Marriage

Every marriage starts out as a huge celebration. Together with family and friends, each couple is full of hopes and dreams for their future life together. But the road to a happy marriage is far from easy. Today’s divorce statistics demonstrate all too well, many couples opt not to complete the journey.

It would be easy to blame our high rate of marital failure on things like not spending enough quality time together, allowing bitterness and resentment to build in our hearts and failing to keep communication lines open. But while quality time, forgiveness and communication are vitally important to creating a happy marriage, if such things aren’t happening, it’s usually a sign of a much deeper problem, and until this problem is addressed, no amount of external behavior modification will work.

Matthew 22:35-40 says, "One of them, an expert in the law, tested him [Jesus] with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."       

Virtually every marital problem can be traced back to one or both partners failing to abide by these two laws. The same is true of any relationship. The minute we begin to focus on our own wants and needs over those of God or our partner; we’re destined for trouble.

Experiencing communication problems in your marriage? How often do you really focus on listening to what your partner has to say instead of insisting on more airtime? Feeling bitterness and resentment growing toward your partner? When was the last time you brought him or her before the Lord in prayer and truly thanked God for your relationship? Struggling to find quality time together? How about praying with your partner and asking God how he would like you to use your time?

When you begin to do these things, you’ll notice that your focus automatically starts to shift away from you and your desires and over to God and your partner. As a result, communication problems begin to improve, anger and resentment fade away and you naturally want to spend more time together. Of course, you can’t expect such changes to happen overnight. Your relationship is also bound to face financial pressures, childrearing issues and other problems that are beyond your control. But if you commit your relationship to God and make a conscious decision each day to put God and your partner first, your marriage will be able to weather any storm. Not only that; you’ll also have plenty of fun together along the way!

Rejection

Isaiah 53:3 "He is despised and rejected of 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."

We have all faced rejection in our lives. I've seen it in churches, in families, even in the animal kingdom. That word "rejection" carries more weight with it than any of us can possibly imagine. The Bible prepares us on this subject in more ways than one involving God's people who were rejected because of various reasons.

(1) Saul was rejected as king of Israel because of his disobedience.

1 Samuel 15:23 "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."

(2) The offspring of Israel was rejected because of their unbelief.

2 Kings 17:20 "And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight."

(3) God's chosen people were rejected because of their lack of understanding God's Word.

Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

But nobody faced rejection like Jesus did!

(1) He was despised and rejected by mankind.

(2) That rejection created a world of sorrow and grief that He became familiar with.

(3) Men could not look upon Him due to that rejection.

(4) That rejected brought Him lower than He had ever been.

Yet in spite of it all He paid the price for our salvation. He refused to allow rejection to stop Him from doing His work. He overcame it by His faith in the will of His father.

Remember Jesus when...

-People reject you.

-Seek to destroy you.

-People are determined to stop you from doing good.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. Rejection couldn't stop Him, and by His grace it can't stop you either!

You're Wrong And You Are Loved

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Homosexuality is not the only sin mentioned, but it is different from all the rest, at least right now. At this moment in history, contrary to the other sins listed, homosexuality is celebrated by our liberal society with pioneering excitement. It’s seen as a good thing and as the new hallmark of progress.

To be sure, the masses increasingly make no excuses about sin in general. Innumerable people are idolaters, not to mention those who are sexually immoral or  commit adultery, or who steal and are greedy and get wasted and revile neighbors and swindle others. It happens all the time. Each of these unrepentant sins are the same in the sense of God’s judgment. They all deserve his wrath and nd we’re constantly reminded that “such were some of you” in 1 Corinthians 6:11. You, meaning those that now are in repentant and in the church.

