Glory To His Name: February 2011

I have begun writing a new book or study. You can be the first to read it as one day I hope to publish in book form. Enjoy!

My Beloved ___________
By: Tammy Andis

Inspiration: It's been a long road but the glory goes to my Heavenly Father for teaching me more than I could have ever known on my own. To Him, I am grateful beyond words...no pun intended...: )...I am now reaching a time in my life when this very inspiration is not only been spoken over my life as a word of edification but also a hearts desire but a promise pulled right from the pages of His holy written word. Also, to show forth what has been done in my own life but what I can give away very soon to the man I so desire to marry. Title for me... My Beloved Father; but also My Beloved Husband To Be. So this would be my fill-in-the-blank title for now. It will change for each of us depending on whom we are studying with, reading to or for what we are endeavoring to accomplish in the read. Be inspired, edified and loved all the way through. My Beloved friend, you are dearly loved!

Intro: This is the start of something good. Having been spoken to over and over and over again I begin this day to write this book; one that is unfolding as I write. As I was shown what to write and what this book was to accomplish I heard a song in my heart that you will recognize the lyrics to... “I give you my heart. I give you my soul. I live for you alone. Every breath that I take. Every moment I'm awake. Come have your way in me”...Familiar?

My heart is to give to God the glory due Him and by this book I hope to share not only my heart but impart what has been given me that I can share with you and the many in many arenas as you are led to read and study this. But the visual is to begin with women...for woman to learn from and be an example to others, to teach their own daughters. For ladies of all ages to become prepared themselves to be the best they can be for their soon-to-be husbands, to be the bride they want to be for their spouse; to be pleasing in his sight; to grow and live and to be pleasing in the sight of God. It may be that you want to spice up your already seasoned marriage. This is a book of character, of love, of intense heart work to will to be the best you can be.

So, begin by filling in the blank in the title. It may be God, your spouse, your fiancée, your dearest friend. This book is not exclusively for women but also for men: husbands, fiancées', couples groups even, parents and for the children we are of all ages. Use it liberally and how it works best for you as I will do my best to include all that can assist you in your endeavor to prepare to be the best friend, companion, confidant, prayer warrior and lover you can possibly be to your husband and friend and unto your Heavenly Father. Ultimately and intimately I pray it will be a gift to your own heart and one that you can give away to those you love in what you glean from it. Let God radiate through you in all you gain from this study. I hope you will come along for the journey and enjoy every step. Loving others; no matter who, will be the most delightful and greatest thing you will ever endeavor to do...for sure. The word of God says so. His greatest command and one that may be work but it is fun along the way. So, to the ladies, gentleman, young, young at heart, the church....let's go.

How to use this book: I will move in writing as I am guided by God to do so. You may want to read or go through the book along with the study material to gain insight. You may want to work along by chapter or opt to focus on a specific portion of the book for personal use, devotional work or discussion groups. You may even use this book to read through little by little with a spouse. You may use it and build on where you are or take it a step down to accommodate age appropriateness or perhaps by chapter depending on who the study is for...perhaps skipping chapters at a time to set aside for known or unknown future uses. You may even use it well rounded as a family study. Nonetheless...enjoy!

However you decide to use this study you will likely not have interest in every chapter of the book at once. Read through and surely highlighted areas will show up in your heart as to what to use and what not to use. Physically outline that which you decide to use. Again...simply enjoy!

What you will need for this study, depending on how you use it...pen or pencil, highlighters (great to outline or remind yourself or others whom you pass book to), Bible (several versions to really dig in), a journal of your choice, bridal and wedding magazines, the movie and book, “One Night with the King” by Tommy Tenney. These few will be necessities. There is also a version written and adapted for ages 10 and up entitled “Hadassah, The Girl Who Became Queen Esther” for younger readers or for family reading.

You may also choose on your own to refer to or to fully read or study these titles with varying themes such as...

~The Excellent Wife A Biblical Perspective by: Martha Peace ...an in-depth study

~Hidden Treasures Abundant Life in the Riches of Proverbs by: Gloria Copeland....Deeper Look at Book of Proverbs

~The Love Dare by: Kendrick....Devotional Material

~ Romancing Your Creator A Guide to Intimate Personal Worship by: Angela Keeton

You may elect to read these titles in order, skim their contents if you desire to do the extra reading or decide these are not necessary to your study. I would suggest you read or skim them at some point if not merely to reference; keeping them as options for the future. You may even decide to read them based on where you are in your spiritual walk with the Lord. Nonetheless they are great titles and not limited to a ladies' read. There is something in them for everyone I am sure.

Chapter Titles for “My Beloved __________”:

Chapter 1- Bowing Our Knee

Chapter 2- Dear Beloved

Chapter 3- Wisdom That Lasts Forever

Chapter 4- Life Gems

Chapter 5- Procession Into A Lifetime

Chapter 6- Newly Wedded Newness

Chapter 7- Season to Season...Keeping Love Exciting

Chapter 8- Pure Worship

Chapter One...Bowing Our Knee

As I was inquiring of the Holy Spirit how to begin the first words of this book at almost the same time one after another I heard a song and a few other things. Often music is a guiding tool for me and this day I heard an old song I wore out long ago... “I Get On My Knees” that I sang long, often and loudly.

I then recalled a vision I had one morning while deep in prayer and the admiration that swept over me and the gratitude I saw on the face of Christ as many bowed before the cross over the countryside and then within the walls of the church. And then my heart and mind raced to deep worshipful times during great moves of the Holy Spirit amidst church services as many were bowed low and the many sweet things that were accomplished in the spiritual matters of the moment, all of which are utterly priceless. If this is tough to understand, well then, what I can offer is this...you must let yourself go and come into a humble place and let nothing around you affect your obedience or focus realizing it is almost virtually and simply unexplainable what will take place in that place of humility. Mostly I want you to gain your own revelation through prayer and study of the verses I use in the text throughout. However, I will often ad some short insights to the verses chosen for each portion of study.

So, dive in and go deep and journal your heart into a journal or the section just below each portion of writing....Unto the Heavenly Father as a prayer or even about your Beloved One you are thinking of as we study. However you are led of the Spirit to journal.

*Note: If you would rather not write on these pages and keep the book clean opt to write in your own personal journal as I am certain you will need one for this study no matter.

For this reason I bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~Ephesians 3:14...This verse seems to appreciate ahead of time what we hope to gain through this read and study and my own ability to continue to write throughout. This is absolute adoration to Father God. Journal your heart here.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. ~Ephesians 1:3...This verse you might refer to often throughout the book. It speaks of redemption and through it is whom, where and what we are blessed with and is a verse you can never have enough of. Journal in His presence onto the paper.

Let's keep going. We've only just begun. : )

Psalm 20:7-9 says... Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. Save Lord! May the King answer us when we call. Journal your thoughts below.

Psalm 95:6-7 says...Oh come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our God our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Journal below who He is to you.

Proverbs 22:4 says...By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life. What does this humility look like to you? Journal your thoughts.

The next verse to study falls between The Law of Liberty and the Law of Love. There is much to study here. Romans 14:11 says....For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Write down what that looks to you in the present confessing to God or what you believe it will look like the day you finally meet.

Moving on to one of my favorite scriptures...(if there could be one). Mark 14:3- 4 says this...And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His Head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? I could speak on this verse for longer than we have time to study at this sitting so I will write what comes to me here and try to keep it brief. This verse has permeated my heart for years. It speaks of keeping a humble place of the heart and there blessings flow. They go onto chastise her for the cost. Oh, but the cost is her love and that is priceless in the love she was led to share with her true Savior. I will dote more on this later in the book but I have been led deeply in the past in regard to this verse writing of our extravagant worship to the Lord. Do not look further into the text of the scripture as she was anointing Jesus for His burial. The enemy right here brings every tactic he can muster in fear because of the grace being poured out. You need to know, if you don't already, that it is finished and there is one Christ and it was all accomplished for you. I want you to focus on the heart of humility. Journal your thoughts below on all that is given to you from these verses of scripture and from her view of heart as well as the Lord.

