Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to minister with Bob and Audrey Meisner, hosts of New Day Television Ministries, broadcast from Winnipeg, Canada. We shared the platform in a conference entitled “The Art of Staying in Love.” I don’t think I have ever participated in a conference with this theme that was more hard-hitting, informative, and transformative. Their openness, candor, humor, and transparency were unlike anything I had ever experienced in this type of meeting! It was a real preview of what we will share at World Changers Weekend!
And at World Changers Weekend we will be adding Jimmie and Sheri Bratcher. Most of you know Jimmie as a powerful musician who delivers the Gospel through music; however, not only is he a powerful minister of the Gospel, he and Sheri have a special ministry to couples. We are going to be dealing with issues that others seldom talk about, and when they do “religious correctness” doesn’t allow them to address the real issues. Plus, Brenda and I are going to share a session with one of our friends, Kae Stewart, where we will talk about the issue of hormone replacement for men and women, which means we will talk about menopause, lack of sex drive, swinging emotions, and how to solve those problems. Because Brenda and I were always open about our struggles though my health issues and her menopausal struggles, we have had hundreds of women contact us privately for help.
As I ministered in this recent seminar I was stirred to remind you of what I believe to be one of the most significant critical factors for an incredible life. Remember, in any situation, get the critical factors right and everything else falls into place. So here we go: God is love. The heart of the Gospel is love. Love is a product of the spiritual health of our heart. Loving one another is the evidence that we are experiencing God. There is no greater way to gauge and evaluate the condition of our heart than by our ability to give and receive love. Love is manifest through our willingness and capacity to develop ourselves for meaningful relationships. All of life’s boundaries are a product of the beliefs of our heart; therefore, the more I give myself to the love of God and the love of people, the more I harmonize myself with the nature of God. The more I harmonize with the nature of God, the more I can function in my God-like nature, which means the more I move past the boundaries to a wonderful life!
A few years ago the theme of our World Changers Weekend was Managing Your Treasure. People were a little baffled when the first half of the weekend was about relationships, but as each session unfolded it became abundantly clear that the way we manage our relationships is crucial in how our success evolves. The Apostle Peter said Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7) While I do not agree with some of the mystical interpretations of this verse, I do believe in its wisdom and inspiration. I can think of at least a dozen ways my prayer of faith can be potentially hindered in my own heart by the way I treat the people around me, especially my wife! Staying in love brings such an infusion of God into my prayer life and my faith because of its effect on my heart!
When I write a letter like this the compassion in my heart arises for those who have been through hurts and disappointments in relationships or for those who have not had the tools or even the ministry to help them stay in a vibrant, loving relationship. So many times I minister to people who look at their relationships and feel they have no hope and that’s when I try to bring them back to the place of understanding it’s not what happens between my spouse and me that affects me; it’s what is happening in me! You have no control over what that other person will do, you can’t fix them and you can’t do enough to heal the wounds that cause them to act the way they do.
However, there are two things you can do. You can facilitate an environment of peace that gives them the opportunity to connect with God for themselves. Chaos and conflict are the best excuses in the world not to deal with problems. That’s why people who have a broken heart keep the chaos and conflict alive. It keeps them from facing their root issues and it justifies their unacceptable behavior. The person of love does not fall prey to the vain idea that says, “If I can prove my point they will see the problem and get help.” What a joke that is. That is like the prey walking into the open trap. The person of love values peace and refuses to be drawn into the conflict.
The second thing a person of love realizes is that I cannot demand anything and it come out the way I really want it to. But that which I inspire in my mate by my behavior will bring more beneficial results to my marriage than all the arguments I will ever win! Inspiration is the motivational tool of the Holy Spirit. God inspires us by His unconditional love, His unending mercy, and His loving kindness. That which is obtained by force or demanded is not an act of love or trust and Romans 15:4 tells us whatever is not from faith (trust) is sin. I only want from others what is given out of love, mercy, or kindness; I never want what comes from force or pressure.
When there is peace in the home there is an opportunity for everyone involved to hear the voice of God, to experience inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and to envision themselves being who they really are in Christ! When there is love in a home, faith abounds. We learn to function as heirs together in the grace of life (Zoë). Our hearts abound with prayer and worship to our God and Father. Together we create the perfect balance for a well-rounded life.
Stay in the realm of love! When love is the motivation of your heart you will find yourself in the middle of God’s incredibly perfect will in every situation. Your heart will not condemn you when you stand in prayer. And when trouble surrounds you, you will stand in the eye of storm undisturbed by the storms of life!
Blessings,
PS If you are single, widowed, or divorced please do not discount the many ways you can apply these principles to every friendship. The truth is the same, only the relationships are different!
PPS In order to expedite orders, keep costs under control, and better serve you we will no longer be mailing the Impact Magazine. Please be sure we have email addresses of anyone in your family who wants to receive the magazine so we can make it available electronically. We want to continue to serve you, so if you have a unique situation where you do not have email or you have other extenuating circumstances and are unable to receive correspondence from us electronically, please let us know by contacting Margie at 1.800.284.9402 ext. 239. However, please know in advance that the printed magazine will no longer be the same format and layout. Please understand, there are so few people who request the magazine by USPS that it is too costly to print and mail as we have in the past. As stewards of the Kingdom of God we desire to handle money in the most responsible way while still providing quality ministry to our friends
