“She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.” (Proverbs 31:20)

During the past several years, it has been my habit to read a chapter a day from Proverbs on most mornings. Often when I came to Proverbs 31, I would turn that chapter into a prayer – praying and believing my wife (Julia) would be a Proverbs 31 wife.

As I reflect on this past year, I am so humbled by God’s amazing grace and his tender mercies. For more than five years, I prayed Julia would go to a marriage course with me. Instead, God brought His marriage course right to our home and He called several of our closest friends to join us. That had a rapid and dramatic impact on Soul Purpose Church where we attend.

According to Jack Serra, his M&M (Marketplace and Marriage) course is actually a direct download from an angel (or the Holy Spirit). I believe him. Jack teaches that if a husband doesn’t treat his wife in a certain manner, then his prayers will be hindered. The M&M course teaches six fundamental principles to have a godly marriage, including “Consider others better than yourself.”

If I’m honest, I must admit that until the past year, I considered myself better than Julia for our entire marriage. And I repent of that. Fortunately, God is patient – very patient. Through Jack Serra, God opened my eyes of understanding that Julia’s primary role as my wife is helpmate (revealer of the enemy). When I began listening to her accordingly, our relationship changed.

This past weekend, I literally watched my wife blossom spiritually before me like a beautiful rose. On Friday through Sunday, we went to three different lengthy worship services together in three different churches – one charismatic, one Catholic, and one Baptist. Considering that Julia grew up completely unchurched, that’s amazing.

On Sunday night, Julia actually went to a fourth worship service without me because I was worn out. Jan Aldridge, an evangelist, was speaking. Julia brought three people with her – all who were deeply touched. Near the end of the service, Jan singled out Julia and called her forward. While Jan didn’t know Julia at all, she spoke powerful words of truth over her. She told Julia that she and her husband (me) are very different, but we are a perfect blend – like peanut butter and jelly. Wow!

Every day now, I see Julia reaching out to bless the poor and needy. She is a Proverbs 31 wife. For Julia to blossom into a spiritual giant, I needed to change – to treat her God’s way.

As I was driving to my coaching group meeting on Monday November 20, I began thinking about the people who have been my greatest mentors. The first five people who came to mind were my parents and three of my coaching group partners who have coached me for the past five years. Then the Holy Spirit made me aware that Julia has been my greatest mentor (coach). In areas where I have been weak, she has been strong and helped me grow. When I’ve been a hypocrite, she’s let me know. Julia keeps me humble.

Do you consider others better than yourself?

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, you say that “he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22). Thank You for blessing me with Julia – a Proverbs 31 woman of God. Forgive me for my pride of the past – in how I mistreated Julia. Help me to always love Julia as You do. May our lives, our marriage, and our family be a testimony of Your goodness and Your greatness as we put You first in all aspects of our lives. Thank You Jesus. We bless You and Your holy name. Amen.

Link of the Day
Proverbs 31 Ministries: Touching Women’s Hearts, Building Godly Homes [http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net]

Blessings to consider others better than yourself!

“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:21)

Shortly before going to the cross, Jesus prayed for unity (John 17:21). Unity glorifies God, while disunity pushes people away from God.

My heart’s desire is to see cities and nations transformed by the power of God. For that to happen we must first see marriages transformed. Then and only then will we see the marketplace transformed. This requires a paradigm shift with husbands and wives both having their eyes of understanding opened to their true biblical roles in marriage.

Many Christian men demand submission from their wives, while frequently ignoring the opinions and counsel of their wives. Yet Ephesians 5:21 states that husbands and wives are to submit to one another in the fear of God. As Jack Serra explains so well, the primary role of a wife is not submission, but rather helpmate = revealer of the enemy. Since hearing and applying the messages from the Marketplace and Marriage curriculum [http://themmconnection.com/store.asp], I have seen my wife and my relationship to her blossom.

When husbands and wives fail to fulfill their proper roles, the result is loss of intimacy. On August 28, when I was at the “Workplace Ministry Leaders Roundtable,” Doug Small shared a horrifying statistic – that 40% of pastors are addicted to pornography. As founder of Project Pray, Doug should know because he speaks to pastors and church congregations around the world.

Are you desperate to see God transform your marriage, your workplace, and your city?
Do you need a coach for your marriage?
If so, send me an email so I can help you by directing you to an appropriate resource.

Prayer Power
Most gracious heavenly Father, You teach “the fear of the LORD is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). My heart is broken as I witness the break up of many marriages and families and see so many dysfunctional marriages. As a physician, I see so many health problems resulting from high stress related to this. Kids are suffering. We desperately need Your help. I cry out to You for mercy and grace. Deliver pastors who are addicted to pornography. Multiply our marriage LIFE groups throughout Culpeper and then Virginia. Make Virginia a shining light for the world! Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Project Pray [www.projectpray.org] – a community transformation prayer initiative

Blessings for God to take you to a new level of intimacy in your family!

Your Daily Blessing News
Tomorrow we will look at how pastors and marketplace ministers must work together to reach their city for Jesus.

“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)

When I went to Argentina in October 2005 for the Harvest Evangelism conference, I met some tremendous marketplace and pulpit ministers. However, the person who impacted me the most was Jack Serra. Jack never had an interest in being a marriage or family counselor until an angel shared the message above and the Holy Spirit downloaded the content for his book “Marketplace, Marriage, and Revival.” Jack maintains that we won’t see revival in our communities until we see marriages function the way God has intended from the beginning. I agree.

When Jack spoke to the audience, I noticed how he captured the hearts of men and women alike from various cultures and all walks of life. Jack has told me in the past that married couples who take his nine week marriage course titled “The MM Connection” start to see significant results in their marriages as well as the marketplace within just a few weeks.

My wife and I can both testify this is true based on our first hand experience. About two months ago, we began a new marriage LIFE group in our home using the Jack’s curriculum titled “The MM Connection.” God has already impacted our marriage and our ministry in the marketplace. And we’re seeing Him impact the other participants as well.

This week’s focus will be on “The M&M Connection.” The primary goal of the Marketplace & Marriage Connection is to connect and deepen three critical relationships in your life as you go about your daily business in the marketplace: your relationship with God, your job, and your wife, if you are married.

How is your marriage?

Prayer Power
LORD, thank You for Jack Serra and His anointing to bless marriages around the world. Thank You for my marriage LIFE group. Bless each participant, their marriage, and their ministry in the marketplace. Bless our team with husbands and wives functioning in their proper roles so our prayers are not hindered. Bless the unity in our marriages and make that contagious. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
The Marketplace and Marriage Connection [www.themmconnection.com]

Blessing to have a godly marriage!

Your Daily Blessing News
Come meet Jack Serra in person at the Transformation North Carolina conference in Durham on September 8-9. Ask him to personally pronounce (impart) a blessing on your marriage.

Others sites of interest: Transformation North Carolina [http://transformationnc.org]