Now, read on your own, Luke 7:36-47 and similarly do not focus on her sin but her humility. Then journal below all gained from His explanation to the others.

Let's look at some examples of bowing low in the following verses. 2 Kings 1:13 says...Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of the fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. Now read verses preceding as well as after to get the context, but again doting on him bowing before the Prophet. Write your thoughts on what kind of a man or in what state of heart had he must have been to bow before the Prophet of God.

Read 1 Kings 8:54 which says....And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from the alter of the Lord, from kneeling before the alter of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to Heaven. Picture this! Not an ounce of pride in Him. Was God smiling down on that? You bet He was. This excites me most because this was the example of the greatest wisdom in all of the old testament many would say. Often we get tangled in wisdom being mindful. Wisdom became a state and matter of the heart...the heart and mind of Christ. Look at how it must have been attained. Journal below what comes to you in this scene as you paint this picture in your spirit of the verse.

Read Ruth 3:4 which says...Then it shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down and he will tell you what you should do. You may want to read the entire chapter for context. She does not bow at his feet but goes to him in the night in humility of instructions given her. Some of this passage may be related to customs of the day though it was said she was a virtuous woman. Set aside the day and time of custom and history for a moment and journal below what she might have felt on the way to doing this act of humility. This is often the part that our flesh gets hung up on, questioning our thoughts and not remembering we have power, love and a sound mind and that it truly is about a humble heart. Go ahead. Write dear one.

Experiential knowledge has taught me much in the arena of humility, yet we always want to continually keep a contrite heart. I did not learn things on this subject in political venues but by the love, the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit. I did not learn by way of protocol of the law of the ways of King and Queens, though some may say, a tough preach. Though there is much to be said, there is a great manner of obedience to be gained from this. Examples to further study on your own would be perhaps Royalty as well as Old Testament examples of Kings and Queens. We will dote on the subject of Royalty later on in Chapter 4 when we discuss character a lot more. For now, as I have mentioned in the beginnings of this book we would also be referring to the movie and to the book, “One Night With The King”. If you haven't begun this read or watched the movie this would be a good time in the study to do so. We will be referring to the characters and the characters they portray to gain insight more on what we are studying. The movie and book is based on the book of Esther from the bible. Definitely read the Book of Esther in the Word first and it may be a good idea to read it again after viewing the movie and reading the book. These last two, remember, are merely based on the Word so we are simply drawing on thoughts or portions of each for the purpose of the study. Now you are ready to move on with this study.

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Though a very dramatic scene if you will, go with me in referring to the movie and or the book to the scene when the Queen has learned of the enemies' plot to annihilate her people and she fasts for 3 days before she makes her entrance before the king. Scriptures do not say she bowed I do not believe, however the book and movie does say she bowed before the king and she went before with him with a healthy fear of not only God but of her earthly King. For it was against protocol for her to come before him uninvited or not having been summoned to him. Scriptures account says that he held out his golden scepter to her. The book is what I want to dote on here for a purpose. She loved him very much but she knew her limits as far as the laws of Media and Persia were concerned. She first gave all her ails of heart to God in prayer and fasting. She then went to him. Focus on her humility and actual act of love and obedience as she bowed before her earthly King and husband. Journal what she must have been thinking. I will allot more space to dote on the entirety of the scene. In it find that place as a place in your own heart. You will find yourself letting go of much...perhaps that you didn't know was there.

So, I boldly decided from the above inspiration, memories and these beautiful scripture references to request in this first chapter of this book that you right now....Get on your knees and give this study to the Lord. Give your heart, soul, mind and strength to Father God asking Him for the love, mercy, joy and strengthening to get as much as you ask for in this study or read. Pour out to God in a focused manner. It may be the first time you have done anything like this. Or it may be the first time in a long time. Most of all it might be that this is all new to you. No less you will be blessed with your encounter with God. Do this now.

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And if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your Savior and want to surrender your life to His true love then pray this prayer as I write it and you read it with me.

“Heavenly Father, I humbly come to you on bended knee surrendering all I have to you. I have not known you and I want to know you. Your Word says that if I confess with my mouth, believing in my heart, that Jesus, Your Son, died for me on the cross to save me from my sins and rose again I would be saved. So, I ask you to save me once and for all right now because I do believe in you. And I thank you for doing this for me. Amen.”

You don't have to be fancy in your prayers to God. Say what's on your heart. He hears all and meets you right where you are. Now rejoice for you are a blood bought child of the Almighty King of all Kings!

Now...continue your journaling wherever you left off and I will see you in Chapter 2.

Chapter Two...Dear Beloved

This chapter will likely be shorter than the rest but set the stage if you will for what I hope that you, in part, will gain from the study. Here we are subjecting our love to another...your dear beloved. We don't want to do this next exercise by rote and simply make it about matching words or letters to what is given but I want you to really dig in. First decide who you will be writing to. Is it a dear friend, the love of your life, your fiancée', your spouse or perhaps you are writing to your Heavenly Father? No less are any of these feats. It is where you are and to whom your heart is turned toward that matters. Before I get into what we are going to do, I am going to share a few verses on my heart. This one is for everyone. Enjoy and read in several versions to get the depth of the verse before you go on.

1 Peter 3:6-9 says...as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are in you do good and are not afraid with any terror. 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. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

I just love this passage of scripture. Now I'd like you to pull out your highlighters and highlight the following items, however you might see them in the list below. Word or groups of words. This is your study. This is one of those places that you may need to copy the verse down before highlighting it. I considered a separate journal specific to this book but have decided it takes away from the search of finding something special to use just for yourself. Only you might know just what you would like to use. It may be practical and simply a notebook of a favorite color or you might choose a special journal to keep always. I do encourage you to keep it always. You can go back and see where you were and where you are now and where you want to go from here.

Okay, so highlight the following words or groups of words in the verses above. Use a different color for each point for fun and organizational purposes. It will help make a distinction in what you are doing.

*obedience

*terms of endearment

*words meaning relationship or kin

*the words “calling” and “called”

*words meaning “fear”

*any word that refers to good character

*Lastly, highlight the phrase “may inherit a blessing”

Now that you have studied out this passage this is what I would like to do now. You can do this exercise below and also do this on a nice sheet of decorative copy paper from your computer or you can perhaps decorate a plain sheet on your own to your liking but this is to be designed for your beloved. If it be for your Heavenly Father that is as beautiful and can be tucked away somewhere special. I want you to especially be reminded this is not a simple acronym though we have all done these at one time or another. I want you to put your whole self into this for the one you love...saving nothing for yourself but giving all of the heart away is your purpose. This might feel uncomfortable for you. Let the walls of your heart come tumbling down. Pray and ask the Lord what to write. You will be blessed in some way in this. *Love always carries with it blessing and in it is held the greatest victories. Let your focus be on giving it away.

Just now I hear to go the Message version of the bible before we go on and read 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 once through and then read it as a prayer to God a second time through. Make this a sweet time between you and the Lord and don't read or pray this by rote, but rather as if you have never read it before. Fresh and new.

Okay, finally...I promise we are moving on to the exercise. Consider the above the warm ups. : ) Write a verse, a phrase, a word, whatever comes to your heart about and for your beloved one that you will give this to after it is completed but before we move onto Chapter 3. There are no wrong answers. This is a gift from you to your loved one, whomever you chose, and this is from your heart to his or hers. You will be elated to find out later how pleased and how precious this will be to not only the one you have set your heart to give it to but also your Heavenly Father is smiling on the sweetness of your interaction. Let it be absolute joy to you to accomplish and pour out richly on this page to your beloved .

Now, go and give this to your beloved. Love isn't love manifested until it is given away.

