“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
~~~Exodus 14:14 (ESV)~~~
“Yes, each of us who find ourselves in the midst of a family breakup, wonder what is next? Know this, that your Heavenly Father feels your pain. He knows your doubts. He knows what is going on in your spouse. Trust Him. He will never fail you. Just remember that His timing is different than yours. Don’t put any time restraints on your prayer requests. Our Heavenly Father is all powerful. Again I say, He understands your situation and that of your spouse. Only He, through the Holy Spirit, can change the heart and mind of your spouse. In like manner, during the time you and your spouse are apart (emotionally and physically), the Holy Spirit will work on your heart and mind doing a much needed tune-up.” Ben in Texas from Rejoice Marriage Ministries.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.”
What would you think if someone prayed a blessing over you asking God to treat you just as you have treated them; “And Lord, I ask that you treat Jay just like he treated me today in this deal”. Would it stop you in your tracks long enough to consider making adjustments, making changes within your heart? Would you truly make heart changes so evident to those around you no matter the consequence, so evident by your words and actions, so evident they knew it was for real?
Flywheel is the first of many well written Kendrick Brothers movies. The purpose, to stir a change of heart so evident others will be blessed “…as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” Luke 6:31 (ESV).
Sherwood Baptist Church (Albany, Georgia) Senior Pastor Michael Catt “You’re in the shape you’re in today because of the choices you’ve made. Your marriage is in the shape it is in today because of the choices you’ve made. Your relationship with your wife and with your children is in the shape it’s in because of the choices you’ve made. You’re in financial bondage today because of the choices you’ve made. God’s Word would set you free if you would read it, but you’re in bondage and you’re stressed and you’re under all the dirt and the stuff and you feel like you’re a slave to your debt and to a relationship because you’ve not listened to the Word of God. And until you listen to the Word of God, you will make the wrong choices, go down the wrong road, lose your family, lose your home, lose your security, lose your investments because God has a way to live life. And you and I cannot live life on our terms and ask God to bless us. And the reason that many people that I’m talking to today are in bondage and in frustration and in defeat is because you don’t really want to know what God says, and you don’t want to live it God’s way”.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
~~~2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)~~~
While I have watched several of the first class Kendrick Brothers’ movies, I only just recently watched “Flywheel”. I must say it is well done, especially considering it was their very first movie. While Alex Kendrick’s childhood dreams of becoming a filmmaker have truly been blessed by God, in the I am Second film he candidly reveals the challenges it has had on his own relationship with God, his marriage and family, and how God wonderfully uses these amazing movies to not only challenge, but bless his obedience.
“God said something to me. It’s like He spoke to me so clearly I heard Him word for word. And He said Alex, would you rather have an easier rode with less fruit or a harder rode with more fruit” Alex Kendrick.
Sadly the topic of respect for ourselves and others has become so selfishly twisted and far removed from what God intended, and especially that of respecting women. Singer, entertainer, and more importantly husband and father, Donny Osmond, (now entering forty-three years of marriage with his lovely wife, Debbie, has earned the right to not only speak out but be listened to as he purposely challenges the panel and audience of “Loose Women”, the British daytime talk show, to introspectively re-evaluate their value as women. Real change begins with our thoughts being gently and lovingly challenged with the truth. Real change begins in the heart.
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” Ephesians 5:25 (ESV).
“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life” Proverbs 31:10-12 (ESV).
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “’Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” Proverbs 31:25-31 (ESV).
