Be a Gentleman This Valentine’s Day

Men, are you willing to meet the challenge to treat your lady, like a gentleman would? And not just on special occasions, like Valentine’s Day, but every day? - Clint Decker

When I was a teenager my mom and I were out doing some errands when we stopped to head into a store. As we approached the building, I opened the door and walked in. Moments later I looked to my side, and my mom was not there. I turned around and found her standing outside on the other side of the door. When I walked back to her, I quickly found out what the problem was. Me! My mom was waiting for me to open the door for her. Not that she was injured or weak by any means. Nope! She was a very strong woman in many ways. Rather, she was trying to teach me how a gentleman is to treat a lady. I failed terribly! She also tried to teach me to eat my French fries with a fork. I failed there too. (Image from psychalive.com)

It took a while, but eventually I caught on, and was grateful for what she taught me. We have two great-granddaughters living with us, and I am doing the reverse with them. When we go into a building I say, “Okay girls, I need you to wait beside the door for me.” Then I will come and say, “You are queens and a gentleman always opens the door for his queen.” Sometimes it does not go so well with the older great-granddaughter. She will say, “I don’t need a man to open the door for me!” I need more time to work on that one.

Where does the idea of men acting like gentlemen and treating women like ladies come from? Read these words, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it…” (Ephesians 5:25-29) The concept of being a gentlemen in how a man treats a lady comes from God. He further states, “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman…” (1 Peter 3:7) How is a husband or boyfriend to honor his beautiful lady? Here are three ways that partially come from others.

Courtesy. Open the door for your lady, letting her enter first. Walk on the side closer to traffic, to protect her from any danger as vehicles drive by. Let her order first at a restaurant and always pay the bill. Help her with her coat. Offer to help carry any items she has.

Communication. Put down your cell phone, turn away from your video game and give your wife or girlfriend your full attention when she is talking. Genuinely compliment her to be an encouragement. Never use profanity toward her, or in her presence. Instead, let your words toward her be filled with graciousness and gentleness.

Consideration. Never lie to your lady. Respect her boundaries. When she says “no”, then honor that. Be reliable. When you give your word to her, then keep it. Have a sense of decorum in her presence, by stopping with the bodily noises. Be considerate enough to refuse being drunk in her company. Defend her at all costs from anyone who raises an evil hand toward her or who throws a vile word in her direction.

Men, are you willing to meet the challenge to treat your lady, like a gentleman would? And not just on special occasions, like Valentine’s Day, but every day? Women, are you willing to let him?

I realize what I am writing is controversial in light of the confusing gender roles we have today. What is a man? What is a woman? This is not confusing with God. He provides perfect clarity on this. Through the power of God, you can become the gentleman and lady God has called you to be.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will help men to be gentlemen and women to be ladies. Bring us to treat one another with a sense of honor in our relationships. And where we are weak, forgive us and enable us by your Spirit to live as we ought. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Will Muslims, Christians and Jews be in Heaven Together?

We are living in a time where nearly a majority of Christians feel it is not important what religion a person is, what they believe or how they live, but more importantly is that God loves them. - Clint Decker

Once after I finished speaking at a church, a gentleman in the congregation approached me and asked, “Do you think Muslims will go to heaven?” I responded by sharing Jesus’ own words, who said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Then to my surprise he stated, “The way I see it, is God loves everyone, so if people are sincere in their beliefs, they should be able to find their own way to Him.” (Freepik)

The man is not unique among Sunday morning church goers. A survey was taken by Ligonier Ministries that involved U.S. evangelical Christians. Among the participants, 47% agreed that “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.” We are living in a time where nearly a majority of Bible believing Christians feel it is not important what religion a person is, what they believe nor how they live. The most important thing is that God loves all people and accepts their worship.

Is this true? About 45 minutes from where I live is a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall, a Mormon church, a Muslim Mosque, Evangelical Covenant Churches, Southern Baptist churches, Wesleyan churches and many others. Are we all going to heaven? Do we each have our own unique way to God? Does it not matter what we all believe or how we live?

