Helping husbands

Husbands, I don't want to burst your bubble but, housework is not the wife's job! Now of course if she is a stay-at-home-mom, okay yes, she would be the primary caretaker of the home, just as you are the primary income earner. Though let's be honest here guys ... you couldn't do what you do without her!

RECENT SURVEY SAYS

Are husbands sharing the household chores with their wives? Research shows that married men are not pitching in.

Husbands create extra work for wives. A University of Michigan study reports having a husband creates an extra seven hours a week of housework for a woman. On the other hand, a wife spares her husband from nearly one hour of housework each week. So, the man gets the better deal no matter what.

I am not dogging husbands here; but especially if the wife is working outside the home we husbands should help with the household duties. I am not perfect here, but I mop, clean bathroom, do dishes and YES I PUT MY DIRTY CLOTHES IN THE DIRTY CLOTHES HAMPER! I've got two good arms!

TIPS TO HELP

1) Have a talk about household chores - list ALL the duties, divide them up "his job", "her job", make sure you both agree, then do it! Remember marriage is a TEAM EFFORT!

2) If you see something needs to be done guys, do it! Don't think or act like, "that's her job."

3) No nagging! Guys hate being nagged ... just tell us what you would like us to do ... don't withhold sex to try and teach us a lesson ... communicate!

4)Husbands, show appreciation for all her work around the house - a little Thank You would go a long way! Don't be a ungrateful jerk! I would recommend not only giving verbal "thanks" but also cards, notes, flowers, you call and say babe I've got dinner tonight ... (make sure to call her early enough in the day so she doesn't start it and your phone call actually upsets her cause it's 6pm and she's already pre-pared dinner)

On of the funniest lines from a movie I've ever heard was from the kid's movie Barnyard when some dude asks Otis (the cow) to help him do something and he says, "Sorry dude, I'm a no-helpian ..."

Don't be like Otis guys!

SECRET

I will close with this: When we (guys) do household chores ... it's a huge turn on for our wives (not saying you should do it for selfish reasons...) I am just saying ... nothing says I LOVE YOU more than a guy vacuuming the living room or loading a dish washer. Lol!

Angels & Demons The Truth

I did a message entitled Angels and Demons The Truth on Sunday, November 8, 2009 that you can view www.mercychurchKC.com/media or look for it on our iTunes account under "Mercy Church KC". I did the message because of the popularity of the low budget movie, Paranormal Activity.

I always talk to my Jana (my wife) after my talks to see what she thought about my delivery, content and what I could improve and she said I should have (or could have) better clarified my statement that "we open ourselves up to the devil by sinning." I agree, so here is my clarification on that statement.

I believe that statement to be true NOT in the sense that if I sin, the devil can or will come in and make my car break down or something like that... what I mean by that statement is that when we open ourselves up to sin we open ourselves up to feel more comfortable with continuing to sin, for example: If I (as a married man) allow myself to think (or dwell on) about other women in an improper way, that could lead me to looking at porn, which then leads me to look at more porn, then this could lead me to improper interactions with women, then ultimately lead me to having an affair. There is no married person on planet earth who has ever had an affair without FIRST thinking about it! You don't trip over a shoe and fall into bed with someone! Hello!

So, all that said... THAT is what I was saying when I said that when we chose to sin when are opening ourselves up to further sin and being comfortable with making bad choices. I believe we become hardened towards God when we RESIST GOD and His leading in our life.

Side Note: Every human (that would be me and you) have a good side and a bad side ... we must FEED THE GOOD side in us and the best way to do that is to follow God's will for your life. Doing good is addictive ... the closer you draw to God, the closer He draws to you.

Day 4 of Prayer Challenge

Seems strange that a pastor would be taking a prayer challenge ... shouldn't I be praying everyday already? Yes, but the prayer challenge was challenging us to prayer a specific prayer; "God not my will, but your will be done." And that is not a prayer that I pray everyday, and I would assume it's not a prayer you pray everyday either.

In just four days I have learned that my will is not always congruent with God's will, and praying the prayer everyday has made me more aware of how much I need to grow!

"Lord, not my will but yours be done!"

30 Day Prayer Challenge

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

I challenge you to pray everyday for 30 days starting today. And when I say "pray", I simple mean talk to God, everyday.

What to pray? Whatever is on your heart and mind, but conclude the prayer with, "God, not my will but yours be done!"

You

Isaiah 49:1,3 "The Lord called me before my birth. From within the womb he called me by my name...He said to me, `You are my servant'..."

Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb"

Maybe it's just me, but I need to be reminded that I am the only ME there is on this planet. Not that this should create in me an arrogant pride, but an awe inspiring love and adoration for God who created me!

I am now 40 years old, and for far too many years I was trying to be like someone else so I could be loved and accepted. My story is different than yours I am sure being "in the ministry" ... I wanted to be like this preacher, or that preacher ... I tried to preach like this pastor, or use his same body movements, or say the same catch phrases. I stopped this a long time ago (8 years ago), and I am so glad to just be me, the only me there is... and I am okay with not being liked ... at least I am me ... it's the truth ... I feel fully alive.

SIDE NOTE: If you are a pastor or teacher out there reading this; I challenge you to be you man (or woman)! Preach the sermons that God gives you for your church. (nothing wrong with using people's material from time to time, especially if it's good ... but if that's all you do ... I don't think that's good.) In 7 years of being the pastor at Mercy Church I have maybe used other pastor's material a dozen times... and I've delivered over 350 messages! Here's the deal ... sermons by YOU may not be as good as the other guy ... but again, at least its YOU! (Just a thought... MY thought ... love it or leave it!)