Part 4 Rachel Indeed

Now here is the wonderful lesson in all this. A few days ago I was with my wife and children at her mother’s house having dinner. My daughter was asking to see my wife’s wedding dress and pictures. I was playing pool with my son and my daughter came in with a picture from my wife’s college days a year or two before we meet. It was a picture that she thought was totally stupid and that I would make fun of. I saw the Picture and it happened…It was her…the girl I had looked for so many years. The picture captured my heart and in a moment Christ replaced my logic with the reality that indeed there was truly one woman for me. And I was with her!

When we got home that night sitting in the garage was a box headed for the thrift store. In it was the outfit she had worn in the picture. It was forgotten and seemed to have no value, but the Lord new that in that box was exactly what I had longed for when my dreams and hopes believed that he could do anything. And the reality is that He did…and now I know that I’m blessed enough to be with my Rachel and the years in between were worth the wait.

Rachels Hidden Idols

Part 3 Rachel’s Hidden Idols

I remember when she told me… the dagger into my heart. It’s not that I didn’t think it could happen…I just did not think it would happen to me. That was other people…not a minister doing His will. No way.

Yet I came to realize Satan could care less Who, When Why or Where. Another man, a soul mate! The hardest thing to hear…It ripped my person into so many parts that I thought I would die. As we talked the pain grew deeper, the sin broader and the tragedy greater. No communication, no explanation just the result. Yet before I move own…You need to know that the Lord stopped this before it went to far…no details needed!

As the relationship foundation was severely cracked I knew that only Christ would be able to repair the damage. What I did not know was how long the misconception and lies has been in place. We started to move through the baggage that we both had hidden in the closets of our past….repenting and moving to the next. One after another until every sin was confessed (even the ones we thought) until we had laid our souls and secrets completely before the Lord and each other. It was here that we realized that we had for the first time though we had been married for fourteen years started our marriage and life together.

The Leah Years

Part 2 The Leah Years

As we all know…The original kiss was ill fated for though his heart was ready the occasion was not and Jacob would have to wait for his destiny and love to unfold.

We had a fair tale wedding which ushered us into a new ministry. Everything seemed great and we appeared to be the example for all to follow. The kids came and blessing seemed to be rolling in. Yet in hidden regions of our hearts the Demonic seeds where begging to sprout…slow and unnoticed the uncertainty began to creep in. The old question was starting to surface is this really love…is this really the one God had for me. I would wrestle with the thoughts and defend my position with the logic that I had been taught in school. But as I would soon discover, the reality is this that all the logic in the world cannot convince a heart that there is not something missing.

Then the devils plan grew into a full grown weed wrapped around my very soul. But it was not my soul that he had won, No…it was not me at all…I had struggled I admit but he had something far more dastardly in mind for my marriage.


In short while I was working so diligently on the peoples church (I refuse to call it the lords church anymore) Satan was working on my home and my wife.

Rachel

Part 1 Gen 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him [but] a few days, for the love he had to her.

Have you ever wondered what it must be like to just see your destiny and fall in love? In a glance, watch your heart and soul escape the boundaries you set in place and fall in love without a word spoken or a even a touch…You just knew!

I used to think that was possible 15-20 years ago. When my heart was still tender and my opinion and thoughts were considered naïve. Long before the systematic rules of theology and professors great wisdom drown out my adolescent hope that all things where possible with God.

It’s 20 years later now and I have a story to share with anyone that will hear me.

Years ago I gave up on the notion that there was one person for me. I was instructed that marriage was about the right choice based on the Scriptures and that any one that fulfilled these items would be a fine option. This of course would open up opportunities (and with the right selection) further a young ministers career.

So I did just that…wanting to be Biblical and obedient I set out to find a good wife…a gift from the Lord. I met several good options…of course having my heart broke a few times along the way. Then as it would happen I met someone that met all the requirements and seemingly love was born, but under the surface a storm was brewing. Satan had begun his wicked plan to destroy.

What is Repentance?

So what is repentance? The following six items come from Thomas Watson (a famous Puritan) who wrote about repentance. Please read this with an open Bible, so you can read each Scripture:

Seeing your sin – 1 John 1:8,10.
Sorrowing over your sin – We must do more than admit it. We must internally engage with it. Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; 2 Corinthians 7:9.
Confessing your sin – We must put our sin into words and agree with God that what we did was wrong. Psalm 51:4; Hosea 14:1-3; 2 Corinthians 7:11; 1 John 1:9.
Being ashamed of your sin – Watson: “blushing is the color of virtue.” Jeremiah 6:15; 31:19.
Hating your sin – Job 42:5-6.
Turning from your sin – Watson: “Reformation is left last to bring up the rear of repentance. It is not the heart of repentance, but the fruit of repentance.” Matthew 3:7-8; Acts 26:20.
At the very least, this means removing yourself as much as possible from places of temptation (Proverbs 4:14-17).
If your sin was against other people, then you must go to them and ask their forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24).
If the sin involves stealing, then restitution must be made (Luke 19:8).


Repentance is necessary for God to forgive us (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22). Forgiveness will not happen until these take place. If we do not repent we will perish (Luke 13:1-5).

Crutch

"Atheism is a crutch for those who cannot bear the reality of God."

-Tom Stoppard

"How much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize"?

Avowed atheist Penn Gillette (from Penn and Teller) shares a few thoughts on witnessing. "How much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

True or False:

"Signs will follow those who believe: In [the name of Jesus], they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

True or False:

The sinners prayer is repentance.

Challenge:

What in your faith and religions beliefs are you absolutely dogmatic about?

Prove it in scripture.