Chapter Three....Wisdom That Lasts Forever

This is a great time if you so desire to read the book entitled Hidden Treasures by: Gloria Copeland. It is not necessary though it pertains to the focus of this chapter which is the Book of Proverbs. If you do decide to read this selection it would be great to read along side of the study we will do in this chapter.

First find 2 versions of the bible you enjoy best. My choice here is NKJV and Living Bible. Next, choose 3 different colored highlighters and follow this simple outline below. We will have a 10 day study plan. Each day you will read through 3 Chapters of Proverbs twice, once in one version that you choose and the second time you will read the second version. I would encourage you to use the same two versions all the way through each of the ten days of study. The 10^th day of the study you will be studying a 4^th chapter.

Example: Day 1- Chapter 1, 2 and 3. Day 2- Chapter 4, 5 and 6 and so on until you get to day 10, reading Chapter 28, 29, 30 and 31.

This is a reading guide you can use daily for a lifetime and likely get something new every time you read it. When you are away from this book and your study is complete for even a short while it always proves a worthy endeavor to know you have found your way back to its read.

So, as I was saying, below is an outline of what to do each day in your study. I have entitled them nuggets. Each day you will highlight 3 sections of nuggets in your reading. You will be amazed at what you receive. Each set of nuggets contain words to highlight. Do each in a separate color for added clarity.

One more thing, if you have just read the above and are in shock I am asking you to highlight in your bible and this is not something you are accustomed to then not to be concerned. You can go onto the internet and print off 2 versions from any one of your favorite sites and do the study this way and keep them with your journal. I have always written in my bible so I often forget that others do not : ) Enjoy the study either way!

1^st Set of Nuggets

Lord

Friend

Father
Husband

Man

Mother

Wife

Woman

Son

Daughter

Child

Children

2^nd Set of Nuggets

Hear

Perceive

Seek

Honor

Listen

3^rd Set of Nuggets

Righteous

Righteousness

Understanding

Knowledge

Wisdom

Instruction

4^th Set of Nuggets

Lips

Counsel

Spirit

Walk

Treasures

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Chapter Four....Life Gems

This chapter will be set aside as mostly a deep character study. We will be looking at examples from the Old Testament, focusing on the book of Esther as well as verses from the New Testament. In this chapter make sure you have viewed the movie and or read the book “One Night With The King” as we will use these to draw conclusions from as examples. There are some excellent things to dote on in these that will be exciting to take a look at.

What you are sure to gain from this study may not seem a worthy endeavor, though I can assure you it is and will be well worth your time. You will get out of it what you choose to put into it. I would even venture to say you will gain a gem or two you weren't expecting, a gift nonetheless. Before you get started, ask yourself and ask the Lord in prayer just this...How deep do I want to go with you Lord in this area of study? You are sure to be challenged but have much to gain and there is no limit here and is not limited to any person or even any age group. Something for everyone you will find in this chapter. Okay, so let's get started.

When you think of Kings and Queens and the subject of Royalty, note below a list of words that come to your mind just now. Go ahead, write them down....any word that comes to mind.

For now we are going to refer to some examples from the book and movie“One Night With the King”. But first, I want to share an appropriately placed verse before we get started. Enjoy it. It is a beautiful one. They all are.

“1 Peter 2:17 says this...Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Much wisdom rests in this verse. It's an endless cycle. Honor. Love. Honor.... When you get this deep down in your heart you can be sure you are deeply in love with Father God. For the purpose of reference you may want to know unless I state otherwise I will always be referring to NKJV of the bible.

We are going to study 4 gems you might say. Let's get started.

Gem #1- Integrity

1 Chronicles 29:17 says this concerning integrity...

I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.

In this verse there is much fullness to be gained. Integrity is uncompromising moral character of the heart. In this verse you find joyous giving and much happiness. And oh yes, does our God smile upon this! Such excitement. I am reminded of this verse from Psalm 90:14 that says...in the NIV version that says... Satisfy us with your unfailing love that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

With this gem I want to go to a scene in the movie and book where Esther is speaking to the Hegai and she asks what is it does the King like? What is it does he prefer? I must know more about him. Here she displays uprightness of heart, concerned more of what he wants than her personal desires and gladly puts her desires aside to know what will be pleasing to him. Moreover, the book states that he was vigorously laughing because no one had ever asked that simple question before. She replies that it seems to her that that should be the first question one would ask. Though the ladies were there to be pampered and prepared outwardly Esther knew of the truth that the Lord looks at the attitudes of the heart. Dozens of scriptures may come to your mind concerning that which we have just read. Journal a verse that comes to you or thoughts on the above here.

This will be a fun one and males need not put down the book at this point. I will try not to make it too girly in nature and go for more adaptable to all kind-of-read. Bare with me. We will encounter the following verses at other times during the study but for the purpose of balance here I have 2 separate verses for men and women, girl or boy to study. All of them are worthy of study for yourself and for each other as the example we spoke of Esther in the gem just before that we studied. So here we go.

Ladies: Read and study 1 Peter 3:3-5 that says...Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of the gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.

Now, write what stands out to you in the above passage.

Gentlemen: Read and study Ephesians 5:25-28 says this...Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

Okay now grab your highlighters and ladies go to the verse marked for the gentlemen to study and gentlemen go to verse marked for the ladies to study above. Highlight all the words in a different color, as few as needed or as many as you like that you like to see in a mate. No matter what group setting you may be in or even on your own or with a mate, now is the time to ponder and discuss this activity. Focus on the positive and keep it simple, light and joyful.

Now, we are going on a field trip...well kind of. Not so literally but allow yourself to let go for a moment of study mode, though you will be taking a deeper look inside to study yourself in a sort of way. Indeed the Lord looks at the heart but don't let that close off fun and interests of any and all kinds. I was once told two little pieces of wisdom that I will never ever forget. They seem to bring a continual conviction to the heart as we go about.

One was this...If you say that you can't afford something you are truly slapping God in the face because He is Lord of all. The second was this...If you don't know what you love, how can you love another? What does these two things have to do with the price of eggs? : ) Well, these came to me as pieces of wisdom I can share along the journey that seem to unlock where we are headed. What I can say about these two is this, put away short-sightedness in your needs, wants and hearts desires and don't let hindrances come in the following...

Finding (Or relocating) Ourselves: List Below Your Favorite Kinds of Things. Be picky if you want to. I can give you the finest example, at least to some about being picky about something I really like. Some years ago, I used to only and for many years, wear only a certain kind of Levi jeans. When I was a little girl bell bottoms were popular, as they have came in and out of style often over the years. I did not like them at all then and I was never one who liked fads for the most part anyway. I would buy jeans 2 or 3 at a time and drive straight to the seamstress and have them tacked at the ankles. This is what I liked and I didn't compromise about what I liked. I want you to take the same attitude in the following list and let it become fun stuff for you. You may even be revisiting what it is your hearts choices are but nevertheless let it be fun. There is no wrong answer. Toss aside the condemnation that tries to tell you so. This activity is sure to spur on conversation.

“What I Love” Best List : )

Styles of Dress:

Favorite Era:

Specific Foods:

Favorite Flavors:

Favorite Scents:

Specific Drink:

Specific Brands:

Specific Colors:

Favorite Home Decorations:

Favorite Jewelry:

Favorite Shoes:

Favorite Hobbies/Interests:

Favorite Music:

Favorite Season/s:

Favorite Sports/Teams:

Favorite Past time:

Favorite State to Visit:

Favorite Books:

I know this list is not exhaustive and it has gotten the wheel turning so below write other very specific to you favorite kinds of things. For instance, no one would likely ever know this about me but when I was a little girl my grandpa and I would sit down every now and again and open a can of sardines in oil. That would be our fun time together giggling at each other trying to remove all the icky parts and then we'd eat them with crackers. Most people do not like sardines at all. And really...how I like them is beyond me. About once every few months or so as I am with my children walking through the store I will reach down and pick up a can as they all say in unison, “Ewww!” And I chuckle and tell them that they are high in Omega 3 vitamins. They really are. But my point is this, get specific, even picky about what you like. I am not chiding you to take on a poor attitude in it or go on an ego trip but I am stating simply, this is about you. I will share something silly I really like . I like a particular kind of pen and I don't write with pens without a lid. Just something I don't like. So, keep writing and pour out all you love. No one else can tell you so you couldn't share it in conversation with your mate if you don't find it for yourself. Yes, and this would be a great time for me to share a couple of very appropriate verses....