None of those sins is applauded so aggressively by whole groups of people who advocate for their normalcy. Sexual immorality is no longer the tip of the spear for the progressive push. Adultery is still frowned upon by many. Accusations of greed will still smear a candidate’s political campaign. Theft is still not openly embraced, and there are no official initiatives saying it’s okay to go take things that don’t belong to you. There’s no such thing as a drunk agenda yet. Most aren’t proud to choose a beverage over stability, and there aren’t any petitions that the government should abolish the driving restrictions of inebriated individuals. Reviling others still isn’t seen as the best way to win friends and influence people. Swindling, especially on a corporate level, usually gets someone thrown into jail. In fact, the infrastructure of the American economy depends upon, in some measure, our shared disdain for conniving scammers.

Perhaps, except fornication, these sins are still seen in a pretty negative light. But not homosexual practice, or at least not by those who are now speaking loudest and holding positions of prominence. According to the emerging consensus, homosexuality is different.

As Christians, we believe with deepest sincerity that the embrace of homosexual practice, along with other sins, keeps people out of the kingdom of God. And even if parts of our society celebrates it, we can’t both be caring and not say anything. Too much is at stake. This means it is an oversimplification to say that Christians or conservative evangelicals are simply against homosexuality. We are against any sin that restrains people from their everlasting joy in God, and homosexual practice just gets all the press because, at this cultural moment, it’s the main sin that is so freshly endorsed by the powers that be. Let’s hope that if there’s some new cultural agenda promoting thievery, one that says it’s now our right to take whatever we want from others by whatever means, that Christians will speak out against it. The issue is sin. That’s what we’re against. And that’s what should make our voice so unique when we speak into this debate.

Some would like to see this whole issue of homosexuality divided into two camps: those who celebrate it and those who hate it. Both of these groups exist in our society. There are the growing numbers, under great societal pressure, who praise homosexuality. We might call them the left. And there are people who hate homosexuality, with the most bigoted rationale and apart from any Christian concern. We might call them the right.

The current debate is plagued by this binary lens. Those on the left try to lump everyone who disagrees with them into that right side. If you don’t support, you hate. Meanwhile, those on the right see compromise and spinelessness in anyone who doesn’t get red-faced and militant. If you don’t hate, you support.

True followers of Christ will walk neither path. We have something to say that no one else is saying, or can say. Distancing ourselves from both the left and the right, we don’t celebrate homosexual practice, we acknowledge God’s clear revealed word that it is sin; and we don’t hate those who embrace homosexuality, we love them enough to not just collapse under the societal pressure. We speak the truth in love into this confusion, saying, simultaneously, “That’s wrong” and “I love you.” We’re not the left; we say, this is wrong. And we’re not the right; we say, you’re loved. We speak good news, with those sweetest, deepest, most glorious words of the cross, the same words that God spoke us,“You’re wrong, and you’re loved.”

God tells us we’re wrong, that the wages of sin is death, that unrepentant rebellion means judgment, that our rescue required the cursed death of his Son. God also tells us we’re loved, that even while we were sinners, Jesus died for us, that while we were unrighteous, Jesus suffered in our place, that though we were destined for wrath, Jesus welcomes us into glory.

You’re wrong and you’re loved is the unique voice of the Christian. That’s our message in this debate, when society’s elites despise us, when pop songs vilify us, when no one else has the resources to say anything outside of two extremes, we have this incomparable opportunity to let the gospel shine, to reach out in grace: you’re wrong and you’re loved. We get to say this.

Do You?

Psalm 145:13b “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God.”

-Are you confident today that God is always faithful and that He is exactly who He says He is? Aren’t you glad He doesn’t change His mind or gets moody or forgets His promises? Friends or family may let you down or even betray you, but not God. He is completely faithful throughout your entire life not only to you, but to all His children.

Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change.”

-Do you lack confidence today?
1 Thessalonians 5:24 "Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it." 

-Are you fearful about something? He is watching over you completely-behind, in front, and overhead.
Psalm 139:5 "I hem you in behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me."

-Are you facing an impossible task? Pray and discuss it with Him. We just have to ask, and He will answer.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”

-Have you messed up? Feel guilty? He will cleanse you and make you completely pure.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

-Do you want to be more faithful to those you love? You can. Daily ask the Holy Spirit to fill and direct you. The Holy Spirit will produce faithfulness in you.
Galatians 5:22, 23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . faithfulness...” 

