Greetings everyone,
I hope your week went well. If you recall from my last message, I mentioned that I may continue on this topic for a while. Since our nation is going through this dramatic change in the definition of marriage, I thought that I would offer what I believe to be God’s plan for marriage and salvation. Furthermore, his plan for how His children would operate under His will until Christ returns.
I would like to draw your attention to an amazing article ABC News (and other media) put out regarding an amazing married couple. According to the article, they have been married for more the 80 years and are both over 100 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Veillard, are originally from Hati and over the last serval days have become quite popular for their longevity. “A New York couple married for 82 years will celebrate a major milestone Saturday when the husband, Duranord Veillard, turns 108. The momentous occasion means the couple will be a combined 212 years old. Veillard’s wife, Jeanne, is 104. The author of the article advised that Mr. Veillard “will tell you the secret to living a long life is all God,” a family friend told ABC News of Veillard. “He says that God has preserved him so well and he wishes that everyone can live a long life as he did.”
http://abcnews.go.com/US/york-couple-turn-combined-212-years/story?id=29279486
So let’s begin with how we should consider this story to our lives. Where does God fit in yours. Recognizing that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are what’s called the Trinity. As one complete, omnipotent and Holy God, we have to recognize we have a role in His ultimate plan.
I am sure that you here quite a bit on t.v., radio and internet about relationships and marriage, whether straight or gay, everyone either has a book, tv or radio show and someone is working on a political angle to get attention. Please take a moment to review the scriptures and read the follow on comments. As usual, I am always open to comments.
Book: Malachi 2:10-16
(Biblical background retrieved from Pastor Chuck Swindoll & Insight for Living.org)
Author :The final book of the Old Testament, Malachi received its name from its author (Malachi 1:1). In Hebrew, the name comes from a word meaning “messenger,” which points to Malachi’s role as a prophet of the Lord, delivering God’s message to God’s people.1 Malachi offered no other identifying information about himself, leaving out markers typical of other prophets such as his father’s name or the current leader of Israel.
However, based on the content of the book, it becomes clear that Malachi delivered his message of judgment to a Judean audience familiar with worshipping at the temple in Jerusalem (2:11). The people of Judah had turned away from the true worship of the Lord, leaving themselves under judgment and in need of salvation.
Time: Malachi certainly wrote to the people of Judah (Malachi 1:1; 2:11), but the historical setting becomes clearer in Malachi 1:8. Here the prophet used the Persian word for governor, indicating a time period between 538–333 BC, when the Persian Empire ruled the Promised Land. Malachi also wrote about the corruption of the temple sacrifices, meaning that he likely delivered his message many years after the Israelites rebuilt the temple in 515 BC. The prophet’s concerns mirror those of Nehemiah’s, suggesting that Malachi prophesied to the people while Nehemiah left the city for several years, beginning in 432 BC (Nehemiah 13:6).
Purpose: Malachi’s unique position as the final book of the Old Testament offers a glimpse into the hearts of Israelite men and women, members of a nation that had been specially chosen by God, descendents of Abraham, and inheritors of the rich tradition of the Jewish people. Their history told of glories like the exodus from Egypt and the faithfulness of God to King David. But they had also experienced the judgment of wandering in the desert and the shame of exile from the Promised Land.
Judah Profaned the Covenant
10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts! 13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
Matthew Henry Commentary: Malachi 2:10- 17 Corrupt practices are the fruit of corrupt principles; and he who is false to his God, will not be true to his fellow mortals. In contempt of the marriage covenant, which God instituted, the Jews put away the wives they had of their own nation, probably to make room for strange wives. They made their lives bitter to them; yet, in the sight of others, they pretend to be tender of them. Consider she is thy wife; thy own; the nearest relation thou hast in the world. The wife is to be looked on, not as a servant, but as a companion to the husband. There is an oath of God between them, which is not to be trifled with. Man and wife should continue to their lives 'end, in holy love and peace. Did not God make one, one Eve for one Adam? Yet God could have made another Eve. Wherefore did he make but one woman for one man? It was that the children might be made a seed to serve him. Husbands and wives must live in the fear of God, that their seed may be a godly seed. The God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away. Those who would be kept from sin, must take heed to their spirits, for there all sin begins. Men will find that their wrong conduct in their families springs from selfishness, which disregards the welfare and happiness of others, when opposed to their own passions and fancies. It is wearisome to God to hear people justify themselves in wicked practices. Those who think God can be a friend to sin, affront him, and deceive themselves. The scoffers said, Where is the God of judgment? but the day of the Lord will come.
My apologies again for the delay. I had some serious words about divorce, forgiveness, repentance and my past mistakes and experiences. However, those words were mistakenly deleted and God had other plans. Think about the words above. How do they fit with your life and relationship between you and your spouse. Have you ever thought about the changes in society or do you believe that nothing has changed at all? Even more, do you believe that we must all change to meet with the times? I only ask because the scriptures don't change with time. You have some choices, if you desire a strong and lasting relationship with your spouse, you must stick with the foundation of the marriage covenant. You could forego this level of commitment to Christ and do like many of the stars in Hollywood are doing have an open relationship with your spouse and invite others into your marriage. Obviously, the media continues to show that this type of marriage is not conducive to the children and surrounding communities. Everywhere you turn, there is divorce, cheating, swinging, etc. Even the celebrities who flaunted their same sex relationships are divorcing faster than ever. I am a true believer that adding Christ to your
to your marriage is the only sure way to keep it. As a man it is easy for us to fail and seek that which is appealing for the short term. Also, in relationships with women we often avoid confrontation and seek less responsibility. Unfortunately, as black men, we received the label of being men who leave their families behind for someone else to take care of. I found that the source of this today results from a lack of Christ. This goes for all men, but specifically black males, which we often chose not to fight this battle.
At the end of the day, we all have free will. If you choose Christ, he is available; if not the outcome won't be in your favor.
No comments:
Post a Comment