Matthew 7:9 says...Or what man is thee among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

And..

John 16:24 says...Until now, you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

And..

Philippians 4:6 Amplified version says this...In every circumstance and with definite requests make your wants known to God.

If the above exercise has stumped you a bit go back and ask in prayer, what are my true needs, wants and desires. He knows and will give you your answers.

Gem #3- Love

The amplified version of 1 John 4:7 says states it this way... Beloved, let us love one another, for love (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].

Love is progressive and so we strive after and toward love and loving others and learning more in regard to love because it is all God.

The character playing Esther in the book says this in one place as she is searching her heart of love.... “What was this sudden strange attraction for God, the same God I had avoided, even rejected? Why did I now feel a pull that had eluded me for so long?” Ever felt like that or wanted say something similar? If so, I would venture to say that God is molding your heart and emotion into something beautiful right there.

1 John 4:19 says...We loved Him because He first loved us.

So, we learn love from Him because He loved us and we become the extension of love to and toward others in all we do. Love is an attribute of the heart that we will never have full grasp on. For it is such an amazing miracle that He loved us enough to give us breath and life in our bodies. So vast a thought, so incomprehensible to the human mind and even to the God-given heart that it becomes among the unexplainable.

Ephesians 5:32 says...This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Read the verses surrounding this one and let your heart go right here and onto the paper.

Study this verse in many versions and write below insights about your own life in regard to all you gain from your study and meditation of them.

This could sum up our study on truth in this one verse and leave us speechless in its perfection as Psalm 119:160 says...The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

Growth in the truth equates to speaking the truth in love as it says in Ephesians 4:15. When we are growing in and are collecting along the way the gems of integrity, beauty, love and truth know this, you can always have more to gain along the way in keeping for yourself a humble and contrite spirit as well as a teachable spirit. Keep your heart in love before the Lord and before your beloved and as you gain gems give them away and the return is promised to be great for holding a generous spirit of love in your heart. For love covers a multitude of sin.

Let's go to Galatians 5:16-26. Find 2 or 3 versions you would like to study this passage of scripture in and keep them close and when you close this book of study and it is long forgotten, never forget what you have studied here. It will take your heart and Spirit to places you will never forget. This portion of study should it have a title might read, “The Setting Aside To Fully Abide”. Before I get going here I am going to share several chapters that I have studied alongside of these particular scriptures that have lent insight along the way. Tuck them away written on a note card in your bible perhaps. These are gems to the spiritual walk.

Romans 4, 6 and 8

1 Corinthians 2, 3, 12, 13 and 14

2 Corinthians 3

Galatians 4 and 5

Ephesians 1-6

Philippians 4

Colossians 2 and 3

1 John 1-5

I want to take a moment to point to a few verses that jump out and tug at the heart strings.

Romans 8:14-17

Galatians 4:6-7

Galatians 5:18

Now journal what it is that you have gained through your study from these three places.

Back to Galatians 5. Get out whatever color you consider not your favorite, not for the purpose of condemnation, but as a reminder to the flesh and highlight Galatians 5:19, 20 and 21. Now choose the color you like best of highlighters and highlight

Galatians 5:22-23.

Now read Galatians 5:22-25 in the Living Bible version. Record insights to your journal.

Here I'm simply going to summarize what I have learned from studying the above, however it is I feel led to share. Then we will do some exercises in these verses. Get your highlighters ready : ) So, here goes. After you deeply study on the above along with much prayer ask the Holy Spirit to remind you to come back to this at a later time and record your insights in your journal. You will be grateful you did and it will be fun for you to see where you are and where you are going.

In this study I found a grace that supersedes all else. It showers others in love. It doesn't make all you do perfect but a harnessing of love that pushes through and doesn't want anything but to love and to further learn how to. This is a place of the perfection of grace in that it shows you how to put down the flesh. Let me clarify that it's not a license to sin. Grace is a gift from God through faith. This place of grace puts mindfulness to rest and allows the mind of the Spirit to take control. Here in this place the word is life, such a blessing, it is like it's the only food you crave continually and always. It's limitless what God can do in this kind of grace. It keeps you conscious of the sin that so easily tries to entangle. Does it very much try? Oh yes. But remember sin wants to have you. And when you see it run from it and right to the righteous word of God. Giving into it gives birth to death when you give it the go ahead. You have to make the conscious effort to put it to rest and that is accomplished by prayer, sometimes more than you might ever think. The kind of prayer that requires focus and this is not always easy. And also by study and meditation on the word and also by continually working on relationships. This sounds hard and defeating and dull and boring, but it's not when you ask God to give you a deepening kind of love that removes hindrances from your path. I can liken it to be explained like this....He goes before you in the spiritual matters that ail you and spiritually the wrongs that have been are made right. The negative is made positive and the darkness turns to light. Its perpetual. Where lack is, it seems you can only see the prosperity perspective and things of necessity begin to manifest no matter the need. Never get into the mindset that it is only your needs that God cares about. Go back and re-read that last sentence. It can be read two ways. I am stating...not limited to merely your needs. He cares about your wants and your desires as well. Go back if you need to and rewrite the history of your thinking on God. Right here might be a good place to pause, reflect and meditate on much. It may take you way back. Stop here and journal your heart.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ It is necessary to remove ill thinking that has said to you and has likely imprinted things onto your heart that aught not be there such as seeing God as an angry God, never seeing Him happy, seeing Him rigid and most of all the lie that is grand is this...after we go about for so long capitalizing on these negative thoughts that we have somehow formed into almost a stone in our thinking (and I will ad here that much to none of our own doing) we somehow begin to see this nature all around us and in the brethren. We see nothing good and that is not good. Does it happen? Yes. Do we have to keep a conscious effort to not hurt others and also not retain the offenses that only want to snare us? Yes. Sometimes its a making of the right thinking that makes all the difference. God is happy. He is full of laughter. He is not as rigid as we make Him to be. Is He a God of justice? Yes. It says in v.18 of our text that if we are led of the Spirit we are not under the law. We have crucified the fleshly ways. The law came to abolish sin. This is a continual working out. It's not the continual pain of not being good enough. Are we going to fall? Yes. But we get up and brush ourselves off and keep going toward love and goodness. It's not condemnation of which there is no such thing as in Romans 8:1 if Christ be in you. That verse we learn to give and receive in. And more love will flow out of that one verse than you can ever imagine. We may have read it dozens of times but meditate on it for a moment. It can look like water from a rock. In it lies a grandiose extension of love and powerful, magnetic and even miraculous grace to the heart and to the mind. It doesn't hang onto the blame of our past, whether projected by others or piled as negatives in our mind. The 'used to be sin' that the devil will always want to remind you of, becomes what it should be- void of imaginations given to it. Where does it all start? It begins with love and it ends there as well, so it is essentially never ending. Trust is gained in relationship as trust is gained in God with Him in prayer. The deeper you give. The deeper He gives. The greater the vision. The greater measure He extends. He is boundless and merciful. He is mighty and wonder working. He doesn't limit you. We do this on our own. It equates to taking down the imaginations that set themselves us against the knowledge of God. He is love. He wants to throw His arms around you and love you big. I know this because there is times I have felt this before. It's in this place of that flooding kind of love that overwhelms you that when others around you that are not two things happen...1) you cry out to God to take them there because you surely want everyone to experience this precious kind of love within...and...2)you are tempted to feel inadequate in the spiritual suit of armor you are walking in because you look funny to others in it. The days have gone by, you must tell yourself, that God is this great big angry person always out to get you. He is eternally and forever and always the opposite! Layers upon layers of lies and deceptions have told us this to the point of belief. Stop right here. This lie must fall. Grab 2 or 3 versions and read and study out 1 Timothy 4:1-5 and Philippians 4:8-9. This will do much for putting down the lies that so easily want to entangle. Shout a big “Amen” when you get hold of this! This is a rain from heaven. This grace obtained in putting down the fleshly ways lends to everything we do. It will take you higher and higher and higher. You will find yourself operating in an arena of absoluteness surrounded by safety. And then when you are so overcome by the Spirit that you think your physical body cannot handle anything else another arena will open for you to see. To wrap up thoughts here...you can go as far as you want in His righteousness and the anointing is golden that you will find.

