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A Month Of Gratitude??? #4 Bible Ballistics: BBs #602

08 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by Blanche in Abiding In Jesus, Ask God For Wisdom, Attitude of Gratitude, Broken Hearts, Divorce, Gratitude, Great is Thy Faithfulness, JESUS, Marriage, Thankful, Thanksgiving, That They May Know

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1 Samuel 15:18-23, Attitude of Gratitude, Divorce, Galatians 6:7-9, Genesis 2:23-24, God Created Marriage, Godly Marriage, Gratitude, Happiness, Hebrews 4:12-16, Holiness, Malachi 2:14-17, Marriage, Matthew 19:3-9, Matthew 5:31-32, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving

Bible Ballistics: BBs #602     A Month Of Gratitude??? #4

 

Today I want to share a truth that is special to me: I am thankful today that God’s Word still stands true!  God gives us His truth for a reason—because HE is God, and He knows that HIS way is the best way, and HE loves us!  It’s not always the easy way (in fact, it’s almost never the easy way); it’s hardly ever the popular way; and it’s even more seldom the way that appeals to the world.  What brought all this up today?  I saw something on social media; something that hit my heart with a thunderous boom, and I must speak to it, because it’s the same subtle misinformation that helped to lead me astray many years ago.

To start with, let me say that I understood the ‘context’ of the message, and while it is partly true, it is also based in that which is far less than God’s Word purports!  The first line of the ‘post’ is what jumped out at me, it said in part, “divorce IS ok”!  In essence it was referring to difficult marriages, yet when we fail to apply God’s truth, we can so easily be led astray and twist God’s truth unwittingly.  The post went on to talk about walking away, changing directions, starting over, and other issues regarding “divorce”!  But the thing that cut me to the quick, was the last part of the post—which said something like, “don’t stay where you’re not HAPPY!”  That was the very lie that led me to abandon my marriage over 45 years ago—the lie that some of my friends—my Christian friends—even a pastor, told me, and it was just what I wanted to hear!  The pastor told me that “God never intended for some people to ‘be’ married, and God wanted me to be “happy”!  Oh, how justified I felt, knowing that I wanted to excuse my selfish lust and the determination to make ‘myself’ happy, by choosing to leave a marriage that “didn’t make me happy” for one that I was determined would make me “happy”!  All because I was willing, even eager, to believe the lie that justified my selfish, sinful choice!

God is more concerned about my holiness and my character than my “happiness”!  And while I have never (and never will) counsel a woman (or a man if it applied) to stay in a dangerous environment, I will counsel them to pursue God and not the simple solutions of the world—no matter how cutesy or soothing they may seem—yet to be out of harm’s way.  God ever stands by HIS Word and He will meet those who obey Him where they are!  Yes, praise God, forgiveness is found in Jesus, but there are consequences for abandoning the clear principles of God and His Word; and He will direct, protect the weak, and guide those in danger as they pursue Him!  Yet today America’s families are reaping the consequences of forsaking the truths of God’s Word, whether intentionally or due to ignorance, or willfulness!  I don’t usually go on so much without sharing scripture, but I wanted to explain the circumstances and context of what I want to share.  I pray that this will help someone know truth and avoid the pitfalls that caused so much harm in my own life.  Every choice has a consequence, and we always reap more than we sowed—later than we sowed.  Praise God for forgiveness and restoration, but even more for the grace to avoid the pitfalls, and I thank HIM and praise HIM for that truth!

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary

in well doing:

for in due season

we shall reap,

if we faint not.”   Galatians 6:7-9

He is waiting to hear from YOU—and He stands behind HIS Word!

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things are naked

and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points

tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:12-16

Please don’t give up on what God hasn’t given up on—and if HE tells you to leave, make sure it’s God not the enemy.  Then trust HIM for each step that you take, and walk in obedience to His Word, His grace, and His direction.  God created the home, He established marriage, and He blesses husbands and wives who will pursue Him—and when we will each draw closer to God, we will draw closer to each other—Imagine a triangle with God at the top, husband and wife at each of the bottom corners, then as you move from each corner toward God, you’ll see that the spouses draw closer together as well.  “Think on these things..” (See Philippians 4:8)!  Note that “putting away” =divorce, in the passage below.

