One Of Those Nights

Last night was one of "those" nights. I think we've all had them from time to time. The exact cause I really don't know, although I have a good speculation. After reading my book for about 45 minutes I threw the big pillow, propping my head, off to the side next to my book, laid my head down on my soft pillow and fell peacefully asleep for the night. I awoke about 4 am from a horrible nightmare. The Bible says, "in everything give thanks" so I did. I was thankful this was only a dream. After my amazement with how vivid this dream was, and how I could remember the awful details, I then turned to my side, closed my eyes, and fell asleep once again. It wasn't long before I found myself actively participating in another, although completely different, nightmare. Donna said I was thrashing all over the bed. She even attempted to wake me up...to no avail. After waking up a second time, I was amazed. Two in a row...vivid, graphic, awful. What's going on here? I wondered if this was an attack from the devil. Once again I was thankful to God that this was only a dream. What was my course of action at this point?
Sunday evening I just finished a four week, six hour class on spiritual warfare with a group of 36 men. Assuming these nightmares were empowered by the demonic realm, I simply did what I had been teaching the men to do. "But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). I humbled myself before our God, who controls all things. I worshiped and gave thanks to Him for who He is. I then resisted the devil. I told him to leave my presence, and my house. Tonight I will close my day in prayer. I will worship the Lord, thank Him, pray for others, and lastly I will ask God to keep the demons out of my house tonight, for a restful night of sleep. I'll let you know how it went.

Marriage...Christ and His Bride

Why did Jesus die? There are many answers to this question. Let me highlight one.

1. TO GIVE MARRIAGE IT’S DEEPEST MEANING
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and
gave Himself up for her,

The church is also referred to as the bride of Christ (Rev. 19 & 21).

God’s design for marriage (in the Bible) pictures the husband loving his wife the way Christ loves His people…His bride.

God’s design for marriage pictures the wife responding to her husband the way Christ’s people should respond to Him.

Jesus came to call His bride, and to die for her, to display the way marriage was meant to be.
Jesus loved His bride to the point of death, and told her, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God’s idea for marriage begins for the first two people… Adam and Eve.

Paul quotes Genesis 2:24

Ephesians 5:31-33
31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

Then in the very next passage Paul interpreted what he quoted.

32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

This means that in God’s mind & eternal plan, marriage was designed to display Christ’s relationship to His people. It’s called a mystery because this purpose of marriage was not clearly revealed until the coming of Christ.

And look at the very next verse:

33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Love and respect between a husband and wife is a picture of Christ’s love for His Bride…the world is watching.

Since this mystery was in God’s mind from the beginning, it was also in Christ’s mind when he faced death.


Husbands: Among the many reasons for Christ’s suffering, is this…He was telling you husbands how to love your wife.

Eph 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Will you suffer for the well being of your wife? Give up your rights? Will you suffer disappointments or abuses... even from her?

TEXAS

Donna and I just returned from visiting our Missionaries, Kevin and Jen Ivie, in Leander, TX. We spent five days with them and their family. We flew 1500 miles, and I think we drove at least another 1500 miles. One of my purposes was to see what they are doing in their mission work as Awana missionaries. I was also able to speak to the parents and children of 8 churches who attended the Awana Quiz. Kevin and Jen are very busy people. Kevin took me with him to meet with a pastor who may become one of his Awana churches.







We also were able to see the sights and sounds of Austin and San Antonio. Here's my lunch after church. I had no idea how big it would be.










I also learned a few things about the Alamo and the significance of that battle that I had never known. Did we like Texas? Yes.