Highlighters and pen in hand? Remember to pull this off the

internet if you do not wish to write in your bible. Just attach it to your journal.

~Verse 16...the word, “fulfill”. It means and write this next to it....result, expire, finish, conclude and limit. This means you will not do this. Next to the word, “lust” write the words longing for forbidden, passion, kill, rush, fierce, slay or slaughter. This means that if you walk with the Spirit you won't do these things or that this is the goal and you won't give over to lust. I will conclude here that if death is spoken over you, here shall be your checkpoint. Check! And no more should you receive death. It is a lie to hold you back and control you straight to death. Highlight the words “fulfill” and “lust”.

~Verse 17, highlight the word “contrary”.

~Verse 18, highlight the word “if”. I was taught the word “if” is a badge of doubt, so read this and then decide consciously to be led of the Spirit.

~Verse 19, note next to this verse these are sexual sins.

~Verse 20, circle idolatry and sorcery and next to these two draw an arrow and note that these are sins connected with pagan religion. For the rest of verse 20 circle the last nine sins that are sins of the temper. Verse 20, the last two, which are dissension and heresies are sins of drunkenness. Circle these to as well and label them. You might say, why circle them? Well, consider yourself surrounding those enemies with a circle and they cannot overtake you. You cannot allow this to be a friendly circle. You don't want them to take over, so shield them with spiritual prayer and the word of God that righteousness have it's true place. The war is not against flesh and blood. Ephesians 6 tells you that the shield of faith quenches every fiery dart of the wicked one.

To get a clearer picture you might want to look up the meaning of each of these sins and label them next to each word, not to dote on the negative but to know what you are up against. This is your tactic of war...to stand against. This, in part, is the knowledge of the word of God in which we crave.

I remember my children used to get together, even though this sounds like a much younger game, they were serious about it. They would gather with the youth group, split up on teams and play “Red Rover”. You know, the age old game. Red rover, red rover, send “insert a name” on over and the other side of the line would bind together as not to let the enemy from the other side inside. They played rough too. They were not about to let the opposition in. My point is that sometimes that is a struggle but surround yourself in love and good company. I am sure they learned something from this game of old, not that the person was the enemy but that the idea was not to let opposition in. Kinda sounds harsh but there was a moral to why I am explaining it in this way.

Okay, now envision as tall as the eyes can see, a gorgeous fruit tree with every kind of fruit you can imagine. Does all fruit grow on one tree? No, but this is just for fun. Sin separates and the fruit of God is indivisible, no division. So we are going to look at it this way. We have done away with the negative and we are moving into where we want to be.

~Verse 22....underline the nine gifts of the Spirit.

Write in your journal the ones you struggle with and why you believe that is and then pray over each area you want the fruit to grow in. Do this now.

When the Spirit controls the life of the believer all of these graces are produced.

~Now, with a pen somehow in the text outline that the first three which are love, joy and peace concern your attitude toward God. The second three which are patience, kindness and goodness deal with our social relationships. And the last three which are faithfulness, gentleness and self control are the principles that guide our conduct.

Reminder #1: There is no condemnation for those in Christ.

Reminder #2: Grace is not a license to sin.

Reminder #3: Dig in. Dig deep. We get out of the word what we search and ask for. He is a giver of good gifts.

~Verse 25....underline these words...live, Spirit, walk, Spirit.

~Verse 26...Highlight entire verse in orange. This is a verse to memorize. He has saved the best for last. And this is a dessert for your loved ones. So have a piece of fruit. They are all good. : )

Chapter 5...Procession Into A Lifetime

This is exciting. We are getting into the meaty and fun parts of the study. It's going just like I envisioned it, as life has its way...it gets better and better the further we go. You may even have thrown caution to the wind and walk in a greater freedom. Have dessert first, depends on where you are in this life and objectively how you are using this study. This chapter will be one of the more lengthy ones but it will challenge you to not look at life short sighted or narrow minded, but rather to fling wide the doors of your heart and let the Son Shine In!

Okay, Ladies if you so decide to read and or study the book the Excellent Wife, the time might be suited to do this now. I will say this book is well suited for teens, brides to be, newlyweds and married; even seasoned marriages. Though suited for women, men could benefit from studying this book also. Why? Because a marriage belongs to man and wife. When I studied this book it was studied by both men and women. It's a good book to highlight and underline areas of importance. It is detailed but also an easy read. If you really want to stop here and dig into this particular study there is also a companion workbook that goes along with it. It's been more than a few years since I have went through this study but I will share that each will gain something different from it. What I gained the most was to carry a thankful heart as well as patient diligence.

Below you will find Psalm 45. It is written as a song of love. Enjoy. Read it in a few more versions before moving onto the next section.

Psalm 45

For the choir director: A love song to be sung to the tune “Lilies.” A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 Beautiful words stir my heart.
      I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
      for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
2 You are the most handsome of all.
      Gracious words stream from your lips.
      God himself has blessed you forever.
3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!
      You are so glorious, so majestic!
4 In your majesty, ride out to victory,
      defending truth, humility, and justice.
      Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’
      The nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
      You rule with a scepter of justice.
7 You love justice and hate evil.
      Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
      pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes.
      In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you.
9 Kings’ daughters are among your noble women.
      At your right side stands the queen,
      wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!
10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
      Forget your people and your family far away.
11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
      honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The princess of Tyre will shower you with gifts.
      The wealthy will beg your favor.
13 The bride, a princess, looks glorious
      in her golden gown.
14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king,
      accompanied by her bridesmaids.
15 What a joyful and enthusiastic procession
      as they enter the king’s palace!
16 Your sons will become kings like their father.
      You will make them rulers over many lands.
17 I will bring honor to your name in every generation.
      Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

Next, Read Isaiah 54:6-8 below.

For the Lord has called you. Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit. Like a youthful wife when you were refused, Says your God. For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, Says the Lord, your Redeemer. Record your insight here.

Ahhh!!! Reminds me of a song... “My Redeemer Lives, I know, my Redeemer lives. Let all creation testify this love I have inside cause I know my Redeemer lives!”

Now, highlight the above word or phrases of the passage either in your bible or your journal... “youthful wife, refused, great mercies, gather you, little wrath, moment, everlasting kindness, Lord, Redeemer”. Ponder the meanings of the words you just highlighted. See the tenderness, the meaning and the goodness of God. Read it in another version.

Isaiah 62:3-5 says...You shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the Lord, And a royal diadem In the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be Hephzibah and your land Beulah; For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married. For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you. Write here what is flowing through your heart at the moment.

Take the time to read this passage in two other versions and make notes in what you feel led to study deeper. A few points I want to make are these...Look how you are being doted upon as a new bride. Also look how God takes away the negative, makes you His delight and brings unity to your land. He gets excited about you. Let's go together to read the following passage to touch on just how excited He gets over you.

Isaiah 61:10-11 says this...I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the robe of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations. Write or draw what you see in this passage below.