“Yet ye say, Wherefore?

Because the LORD hath been witness

between thee and the wife of thy youth,

against whom thou hast dealt treacherously:

yet is she thy companion,

and the wife of thy covenant.

15 And did not he make one?

Yet had he the residue of the spirit.

And wherefore one?

That he might seek a godly seed.

Therefore take heed to your spirit,

and let none deal treacherously

against the wife of his youth.

16 For the LORD,

the God of Israel, saith

that he hateth putting away:

for one covereth violence

with his garment,

saith the LORD of hosts:

therefore take heed to your spirit,

that ye deal not treacherously.

17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words.

Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?

When ye say,

Every one that doeth evil

is good in the sight of the LORD,

and he delighteth in them;

or, Where is the God of judgment?”    Malachi 2:14-17

Jesus Himself emphasized the import of marriage, and along with Paul’s writings, told us that adultery, desertion and abandonment were just reasons for divorce (not irreconcilable differences!)!

“It hath been said,

Whosoever shall put away his wife,

let him give her a writing of divorcement:

32 But I say unto you,

That whosoever shall put away his wife,

saving for the cause of fornication,

causeth her to commit adultery:

and whosoever shall marry her

that is divorced

committeth adultery.”   Matthew 5:31-32

And I’ll simply say that I don’t believe those who claim that when a person is ‘divorced’ they are always an “adulterer”, but I do believe that when we have divorced without biblical cause, we will ever carry the weight of having “adulterated” a marriage in disobedience to God!  I know that God forgives, heals and restores even those of us who have disobeyed Him, but it’s so much better to obey.  Samuel spoke profoundly in regard to that!

“And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said,

Go

and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites,

and fight against them

until they be consumed.

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey

the voice of the LORD,

but didst fly upon the spoil,

and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel,

Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD,

and have gone the way

which the LORD sent me,

and have brought Agag the king of Amalek,

and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 But the people took of the spoil,

sheep and oxen,

the chief of the things

which should have been

utterly destroyed,

to sacrifice unto the LORD

thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said,

Hath the LORD as great delight

in burnt offerings

and sacrifices,

as in obeying

the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion

is as the sin of witchcraft,

and stubbornness

is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because thou hast rejected

the word of the LORD,

he hath also rejected thee

from being king.”  1 Samuel 15:18-23

Every choice has a consequence—for saved or lost, but obedience is ever the joy of the Lord!  Will you hear/listen to men or God?

“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him,

and saying unto him,

Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife

for every cause?

4 And he answered and said unto them,

Have ye not read,

that he which made them

at the beginning

made them male and female,

5 And said, For this cause

shall a man leave father

and mother,

and shall cleave

to his wife:

and they twain

shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain,

but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together,

let not man put asunder.

7 They say unto him,

Why did Moses then command

to give a writing of divorcement,

and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them,

Moses because of the hardness of your hearts

suffered you to put away your wives:

but from the beginning

it was not so.

9 And I say unto you,

Whosoever shall put away his wife,

except it be for fornication,

and shall marry another,

committeth adultery:

and whoso marrieth her which is put away

doth commit adultery.”  Matthew 19:3-9

Jesus makes it clear that it was God speaking in Genesis 2; declaring that the “two” shall become “one flesh”—not just sexually, but also spiritually walking and serving God together with one heart, mind and spirit!

“And Adam said,

This is now bone of my bones,

and flesh of my flesh:

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore

shall a man leave his father and his mother,

and shall cleave unto his wife:

and they shall be one flesh.”   Genesis 2:23-24

So, my friends we can choose to listen to the world, and be deceived, or we can choose to follow God; no matter how often we have failed, we can receive of all His grace, mercy and truth.  Bring it to Jesus, and don’t fall for the subtle lies of the enemy.  We can KNOW truth if we will but turn to Jesus!  Be sure and remember to bring your questions and troubles to that:

“…throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need”!

That’s what I’m thankful for today!  How about you? (I didn’t mean for this to be so long, but I feel that it is an important message from God for each of us.  Especially in this broken world which is continually defying God’s truth—may we ever “stand fast in the evil day”)!   I am so thankful for that “throne of grace”!  I pray that you know it is there for YOU!

