How Are We Men "For" Marriage?

Satan's primary goal for your marriage: failure. 
Don't give him a platform to work with. 
Walk in the power and grace of God through Christ Jesus, who is greater.
-Trevor L. Weber

Men,
what are we doing in our marriages to improve them?
For the single guys, what are you doing to prepare for marriage?
And for the Mentors & Father's in our groups...
what are we doing to help guide the next generation for becoming good husbands?

First: Don't leave the responsibility to the women.
Second: Just because it requires greater effort, don't avoid it.
Third: Don't try to do it on your own.


We all know that when it comes to sports, our jobs, or even studying for class...
we have to put in more time and energy in the form of regular practice and study,
if we want to win, get promotion, or succeed in earning good grades.

But why do we avoid the same requirements of time and energy for our marriage?

I believe it is because we hear this subtle lie from Satan,
that marriage should work 'on its own'.


As men, we are great at asking help for auto-maintenance, or investing.
We may even ask another guy for directions to exercise and lose weight.
But how often do we put forth the effort to find help in making our marriages better?

As the opening quote for this post urges, "Don't give Satan a chance."

How do we men restrict Satan from showing his ugly head in our marriages?

Do the work to improve them!
And seek help from others.

1) Look for classes to take through your church, either as a couple, or individually.
2) Ask the men you know who are making their marriages work
to give you input on what they do now that helps them,
or even, what they would do different in the past if they knew better.
3) Seek books from trusted authors, then read them with your wife,
or even ask your Men's group to do so together. Then discuss what you learn.

Don't give Satan the chance to plant weed forming seeds that choke oxygen from your marriage.

And don't leave your "fallow-ground" untended just because you aren't married yet.
Plant the seeds now to grow healthy crops in the future you hope for in a marriage that honors God!

The Recent Shooting

This week, at our nearby Clackamas Town Center,
a young man shot and killed three people, including himself.
Another was severely injured and flown to a near-by hospital.
This event has touched many of us in the community.
We are saddened at this loss of life.
Perhaps even horrified that it occurred so close to our homes and work.

What do we make of this incident?
Where was God?
And, what do we do now??

In a complicated mixture of competing emotions and confusing thoughts,
I am reminded that God knows more about this event than we may ever find out.
This comforts me, even when I don't like the way things feel right now.

"And we know that in all things God works together with those who love him
to bring about what is good." Romans 8:28 (paraphrased)

You may be understandably outraged by this tragic event.
But what if... God WAS there in those moments?
What if it was His hand that jammed the gun?
What if it was His Holy Spirit that urged people to help one another?
And what if the thing that is needed most right now
is for the love of Christ to show up in each one of us...
to appear as a comforting neighbor,
to manifest as a friend with a helping hand,
a person who provides mercy and understanding by grace.

We can question God in every situation;
David, and other prophets in the Bible did so.
And our God invites that same closeness from us now...
to draw near enough to Him to ask for the answers we seek.

My own thoughts are drawn to the young man who took these lives.
I wonder what kind of life he lived before this incident.
If there was anyone who could come along side him, 
to walk with him, to guide him, to care for him, 
and to show him how God has given us so many more choices
than the one that led to his actions.
I assume he was in great inner turmoil and pain,
even as he performed these terrible acts.

I pray for the families of the victims, including his own loved ones,
the people who were inside and witnessed the events unfold,
the first responders and their emotional well-being,
and the workers who will lose income while the stores are shutdown.

And lastly, I ask God for the courage and wisdom,
to stand strong alongside other young men,
to help guide them in their walk with God.
To seek Him in the confusing times,
to thank God in the blessings,
and to praise Him, even in trials.
For our God is a loving God,
and His love endures all things,
even while it breaks in our distress.