Christmas Reflections 2021

The thought that's been heavy on my heart for several days....

How much do we truly make Christmas about Jesus Christ?

Seriously - think about it, ponder on it, and soul search.

I'm not knocking the presents, the lights, the trees, the parties, or family gatherings.   I enjoy those, too.  

But if Jesus is the Reason for the Season, how much focus do we truly place on Him?

I've never taught my children there was santa....for many reasons. 

• I didn't like a fictitious character getting credit for what I worked hard to provide. 
• I didn't like the focus being on santa instead of / more than Jesus.  
• Just to name a few

So, while I didn't do those that, I still had to soul search how much I truly centered Christmas around Christ to my children.  

I said He was, but did my actions say something different?  We drove around playing Christmas music and looking at lights after their Dad passed,  trying to find some Christmas cheer. We tried to enjoy the beautiful tree with the presents beneath and the joy they'd bring, meager though they were. We gathered for parties with friends. And watched parades.

Even the Church "Christmas programs"

But how much attention did Jesus truly receive? 

Was it, is it, truly about HIM? or about watching the adorable kids perform? Or the warm fuzzy feeling WE get inside enjoying all these Christmas festivities and songs?

And the songs....don't get me wrong.  I love singing Jingle Bells and other fun joyful Christmas songs.  But how much are they truly about Jesus? and to Jesus? So many, too many, are about santa, or self, or worse...lust, fornication,  and adultery. I've cringed and grieved so much lately.  

I've reflected and I've repented for any way I've grieved God's heart and any time I didn't make Christmas more Christ focused.  

Because without Christ,  there would not be a Christmas!

Let's challenge each other to get back to Christmas being more Christ centered. After all, it's all about HIM and unto HIM. 

The Potter's Will

"The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: So he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel." (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

How many times have we said, "Use me, Lord!" or "I'll do whatever You ask!" and "Whatever it takes for my will to break, that's what I'll be willing to do!"  Yet when the trials and opposition come, and things get tougher, we begin to struggle and fight against it praying for it to end.

God is trying to form and shape us into the vessel HE wants us to be. When we fight against the storms, whose will are we really seeking?  God's will? Or our own?  He knows what's best for us and will not put on us more than we can bear (although sometimes we feel it is). When we come through these trials, we'll be refined like silver and tried like gold.

Trials will either make you...bitter or better.   You can either become...a victim or a victor.

Through trials you gain:

Experience

Knowledge

Endurance

Patience

Understanding

Compassion

 Love

 Faith

God has each of us on the potter's wheel, but sometimes we resist the way He's forming us.  He's trying to shape us one way, but we're pulling in another. If we have our way, we will be deformed. But, if we let God have His way, we'll be transformed into a vessel of honor...something we both will be proud of.

It hurts!  Oh, how it hurts at times...but stay yielded to the Potter’s will!

Posted to Facebook and More To Life 

12-6-2018

https://www.moretolifetoday.net/the-potters-will/

My House Shall BeCalled A House of Prayer

 “And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer…” (Matthew 21:13)

In this passage of verse, Jesus became angry when He saw that the Temple had become a place to buy and sell, rather than a place to pray as was God’s original design.

When we hear this phrase, we often think of it as referring to a building such as the Temple in the Old Testament or the Church building in which we gather to have service on certain days of the week.  However, the word “house” can be defined as “a dwelling place” (see Strong’s G3624).  God wants the place where He dwells to be a place filled with prayer.

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you…” (Romans 8:9)

The Greek word for “dwell” comes from the Greek word for ‘House’ and means “to occupy a house, reside” (see Strong’s G3611).  WE are God’s House, His dwelling place, if we have the Holy Ghost living inside of us.

“…For ye are the Temple of the Living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)

WE are the Temple of the Living God.  WE are to be the House of Prayer.

For it is through prayer that mountains move. It is through prayer that situations change. It is through prayer that WE change and get in alignment with God’s Will.

It was during a prayer meeting that the Holy Ghost was poured out on the Day of Pentecost. It was during a prayer meeting that the Holy Ghost was poured out at the Azusa Street Revival.

Let us not just appear to be a house of prayer but to actually BE a house of prayer!

Posted on FB and More to Life

12-5-18

https://www.moretolifetoday.net/the-house-of-prayer/

Is Your Anchor Secure

 “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast…” (Hebrews 6:19)

I was a widowed single mom for many years. Because funds were tight at times, I often had to be ‘handymom’. On one of those occasions, while trying to put shelving up in the bathroom, the drill slipped and drilled a hole in my finger. Thankfully, it wasn’t severe enough to require a visit to the doctor, so I bandaged my finger and proceeded to finish the job.