Amen and Amen.

 

 

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Dents, Dings, And Delicatessens??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 14 No. 05

15 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by Blanche in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Beauty of Holiness, Bling, Changed Lives, Children, Choices And Consequences, Commitment Or Convenience, Consider Your ways, Encouragement, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Jesus, Harmless As Doves, Holiness, Holy Living, IN Jesus!, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Knowing God's Word, Liars, Lies That Defeat Us, Listening To God, Marriage, Obedience, Power of The Cross, Repentance, Seeing Truth, Take Up YOUR Cross, The Lord Is My Shepherd, The Word Or The World?, Trendy Or Truth, Trusting Jesus, Truth, Victorious Living, Who are YOU following?

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1 Corinthians 15:17-20, 1 John 4:19, 1 Peter 3:1-4, 1 Peter 3:7-12, 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 1 Timothy 2:8-10, Colossians 3:8-17, Compromise, Delicatessens, Dents, Dings, Faithfulness, John 10:10-11, John 1:10-16, Malachi 2:15-17, Marriage, Matthew 16:24-26, Revelation 18:3-22, Truth

Bible Ballistics: Vol.14 No.05 Dents, Dings, And Delicatessens???

 

I know some of you are wondering what this has to do with our Christian life; others of you who know me better, know that I’ll sure try to make it relevant to our daily living; if I don’t, then I’m not really fulfilling my goal and passion of sharing biblical sustenance with hungry people—believers or not–for believers, because many don’t have a steady diet of biblical truth; for unbelievers, praying that they may be drawn to Jesus! For when it is all said and done, without Jesus, the resurrected Lord of glory, there is no hope! Paul said it so clearly and concisely!

“And if Christ be not raised,

your faith is vain;

ye are yet in your sins.

18 Then they also

which are fallen asleep in Christ

are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ,

we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now is Christ risen

from the dead,

and become the firstfruits

of them that slept.”    1 Corinthians 15:17-20

Jesus is our hope, our joy, and our rejoicing—for without Him we have no ‘hope of glory’, heaven, or eternal life!

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

by the commandment

of God

our Saviour,

and Lord Jesus Christ,

which is our hope;

2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith:

Grace,

mercy,

and peace,

from God our Father

and Jesus Christ our Lord.”  1 Timothy 1:1-2

We can have hope when we look to Christ Jesus in all things; He is our hope both past, present and future!  How about you, is HE your hope?  Paul gives us a beautiful picture of living by faith in his letter to the Colossian believers:

“But now ye also

put off all these;

anger,

wrath,

malice,

 blasphemy,

filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another,

seeing that ye have put off the old man

with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man,

which is renewed in knowledge

after the image of him

that created him:

11 Where there is neither

Greek nor Jew,

circumcision nor uncircumcision,

Barbarian, Scythian,

bond nor free:

but Christ is all,

and in all.

12 Put on therefore,

as the elect of God,

holy and beloved,

bowels of mercies,

kindness,

humbleness of mind,

meekness,

longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another,

and forgiving one another,

if any man have a quarrel against any:

even as Christ forgave you,

so also do ye.

14 And above all these things

put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God

rule in your hearts,

to the which also ye are called

in one body;

and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly (be at home in you!)

in all wisdom;

teaching

and admonishing one another

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

 singing with grace in your hearts

to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do

in word

or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God and the Father

 by him.” Colossians 3:8-17

 

Are we living our lives for Jesus in this manner? Or are we so soft, spiritually speaking, that any little thing can keep us from our Lord, from His Word, from His ways, from His principles and expectations?  It seems that all around us people claim the name of Jesus, but have no regard for who HE IS, what HE says, or what HE has called His followers to be and do (and remember, being always precedes doing!)!  We seem to be more concerned about taking care of our new car, than we are about maintaining our testimony for Jesus.  We’ll park a mile away from the door to keep from having someone ding our car; but we’ll get as close to sin as we can, thinking that we can ‘handle’ it.  All the while, letting our intimacy with Jesus slip away!  We’ll be sure and have any little dent in our car or truck buffed out, painted over, or do whatever it takes to fix it and keep it looking new; but what about our walk with Jesus?  We are often more concerned about the appearance of our vehicle, or our wardrobe than about our appearance and testimony before a word that is in desperate need of real, genuine, holy followers of Jesus, those who are truly taking up their “cross” and following HIM!   Are you taking up the cross or hiding your connection to it?