Take a look at what God Himself says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:2-3) This was not just a message to the Hebrew people, but to all humankind. And replace “gods” with religion. It still means the same thing. He also said, “that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.” (Deuteronomy 4:35) God is clear in condemning all other gods besides Him.

What is the way to the one true God? Jesus, the divine Son of God, made it plain and simple, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6) He validated this truth through His teachings, miracles and ultimately His death, burial and resurrection from the dead.

There stands only one God, the Lord God who made the heavens and the earth. And there stands only one Jesus, the one who died and rose again that we might know the Almighty. And it is said about Him, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

The Lord God is above Allah of the Koran. He is the Great Spirit and Great Creator that calls Native Americans to believe in Him. He is the one true God among the thousands of other gods in Hinduism. He teaches Buddha and his followers saying, “I am the Creator, and all knowledge, all truth, all light is found in me.” The Jesus who was resurrected from the dead is greater than the Jesus of the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Mormon’s. And to the Jews he says, “I am the Messiah you have been expecting. Believe in me.”

God loves the whole world, and to that world He declares He is the only God and there is only one way to Him; through Jesus. In a spirit of love and compassion God proclaims this message to the world through His followers. And He calls all people to turn from their ways and their false gods and to Him by faith before it is too late.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will help people to understand there is only one God, only one Jesus and only one way to you. Bring people to believe this truth and yield themselves fully to you this hour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Love Wins!

What is God’s message to a world that is filled with violence and vulgarity? Stop! There is a better way. - Clint Decker

When a man picks up a gun in anger and then points it at his enemy and pulls the trigger – hate wins. When one abuses the levers of power to silence opponents – hate wins. When one spews vile insults at their foe – hate wins. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Returning hate for hate mul­ti­plies hate, adding deep­er dark­ness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness can­not dri­ve out dark­ness; only light can do that. Hate can­not dri­ve out hate; only love can do that.” (Image by Unsplash)

What kind of love can conquer selfish hatred? A love that is pure, holy, undefiled and has never been touched by evil. I speak of a love that comes from another dimension in time and space. A divine holy love that exists in the One who sits on the throne of the universe in the celestial city among the stars. The Lord God created the heavens and earth out of this love, and fashioned man and woman together, but soon evil found its way into the human heart. They rejected His love and embraced the darkness. Eventually, evil took hold of the world and hate abounded everywhere. Then in time, the God of light and love chose a people and began to teach them about Himself.

He told them, “…it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand…from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:8) He also taught them to love Him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might…and keep…his commandments always.” (Duet 6:5, 11:1) And He taught them to love one another, “…you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18) Then at the right time, He revealed His marvelous love to the world on Christmas Day, “For God so love the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) For three years Jesus went about manifesting the love of God through His teachings, signs and wonders. But hate raised its ugly face and sought to silence the voice of love and truth. Anger, violence and wickedness nailed Jesus to a tree and buried Him in a tomb. Then three days later, the love of God came bursting forth from that grave. Love won!

Today, the message of God’s love and truth continues around the world. It is a love unlike any other. It is loyal, sacrifices, it is pure, exposes evil, disciplines and corrects, overcomes evil with good and is a love that forgives. The song, “The Love of God” says it best, “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell…O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure: the saints’ and angels’ song!"

This love of God compels us to love others, to love as He loves, especially those who are the most difficult. For Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

What is God’s message to a world that is filled with violence and vulgarity? Stop! Do not let hate win. There is a better way. Quit returning evil for evil. The love of Jesus has shown us a different path. Turn from the darkness and toward heaven’s light and love. See Jesus lifted high upon a cross. See how He rose from the dead for you. Call out for a touch of His grace and mercy. Do it this very hour, then watch His divine love be poured into your heart and be changed forever. Love wins!

A prayer for you – Lord God, let us behold your divine love. Show us afresh the wonderful cross. Then help us to love as you would have us to. In Jesus' name. Amen.