Sounds like a wedding party taking place to me : )

Read Ephesians 5:21-33. Now highlight in your favorite color the verses important to a wife and in another color the verses that would be of importance to a husband. Underline all of verse 21 and all of verse 33.

A song rises in my heart; the words.... “Majesty! Majesty! Your grace has found me just as I am...Empty handed but alive in your hands.” Songs just come to me and at the moment guiding me to where we go next. Let's go to the book, “One Night With the King”. Star gets to meet the King for the first time. Take note ladies, but also gentlemen to the character of love displayed and the gratitude of the king. Even kings need care and shown deep respect. It's receptivity. It's freely giving and freely receiving. Watch...

The king stands amazed and perhaps caught off guard a bit when she offers him her necklace stating that he has everything, asking why she would give it to him. Do you think he was questioning her or perhaps testing her care of him? Ah, I indeed think so. She states that rather than to expect a gift for herself when you visit, she was taught to bring a gift to the king. The necklace was all she had from her past, the most cherished gift she could give. She then states to him these words, “You have a reminder that I bring you my all. Not only my body, but I give you my mind, your Majesty. My heart. All of me.” She goes onto say she has spent much time preparing to meet him and truly wants to know him. She is focused in on him alone. She is set on pleasing him. Seems appropriate here to say that when we can find a purposed focus in prayer to our heavenly father, we have somehow prepared ourselves to fervently love others. Record what comes to your heart in the distinction made above.

Go back to Ephesians 5:15 all the way to vs. 33 and see the progression of what is being spoken. Walking circumspectly, redeeming the time, being in the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns, being thankful, submission, respect, love, sanctification, being holy, cherishing one another, mutuality. How very beautiful is that?! Very. Let 's move on.

You say, why are we talking about all of this? Attitude of gratitude. It's a must in cultivation of true love. I will go so far as to say that when it lacks all else wains. Its like a foundation of truth that is utterly necessary in any relationship. It always finds good and accepts little else. It came to me to share this here. This looks like to me two people's vast knowledge falling back into a child-like state of love where nothing else matters; except what God's love they are encountered by in that moment.

I might have saved this for the next chapter but I believe this is something necessary before you are actually a newlywed to know. So it seems like a good place to back up to a spot where Hagai was speaking in the book. He says this to her, “The governing paradox of sexual love is that the quickest way to ruin your own pleasure is making it your first priority. Center your attentions on your partner's bliss, and your own will find expression along with it.” Its finding the focus in the object of your beloved. I will end here in saying one word...selflessness. That in itself is an art of love, but one that finds the answers your heart so desires.

As for this next portion, well, there is so much to say yet we are going to keep it simple in this. In discussing concrete preparations, aside from preparations of the heart, for those preparing to marry, you are likely forming thoughts as you read each word of these sentences. You may likely fit solidly into three categories. 1)You either do not like details because they are taxing to you and you need organization. 2) Perhaps you are detail oriented and need someone to come along side whom will mimic your every thought in planning this glorious occasion 3) You are a visionary yourself but need someone of detail to run with it. No matter where you stand there are several options. I am not a wedding planner in any sense. I have put together weddings in the past but would not consider myself as such. There was a period in my life when I learned great organization and I know how to utilize it but I find it dull unless necessary and spoken to specifically. You will know by way of the Holy Spirit how organization fits you in this. With this said, there will be plenty of questions that you will have to answer. Here are some thoughts to add to your own...

~ First, get with spiritual mentors or friends and pray together, gather insight and likely your thoughts ; ) You'll be glad you did.

~ Keep a journal perhaps. Jot down thoughts as they come.

~ Find others to bounce ideas to...not necessarily opinions; unless this is what you are asking for.

~ Know what you want and what you don't and don't compromise your desires for this special day unless it is a matter of coming together in decision with your beloved. In this case, grace will be abound in whatever you both decide...freely giving, freely receiving.

~ The internet can lend ideas in planning, giving you outlines, time lines, preparation tools and resources unlimited.

~Start simple. You have an idea already right now. Write down your simplest thoughts and expound from there or begin working with someone from there. You may even hire someone to specifically help.

~ Go shopping. If shopping is something you enjoy or this may even provide the inspiration you need by seeing it with your own eyes then go and take a look around. Narrow your search for the specifics or take the day to just enjoy looking for thoughts of inspiration.

~ Ask yourself where you are in all of this; your likes and dislikes come in handy right about now. Take time to reaccess.

~ Ask yourself, how do I learn? Do you need to touch it and taste it for yourself? Are you better at having tasks to accomplish? Are you visual and pictures of ideas helpful to you? Maybe you are a visionary and you simply need to explain what you are seeing. Sometimes this is the beginning of understanding in just how to get started.

~ Last but also very first, pray. It's what is going to make it all come together, less stressful and smooth out every wrinkle along the way.

There are a host of books, magazines and internet sites that may be of great assistance. If you have a good friend or family member who is great at things like this that may prove your best listener. Doing this alone certainly will not add ease to your special day. Petition the Lord for all that you need emotionally, spiritually, financially and whatever your needs, wants or desires may be. He cares for them all.

Chapter Six...Newly Wedded Newness

Love Dare. Dare to love one another. Make it and allow it to be fun. It may not be easy but it becomes just that. You may want to use the book “Love Dare” as a tool in your early marriage and perhaps much later too, but now might be a good time to dig into this book together. If so, get two copies so you can both utilize it well. No matter where you are in your walk, this and all of the books mentioned are only tools to use and can be adapted to where you are now. These are very simple examples. Where you go in them is completely up to you. No less, to challenge each other or to dare one another to love is of good direction. God finds you in it all and comes alongside in the journey. Ultimately and intimately magnetism will take place. Its a force of nature planned long, long ago.

The following I felt led to share here. It is a poem that I had all of my children write down at one time or another for an assignment. It holds significant meaning to people and loving one another, so here I will share...

The Human Touch

Tis' the human touch in this world that counts

The touch of your hand and mine

Which means far more to the fainting heart

Than shelter, bread or wine

For shelter is gone when the night is over and bread lasts only a day.

But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice sing on in the soul always.

What am I seeing in this? The essentials of loving one another that mean the very most. In no way am I implying that God does not care for, delight in meeting our needs and even our every desire, but the greatest of human need is often the most spiritual and most nurturing of all and its the intensely practical things we often forget. God provides our shelter and manna in every way and can always be trusted to do so. The heart of the matter is this, people have simple needs of nurturing. Without this simplicity, love seems void, when the truth is that the design from times' beginning was always to love one another.

As I began to copy this very poem I flipped the page to a song my daughter wrote that has obvious meaning and purpose to include here. We can't catch the tune here by merely reading but the words tell the story. They read like this...

Hand in Hand

Lord, Lord, Lord...oh, oh

Lord, Lord, Lord

Hand in hand we stand

Lord we love you

And we stand hand in hand

We stand

Love hand in hand

Hand in hand

We love you Lord

And love is the breath we breathe

Understanding, meaning and depth permeate these few words. Love is like that you know. Its so easy, yet we tend to make it so hard, yet the greatest goal in this life we live.