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life

for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

 or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?”   Matthew 16:24-26

It saddens me that sometimes when I go to church, I see the same immodest (to say the least) attire that I see out in the world. I see just as many bosoms, bulges, and bottoms as I see out in the world!  I just can’t believe that it ought to be this way!

“I will therefore that men pray

every where,

lifting up holy hands,

without wrath

and doubting.

9 In like manner also,

that women adorn themselves

in modest apparel,

with shamefacedness

and sobriety;

not with broided hair,

or gold,

or pearls,

or costly array;

10 But (which becometh women professing godliness)

with good works.”   1 Timothy 2:8-10

In other words, God isn’t going to judge our “bling” but our “godliness’!

“Likewise, ye wives,

be in subjection to your own husbands;

 that, if any obey not the word,

they also may

without the word

be won by the conversation

of the wives;

2 While they behold your

chaste conversation

coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning let it not be

that outward adorning

of plaiting the hair,

and of wearing of gold,

or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart,

in that which is not corruptible,

even the ornament

of a meek and quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God

of great price,”  1 Peter 3:1-4

Why are we more willing to follow the passions, patterns, and popular fashions of the world, than to be godly women, committed to being a reflection of our Lord in all holiness?  I, for one, pray that my heart will be set on the call of God, rather than the call of the world.  Yet, it’s not just women, the men have a calling as well.  And it’s not to be harsh, selfish, and fixed on the biggest ‘toys’ on the lot!  Peter goes on to call men to holiness, reminding us all that we answer to a higher call than that of the world’s fashion, fad or fickle passions.  We are called to godly faithfulness in our marriages, our outside interactions, and our hearts desires—male and female!

“Likewise, ye husbands,

dwell with them according to knowledge,

giving honour unto the wife,

as unto the weaker vessel,

and as being heirs together

of the grace of life;

that your prayers be not hindered.

8 Finally, be ye all

of one mind,

having compassion one of another,

love as brethren,

be pitiful,

be courteous:

9 Not rendering evil for evil,

or railing for railing:

but contrariwise

blessing;

knowing that ye are

thereunto called,

that ye should inherit a blessing.

10 For he that will love life,

and see good days,

let him refrain his tongue

from evil,

and his lips

that they speak no guile:

11 Let him eschew evil,

and do good;

let him seek peace,

and ensue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord

are over the righteous,

and his ears

are open unto their prayers:

but the face of the Lord

is against them that do evil.”   1 Peter 3:7-12

If I may speak to the men, God called you to be the spiritual leaders of your homes, yet we live in a culture when Satan is wreaking havoc in families all around us.  Men are throwing away their families –and women too—for the pleasures of “sin for a season”!  And then we wonder why our families, our children, our homes are falling apart.  One reason is that we have bought into the popular “ME” culture, and if our marriage has a ‘ding’, or a ‘dent’ we just ‘trade up’ for a newer, better, younger, or more ‘suitable’ (in our eyes) person.  Or even more often, we just “shack up”, as my momma used to call it, rather than pursuing a godly commitment to the covenant of marriage.  Without a strong priority for marriage, our homes will continue to fall apart—scarring our children along the way.  (And please understand that I speak this with a heavy heart, for I bought the lies many years ago and caused harm to so many, including my own children! Choices that I have repented of, sought the forgiveness of others, and tried to make amends where I could.  But like the story goes of the little boy who did hurtful things, and his father gave him a pillow and told him to scatter the feathers all over town.  The next day he gave the boy the pillow cover and told him to go and retrieve the feathers. The boy came home with only a small amount of the feathers in the cover, and told the dad, “I couldn’t find any more feathers.”  To which his father replied, “That’s how it is with our words, and our actions, when we say or do harmful things!  We can never go back and totally erase the damage that we have done?  So, you need to be more careful about your choices!” And that story still teaches an important principle today!). God’s commentary is an oft ignored commentary, but still as true as when He spoke it; and the heart of America is much like the heart of Israel to whom Malachi spoke—and just FYI, putting away is a reference to divorce. (Referring to causeless divorce—there are biblical grounds for divorce, but they are for the protection of the innocent, not for the convenience or whims of greedy, lustful men and women!)

