Coffee With The Lord

I’m really grateful this morning for significant spiritual leaders in my life – those who have made a profound impact on my walk with the Lord. They came to my community, pastored a church that I attended, or somehow crossed my pathway and were a tool God used to bring me to Christ, contribute to my spiritual growth, met a need in my life or helped me through some phase or situation where I needed help. I could give you all their names but the list would be pretty long…

Thought of that this morning when I read what Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in the little church in Colossae…

“Tychicus…is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord! I have sent him to you…that he may encourage your hearts… Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, is always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” (from Colossians 4:7-12)

Did you pick up on some of the key words – the characteristics of these spiritual leaders: “faithful minister, fellow servant, encourager, prayer warrior – brother (or sister)”? They are God’s agents for our encouragement, spiritual growth, strengthening and stability.

I’m grateful for every one of them and their contribution to my life! Aren’t you! I’m pausing right now during “Coffee with the Lord” and offering gratitude for them by name to my Heavenly Father. And I want to find some opportunities to tell them personally what a blessing they’ve been to me.

Don’t know about you, but I have a deep concern for the situation today in the Middle East (as it relates to Israel and her Arab neighbors, especially Hamas). The situation there at the present time is a “powder keg” waiting to explode… if not already an outright war!
Today, I was challenged as I read these words from Psalm 122…
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’ … to give thanks to the name of the Lord… Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you! Peace within your walls and security within your towers! … For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” (from Psalm 122)
Gotta tell you, I grieve that a Muslim holy site, the Dome of the Rock, is situated on the traditional site of the Jewish temple! I look forward to the day when Ezekiel’s prophecy of a restored eschatological temple will be fulfilled! (Ezekiel 39:25 – 48:35) I am praying for “the peace of Jerusalem!” I am praying that Jewish people will turn to Christ as their Messiah! I am praying for Scripture to be fulfilled and the coming of the Lord!
In the meantime, I rejoice that there is a real “temple” in Jerusalem (and elsewhere in the world) of the kind spoken of in Ephesians 2:11-22 and 1 Peter 2:4-10 where the Living God makes His presence known that is inclusive of both believing Jews and Gentiles…
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:19–21 ESV)
“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (from 1 Peter 2:4-10 ESV)

Today, during “Coffee with the Lord,” the Lord spoke to me from the Bible about being a good husband… So this post is for me, and all the husbands (or aspiring husbands) out there… (with perhaps a brief final word for aspiring wives 😉

My Bible reading for today? The story of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 3-4 in your Bible).

So here’s the deal, after my Bible reading today I want to be a Boaz kind of man (and husband). I am convinced this is the kind of man a woman wants (and the kind of husband God wants me to be!). Based upon the book of Ruth, I think Boaz was a smart man and a successful man. But more than that, he was also a good man, a kind man, an honorable man, a respected man, a righteous man, and a generous man… A man of integrity. And perhaps he was good looking man (maybe so – maybe not) – and he had some money too (and that doesn’t hurt).

Gotta tell you, I want to be a Boaz kind of man! The kind of man my wife can respect – the kind that is easy to love!

It’s funny how Bible readings come together sometimes… My other Bible reading for today included these words… “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” (Colossians 3:19)

Oh, and the final word to aspiring wives? … Don’t settle for less than a Boaz kind of man!