These days, the divorce rate in the world is so high that kids actually find it a norm now that their parents are getting a divorce. I heard it's as high as 1 in every 2 families in certain countries. What's more the rate is similar even in the Christian circles. What is happening to us? Aren't we suppose to be salt and light of the world? Instead we are the world. No difference.
My pastor again gave me some insights into how a marriage should be like in Christ. I think his words may ruffle some feathers but to me they are the truth and anybody rejecting the truth is a fool and hard-hearted. No different from the Israelites in the Old Testament. Here I will give an overview of what he said as I do not have my notes with me ... only what I can recall.
When we step into a relationship, i'm sure most of us have an idea where we would like the relationship to go to. Many Christians use the word 'courtship' rather than 'dating' as courtship signifies a relationship that has a purpose and intent and it's going somewhere rather than just 'dating' with no purpose.
When we say 'I do' to marriage .. did we ever think 'What's God's purpose for this marriage?', 'What's God's will for this marriage?'. A marriage without God's purpose is a pathway to destruction. When God looks at us, He sees our destiny, His perfect will for us. For e.g. 'When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORS is with you, mighty warrior' Judges 6:12. Or 'Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:17-19. For these two men when these words are spoken, they are definitely not what the world will call as great leaders. But in the eyes of God, they have been chosen. The good news is, so have we.
Many of us get into marriage because we are so 'in love'. We think that this is 'the one' for us. However, Jesus did not say everyone who's in Him will not face any troubles or persecution. Instead He said, 'I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.' John 16:33. There will be problems in working out marriage, there will come times of doubt, there will be lots of anger, dislike, quarrels and even contempt but remember that when we chose to get married, we made a vow for the better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness or in health till death do us part. Love is not a feeling. Love is a choice. Jesus is the best example of loving us not with feelings but with a choice. When people rejected Him, He did not throw in the towel and said, 'I had enough with you. I don't want you as my bride anymore.' He did not stop going to the cross eventhough it's the very people that He came to save that crucified Him. Instead He chose to keep loving us though we were sinners.
In marriage, we have to make the constant choice to choose life. Even when things are not well, choose life. Asking for a divorce is choosing death. 'This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Deut 30:19-20.
Remember that our God is Almighty and sovereign. When we get married, He is still in control and if the person we get married to is not the one we were suppose to marry, do we think God was not able to stop the marriage from happening? I think the problem is, are we submissive to God's will or do we only want to please ourselves that when things do not go the way we want then we think we have made the wrong choice and have not followed God's will? I believe that God will not allow us to bind ourselves and become one with a person that He has not ordained when we love Him and belong to Him. He is a loving God. "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11: 9-13.
Remember, 'Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?" "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." Matthew 19:3-9.
If we proceed to ask for a divorce, this means we are hard-hearted. Then the question comes, 'Is Jesus really the Lord of our life?" Or do we only call Him 'LORD' only when it suits us? 'Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.' Luke 13 23 - 28. Please choose life before we find ourselves thrown out from God's kingdom. Marriage is a choice, Love is a choice, Making things work is a choice. Do not throw in the towel just because we think we can't take it anymore, because Christ has promised that 'The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.' 1 Cor 10:13.
We are in Christ. He did not give up on us, neither should we give up on Him. Our marriage is ordained by God. He has a purpose for it. Make that purpose our guide through marriage. Be blessed in your marriage. Amen.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
From Egypt to the Promised Land
I never thought that I'm in the Promised Land but the message given by my pastor last Friday gave me a new perspective on this issue. The story begins with the deliverance of Israelites from the Egyptians.
'And the Lord said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of the taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them". - Exo 3:7-9.
Israelites (or us) are under the slavery of Egypt (the world). God heard our cries and came down to set us free through Jesus. It took many attempts of miraculous signs by Moses before Pharoah allowed the Israelites go. For the Scripture says to Pharoah: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (Rom 9:17, Ex 9:16). There will be many attempts and interventions from God to break the hold of the world on us before we decide to receive and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour of our lives.
Then the Israelites walked in the wilderness. Why the wilderness? Why do we have to go through the wilderness before we enter the Promised Land? In the context of this post, the wilderness is a sanctuary and a place to receive guidance. It has become a place of miracles that allowed the Israelites to experience God's glory and divine help and guidance. It was the place they received manna, water and quail without any effort of their own (Ex 16:13-15, Ex 17:6, Deut 32:10-14). Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell during those forty years (Deut 8:4). His Spirit went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light (Ex 13:21-22, Neh 9:19-20). The wilderness was also a place of worship and covenant. God revealed Himself to His people at Horeb (Ex 3) and Sinai (Ex 19), where He entered into a covenant with them and gave them His commandments. What's the purpose of the wilderness then? It is humble us and to test us in order to know what is in our hearts, whether or not we will keep His commandments, to know that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (Deut 8:2-3). Also God taught His people on how to be a purified Priestly community that is kept ritually clean in order that they may host the presence of God (Numbers). Today for us, Jesus paid the price to become our High Priest that we will always be a holy people to host the presence of God in us. And the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends in Jesus' Name, will teach us all things and remind us of everything that Jesus have said to us (John 14:26).
To us, the wilderness stage is similar to the stage of infant Christians, when we are still having milk and not solid food. When we are still not ready to handle anything stronger (1 Cor 3:2, Heb 5:13). A time when we are still learning the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God (Heb 6:16). Where we're learning God's principles so that we may mature and be able to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right (Heb 5:14). A place where we learn to stand firm in the will of God, to become mature and fully assured (Col 4:12b).