“And did not he make one?

Yet had he the residue of the spirit.

And wherefore one?

That he might seek a godly seed.

Therefore take heed to your spirit,

and let none deal treacherously

against the wife of his youth.

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith

that he hateth putting away:

for one covereth violence

with his garment,

saith the LORD of hosts:

therefore take heed to your spirit,

that ye deal not treacherously.

17 Ye have wearied the LORD

with your words.

Yet ye say,

Wherein have we wearied him?

When ye say,

Every one that doeth evil

is good in the sight of the LORD,

and he delighteth in them;

or, Where is the God of judgment?”    Malachi 2:15-17

Some of you are saying, “Ok, Blanche, we’ve talked about dents and dings, what about the delicatessen?”  Well, it has to do with something I’ve been teaching in my Bible study class on Revelation.  But first I want us to see that we have all in Jesus; we have His provision for our salvation, all because HE loved us first, and calls us to follow His example rather than live delicatessen style.

“We love him,

because he first loved us.”  1 John 4:19

I love delicatessens, we have a new one near our home, and I love to go in and get those ooey, gooey sandwiches and just pick the meat and cheese that I like!  And that’s how many today are claiming to follow Jesus—they pick and choose which parts of His Word they want to accept, follow and yield to!  I pray that we will see the error of our ways, repent of our sin (whether we are believers or unbelievers, for even genuine children of God sin—see 1 John 1:9+), and follow Him faithfully and obediently.

“The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come

that they might have life,

and that they might have it

more abundantly.

11 I am

the good shepherd:

the good shepherd

giveth his life

for the sheep.”   John 10:10-11

 

Are you following the ‘thief’ or the “good shepherd”?  He repairs dings, dents and helps us choose wisely in all we do, whereas the thief will lie to you and steal your soul, your life and your loved ones!  Don’t let him—look to Jesus instead!

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

 even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him,

and cried, saying,

This was he of whom I spake,

He that cometh after me

is preferred before me:

for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness

have all we received,

and grace for grace.”  John 1:10-16

I would like to bring this to a close with the warning that God gives to the world in the last days—and while we aren’t in ‘the last of the last’ we are closer than we think, in my humble opinion.  It hit me this week as I was studying and working on my lesson, that we live in a world controlled by lusts and passions for the “delicacies” of the world (Babylon being, at the least, a reference to the worldly order).

“For all nations have drunk

of the wine

 of the wrath

of her fornication,

and the kings of the earth

have committed fornication with her,

and the merchants of the earth

are waxed rich

through the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,

Come out of her,

my people,

that ye be not partakers of her sins,

and that ye receive not

of her plagues. ..

… 14 And the fruits

that thy soul lusted after

are departed from thee,

and all things

which were dainty

and goodly

are departed from thee,

and thou shalt find them

no more at all…

..18 And the fruits

that thy soul lusted after

are departed from thee,

and all things

which were dainty

and goodly

are departed from thee,

and thou shalt find them

no more at all..

….22….for by thy sorceries

were all nations deceived.”    Portions of Revelation 18:3-22

I pray that God speaks to our hearts, opens our eyes to see what HE sees, and leads us to be men and women of godly faithfulness before a lost and dying world, for time is short!  Amen and Amen!

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Putting Asunder??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 10

21 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by Blanche in Abundant Life In Jesus, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Cross, Putting Asunder, Trusting Jesus

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2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Compromise, Ephesians 5:25-33, Genesis 2:21-25, Isaiah 53:3-6, Jesus Is Truth, John 1:29, John 8:36, Marriage, Matthew 19:4-8, Matthew 1:21, Putting Asunder, Resurrection Day, Romans 12:1-3, Romans 1:28-32, Romans 5:1-11, Trusting Jesus

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.10 Putting Asunder???