Precious Treasure

Throughout the Bible, there are many examples of what God values. He values what we give to Him. One example is in a passage is in Leviticus 27. Here the Lord commands priests to place an estimate on the value of all things that were donated to God by the people of Israel. In Leviticus, the expression, “thy estimation” is used twenty times. God places a value on the things we give to Him. Christ wields the prerogative of estimating the value of all gifts and services that are rendered in His name, whether it be gold, silver or stubble.

Peter had been fishing all night and had caught nothing, Jesus asked for the use of his boat to teach the crowds. Then He told Peter to launch into the deep and let down his nets. Even though Peter was reluctant because they had fished in vain all night and were tired, he did it anyway and God rewarded him for the use of his boat, by giving him two boatloads of fish. Christ is no man’s debtor.

There is also the story of Mary who poured the expensive, perfumed oil on Jesus feet. Jesus valued her precious act of worship and told the cynical disciples that this woman’s act of kindness and adoration would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. He valued her sacrifice of love.

Christ never undervalues a kind word spoken, or underestimates a loving deed done in His name. He noticed the widow who gave two mites. He understands what giving costs.

He also takes notice of neglect in giving thanks to Him for benefits received, as in the case of the ten lepers who were healed and only one came back to give thanks. Jesus asked where the others were.

The value that Christ puts on our life never changes. He paid the ultimate price for us. He loved us so much that He paid the price (an unbelievable cruel death) to redeem us from the of sin and death.

Ephesians 1:18 says He considers us, “His own precious treasure.” God is the evaluator and places the highest value on who we are, what we do for Him, the time we spend for Him and what we give up for Him.
Do you realize how much He values you?

The Shield

Psalm 3:3 “But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”       

The word “shield” also means to protect, guard, defend, shelter, and screen. God protects us from harm’s way, guards us from danger, defends us against accusations, shelters us when we are weak, and screens everything that comes our way. Nothing can touch us until it goes through God’s screening process first.

Many of us have had the scary experience of a rock hitting our windshield. The windshield protected us from being hurt. Our homes shelter us from the elements of nature, such as rain, snow, extreme heat, and cold. But there is no shelter, no protector, like God Himself. Deuteronomy 33:27 says “the eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

There may be times in your life when you feel like you have been hit by a ton of bricks. Believe it or not, that experience had to first go through God’s screening process. And His screening process is more accurate than that of any airport security system.

Painful experiences help us to trust God more. There are many verses in the Bible that refer to God as our shield.

(1) He will cover you with His wings.
Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

(2) He will be your hiding place.
Psalm 119:114 “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.”

(3) He will light your way through darkness.
Psalm 84:11 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

His shield quenches firey darts, withstands storms, diverts discord, and delivers delight. Lift up your voice of triumph-Jesus Christ is your shield!

Mysterious

God is great and He is mysterious, yet is totally loving.

There are so many things about God and His ways we will never understand. To naively say that we know Him completely would be foolish. He gives us glimpses and insights into certain aspects of His character. He has also given us the written and living Word and His Holy Spirit to teach us more about Him.

I have been overwhelmed with His greatness. He engineers events so we can learn more. Often it is through painful circumstances we come face to face with Him, and when we meet Him, we are changed. He is so awesome and mysterious and yet He desires and delights in our company.

I was reflecting about my experiences during the past seven years. I recognize that God is taking a painful time of life and will one day turn it into something wonderful and satisfying. When we are in the middle of whatever, we can not see happiness ahead; yet God knows what's best for you and I. He always knows the big picture in the way that is not only best for us, but also the best for the people involved in our world. He has a long-range plan while we see as though we are looking through a tiny, foggy window.

At times, when we seem to be treated unfairly, we wonder about His power. Is it real? Yet He never changes, but our feelings do. We never fully know Him, yet He is always waiting for us to know Him more. It is good to reflect on God and His ways. Like the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.”

I don’t want a shallow belief in Jesus. I want my roots to grow down deep into Him. How about you?