Francis Chan is such a breath of fresh air for the body of Christ. I love this conversation on the picture of maturity. I am filled with anticipation for the Bride of Christ to move beyond the current plateau. It’s time to put the milk away.
Hey, we’re all guilty of falling short, and some of the antics Christians pull are down right silly. I’m guilty, and you’re guilty, so what do we do with it? Forgive. Forgiveness is this absent unspoken thing within the Church. People generally don’t do Matthew 18. People generally don’t go to their brother before leaving the gift at the altar to reconcile differences. Unforgiveness reigns in the heart of man, and yet the claimer of Christ still thinks they’re okay. “I’m okay.” Imagine how much different society would become or marriages for that matter with intentional forgiveness face-to-face. Credible. They’d be totally credible.
Is it just me or does the Church at times seem to be filled with false pretense and people attempting to play nice. Imagine for a second if the Church could get rid of being nice and start getting real? True love would begin to flow. Hearts could sit in an atmosphere where they might warm towards one another. Sure it might be challenging, awkward and on the other side of awkward, healing and love could spring forth. Real unity and fellowship of the brethren. Real honor will manifest.
Devoted. There’s a scary word for the Church. What a picture that word paints. Devotion for and to one another. Wow. Dedicated people drawn together in His love. Powerful.
Francis Chan is always concise, compassionate and to the point. Way to address the elephants in the room.
Lord, release. Release it and let the Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Mature us and make us Biblical. I forgive everyone, for everything, with my whole heart, my whole heart and I bless all those who have caused me harm intentionally or unintentionally. In Y’shua’s name. Thank You. Amen.
“If you knock on a strangers door, tell him you’re a good a person and I’m moving in with you. That person would not let you live with them because you say you’re a good person. Your goodness has nothing to do with the stranger’s decision making. The reason the stranger won’t let you move in with him is because you have no relationship with him. In like, we can’t live our entire life apart from Jesus, die and think that we can knock on Heaven’s door expecting Him to take us in is a huge misconception.”
We need to have a relationship with Jesus now. Heaven starts now. Eternity is now. The question is what choice are we going to make regarding our relationship to Jesus right now, today, this very moment???
Check this message out and let me know what you think in the comments below. Peace be with you.
Have you ever heard these ideas in the Christian community? “A beauty to rescue…” “Fight for the beauty!” “Rescue the girl!” If you’ve been around the evangelical circles over the last 15 years or so now, I’m sure you have.
John Eldridge one of my favorite authors regarding masculinity, femininity, marriage and identity in Christ has been prolific in his writings upon such ideas. I’m super grateful for him, his writings and presence in the body of Christ.
Wild at Heart
Sacred Romance
Captivating
Waking the Dead
Fathered by God
Epic
Above is a short list of books he’s written. Wild at Heart is a personal favorite. Men, get this book and read it, great stuff!
I love the idea behind rescuing the beauty. I think it is right on and so needed, especially today. Men need to step up into their God given roles to lead and guide families. The biggest thing they can do to accomplish this end, starts with them on their knees. Prayer.
Men, we need to be praying for the women in our lives. We need to mature in the things of God and His Word. We need to be worshipers in Spirit and Truth. This is how we fight for their freedom, identity, family relationships, healing of the brokenness they’ve encountered growing up and all the other stuff. Loving the women in our lives as Christ would have us to is how we “fight for them.” The battle is constant. The enemy – Satan is continually looking for whom he shall steal from, kill and devour like a lion.
Whether the women in our lives know it or not, admit it or not, they need you. They need men of God contending for their hearts, minds, emotions, relationships, and for them to simply mature in their relationship to Jesus. Men, it’s time to create a refuge, a safe place for women to develop relationship – without alterior motives of what you can get from them. We need to look at women as sisters in the Lord, not as objects (as the world’s message way too often communicates.)
With that being said, ladies, what it means for a man to “fight for the damsel,” does not mean that he “rescues” her from her family and steals her away with him, leaving her with little or no connection to them. It does not mean that she starts a fight with someone to see if he will literally fight for her because she’s acting foolish (though he will probably still rescue her.) It does not mean that she manipulate the relationship, breaking up with him and seeing if he starts buying flowers, chocolates and begs her to take him back – thus “fighting for her and proving his love.” It does not mean if she likes him and wants to be in a relationship with him that she either treat him really really nicely (beyond normalcy for a short period of time) or if she doesn’t get what she wants that she stops being nice to him, being his friend, etc. Just because she may desire relationship with him (or not) please do not treat him more or less than anything but as a brother in Christ. If she isn’t getting what she wants out of the relationship, communicate it, rather than stop being his friend leaving him clueless.
Too often I see or hear about these kind of behaviors or attitudes, it’s unfortunate. Such behavior is simply immature, manipulative and completely unnecessary. If a woman is behaving this way towards a mature man who knows the Lord, he will see through this fairly easily. His response will be to pray for her. He will pray that she matures. He will pray that she sees the deception behind manipulative, controlling behavior patterns and will not bow to such attitudes. He will continue to love her, let her make choices for herself and maintain healthy boundaries in the relationship that are proper, good and fitting for her and him.
Please don’t mistake his response or what some may perceive as a lack of response as though he’s “not fighting for her, doesn’t really love her, or isn’t truly committed.” He may be waiting for his prayers to be answered. He may simply be waiting for her to mature and grow up a little, while demonstrating love as well as he can with where they both are at currently in this thing called life.
There are two sides to every relationship. Chances are there’s issues coming from both parties in any given story. In the realm of relationships guys have much to grow in and improve upon. Ladies, pray for men. Men need you and your prayers, even though sometimes they don’t admit it. Men may not want to be rescued, but they do need your prayers.
The truth is men and women are on the same team. We are not each other’s enemy. Satan is the enemy and we need to work together – united through the Holy Spirit. Thank you ladies and gentlemen for praying for and forgiving each other with your whole heart. What the world needs now is real love expressing itself through the body of Christ (the Church). They will know us by our agape love…
PRAYER
Father in heaven, help your children understand their roles. Let women be celebrated for their unique qualities. Let men be celebrated for their unique qualities. Let there be peace between the genders. Let Your desire for male and female relationships come forth in the earth. Bring healing to men and women in the body of Christ. Bring an increase of maturity in Christ for both men and women right now. Lord there’s such an attack on relationship, marriage, and family in this hour. I ask that you bring restoration, reconciliation and healing to male, female relationships everywhere. Let men rise up spiritually to rightly follow you Jesus and lead the family well. We need your help Holy Spirit. Father, let women be cared for, protected, healed, and grow in maturity of your Word, character and deed. Let there be light in this arena and expose all darkness. Let Your glory cover the earth. In Y’shua’s name. Thank You. Amen.
Men fight for, rescue and lead the beauty, as Jesus would!