 

How sad for me on this precious and glorious Resurrection Sunday, to think of how far afield we have come from God’s plan and design for mankind.  The God who created us, made us “male” and “female”—created marriage, and provided for the restoration of our relationship with HIM, which we lost due to sin. Let us consider how far afield we have come.  What have you and I “put asunder”?

“And he answered and said unto them,

Have ye not read,

that he which made them

at the beginning

made them

male

and female,

5 And said, For this cause

shall a man leave father

and mother,

and shall cleave to his wife:

and they twain shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain,

but one flesh.

What therefore

God hath joined together,

let not man put asunder.

7 They say unto him,

Why did Moses then command

to give a writing of divorcement,

and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them,

Moses

because of the hardness

of your hearts

suffered you to put away

your wives:

but from the beginning

it was not so.” Matthew 19:4-8

Jesus responded to those who questioned Him and who wanted to trap Him with God’s truth; He reminded them of God’s original plan for man—for marriage.  Jesus made it clear that not only did God create marriage, He created it for a lifetime!  He also tells us that what “God hath joined together, let not man put asunder”!  Yet we live in a world, especially our American culture, that has not only disregarded God’s plan, but we are totally putting it “asunder”!

Asunder:  into separate parts; in or into pieces; 2: apart or widely separated…

We have allowed ourselves to be led astray—not because we didn’t know truth, but because we are rejecting God’s truth on almost every hand.  We have denied, watered down and diluted the very Word of God at every turn.  God’s plan began in Eden, and it hasn’t changed!

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep

to fall upon Adam,

and he slept:

and he took one of his ribs,

and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib,

which the LORD God had taken from man,

made he a woman,

and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said,

This is now bone of my bones,

and flesh of my flesh:

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore

shall a man leave his father

and his mother,

and shall cleave unto his wife:

and they shall be one flesh.

25 And they were both naked,

the man

and his wife,

and were not ashamed.”  Genesis 2:21-25

God would make the two—male and female—one.  There is to be a “leaving” and a “cleaving”—leaving the ties of our parents’ home, and being totally devoted to our spouse; to be not only ‘one’ in a physical sense, but a oneness of body, mind and spirit.  Soul mates in the sense that when we both keep our eyes on Jesus—there will be a drawing closer and closer to God and drawing closer and more intimate with each other.  It is a picture that God painted in the beginning to show us the beauty and wonder of His love for us—a picture of the ONE who had already created the plan to perfectly restore our relationship to Him, after it would be marred by sin! And that plan was JESUS!  The very One whose resurrection we celebrate today.

Paul gave a most interesting picture of this in his letter to the Ephesians, a passage whose beauty we often miss because we place our focus on the instructions to husbands and wives—and miss the wondrous picture of our Risen Lord and HIS church!

“Husbands, love your wives,

even as Christ also loved the church,

and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify

and cleanse it

with the washing of water

by the word,

27 That he might present it

to himself a glorious church,

not having spot,

or wrinkle,

or any such thing;

but that it should be holy

and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives

as their own bodies.

He that loveth his wife

loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated

his own flesh;

but nourisheth

and cherisheth it,

even as the Lord the church:

30 For we are members of his body,

of his flesh,

and of his bones.

31 For this cause

shall a man leave his father and mother,

and shall be joined unto his wife,

and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery:

but I speak concerning Christ

and the church.

33 Nevertheless

let every one of you in particular

so love his wife

even as himself;

and the wife

see that she reverence

her husband.”   Ephesians 5:25-33

How sad that we have cast aside the plan of God for our own lusts, desires and happiness (so-called).  I, like many others, was misled and fell for the lies of the enemy and abandoned God’s plan for my own!  That is one of the reasons for my sadness, another is that it I am so inadequate to warn others of the pitfalls of sin, and the lies of the enemy (and he is a liar, on every hand).  God is much more concerned with our love for Him, and our willingness to surrender to His work of holiness within us by the power of the CROSS!  And there is no comparison with the joy that God can give to the heart that will pursue Him rather than the “lusts of the flesh”!  How grateful I am that God reached down, called my ‘sin’ ‘sin’, and heard the prayer of my heart when I confessed my ‘sin’ and asked Jesus to forgive me and save me—and HE did!  Not that I was perfect after that, but things were different, for I now had the Spirit of the ‘Risen Lord” dwelling within me!  Praise HIS name!