Standing there, feeling accomplished, suddenly all my hard work came crashing to the ground when one of the family cats decided to jump up on one of the shelves. Rather than get upset, I thanked God for allowing me to see BEFORE I put all the items on the shelves that they were not secure. To fix the problem, I merely needed stronger anchors. Anchors had been used originally to secure those shelves, but those anchors were not strong enough to hold up to the weight that they were going to have to bear.

How many times in life have we tried to secure things with weak anchors such as quick, microwave prayers as we rush through the day then groggy prayers as we are falling asleep at night? It may help things to appear to stay in place, but a burden heavier than we can carry may send us crashing to the ground.

Is your anchor strong and secure? If not, it’s not difficult to replace that weak anchor. It’s as simple as reading your Bible and praying daily combined with fasting often. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more secure our anchor will become so that we will be able to handle the weight of the storms life may send our way.

Posted on FB and More To Life on 12-4-18

https://www.moretolifetoday.net/is-your-anchor-secure/

A good marriage

 Someone asked the question on what makes a good marriage so I thought I'd share my thoughts on what made our marriage good with a love that has lasted beyond the grave....

A good marriage is not perfect, it will have it's ups and downs, and yes you will get angry with each other at times.

A good marriage is not giving up on each other and never letting the word 'divorce' proceed out of the mouth in the bad times.

A good marriage is one that endures because you love each other unconditionally, overlooking faults, or failures.

A good marriage realizes love is not a feeling but an action.

A good marriage endures through sickness and in health, in the good times and in the bad, loving and enduring even when it seems you've seen more of 'the poorer' than 'the richer' because you realize it is not money that makes you rich but the love you share so even if you don't have a lot of money, you are rich in what really matters...love, a true love, that has lasted far beyond the grave. A love that death could not kill. That is a good marriage and one I wouldn't trade for anything.

**Disclaimer, no offense intended for those who have been divorced. Some circumstances are beyond your control and I meant nothing negative toward anyone by my words. My reference is meant that when the going gets tough, the tough do not get going but stick together through it and grow stronger in their unity and love.

Posted on Facebook 12-3-2018

Bridle the Tongue

 “…He who restrains his lips is wise…and a man of understanding holds his peace.” (Proverbs 10:19, 11:12)

Have you ever had one of those “bite your tongue” days?  I definitely have, and I’m sure you have to.   What I would have said may have been truth, but it would not have been kind.

The Bible says to “speak the Truth IN LOVE” (Ephesians 4:15). Some words may be truth, but if they’re not spoken in love they should not be spoken at all.   

The wisest man who ever lived wrote, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).  

You can either place wood or water on the fire.  Wood feeds the flame and makes it burn higher and hotter while water helps to douse and put out the flame of anger.  If you choose to put wood (harsh words) on the fire (an argument), you may find yourself getting burnt.

The Bible tells us, “…he who restrains his lips is wise.”  (Prov 10:19) and “…a man of understanding holds his peace.”  (Proverbs 11:12) “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.”  (Proverbs 13:3).  Your words can get you in more trouble than the things you’ve done.

“He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil (speaking injurious words), and his lips that they speak no guile (deceitful words):”   (1 Peter 3:10)

When I choose to bridle my tongue, I will not have regrets today for what I said yesterday.

Prayer:  “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14)

Posted on More To Life and Facebook 

12-3-2018

https://www.moretolifetoday.net/bridle-the-tongue/

Divorce and Remarriage

 This post won't be popular and I am not trying to offend anyone but I was asked to share this study concerning divorce and remarriage.  

It's important  to note that these Scriptures and teaching are written for the admonition and instruction of the saved.  Judgment begins at the House of God. (I Pt 4:17)  Hosea 4:6 issues a warning, "My people perish for lack off knowledge..."  We, as Born Again Believers, cannot be ignorant to God's Word.  

A new babe in Christ needs to fed the sincere milk of the Word, focusing on teaching the foundation and essentials of the doctrine (repentance, baptism,  infilling of the Holy Ghost,  then the necessity of living a holy life)

***IMPORTANT NOTE: All definitions are copied from Strong's Hebrew/Greek Lexicon.  They are not my personal interpretation. 

All Scriptures are King James version.  

Let's start by looking at  Matthew  5:31-32

-- It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, SAVING (except ) FOR THE CAUSE OF FORNICATION, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 

Jesus is correcting some incorrect teachings in this passage of Scripture.  The Pharisees believed and taught that if a man was displeased with his wife, he could divorce her.  They liked to refer back to the teaching of Moses in Deuteronomy. 

Deuteronomy 24:1-3

When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

Jesus did not mince words when the Pharisees came to him with this excuse, trying to use Scripture to justify divorce.  

