marriage is sanctifying

A friend recently asked me, “What are you learning now that you’re married?” Without hesitation the first thought that came to my mind, “I am very selfish.” It hasn’t taken long for me to realize how selfish I am. Marriage has a good way of purifying you from selfishness and pride. Marriage is sanctifying.

Another friend who has been married for 3 years said to me that the process of dealing with pride doesn’t get any easier with time. Note this sometimes true-to-life chronology of thought within marriage:

• 1st year of marriage: “I am so selfish. Would you forgive me?”
• 2nd year of marriage: “I know I’m selfish, but I have rights you know!”
• 3rd year of marriage: “Sure I am selfish. Who do you think you are?”

I hope that I continue to be a man that is willing to swallow my pride and love my wife. A wise man once said, If you remain obedient to God you will always be on your honeymoon.

Justin & Sarah’s Story

iResolve

This weekend I will being marrying the woman I love. A lady at church said that I am glowing like a bride to be. I wasn’t sure how to take that, but I assume it was a compliment. As I consider marriage I am eager to love my wife. Over the past few months I have made a series of resolves that I desire to uphold in our marriage:

I resolve to love God first and you.
I resolve to pursue His covenant relationship as a model for our covenant relationship.
I resolve to love you only and no other woman.
I resolve to love you with Gods interests in mind.
I resolve to love you not in a way that is for my own gain.
I resolve to seek the example of God in helping me to love you.
I resolve to lead you as Christ leads me.
I resolve to do my best to listen carefully to every word that is spoken from your lips.
I resolve to not hang up on you or walk away in anger.
I resolve to consult with you on all major decisions that affect both of us.
I resolve to submit and respect authorities in my life.
I resolve to not talk negatively about you in front of other people.
I resolve to minister to you as my first priority.
I resolve to deal with conflict between us biblically and immediately.
I resolve to spend quality time with you alone each day.
I resolve to listen carefully, understand, know and study you.
I resolve to speak truthfully and honestly with you.
I resolve to not bring up what we have already sought in forgiveness.
I resolve to serve you with joy for your encouragement in Christ.
I resolve to encourage you to have other Christ-honoring friendships.
I resolve to be open with you concerning my temptations and desires.
I resolve to give myself to you and only you intimately.
I resolve to seek my greatest satisfaction in Jesus Christ.
I resolve to hold us both accountable before God’s Word.
I resolve to confront your sinfulness, but help you overcome it through Gods help.
I resolve to view your body and heart as Gods beautiful creation.
I resolve to protect you physically, emotionally and spiritually.
I resolve to trust you with all my heart.
I resolve to pursue through trials and tribulations with you.
I resolve to be willing to die with you for the sake of Christ name and glory if He so chooses.
I resolve to instill within our relationship convictions not conformity.
I resolve to pray with you often.
I resolve to worship God above all and not to make you an idol of my heart.
I resolve to give God the glory for our blessings and good gifts from God.
I resolve to show and tell you, “I love you.”

Sincerely yours,

Justin Hutts

10 Things God Can’t Do

1. God can’t get tired. Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.—Isaiah 40:28
2. God can’t take on a job he can’t handle. Ah, Lord God! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you.—Jeremiah 32:17
3. God can’t be unholy. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”—Isaiah 6:3
4. God can’t be prejudiced. In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him.—Acts 10:34-35
5. God can’t break a promise. My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips.—Psalm 89:34
6. God can’t remember sins he’s chosen to forget. I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.—Isaiah 43:25
7. God can’t create a loser. Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.—2 Corinthians 2:14
8. God can’t abandon you. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, he is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.—Deuteronomy 31:6
9. God can’t stop thinking about you. How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with you.—Psalm 139:17-18
10. God can’t stop loving you. Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.—Jeremiah 31:3

Exert taken from the book titled 101 Things God Can’t Do, ©1996 by Maise Sparks.

the smoke of a thousand villages

 

“I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages – villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in this world.” (Robert Moffat who inspired David Livingstone).

In 1816, Robert Moffat was sent out to South Africa and his fiance Mary Smith followed him 3 years later. After spending a year in Namaqualand, with the chief Afrikaner, whom he converted, Moffat returned to Cape Town in 1819 to marry Mary Smith. She proved to be a remarkable woman and most helpful wife.

In 1820 Moffat and his wife, left the Cape. They had a daughter, Mary Moffat (who was later to marry David Livingstone).