Paul warns us, as he warned the Romans of the dangerous downward spiral of sin.  God’s way is diametrically opposite to the cry of the world, which calls us to go our own way, rather than God’s; but it is a plague that all are afflicted with.

 

“And even as they did not like to retain God

in their knowledge,

God gave them over

to a reprobate mind,

to do those things

which are not convenient;

29 Being filled

with all unrighteousness,

fornication,

wickedness,

covetousness,

maliciousness;

full of envy,

murder,

debate,

deceit,

malignity;

whisperers,

30 Backbiters,

haters of God,

despiteful,

proud,

boasters,

inventors of evil things,

disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers,

without natural affection,

implacable,

unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God,

that they which commit such things

are worthy of death,

not only do the same,

but have pleasure

in them that do them.” Romans 1:28-32.

(And I encourage you to read all of Romans 1 for the whole picture of the degradation and contagion of sin!)

God, through Isaiah, painted the picture of the ONE who would come and deliver us from our sin—the only ONE who could and would—HE did!

“He is despised and rejectedof men;

a man of sorrows,

and acquainted with grief:

and we hid as it were our faces

from him;

he was despised,

and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne

our griefs,

and carried

our sorrows:

yet we did esteem him

stricken,

smitten of God,

and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded

for our transgressions,

he was bruised

for our iniquities:

the chastisement

of our peace

was upon him;

and with his stripes

we are healed.

6 All we like sheep

have gone astray;

we have turned every one

to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him

the iniquity of us all.”  Isaiah 53:3-6

Jesus—The Lamb of God—came to be the sacrifice for our sin!  His substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice paid the price for my redemption and yours!  I, who was so fallen and full of sin, found His redemption totally abundant and adequate to cleanse my soul of sin.  And HE will do the same for YOU if you will but hear His voice, repent, and open the door of your heart to receive His saving grace!  He came to save us from sin—and He is still saving souls and changing lives today—this very day that we celebrate His victory over sin, death and hell.

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away

the sin of the world.”   John 1:29

It is why HE came—to live a sinless life, and to pay a sin debt that HE didn’t owe, because we owed a sin debt that we could never pay apart from hell!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”   Matthew 1:21

HE has given HIS own life for us!  And when we receive HIS salvation, we are made new!

“Therefore being justified

by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access

by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope

of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope

maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love

toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified

by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath

through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more,

being reconciled,

we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom

we have now received

the atonement.”   Romans 5:1-11

While we were “yet sinners, Christ died for us”; the sinless, Son of God, gave HIS life for my sin!  My sin and yours—I failed—I came short—I rebelled—I sought self, lust, and satisfaction, without regard for the cost to my own soul or the lives of others. Yet, God had already provided for my salvation, forgiveness and redemption.  He has made me whole by the blood of JESUS’ cross, and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.  Therefore, as HE gave me new life, HE will give you life too! If you know Jesus already, press on in the ‘newness’ of life “in him”, He is totally sufficient for all your need!  And if you don’t know Jesus, you can call upon Him today!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us

to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us the ministry

of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world

unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

We can be ‘new’!  And when He makes us ‘new’, we are truly new in our hearts, and free from the power of sin, by the blood of The Lamb, who “cleanseth us from all sin”!

“If the Son therefore shall make you free,

ye shall be free indeed.”  John 8:36

Free to love Him, to serve Him, to follow Him by taking up our cross and pursuing Jesus in all our ways.  Paul puts it so beautifully, what better way to praise HIM and close our post for today—challenging each of us to give it all to Jesus—by His grace and power!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your

reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed

to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

3 For I say,

through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself

more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt

to every man

the measure of faith.”   Romans 12:1-3

May you be blessed on this Resurrection Sunday!

Amen and Amen!

