Be grateful and find her contentment in Christ, not her circumstances. (Phil. 4:10-13)
• Be hospitable and diligently serve others with Christ like joy. (Phil. 2:3-4)
• Bring her family good and not evil all the days of her life. (Prob. 31:12, I Cor. 7:34)
• Have godly older women to mentor her and help her to grow. (Titus 2:3-4)
• Not believe lies that would devalue her roles as a wife and mother. (Titus 2:4-5)
• Be loving, patient, hard to offend, and quick to forgive. (James 1:19, Eph. 4:32)
• Be devoted to prayer and effectively intercede for others. (Luke 2:37, Col. 4:2)
• Guide her home and children in a Christ like way. (Prov. 31:27, I Tim. 5:14)
• Give no occasion for Satan to accuse and reproach her. (I Tim. 5:14)

THE RESOLUTION, from the movie Courageous, is available in the foyer.

School-aged children and many employees will enjoy a day off of school or work tomorrow in celebration of President's Day, a Federal holiday that falls between the birthdays of the two most famous, noteworthy leaders of the United States. There is a lot of interesting things that one can learn about Presidents Washington and Lincoln that are entertaining, educational, and inspirational. But thinking about "President's Day" provides an opportunity for Christians to ponder four valuable spiritual lessons.

First, the Bible instructs us to have appropriate respect for our leaders. Peter wrote, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king... or to governors... for this is the will of God" (I Peter 2:13-14). Paul also wrote, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities" (Romans 13:1). In short, whether we agree with the decisions of our leaders or agree with their lifestyles and choices, we should respect our leaders. God doesn't ask us to agree or to "like" them or their polices, but He does want us to give honor where honor is due.

Second, it is important for us to remind ourselves (as children of God) that right is always right. Truth is solid and unwavering. Even when others want to change what is wrong and make it "right," including legislatures, presidents, and judges, we, as saints, have to have the courage to still see things as God sees them.

The prophet condemned calling evil good and good evil 2,700 years ago and God condemns the same today (Isaiah 5:20). While we respect our rulers and honor them as we're told, we must not and can not allow them to tell us what's right and wrong when God has already done so.

Third, a conversation about civics and politics reminds us that we have dual citizenship. We generally count it a blessing to be a citizen of the United States. Rightly so. We are very fortunate to have the freedoms we enjoy! At the same time, we are MORE fortunate to be citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). As a result of our dual citizenship, we must be careful to keep the appropriate, Christian, spiritually-based perspective that helps us see the world in the same way as our Lord.

Finally, let's remember that, while kingdoms of earth come and go, the Kingdom of our Creator is eternal. Long before Jesus came to the earth to die for the sins of man, God's great prophets told of His coming and how His Kingdom would be superior to all man-made governments (Daniel 2:4). In John 18:36, our Savior stated that His kingdom wasn't a worldly one and in dying, He provided for the welfare of all humanity in far superior ways than any political government today or ever.

Given that many will have tomorrow off from work, let's be reminded of the promises of God, our place in this world, and His eternal plan for those who ever strive to serve Him.

Submitted by Don Case

The absence or disengaged father is considered one of the most significant family and social problems facing America. Both the Scriptures and statistics clearly state that the father is a necessary influence in the life of a child. Many fathers have lost their sense of purpose and have forgotten that they are to be mature, responsible leaders of their family. Many men today are disengaged, and neglecting their vital role. Too many men feel they can be irresponsible, immature, and can carelessly negligent in their roles as husbands and fathers. God's Word commands husbands and father to lovingly lead their homes. Men are to walk in honor and integrity and fully embrace their responsibilities as leaders of the family.

PRAYING FOR YOUR CHILDREN

Pray that they will...

• Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and strength, and their neighbors as themselves. (Matt 22:36-40)
• Come to know Christ as Lord early in life. (2 Timothy 3:15)
• Develop a hatred for evil. (Psalm 38:18; 97:10; Proverbs 8:13)
• Be protected from evil in each area of life: spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically. (John 10:10; 17:15; Romans 12:9)
• Be caught when they are guilty and receive the chastening of the Lord. (Psalm 119:71, Hebrews 12:5-6)
• Receive wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and discretion from the Lord. (Daniel 1:17,20, Proverbs 1:4, James 1:5)
• Respect and submit to those in authority, (Romans 13:1, Ephesians 6:1-3, Hebrews 13:17)
• Be surrounded by the right kinds of friends, and avoid wrong friends. (Proverbs 1:10, 13-20)
• Find a godly mate and raise godly children who will live for Christ. (2 Corinthians 6:14, Deuteronomy 6)
• Walk in sexual and moral purity through their lives. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
• Keep a clear conscience that remains tender before the Lord. (Acts 24:16, 1 Timothy 1:19, 4:1-2, Titus 1:15-16)
• Not to fear evil but walk in the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 23:4, Deuteronomy 10:12)
• Be a blessing to your family, the church, and the cause of Christ in the world. (Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 1:3, 4:29)
• Be filled with the knowledge of God's will and fruitful in every good work. (Ephesians 1:16-19, Philippians 1:11, Colossians 1:9)
• Overflow with love, discern what is best, and be blameless until the day of Christ. (Philippians 1:9-10)

Source: THE RESOLUTION FOR MEN

Describing God is both simple and complex. It's simple when one resigns himself to the fact that he can't, as a human being, fully appreciate the divine nature of an eternally existsnt spirit. And it's complex for the same reason! Of the many great things about scritpure, one is that it is filled with many concise passages that, in but a few words, tell us a lot about our wonderful Creator. Consider what we know from 1st Chronicles 28:9 which states,

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, he will cast you off forever."

First, while God is mysterious, we can (and should) know Him. This is important as in many cultures, their false gods are to be feared but not known. The Creator of the universe isn't like that and instead truly desires for us to have a deep and meaningful relationship with Him.

Second, we learn that God, while desiring our service, doesn't want it to be such that we are "forced" into obedience but rather that our service be with a willing mind. Of all the ways God could have made man, He created us with the ability to make our own choices.

Third, we must respect the omniscience of our great God because He knows and understands all things, including our own thoughts. We cannot hide anything from God. As a result of this fact, we ought to always conduct ourselves in such a way to be pleasing to God.

Fourth, while God is mysterious, it's possible that we can find Him, understand Him, and serve Him. Furthermore, we don't have to "guess" as to whether or not we have found God. One of the purposes of the Bible is to educate us about that God and make it so that we accurately know how we can obey Him.

Finally, forsaking God comes with a price. And the price is a heavy one to pay! Being "cast off forever" is not an idle threat but a promise that comes from God Himself who demands lives of service that always pay off. Let's dedicate ourselves to always being in service to Him!

By Don Case

The movie "Courageous" has two companion books, The Resolution for Men and The Resolution for Woman. All three of these products promote the virtue of being the best Christian parent possible. Some of the positions in the books will be offered in some articles here.

Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:14-16

Six Powerful Influences You Must Guard In Your Children's Lives

Parents must be fully aware of what is going on with their children, while guiding and guarding the things that influence their hearts and minds. The following six key influences can steal your children's hearts , pollute their minds, and lead them away from God.

1. Their Friends: "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm" (Proverbs 13:20). Pray for and surround your children with wise friends. Be willing to say "NO" to any parties, sleepovers, and "FUN" events that would put your children under the influence of foolish kids. Instead, initiate and lead fun events at your home rather than sending them into unknown situations.
2. Education: The worldviews of your child's teachers in school can become the worldviews of your child. If you want to raise godly children, you must guard carefully who is teaching them and what is being taught.
3. Music: Develop in your children a love for the music of God and a disgust for the music of the world. Teach them to discern if the messages imbedded in music are helpful, loving, truthful, and edifying, or if they are angry, sexual, rebellious, self-centered, or corruptive.
4. Movies and TV: Today's movies and television shows are now considered two of the top influences in culture. They have become increasingly more influential in how the next generation thinks and interprets reality. Do not let children watch whatever they want. Build a library of good content, and take time to watch more edifying programs with your kids.
5. Internet: Many parts of the internet can be dangerous and a stumbling block to children. Train you children to run from evil and be very selective about what is viewed. Keep the internet supervised and out in the open.
6. Video Games: Some video games are very violent, perverted, and addictive. They are designed to draw children into a fantasy world and keep them there for endless hours when they could be doing something productive and edifying. Guard what games they play, how long they play them, and monitor if they can become a stumbling block.

Restricting teens can become a battleground leading to anger and misunderstanding. Make sure that they understand it's your love for them that is leading to your control. Your limits will create a void that must be filled with something better. Lead them towards good friends, books, music, movies and activities.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21