LOOK FOR DANGER SIGNS! 3/11/12

FOR THE past few months I have been beginning my morning with Joyce Meyer, I have even got Jim watching her with me. This passed week she had a couple who talked about “Guardrails”; a book the man had written. Wonderful counseling for married couples! Jim and I have not read their book but God’s Word has the same instructions and we have applied them to our lives. However this book, Guardrails, can be a help in learning just how we should protect ourselves. Jim and I have practiced these guardrails for years, because we chose to be together.

MANY believe, they don’t have to worry about places, people and things because God will protect them. I believe that God does promise us protection, but we must be obedient to His Word. When I was in Jr. high my Sunday School teacher taught me that I should be careful where I go and who I am with and what I am doing. The question is; “If Jesus should come, do I want Him to find me in shady company is this place and doing that?”

WHILE WORKING as a secretary to the Executive Director of a Goodwill facility, the Kiwanis Club was hosting a lunch for Secretaries Day. My boss had tickets and asked me to go with him. I said no! He was shocked and asked why. I said I don’t feel right going to lunch with you. He said; “What do you think I’m going to do; rape you?” I said I would be glad to go with you if my husband could come also. Needless to say, I didn’t go!

BOUNDARIES sound confining but can be a good thing. It is setting limits so that you do not stray across the line. As a child we are given limits set by our parents. In school we were taught to stay in our seats, another limit that felt confining, but kept the room in order and not in confusion. In sports, it comes down to team work and keeping the fouls at bay.

AS AN ADULT setting safe guards keeps us out of trouble and above reproach. Being married says that he belongs to me, and I belong to him. Don’t let anything or anybody come between what God has made to be become one. Protect yourself by paying attention to the spider webs that surround us. The dangers and the pitfalls! In other words, what may look innocent at the beginning can turn into a mess with a capital “S”; (sin).. Don’t let ignorance cause you to fall. Be fully aware of circumstances and not your feeling of good intentions.

“A PRUDENT man (or woman) sees danger and hides himself; but the simple go on, and suffer for it.” Proverbs 27:12 Jim and I have always felt that we got married because we wanted to be together all the time. Occasionally he goes to functions that are for men and I go to those for women only. He does not have a man cave and I don’t make it a habit of going out with the girls. He holds my hand and kisses me in public. I belong to him! I look for him when we are in a public place and feel secure when I see him. He belongs to me!

WE ARE TO PROTECT ourselves! When we drive our car off the road and into the gravel we can run into trouble. With Jim’s Subaru it is easy to come out of it, but on occasion it can turn the car over. When our husband or wife is out of the loop of our activities, it can only come back to haunt you. It can destroy you! Think before you come near to the guard rail.

“LET MARRIAGE be held in honor among all and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous.” Hebrews 13:4 Honesty and the desire to love, honor and obey (yes I said obey), should be well established in your marriage to keep you undefiled. Your mind never goes into dark places, when you set your mind on things above.

DO YOU have a favorite person in your life? I do! Jim is my favorite person to be with and I know I am his. How do I know?, because he always wants to be with me. Life is good when you can put your trust in God, and in your spouse! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 3/2/12