 

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Brides And Heaven??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #520

04 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by Blanche in Abundant Life In Jesus, Brides And Heaven, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Marriage

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2 Corinthians 5:17-19, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Brides & Heaven, Colossians 1:12-14, Culture--Versus--Truth, Galatians 5:16 &25, Heaven, Hebrews 13:4-6, JESUS, John 14:6, Marriage, Matthew 1:21, Salvation

Bible Ballistics: BBs #520   Brides And Heaven???

 

When we think of winter, we don’t think much about weddings; we think of weddings in the spring and summer, but the thing I’d like us to consider this morning is the fact that in our culture we have come to consider “Brides” and “weddings” without any consideration for the “marriage”! It came to my mind this morning as I pondered on this article that we think much the same way about heaven, as an old song goes, “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die!” (As best as I can determine, written by Loretta Lynn [not the modern version]). We have reduced the Gospel to a ticket to heaven with no relationship to God through His Son Jesus, no dealing with sin, and no bowing before the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved and “transformed” by His sacrifice and His Spirit!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints

in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness

of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14

You see, we must understand that just as a wedding ought to have a good marriage as its end, a salvation that takes one to heaven must encompass the changing of a heart and life by the power of the blood of Jesus, because SIN IS the issue, and only Jesus can change a sinner into a saint.

“Therefore if any man be

in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things

are passed away;

behold,

all things

are become new.

18 And all things

are of God,

who hath reconciled us

to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit,

that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world

unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses

unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Jesus saves, reconciles and delivers men, women, boys and girls from sin! It’s what HE came to do!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Jesus imparts to us HIS righteousness in exchange for our sin, then we are to share the Good News in power and truth!

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you

by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Jesus paid a debt HE didn’t owe, so that we could have life in Him, and also be empowered to walk in the righteousness “of God”, but only “in him”–JESUS! All this because God “made him to be sin for us”! HE paid my debt, and gives me HIS life! HE is the only way to heaven for you or me!

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:6

No matter how much “everybody” wants to “go” to heaven, JESUS is still the only way—no matter how much the world waters down the truth of the Gospel. Be sure and read Matthew 7, and see what Jesus Himself has to say about those who simply “say” “Lord, Lord”, and don’t truly know Him in repentance and faith, receiving HIS “transforming” salvation! But what does that have to do with “Brides”? A lot really, for the same God, who sent Jesus, gave us marriage, and HE gave it to us as a true and holy picture of His desire to make us “one” with Him. Yet, we have become a culture that has made “weddings” the prime focus—with lots of money spent, extravaganzas put on, yet little or no attention given to the relationship of “one man” and “one woman” until death do us part! That is God’s plan and no matter what the world says, or how much we have drifted from the truth, God will hold us (especially the church who has compromised this issue beyond measure!) accountable for what we have done with The truth.

Now I’m not throwing rocks, for I also bought the lies for many years, messing up my own life and the lives of my children, as well as others around me who warned of the danger that I was taking on in rejecting God’s plan for my own “happiness” my own “way”! What about you? Have you compromised God’s truth because it is so rampant around us? Have you traded God’s truth for cultural “sensitivity”? God’s plan, His Word and His purpose for us has never changed—He loves us and has called us to walk His way, not our own. And we can only do that through the power of Jesus’ blood and His Holy Spirit, who is given to every one who comes to Him in repentance and faith!

“Be not thou therefore ashamed

of the testimony of our Lord,

nor of me his prisoner:

but be thou partaker of the afflictions

of the gospel

according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us,

and called us

with an holy calling,

not according to our works,

but according to his own

purpose and grace,

which was given us

in Christ Jesus

before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest

by the appearing of our

Saviour Jesus Christ,

who hath abolished death,

and hath brought life and immortality

to light through the gospel:”   2 Timothy 1:8-10

The rules haven’t changed for ‘brides’ or ‘heaven’.

“Marriage is honourable in all,

and the bed undefiled:

but whoremongers

and adulterers

God will judge.

5 Let your conversation

be without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord

is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do unto me.”   Hebrews 13:4-6

I pray that we will get back to The Truth, and spread the Good News by our lives, our words and our actions!!! It’s what God has called us to do! May we walk in HIS Spirit not our flesh!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust

of the flesh……..

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”   Galatians 5:16 & 25

Amen and Amen!!!

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