The saying above has inspired many missionaries to take the gospel to unreached people over the years. Today it has become increasingly easy communications and transportation, but  Coca-cola seems to have done a better job at making itself known worldwide than the gospel. I HAVE SEEN, MANY TIMES, THE HOUSE LIGHTS OF MANY HOMES AND CITIES–WITHOUT A MISSIONARY OR VOICE TO SHOW THEM THE WAY TO CHRIST. 

“We have all eternity to celebrate our victories, but only one short hour before sunset in which to win them.” – Robert Moffat

boundaries

Boundaries are necessary. Boundaries are practical markers that keep you out or keep you in. A boundary says, “I am not going there. I am not going to step over that line.” During a time of war boundaries are put into place to keep an enemy out or clearly mark the line of defense. Where I live the subdivision has created boundaries between the property lines. This is really only helpful when I am mowing the lawn!? In most all sports there are boundaries to be kept within the rules of the game. Boundaries are necessary. 

 

There are boundaries in other area’s of life. Especially when it comes to relationships. A couple needs to set up boundaries to protect themselves from crossing over into territory that God has not allotted for them until marriage. There are certain boundaries that are not to be crossed: sex before marriage, and immoral touching or talking… these are clear from the Bible. There are other boundaries that are not so clear, but should be decided depending on the temptations and desires of the couple for the purpose of protecting their purity and integrity until that sacred day. So many couples do not even consider boundaries. This is a recipe for disaster. Not only is it not how the relationship is meant to be, but it also spoils the joy of waiting. Boundaries are necessary.

 

 

Livingstone, I presume

 

I love Africa. You know you love something when you think about it a lot and want to be there. There is something contagious about the land, the people and the culture. It takes you back to a simpler time when family matters and where wealth is unimportant.

I presume Dr. David Livingstone had this same heart for this beautiful continent.

At the end of 1840, at the age of 27, supported by the London Missionary Society, Livingstone set sail for Africa. On arrival in Cape Town on March 14th 1841, Livingstone made his way by ox-wagon to Dr Moffat’s mission station at Kuruman. While Moffat confined his work to the region around Kuruman, Livingstone felt called to venture north into the unexplored terrain of Central Africa. Isolating himself for several months in a native village many miles from Kuruman, Livingstone sought to speed up his comprehension of the language and customs of the Africans.

He became a doctor and a missionary, and devoted a great amount of his life to exploring Africa and spreading the gospel.  Livingstone was one of the first Europeans to explore the central and southern parts of Africa. He determined that the best way to tell the Africans about Jesus Christ was to move around and see as many people as he could.

He married Dr Moffat’s daughter, Mary in 1845 and she (and later their children) came along with Livingstone on his early explorations. In 1849, he led a group of Europeans across the Kalahari Desert and discovered Lake Ngami. Two years later, he again traveled through the Kalahari with his family. In 1856, he traveled on the Zambezi River, and became the first European to see God’s natural wonder—Victoria Falls. He also became the first European to cross the entire width of southern Africa.

On May 1st 1873, Livingstone was found on his knees by his bedside, having died in prayer. Following with the African beliefs, Livingstone’s heart was buried under a Mvula tree near to the spot where he died; but his body had to be returned to Britain. His body was buried in Westminster Abbey in London on 18th April 1874 which was declared a day of national mourning.  

love

Today is the famed day of love. Valentines Day. I cannot help but think of the One who created and defined “love”. I read somewhere that the words to this song were penciled on the wall of a narrow room in an asylum by a man who supposedly was demented, and they were discovered after his death. He was not demented at all. He had learned one of the most precious truths of all time, that God’s love is infinite. We can no more exhaust it than we can empty the ocean with a bucket. And we are invited to keep drawing from His inexhaustible supply. To do so will enable us to keep extending love to those around us even when our love is not returned. F. M. Lehman, The Love of God, 1917  The love of God is greater farThan tongue or pen can ever tell;It goes beyond the highest star,And reaches to the lowest hell;The guilty pair, bowed down with care,God gave His Son to win;His erring child He reconciled,And pardoned from his sin. Refrain:Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!How measureless and strong!It shall forevermore endure—The saints’ and angels’ song. When hoary time shall pass away,And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,When men who here refuse to pray,On rocks and hills and mountains call,God’s love so sure, shall still endure,All measureless and strong;Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—The saints’ and angels’ song. Could we with ink the ocean fill,And were the skies of parchment made,Were every stalk on earth a quill,And every man a scribe by trade;To write the love of God aboveWould drain the ocean dry;Nor could the scroll contain the whole,Though stretched from sky to sky.

     

 

what’s love got to do with it?

Don’t EVER leave the one you love for the one you like because the one you like will leave you for the one they love. 1 Corinthians 13