You cannot give what you do not have!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

How will the LORD respond if you ask him to show you to love your spouse each day this week?

On November 7, I shared a devotional titled “Fireproof Your Marriage” and mentioned that my wife and I are participating in a six week series by that name at City On A Hill Church. On Saturday November 15 we went to Week #2 of that series. The message titled was “He First Loved Us.”

Fireproof Your Marriage is such a blessing. I believe everyone (married and single) who participates with a teachable heart and mind will benefit greatly.

Pastor GW Dameron told us, “You cannot give what you do not have! Besides needing to give love, all of us need to be loved.” GW shared his personal testimony of surrendering his life to Jesus at age 26 in 1995. A verse that convicted him was John 14:15 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

After showing us an outstanding video clip from the movie “Fireproof,” GW shared these five principles of relationships:

1) When people have profound experiences, they want to share them.

2) An encounter with God’s love is a profound experience.

3) Those who live close to God find that their love for others is always increasing. Greatness is contagious. When you’re around greatness, it begins to rub off on you. The key to all relationships is love. According to Revelations 3:20, Jesus is a gentleman. He’s not going to force himself on anybody. Get close and stay close to Jesus.

4) Love eliminates fear.

5) We love because He first loved us. Jesus showed us what loves looks like. He modeled love, Irma Bombeck said, “If I lived my whole life over, I would listen more and talk less.”

Finally, GW gave each of us these two “Love Dare” challenges:
1) Receive God’s love
2) Each day this week, ask the LORD to show you one way to love your spouse and then do it.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to participate with my wife in the Fireproof Your Marriage teaching. Thank You for using GW to bring that to Culpeper. Bless him, his family, and City On A Hill Church. Thank You for all the churches across the nation that are benefiting from this series. Jesus, we ask You to Fireproof millions of marriages that are in trouble. Thank You. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Pastor GW Dameron’s blog – currently GW is doing a 40 day series of posts for “The Love Dare” 

Blessings to ask the LORD each day to show you how to love your spouse and then do it!

Announcement: Kelsey’s Concert on Sat Nov 22
As many of you know, Saturday August 30 was the saddest day of the year when I learned that Pastor Randy Orndorff’s daughter (Kelsey) was killed in a head-on car collision the evening before on her way to a Chris Sligh concert in Fredericksburg VA. Kelsey was Randy’s only daughter.

Well God is a master at turning around things meant for evil back to good. Now, by the grace of God, Christ Sligh will be performing at the Culpeper High School auditorium at 7 pm on Saturday November 22 to honor Kelsey and her family.

Tickets for adults cost $15 and for students $10. Proceeds will benefit “Kelsey’s Big Give” and “Teens Opposing Poverty’s Kelsey Kares Fund.” For tickets contact the Culpeper United Methodist Church office at 540-825-0764.

Please help spread the word through Facebook and other social media. If you have teens, ask them for their help. You don’t have to come to help support this great cause. Thank you.