Have you ever, newly married ones or soon-to-be married ones ever pondered with your thoughtful hearts the meaning behind the words written in our great book given us within Song of Solomon or Song of Song? My. My. My....the love. You can read and study it a thousand times over and gain something new each time. Simply, it is beautiful. Rich are the words of love written. The challenge is to lift them from the page in this newness of life you are finding together and within. That means much to many, though for each of us, mercies are new every morning and endure always. In this place, there is that refreshing, new and fun-loving and adventurous love that is set aside for you in this new and righteous place. It is as the word speaks of the blessed union life that you have entered into awaiting much discovery. In this book you will find it all from symbolism, allegories and an unmasked poetry of love to be found. It contains inside its pages a “seeking out” and a “finding of dreams made true” to the newly wedded. Its a book of worth, of worship, of intense love, truth untainted, an exciting story, fascinating conversation and scented with sweet fragrance. It's a place of protection and a place of peace of procreation. The interaction of love that takes place is the place that walls come tumbling down and love lets go into that newness of unity; the very word of God defined, but in the most intimate of settings. Its “an all for you” book. Its a new means for receptivity, yet it has always been. Its the words of old that become new always. Ah, yes. The word of God has a way of doing just this to a heart that will receive. Its a book that always has something to gain from each search throughout. Its a book of dialogue between newly wedded lovers or lovers long since wedded who seek to add newness to their lives. The words

hold expectation to one another, finding worth, complete forgiveness, adding foundational strengths to your lives. It brings not only the fruits of excitement as well as joyous kindness to the marriage bed. These words fitly spoken to one another express a fondness to your lover that removes hindrances to the unity of the love shared between the two of you. In the depths of these words you will find the Holy Spirit moving and breathing in your midst and it is sure to be discovered a deepening love; an awakened love. In this realm of openness of love strongholds of negativity come tumbling down and a humility seems to be unearthed that cannot be stopped because love is immense. Its like a stroll in the sunshine that is not too uncanny for your heart to let go and simply encounter. Its song unleashed of worship to the Lord, even likened to Sarah calling Abraham Lord. Let me speak frankly for a moment in that I do not speak of idolatry. What is portrayed in this book is love, however irrational it may be to one who is seeking the new parts in it. Love can be like that.

Do not discount the magnitude of abundance wanting to be poured out and into a new marriage because it may seem too extreme or extravagant. Push through and know that you will be given not more than you can handle in your heart. It is a matter of learning the grander truths that are this....perfect love casts out all fear and knowing that you have been given power, love and a sound mind. It is the realization of that abiding love and letting go in it. Finding the reality of the greatest being love and knowing you are able to receive what is being given and give knowing it shall too be received wholly and completely and within it rests the greatest compassion; the miracle of unity. Death has no place here; but life and newness reign in abounding love.

I sense as I type many questions being raised and though there are no wrong questions, especially in new places, however should there be inappropriate thoughts about your worth or ill feelings of guilt or shame this is a place of...well, simply put...throw down, shut off and stomp on. The goal of a perfect love union between you and your spouse doesn't owe anything to the accuser which somehow believes the slighted notion he and his crowd are of some sort of authority held to bring you down and to cause darkness to come between you where revelation shared won't have or hold its righteous place. Division is his tool and the key is love. In this do not give place to the devil and his crowd that has one goal which is to sever and divide this precious new place God has ordained for the two of you. Even in this, you may ask...have I been a part of this? We serve a God of grace and mercy. We simply say, “forgive me” and move onto what is the true importance. And let me add, do this with ease and without shame. This is truthfully the goodness of God that says not to stay with the the unimportant because He wants you to focus on Him and the relationship that He has given to you and your spouse and it is given unto purity. You may question in your heart, how is it I am pure for my spouse. I hope you have been loved on in this before now but if not it is also as simple as this, ask God to forgive you and to wash you clean from all impurity and redemption is yours. Go to your spouse seeking restoration of healing; emotional even. And above all know that you know that you know that you are cleansed in your heart, mind and spirit and then you can truly move onto the places in the realms of love that God has for you. And I believe this moment to add also this...to know the fight and that the fight is against all those hindrances that try as they might to encapsulate your freedom in loving your spouse in an open place of unity and discovery. It is the knowing that your healing becomes each other where compassion holds each other needs in one another's hand.

Let go and let God. Write the flow of your heart onto the pages of your journal. Let it be lengthy as necessary Beloved.

Chapter Seven...Season to Season...Never Ending Love

The old is gone and the new has come. This is the season to season kind of never ending kind of love I want for you, that are committed to one another by marriage, to find, hold onto and endeavor to fall deeper and deeper in love with each another. This is the aspect of hearts combined that we will look to reach in these next words.

This is another of these verses that we could go no further and it will have seemed to cover it all. Meditate on this for a moment as we dive into this chapter. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)says this...For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Wow, how precious this is! All the promises. You are received so continue to receive one another. He promised you. You promised one another. His promises to you are angelic in nature. They are divine and carry shouts of glorious goodness. While you ponder this one in your hearts for a moment, journal here your thoughts...then we will move on.

Here is another passage of scripture that shouts unity, not only to the church body, but take it up or down a notch depending on how you see it or refer to it and look at your marriage covenant in these verses. Write your thoughts after each portion.

Romans 15:6 says...that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unity does this together. Oneness. You think as one. Speak as one together. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Romans 15:7 says...Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. He freely gave, we received. We freely give to each other. We freely receive from one another. What does this look like to you?

Romans 15:8-9 says...Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name. Wow is there a lot to look at here! He became a servant of all and to the law to testify of the truth of God. Confirmation. You say...what does that have to do with my marriage? He is confirmation to you of all promises in Him and to one another from the He living in you. So this be the reasons you talk about him and converse about him and you sing to Him and let Him sing through you. Essentially, its a matter of allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through you. Everyone has this ability. Everyone has the right to become a child of God. Each of you through each other glorify Him and you do it together. You may say, I don't sing. I would have to say, you may not be gifted as a singer but love sings in your heart no matter. Let Him through and about in your hearts together glorifying Him. No matter where you are you are humble enough to know you breathe and love each other because of Him. All of this is a two-way love affair in the Lord. It will see each of you together through in each strength and each weakness you both may possess...ultimately and intimately you together find the allowance of God to entitle these “Victories”. Its a learning-to-accept each other in brand new ways and in greater measures. Pen your thoughts.

I am hearing a beautiful song... "Come and awaken love. Come and awaken love. Come and awaken love. Awaken love. Awaken love. Ask him. Awaken love."

I am being chided here to draw conclusion in regard to physical love; particularly that of kisses. Between people in general. Between the brethren. Between lovers. Between spouses. Kisses of infinite love. Kisses of anointing. This will be certainly something that shall stir your thoughts as it does mine and anyone if you be human. Now that I have your attention and you are likely forming thoughts as you read that say some of the following.... That was for back in bible days, people would think I were strange if I kissed them that way and kisses and the like are for behind closed doors. Likely we have all at least grazed one of these notions.

Throughout the word speaks of greeting others with a holy kiss. Let's look and see. Let me first tell you what I am not writing about here before the enemy comes to try to ruin our study and the love being projected into it.

I am not writing about the “kiss of death”. Your mind may wonder anywhere from a cartoon to witchcraft, none of which I will bother spending much time on. We are speaking of authentic love and we know that even though a kiss is not necessarily agape love, we are not even talking about things such as Jesus being kissed that ultimately led to His arrest. We may even recall someone kissing us and we knew that it wasn't an honest kiss or that it seemed bent more toward destruction and not our good. We already know what Christ has done for us and that it is finished. You cannot love one another until you know the love He has given solely for you. Each of you, whether brethren or long since married cannot fully love until you know your identity of love in Him. This is the challenge toward greater love. There is no condemnation in this because love is always a growing process. This is why loving others is so important. So with this said we will move on. 1 Peter 5:14 says...Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen. Romans 16:16 says...Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. This looks like to me as I read...running in the door on a Sunday morning with excitement that grants a holy kiss to those we love. This may or may not be the way you greet the brethren. And that is okay. Much will depend on the openness of the receiver. It is a simple blessing to another of affection and kindness. I can say here not to get hung up on preconceived, mindfulness of what others think. It takes away from what you are trying to give away. Record your thoughts below.

Luke 7:38c says...and she kissed his feet and anointed them with fragrant oil. And Luke 7:45 says...You gave me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet since the time I came in. If this woman is kissing His feet and anointing them, no matter how you see this act of endearment, this is pale in comparison to showing love to the brethren. Jesus says in the next verse noted above to the others in making his point clear that they did not give him a kiss but she kissed his feet and hasn't stopped. He wasn't condemning them but teaching and showing them what this kind of love looked like toward him and that it was grand. I also want to point to something that came to me here. He says, “since the time I came in”. To me this seems to say three things. One, it says something about teaching the others to love like Christ loves the people and two, it says something about the progression of love since the beginning... “since the time I came in”. Three, showing the others that this was an obvious sign of submission. Just a few thoughts to add. You add yours below.