The Promised Land in the OT paints a picture of agricultural abundance, along with the fertile soil and provident climated required for plentiful crops (Deut 8:7-8). The land of milk and honey gives us the images of desirability and abundance, therefore, these two images combine to form a picture of total satisfaction. This does not mean, however, that the Promised Land is a place of inviolable retirement. For one thing, as long as the land remains the object of a quest still in progress, it is a land inhabited by natives who must be subdued (Num 32:22, 29; 33:52) The Promised Land is thus an image of conquest as well as a gift conferred by God and the book of Joshua show how hard the task of conquest was (Josh 12).
Before their first conquest in the book of Joshua, the whole male population was circumcised. Let's take a short look at circumcision in the bible. The first circumcision in the bible was performed by Abraham in Gen 17 when God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants to be their God always and give them the land of Canaan as their possesion forever. The circumcision is the mark of God's everlasting covenant (Gen 17:13). Joshua had to circumcise the Israelites because all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not (Josh 5:5). For us, before we enter our Promised Land, we have to had the circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code (Rom 2:29) so that we will be part of the everlasting covenant of God as promised.
So for us who has had our hearts circumcised by the Spirit, we are currently walking and conquering in our Promised Land like the Israelites did under the leadership of Joshua in the land of Canaan. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12). This land is ours but we must keep fighting for it as long as it is still inhabited by the natives who must be subdued. God gave us to fill the earth and subdue it (Gen 1:28). The Promised Land is not something far, far away but it is here and now. This is our inheritance. 'And we pray for you and asking God to fill you witht he knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this is order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strenghtened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light' (Eph 1:9-12). In Jesus' Name. Amen!
'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9.
'And the Lord said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of the taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them". - Exo 3:7-9.
Israelites (or us) are under the slavery of Egypt (the world). God heard our cries and came down to set us free through Jesus. It took many attempts of miraculous signs by Moses before Pharoah allowed the Israelites go. For the Scripture says to Pharoah: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (Rom 9:17, Ex 9:16). There will be many attempts and interventions from God to break the hold of the world on us before we decide to receive and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour of our lives.
Then the Israelites walked in the wilderness. Why the wilderness? Why do we have to go through the wilderness before we enter the Promised Land? In the context of this post, the wilderness is a sanctuary and a place to receive guidance. It has become a place of miracles that allowed the Israelites to experience God's glory and divine help and guidance. It was the place they received manna, water and quail without any effort of their own (Ex 16:13-15, Ex 17:6, Deut 32:10-14). Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell during those forty years (Deut 8:4). His Spirit went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light (Ex 13:21-22, Neh 9:19-20). The wilderness was also a place of worship and covenant. God revealed Himself to His people at Horeb (Ex 3) and Sinai (Ex 19), where He entered into a covenant with them and gave them His commandments. What's the purpose of the wilderness then? It is humble us and to test us in order to know what is in our hearts, whether or not we will keep His commandments, to know that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (Deut 8:2-3). Also God taught His people on how to be a purified Priestly community that is kept ritually clean in order that they may host the presence of God (Numbers). Today for us, Jesus paid the price to become our High Priest that we will always be a holy people to host the presence of God in us. And the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends in Jesus' Name, will teach us all things and remind us of everything that Jesus have said to us (John 14:26).
To us, the wilderness stage is similar to the stage of infant Christians, when we are still having milk and not solid food. When we are still not ready to handle anything stronger (1 Cor 3:2, Heb 5:13). A time when we are still learning the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God (Heb 6:16). Where we're learning God's principles so that we may mature and be able to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right (Heb 5:14). A place where we learn to stand firm in the will of God, to become mature and fully assured (Col 4:12b).
The Promised Land in the OT paints a picture of agricultural abundance, along with the fertile soil and provident climated required for plentiful crops (Deut 8:7-8). The land of milk and honey gives us the images of desirability and abundance, therefore, these two images combine to form a picture of total satisfaction. This does not mean, however, that the Promised Land is a place of inviolable retirement. For one thing, as long as the land remains the object of a quest still in progress, it is a land inhabited by natives who must be subdued (Num 32:22, 29; 33:52) The Promised Land is thus an image of conquest as well as a gift conferred by God and the book of Joshua show how hard the task of conquest was (Josh 12).
Before their first conquest in the book of Joshua, the whole male population was circumcised. Let's take a short look at circumcision in the bible. The first circumcision in the bible was performed by Abraham in Gen 17 when God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants to be their God always and give them the land of Canaan as their possesion forever. The circumcision is the mark of God's everlasting covenant (Gen 17:13). Joshua had to circumcise the Israelites because all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not (Josh 5:5). For us, before we enter our Promised Land, we have to had the circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code (Rom 2:29) so that we will be part of the everlasting covenant of God as promised.
So for us who has had our hearts circumcised by the Spirit, we are currently walking and conquering in our Promised Land like the Israelites did under the leadership of Joshua in the land of Canaan. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12). This land is ours but we must keep fighting for it as long as it is still inhabited by the natives who must be subdued. God gave us to fill the earth and subdue it (Gen 1:28). The Promised Land is not something far, far away but it is here and now. This is our inheritance. 'And we pray for you and asking God to fill you witht he knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this is order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strenghtened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light' (Eph 1:9-12). In Jesus' Name. Amen!
'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9.
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