Fusion Notes: Don't Get Married Until...You're Willing To Be A Woman (April 19, 2011)

Fusion: Don’t Get Married Until… (Genesis 2-3)

How Do You Know If You Are A Woman Who Really Loves Jesus?

-          Integrity

-          Listens to God

-          Humbleness

-          Real with who she is and doesn’t pretend to be somebody else.

-          How does she worship?

-          The way you dress

-          Is she loud? Does she HAVE to be the center of attention?

-          DON’T cry when you don’t get your way.

-          Don’t want to pick fights

A Bible that’s worn out is a life that is not.

If you don’t have to go to church to love Jesus [to worship God], why did He die for the Church!?

Serve out of the OVERFLOW of your heart!!

Women are created from the rib of man to be a…co-worker, compliment, partners…

                WORSHIPPING GOD TOGETHER!!

God created woman FROM man and BROUGHT her to man!

The first relationship woman [Eve] had was NOT with man [Adam], but with God.

-          The first thing Eve saw was the living God!

-          She didn’t know Adam.  She was built and turned to hear GOD’S voice! Praise God!

o   For you to avoid it is to take God out of the process.

-          She had affection ONLY for God, first…THEN God brought her to Adam. (IN HIS TIME!)

Ecc. 3:11

You serve the God of time!! Praise God! Wait, be patient. He knows the desires of your heart, but you do not know His plan.  He will accomplish His will for you in His time.  He will never lead you to harm.  What a loving, precious Father!

It’s about Him [God]; it’s not about you.

Man and woman MUST meet God FIRST.  You must have your relationship with God set straight before God will bring the right man into your life.  Apply this to other areas of your life! You have to build yourself up in your walk with God for ANY of you relationships to grow! Love God, love people. Once you makes yourself right with God and fall into His loving arms and grace, nothing will be the same again and everything just comes together by His power and mercy and goodness. Hallelujah! <3 Do you want more responsibility? Leadership role? Etc? MAKE YOURSELF RIGHT WITH GOD! Allow Him to take His time with you, build you to the woman/man He meant for you to be.  When you take on a leader-role in ANY relationship – Church, dating, marriage, friendship, organizations, etc. – that Is God’s appointed position for you and you are head over every.single.person.below you. This is so critical.  When you take on any leadership position, you become responsible for their walk with Christ in respect to how YOU are changing/affecting/leading their walk with Christ.  Allow God to build you up so that you allow GOD’S love and GOD’S words and GOD’S wisdom to overflow from your heart and your mind and your soul into the hearts of each person you are leading.

God wants that intimate and abiding relationship ALL the time!

                He says, “BE WITH ME!” God is calling us to be followers of His word, to make disciples!  Spend time with God, daily.  Run to him in your struggles.  We are so desperate for Jesus and most of us don’t even realize it.  Lord, I long to be like you in all my ways.  Give me a heart to worship you, Father, in every area of my life.  Women…men, too….DON’T give every bit of yourselves to your friends, family, and ESPECIALLY not your significant other! Give EVERY BIT of yourselves to God! TO GOD! He is so loving and deserving of every aspect of our lives and who we are.  He died on the cross for OUR sins to take up the wrath that WE deserved.  We owe it all to Him. Let us love Him with our lives.

The voice of heaven cries, “Jesus,” but this world screams, “Please us!”

-          Proverbs 31:10 – THIS is the example of a Godly woman!! Set your standards HIGH, women and men of God! You ARE worth it!

-          Which cry are you going to listen to??

You can tell if a woman is humble by  how she talks about other women.

Does the way you dress honor God or honor our [sick] culture?

Proverbs 9:13

If you love Jesus, it will show in your character over time.

REFUSE TO COMPROMISE!

                Not your faith, not your walk with God, not your life goals, not your morals.  Do not compromise in any area because God will provide someone who matches you! Who will care for you and match your wants and needs.  Someone who will LONG  to glorify God in your relationship, just as you do! Praise God. =)  JUST MAKE GOD FIRST!

If you follow God, He will NEVER lead you into compromise.  Satan will lead you to compromise every time…

-          Did God really say you can’t “hang out” with that guy?

-          GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO COMPROMISE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!

-          Compromise on any level is just a denial of God’s power, refusal to let Him work in His own time, and active proof of your trust [or lack of trust] in God to provide.

-          Satan will lead you to compromise.  He knows you – your vulnerabilities, past, etc.  He knows just how to manipulate you…Satan knows just what to say to get you in that back seat, that dark room, that position of complete vulnerability to sin…REFUSE HIM! REFUSE HIM AND TURN, NO RUN, TO GOD!!!! Keep your eyes LOCKED in that gaze with our Heavenly Father – the ONLY safe place. The ONLY trustworthy place.

Women and men,

You are worthy of a man/woman of God because you are WORTH so much to our Heavenly Father – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – who loves you with an unimaginable passion that is never ending and never forsaking…Who sent His ONLY Son for YOU and ME; for OUR sins!

                We are NOT defined by our pasts; by our sin. We are NOT saved sinners, but we are NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST JESUS! Praise God!!!!

Some of you don’t know how much God loves you…

Ladies…men, too…you are not a worthless trampled rose. You are a unique and impeccable creation, whom God took such careful time to mold and perfect to His image…You are not unwanted. Jesus wants you.  And once you let Him take hold of you and change and complete your life…you will never be the same.  You are beautiful. You are a Princess to the Almighty King.  God has a special place for you on His heart and dedicates every moment to loving you unconditionally.  Let His love flow over you.  Let it change you, save you, raise you from your grave of sin and come alive in Christ Jesus who bled for you and me.  Because you are worth it.  <3

Matthew 23:4

Matthew 23:4

The Pharisees put themselves in a position which they appointed for themselves, rather than having God appoint them to a place.  They made themselves “teachers of the law” – They talked the talk, but refused to walk the walk. 

