Partner Over Prize

To my son or other sons;
allow me to hold your ear.
This will be a 'man to man'
It's my plan to make this clear.
A real problem with depth perception
is common to your eyes.
When you look into a woman
you want a partner, not a prize.

This is about investment strategy,
Not a laborious lecture.
It’s obviously apparent that we overly admire
certain things, like architecture.
Looks are tempting, yet oh so empty.
This advice you need to take.
Because Yoga pants and the twerking dance
does not a good woman make.

Lack of vision press your emotions
to quickly deceive your heart.
And once reality becomes way more real,
it can quickly fall apart.
A true partner is always beautiful
there's no deceit and no disguise
Truth be told, there are some women
looking to be just a prize.

You want a girl who can roll up her sleeves
and help with sweaty work.
And she can 'girl up' for a night on the town,
that's an enjoyable perk.
The first order of business should be about substance:
Character and intellect.
Understanding the Divine order of the home;
an encouraging display of respect.

You want girl who can aid in your growth
a perspective that pursues the long view
And if she does absolutely none of these things,
is she really made for you?
So many end up in tippy toe mode
or the frustration of eventual demise
'Relationship' implies health and growth for both
to what benefit is winning that prize?

This is not only about finding the right one
there's a man that you need to be.
Look deep inside, let go of your pride
and give effort to inquiry.
Direction and strength incite admiration
and are not to be despised.
With them you'll come to know the difference
between appreciation or idolizing a prize.

Life is much more than look what I got,
or see what I'm about to get.
Happiness disappears, but joy perseveres
without depth perception regret.
Plant your feet firmly and prepare your heart
to not be compelled by your eyes
Just remember, When you look into a woman
you want a partner first, not a prize.


Here's The Word:

Proverbs 31:10 An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

In Him,
Cros

Power, Glory, Forever.

If I've never mentioned it before, which I doubt, as I'm fully aware that I have a tendency to repeat myself...often. Anyways, I'm a big fan of the movie/musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. As creatively adventurous as some portions are, I still find myself reeled in with enough Biblical truth to foster my fondness of it.

Case in point; there's a point in the movie where Simon the Zealot is trying to rally the people and coerce Jesus to establish 'The Kingdom' post haste and alleviate the Jews from the oppressive Roman occupation. He tells(well, sings) to Christ, trying to hype Him up on the idea that He will receive power and glory.

Christ's response bewilders Simon and I think that where he was is still exactly where most of us are today - Jesus replies with "None of you understand what power is, understand what glory is....understand at all".

In my many years of living, the one thing that I'm most certain of is that ALL that I know is but a small drop in a large ocean of all there is to know. And that limited knowledge pertains exclusively to the earthly realm. The heavenly realm remains wholly unfathomable and is only given in brief, yet bright glimpses through God's revelation in Scripture. I imagine that it will absolutely require a new body and mind to even stand in the presence of the full expression of these concepts: True power, true glory and real eternity - let alone try and make sense of them.

This is where the marked difference between the head and the heart shows itself most prominently. I believe our mental capacity can learn and become very adept at making sense of what we see and experience but the heart is where faith sits. Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. This is where the intangible becomes as real as everything we already take for granted: A high view of God, an unexplainable trust in His Word and an unyielding desire to humbly follow hard after Him. These things can't be negotiated as sensibly in the head and are resolved to be issues that do a transformative work on the heart. The actions of love can be deduced logically in the head, but the reality of true love is a heart matter.

Looking again at Power, Glory and Forever; these concepts culminate the Disciples prayer. Remember from last week - it's God's kingdom and He alone is the Source of all power which by extension means He's the Object and Recipient of all glory - as it's always been, so shall it always be.

Here's The Word;
Job 36:22 - Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

Psalm 150:1 - Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Romans 5:2 - By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Philippians 2:11 - And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 11:36 - For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

I pray that this journey through the disciple's prayer has given you an increased depth to the words we commonly recite - that you would love God and draw closer to Him.

In Him,
Cros

For Thine is The Kingdom

Think about the natural order. It's what we see established in Genesis 1 and following. Take note that the natural order was set up supernaturally. The natural order existed as a thought in the mind of God before He spoke it into being. Even with the apparent dynamic, yet seemingly random nature of all that we see, it continues to operate within the parameters of God's initial idea. At the end of it all, Christ will be presented with His Bride, God's habitation will again be with men and the eternal state will be just as He planned it. Why? Because it's His.

The total sum of human existence is not predicated on some cosmic arm-wrestling match between good and evil. There's no real reason to say 'Love wins', it's victory was never in question. Satan is called the ruler of this world and most times that statement is made in regards to how formidable he is; how much power and influence he's been given. In the scope of things, Satan is indeed way more powerful than any of us as individuals. However, God rules as sovereign. No one can appoint Him. No one can give Him power or influence. You have the choice to submit to His intrinsic authority or not

Here’s The Word:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Psalm 22:28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Psalm 47:2 For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

Psalm 57:2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

Psalm 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.

Psalm 100:3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Proverbs 16:4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

As we begin to wrap up the Disciples’ Prayer, we reflect on the petition we’ve just made to God; that He provide for us and forgive us, that He lead us and deliver us from evil. How is it that we can ask and expect God to perform these things? Simply due to the fact that no one else can. This is ALL God’s show. No one else can truthfully claim to be able to perform anything whatsoever. We hear of the self-made man: There’s no such thing. We need to be very careful from where or from whom we seek help. We especially need to mindful of our propensity to seek feelings of pride in ourselves when “we” accomplish things. Although you are responsible for your choices, It’s GOD Who has set up the law of choices and consequences. He enacts or allows the things that happens and withholds things that don’t….for THINE is the kingdom.



In Him,
Cros