On Oct. 31, we held a regional men’s meeting at Crystal Falls, Michigan. Three pastors were present, and men from a variety of churches in that part of the world. The devil gets nervous when men get together and pray, so I think this was a good way to mark what the world calls Halloween.
We had a wonderful time of worship. I spoke on “Be Nice to Your Wife” from this scripture:
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1 Peter 3:7, KJV).
I focused on the need to dwell with our wives according to knowledge, especially knowledge concerning the marriage relationship. To get this knowledge, we must look to the source of knowledge, the Word of God. In studying from the book of Genesis, chapters 1-3, we found the following facts.
-Both the man and the women were created in God’s image.
-Both were blessed by God.
-Both were given dominion.
-Adam had a particular responsibility to guard the garden from intruders, including the snake, which deceived Eve.
-God always refers to the fall as Adam’s transgressions. The responsibility was his.
-Adam was judged not for listening to his wife, but listening to his wife instead of God.
-Extreme domination by man over woman is part of the curse.
-Both Adam and Eve suffered because Adam did not take his responsibility.
We talked about how marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, and that we as men are to lay down our lives and sacrifice for our wives. And as we do this, we will also find a blessing coming back to us.
We prayed and ministered to the men individually and concluded by having all the men pray for the pastors that were present as representative of all the pastors in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. As a general statement, the pastors in this part of the world have been under tremendous pressure and constant problems because of out of order church members causing strife in the churches. I believe this stems from problems in the families and marriage relationships in the homes, which is pouring over into the church. The cure, is for the men to take their rightful place in the homes and to also unite with their pastors in the spirit.
Pray for the men of the UP and the churches.
The meetings were held at River of God Church, with Pastors Bob and Joan Archiquette. We also had a wonderful Sunday service at the church. I spoke on “Don’t be Weary in Well Doing” from Galations 6:9. I preached myself happy. There was a great freedom to minister.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9, KJV).
If there was never a temptation to become weary in doing well, this Scripture would not be in the Bible. But, the truth is, at times we all can become tired, and struggle with the motivation to go forward. The harvest season, however, is only a small part of the farmer’s year. There must be seasons of planting, weeding, watering, and preserving the harvest as well. And to make it through it all, we must have “seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
I preached with particular emphasis on the harvest of souls that God is bringing forth in these last days, but the message applies to many areas of the Christian life. Hang in there. In due season you will reap, IF you faint not.
Tom