1 Samuel 20:41 says this...As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. What an incredible show of authentic friendship. Another place notes that their soles were knit together; that they deeply loved one another. Have you ever loved a dear friend in this way? Write your thoughts below.

Why have we went to all these aspects of love, kisses at that? : ) Because learning to love is a progression. We will talk more about what I am seeing this as in a little while but first lets go to Song of Solomon Chapter 1:2 NKJV says, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth- She is in the state of receiving that love from her lover. The Message Version says, Kiss me—full on the mouth! Yes! For your love is better than wine. Amplified Version says...Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! [she cries. Then, realizing that Solomon has arrived and has heard her speech, she turns to him and adds] For your love is better than wine! In these there are some things to share. She is crying out for her husband to kiss her, but when realizing he has heard her she doesn't run from him, she turns to him and then says, “For your love is better than wine”. He heard. She received. I don't think from the text that she hesitated after realizing he heard her speech. I think she knew her identity as a child of God, his lover and also his bride. Write below your own thoughts.

Let's talk about the wine. She is talking about his love being better than wine. Wine here means to effervesce; meaning to show enthusiasm, excitement or liveliness, also intoxication, banqueting, wine. I believe this means in part, a God kind of love.

Kisses here means "to catch fire". Sounds like a passionate encounter to me and rightly so. It means "a fastening, to touch, to cling, join, to love, delight, desire, set in love." A banquet. Perhaps there was wine to drink, definitely excitement of sharing physical love but as I write I want to add here that Ephesians 5:18

means the wine of even Hebrew origin. What am I implying toward to your growth toward loving your mate? Just this. You are in the right place. That there is no condemnation and there is freedom to flow in what God is giving you. That openness is yours to know more and more and love's pure joy is yours to have and that always brings a deeper healing the closer you move toward being a couple. This must be stirring hearts. Journal here.

These four words are coming to me to share with you here in regard to relationship. I will give you their definitions and you can expound them in your journaling time just below.

Unity-whole, combining all parts into one, state of being one, oneness, oneness of mind and feelings.

Recognize-identification of a person or thing as being recognized, perception of truth, formal acknowledgment conveying approval

Complement- Something that completes or makes perfect, either of two parts that completes to make the whole, to complete

Compliment- An expression of praise, commendation or admiration, a formal act of respect or regard, to pay a compliment to, to show kindness or regard

With the combination of these words and the verses we just looked at below write here what comes to your heart in regard to your love relationship with your spouse.

The book Love Dare that we mentioned before. If you haven't used it as reference you might flip through and decide you might like to go through it now. You may find it simple enough to go as deep as the Spirit takes you; just what you are searching for. No matter if you decide to use this as a reference in this study or not, know that you are being dared to love in a greater measure your spouse in a good way. It is the season to go deeper in understanding how to love in every way. An awesome read to dialogue between you and your beloved might be Song of Solomon. You might read from Amplified Version, New Century Version or perhaps The Message. Enjoy!

Love received righteously is given under the flow of anointing whether in song, the word of God spoken or flowing between two

people who love one another. We have and hold the tabernacle of God within us if we have taken on Christ. If you think back to the tabernacle and your respect toward God and respect toward your beloved one...this love walk is not only a journey toward loving others in greater and furthering measures but it is as if you are... remember this song? ~Passing by the crowds of people into the holy place, past the brazen alter, Lord I want to see your face~ It is as if you are going in further to love wholly the one you call yours; a continual showering of love This can be accomplished in going after that heaven on earth mentality where the Holy Spirit rules your walk of love.

My passion for this book is to share what's given to me for dreams to come true on Earth as it is in Heaven...the Heaven brought to Earth that meet in this life as it becomes gloriously evident. Where we walk in illuminated lives flowing practically and spiritually in renowned love, hearts that beat as one. Yes and Amen.

Chapter 8...Pure Worship

The passionate pursuance of our God with uncalculated risk is where some of the greatest blessing are located. And so it is no different in the realm of worship that pressing into this place opens your heart to blessings available in your marriage as well. Worship of God brings perspective and liveliness to your lives.

Romance the Lord with your words. Dialogue with him. Pray. Sing. Show reverence to him. Let His presence overcome and overwhelm you. There is nothing greater. Call out, even cry out to Him. Let Him know you love him more than anything. He wants to hear you. See yourself as a little child and climb up on His lap and hug His neck. There is nothing more he asks. Let him have all of you. You will sense the release of all that ails you as you worship Him in greater measures. Every fear and tear dissipates as His presence is near you in this place. Be expressive to Him. Tell Him why you love Him so. Let it be divine in nature. Worship purifies us; cleanses our hearts and minds to receive love we could not otherwise have room for. It is as an open door. Have expectation of a celebration in your Spirit. Take on a tenacity in worshiping the Lord that supersedes all else. Allow extravagance to permeate all you lift to God.

In the book “One Night with the King”, the king states in a manner of awe the shock that she actually wants to really know him and not just as the kingly position he held, but also as the man himself. She also replies that she wants to know all of him personally and that she is fascinated with him. He holds the necklace in his hand and states to her that no one had spoken to him in this manner in such a long time. I conclude that he needed a loyal and true confidant. This was a caressing balm to the soul of one who needed someone to listen. How did she know to make this emotional provision toward him? I believe it had much to do with her worshipful spirit. Am I doting on an intercessory spirit. Perhaps. The gratitude of the heart is priceless anointing when it is poured out in this manner of love. Its learned in a vertical fashion unto heaven. And thus at heart. He was in desperate need of a true soulmate and she had it to offer to him. As our worship to the Lord is vertical and one on one this aligns us for greater measures of love toward our spouses. She tells the King in the book once that he is most desirable and intoxicating and that she is overjoyed to be in his presence. Imagine how he must have felt. The admiration from one he loved so dear. Now, see this in worship of the Lord. It is most desirable and it is highly intoxicating to be in His presence and it is absolutely a joy unspeakable. Ladies and gentlemen, this is how each of us want to be loved. This is what our hearts long the most for. This is how Christ loved the church and gives himself for her. This is the conversing to one another that cleanses and washes by the word. This is the tender compassion offered in love in the absence of fear.

Tell Him the Lord how much you adore Him in prayer. He never gets tired of hearing your voice as much as you seek to hear and sense His. Your love for him will grow with each gracious time you come before him. Your spouse will see this about you and it will look like you have been flooded with the Lord and you will become as intoxicating to one another. What a design this is for love.

Call out to Him in song and in word. Speak His word back to Him. Oh, how this opens up worship. Be undignified, abandon all of yourself for Him, be washed in Him; in his word; even as an outward expression of what He is doing on the inside of you. Worship is obedience as well as it is vast in it's expression. Experience him. Be engulfed with His presence. Learn a dialogue of thanksgiving toward him. He loves that. And then cultivate it further with each worship experience. Make the Lord the most major priority. Be His first fruit offered continually. Surprise Him with your love. You say, is that possible? Well, He is all knowing but in the way of delighting Him with your offered presence, oh, I do believe you can be His sweet surprise. The fragrance of your worship to Him is as encompassing to Him as it is to you. As you go to that place with Him in the Spirit being the center of His attention you will come out of that place of worship far more blessed than you were when you went in. There is the place of greatest learned identity in the Lord. Who else can give to you this kind of love and how can you share it with the one you love?

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

Be loved Beloved!

Glory To His Name

Friday, February 04, 2011

My Beloved, _____________

For the choir director: A love song to be sung to the tune “Lilies.” A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

Next, Read Isaiah 54:6-8 below.