“They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”

This sounds awful.  I’m sure you thought of someone right off the bat. But stop and really think for a second. Have you ever done this to someone?  Have you ever laid a huge responsibility or multiple “rules” that you refuse to let go? Let’s get specific…

Have you ever held someone in your church, or even at various other public places, at a standard that they were obviously not matching up to and then judged them without even confronting them to help them?  Dressing provocatively (now that’s a big one for most of us), poor attitude, whether or not they are saved, their walk with the Lord, if they dress/look “differently,” someone who is ALWAYS late to church – maybe blocking your view for a few seconds as they find a seat…What about someone new at your church? What’s their story? Are they saved or are they a “danger” to be around?

STOP.

Whatever happened to going up to people and showing God’s UNCONDITIONAL love for each and every person in the room?  There is only one God and He sent ONE and ONLY Son to die for us.  Jesus Christ did not die on a cross JUST for church-goers, “Christians,” followers, whatever you wish to term a believer.  He died for each and everyone one of us – SINNERS.  The same Jesus Christ that died for you and me died for the head of a gang, prostitutes, sex traffickers, criminals, atheists, blasphemers, Satanists, adulterers, people who dress provocatively, your neighbor who abuses their spouse or children, the girl in your school who is giving away her body for drugs, the guy in your school who is looking so hard for approval that he puts everyone down in the process, the mother selling drugs to support her children, your neighbor who gets on your nerves, etc… He even died for the men who tortured Him and hung Him on a tree.  He died for the people who mocked Him as He dragged His cross for their sins.

What an amazing, love, forgiving God. What a beautiful, heavenly Father. How great is Your love!?

Something to think about with criminals, just plain mean people, women who dress provocatively, etc….People who seem to have corrupted minds/hearts… Have you ever really considered what happened to a person to make them that way? What had to happen in their past?  Put yourself in THEIR shoes and imagine living with those thoughts, that mind set, that life style.  The people who are rudest to you, do the worst things imaginable, mean, unloving, unforgiving, do things far from what is right, put you down, etc. – Those are the people who need love and encouragement the most.  Why not create a home for the broken? We are a living ministry of God. Invite others in – Create a home for the broken. <3

I’m not saying you have to go up to everyone and be their best friend, but what if…instead of judging that person or talking behind their back, you went up to them and encouraged them?  Even just an acknowledgement of their presence.  Some people honestly just need to know people care and love them and that would change everything for them.  God uses us for His glory, to show His love. We are living, walking examples of His love and goodness. You don’t need to have money to give generously.  We can all give generously with our love, talents, personalities, actions, words, advice, hugs, kind notes, etc.  There are SO many ways!! How many times have you been encouraged by someone just smiling at you?

A main role in the body of Christ is to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ. In Hebrews 3:13, it says, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

It is so vitally important to consistently build others up for the glory of God.  There are so many hurting people in this world that are longing for something more and the church has gotten so corrupt that it is difficult for “outsiders” to find a home and place of healing and forgiveness in the church. Jesus walked, talked, sat and ate with sinners.  He loves them unconditionally.  It fills my heart with so much awe and joy at His mercy! How can we, as Christians, live like Him, walk in His ways, love like Him, give like Him? To not focus on our loved ones who are so easy to love, but for our enemies, for criminals whose crimes might make us cringe, for people who have hurt us, for corrupted churches/church members?

I realize that this isn’t for everyone, but it is truly something to think about…How many people could be encouraged if each of us just put ONE sticky note somewhere for people to say with an encouraging note on it?

I suppose I’ve gotten a bit off topic…Not really, but just a bit excited.  =)  Again, I’d like to share the verse:

“They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.” – Matthew 23:4

We are not the creator of rules nor are we the teachers – But God is the Almighty Creator and Teacher.  So, if you are to share the Gospel with someone and point out God’s commandments and His words, help them, guide them in their path.  It is our responsibility as the body of Christ to encourage one another and help each other in our walks.  Not one of us is perfect.  Words are cheap, actions matter.  As 3D says, “Actions speak louder than words.” I may contradict what I’ve spoken today and I only hope that anyone reading this would know my heart and correct/remind me. 

I’ve come up with some ideas of how to encourage others, whether it be friends/family or strangers…

1.       Send LOVING letters to prisons – show them someone loves them and truly cares.

2.       Write an anonymous card to someone and leave it on their porch, car, seat they always sit in, etc.

3.       Carry post its around with you and write something encouraging on them – bible verse, advice, something God puts on your heart, even just a smiley face! =)

4.       Smile at EVERYONE!! Maybe even give a wave and/or say hi. =) After all…This is Oklahoma – No one will think you’re weird if you wave at a stranger.

5.       Ask people how they are – and actually wait and CARE for their response.

6.       Leave kind notes/messages for them – email, facebook, letters, cards, etc.

7.       Volunteer – There are SO many opportunities in our community to share our love with people of all ages, backgrounds, walks of life, etc. Give generously with your love, talents, and kindness. It means so much to people when they know you are there out of love, not for personal gain.

8.       Find needs and meet them.  You don’t even need money, some of the time!  If someone mentions a need they have, offer your own means of helping them – whether that be giving money, love, encouragement, your own clothes or supplies, offering your home as a place to meet, offering your car for transportation, offering a listening ear for someone who needs to talk, etc.

I’m sure I could think up so many more…but…I’m thankful that you’ve read this much. I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing and blessed day!  <3