Mark 10:2-12

And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 

And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the HARDNESS OF YOUR HEART HE WROTE YOU THIS PRECEPT. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, 

Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.   

Mark 10 omits the phrase except for the cause of fornication.   

Looking at this one passage of  Scripture in Mark 10 would cause one to question whether anyone could ever be free to remarry once divorced.  This is where you have to study the Scriptures, comparing what each disciple wrote in the Gospels.  A person cannot take one Scripture and make a doctrine out of it.  They must be looked at in its entirety, comparing Scripture with Scripture.   

Mt 5 and Mt 19 can be used to cross reference (compare with) Mark 10 for further explanation concerning Jesus' teachings...

Matthew 19:3-9

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? 

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 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? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

 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.

 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. 

Fornication is more than  premarital sex.   The word translated as fornication is the Greek word "porneia" G4202 meaning:

Harlotry (including adultery & incest)

Illicit sexual intercourse  (adultery,  fornication,  homosexuality, lesbianism, beastiality (sexual relations with an animal), etc)

Intercourse with relatives (Lev 18)

Intercourse with a divorced man or woman (Mk 10:11-12)

Jesus' teachings reveal the only Biblically sanctioned grounds for divorce is unfaithfulness by their spouse.   If the spouse has committed adultery, incest, or turned to some other lewd perversion such as homosexuality or lesbianism or beastiality (which are an abomination to God), then the person is allowed to divorce and is free to remarry.  

When Jesus taught in Mt 5:31-32 and Mt 19:9...

"But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, SAVING (except ) FOR THE CAUSE OF FORNICATION, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." He was trying to correct an error in their thinking.   

According to the teachings of Jesus, a married person cannot divorce their spouse just because they decide they no longer love that person, their breath stinks, they don’t like that they're getting fat, going bald, not as attractive as when they first married, or whatever  "reason"  (excuse) they may try to come up with to justify divorce.   Jesus said if a person divorces their spouse for ANY OTHER CAUSE OTHER THAN SEXUAL UNFAITHFULNESS and then remarries, they are considered an adulterer.  And if they divorce their spouse without biblical  grounds, and their spouse remarries,  they are causing the divorced spouse to commit adultery. 

Some err in thinking that marrying the person cancels out the sin and makes it justified in the eyes of God. If this was so, John the Baptist would not have been vehemently chastising  Herrod that it was a sin for him to be married to his brother PHILLIP'S WIFE.  (Mark 6:17)  Notice John still referred to her as Phillip's wife despite Herrodius divorcing him and then marrying Herrod.  Neither of them wanted to be told their marriage was still a sin and not sanctioned in the eyes of God.  Yet John the Baptist felt so strongly against it that it cost him his life.  

Romans 7:1-3

-- Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then IF, WHILE HER HUSBAND LIVETH, SHE BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN, SHE SHALL BE CALLED AN ADULTERESS: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another.

Does this mean the person who has divorced and remarried without Biblical grounds (unfaithful spouse) should divorce their second spouse and return to the first?   Biblically, once someone has remarried,  their first spouse cannot take them back again.   

Dt 24:3-4

And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;    Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord.

Who then is free to remarry? 

Widows are free to remarry.  (Rom 7:1-3 + I Cor 7:39)

The one who has remained faithful to their marriage vows despite the unfaithfulness of a spouse who has broken their vows.  (Mt 5:31-32 + Mt 19:3-9)

Reconciliation is always best, if possible,  but sexual faithfulness is important to God and why He makes allowance for this one cause.  The two become one flesh whenever sexual relations take place.  The marriage bed becomes defiled when someone steps outside of their marriage vows and commits adultery.  They have joined themself to another, violating their marriage partner and the sacredness of their unity.

1 Corinthians 6:16-20

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot (*see def below) is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 

Flee fornication. 

Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Definition of harlot:

any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust

Hebrews 13:4

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.  

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,    Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

We like to focus on the love and mercy of God (which He is), but we cannot be ignorant to the side of God that requires holiness and righteous living with consequences for those who don't.

As posted on Facebook 12-3-2016

 

Which Baptism is correct?

Did you know? 

Jesus taught Peter and the Disciples how to baptize (John 4:1-2)

Peter remembered what Jesus said later on as recorded in Matthew 28:19 and yet he still commanded them to be baptized in the NAME of JESUS.
And yet....None of the other Apostles argued with Peter that it was not how Jesus said to baptize.

Why? Because Jesus had already taught them HOW to baptize and WHO He was.
They understood what Jesus was instructing in Mt 28:19 and knew that Peter instructed correctly.
We do not find record anywhere that they baptized any other way than in the Name of Jesus.

Have you been baptized in the Name of Jesus?
Act 22:16 - And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the NAME of the Lord.