The Good Shepherd Gives His Life For His Sheep

John 10:11-18 KJV; The false shepherds run when wolves approach; but, the Good Shepherd stays and protects the sheep. He even lays down his own life for them.

Till Death Parts Us

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. 

                                                     (Mark 10:6-7 KJV)

Forty-nine years ago today we repeated the traditional vows: "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." There were days that we both were ready to throw in the towel; but, we remembered our promises and kept on. I've often warned couples preparing to be married that there would be days that you do not feel any love for each other. That doesn't matter. Marriage is about commitment to each other. It is about caring for the other person just as you care about yourself. The command that Jesus gave us to love one another applies to marriage as well as to the rest of the world. (John 15:17) Love is not just a feeling. It is also an action. If you love someone you take action and treat them as you would like to be treated. (Matt 7:12)

When God joins two people together in marriage you are joined forever. Yes, you may end up separated or divorces. It happens. Sometimes abusive marriages are so damaging that one must leave to save their very lives and to preserve their physical, spiritual, or mental health. But; regardless of the separation, you will always be connected forever for better or for worse... 

Marriage works out best when we strive to make it for better and I do mean strive. Marriage is not always easy. It is not even good for everyone to be married. Some are called to stay single so that they are not distracted by a spouse and can better grow in and serve the Lord.

Although marriage can be a bit tough at times, it is most often worth it. Two people with different gifts coming together and actually working as one can accomplish much more than trying to do everything alone if they are actually serving with like minds. They will (usually) have someone to turn to in sickness and in health. The Preacher who wrote Ecclesiastes surmised that two are better than one. When times get rough remember what he had to say.

"There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

                                                                                         (Eccl 4:8-12)

I have been married for most of my life. I often wonder how it is can be that we have been married this long. Forty-nine years is a long time and I do not feel like I'm  old enough to have been married for that long. But... I am!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Husbands And Wives

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it...

                                            (Eph 5:24-25 KJV)

There was a time when men used the verse from St. Paul regarding wives having to be to their own husband in every thing as justification to subjugate them. It still happens and is legal in some countries. It still happens in some households even in the United States. But, that only happens when we neglect to read the verse about husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the church. Jesus loves us enough to die for us. He loves us enough to have died for us.

Marriage is not about what you can get out of it; but, about loving and supporting one another. Wives give freely to their spouses; putting their personal desires after their desire to please their husbands and to live as one with them. Husbands love their wives in such a manner that they are willing to give completely of themselves even as Christ gave himself for all people. For many that might and most probably means dying to the desires of a self-serving ego.

After God created man and woman He said that they would be joined together and become one. When addressing the topic of divorce, Jesus said:

"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." 

                                                                                      (Mark 10:6-8)

The majority of people would not willfully harm themselves so it would behoove us to remember that as we hurt our spouses we harm ourselves as God has ordained that we are one. 

Live in peace; live in love with one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Good Shepherd's Love

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

                                                                                (John 10:11-15 KJV)

When a person truly loves another, with their whole hearts and minds; they are willing to do anything for them. They are willing even to lay their life down for their beloved. This kind of love; this kind of commitment to others seems (at times) to be in very short supply. We are willing to run when things get tough; to divorce our spouses, to leave our children, to abandon our family and friends.

But, the Good Shepherd is not willing to run. He is and was willing to die so that we might be saved from all evil and harm. He is there always for us. He hasn't and won't run from us. He calls each of us by name so that we might follow him in safety and in peace; that we might have life.

Jesus is the gate to eternal life. Any other way leads to destruction. He calls to you. Follow the Good Shepherd and live life most abundantly in the presence of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Marriage: A Major Commitment

"A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord." (1 Corinth 7:39 NIV) 

Today, my husband and I celebrate the 46th anniversary of our marriage. For the first couple of decades it was pretty up and down. There were times that the only thing that kept us together was the verse from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. The only thing that kept us together was our promise "till death parts us." Marriage is not always "a piece of cake" or a "walk in the park." In fact, it can be quite difficult at times. There will be times that you will not feel "in love" or that you even love the person in any way, shape, or form. Depending on the feeling of love to keep a marriage together is not going to cut it. A genuine commitment is what will keep the marriage together and growing. A genuine commitment to love one another will help the love in a marriage grow.  

The only way to stay together is to stay together no matter what happens. I am not advocating for anyone who is in an abusive relationship to continue to be abused. There are times when two people are also so unequally yoked that they must separate or they risk destroying each other's lives. What I am advocating is that people take a serious look at who it is they are planning to marry. If you are a Christian, it would be very wise to marry a Christian. Paul reminds us in the sixth chapter of 2 Corinthians that we are not to be yoked with unbelievers. It's not a good thing for a Christian to plan to live the rest of their lives with an unbeliever. You will be tried and tested more than you can even imagine. You may even turn your back on Jesus after years of being worn down. 

And... as to this foolishness of sleeping with anyone and in some cases anything... well, that is way more than foolishness. This lifestyle will destroy your life. You will carry a piece of every person you sleep with for the rest of your days even after you finally find the person you will spend the rest of your days here on earth with. When God joined Adam and Eve they became one. When we are united with another, we become one. You may leave that person. You may move on to another. But, you will always be connected to everyone before.

It is a common misperception that we must have a piece of paper to be joined with another in the eyes of God. He sees all. He sees who you are with today and will see who you are with tomorrow. He sees who you are joining yourself to. He doesn't need the state to tell Him who is married and who is not.

Prior to the 16th century, Christian churches did not require any kind of permission from the state for a couple to be married. All that it took was the couple committing (exchanging vows) to live as man and wife and they were married in the eyes of the church. Sadly today, we have come to believe that the only commitment that is valid is the one that we agree to when we sign on the line. Marriage is way more than a written commitment. It is a commitment, for sure. It is a permanent commitment. By using the state authorization to marry, we have given ourselves an escape route. If the marriage doesn't work, we can go through the state so that our marriage is legally dissolved and we are absolved or so we think. The question we must ask ourselves is if it is really dissolved just because the state says so. When we claim that the only valid marriage is one that is authorized by the state we attempt to justify any promiscuous behavior prior to the marriage or after. We attempt to circumvent God's good plan; His will for us. 

I am also aware that there are many who would use what I have just said about not needing the state to approve our unions as an excuse to not make a commitment at all. When I hear people saying I don't believe in marriage meaning they don't believe in legal marriage, I usually also grasp that they mean that they don't want to have to go through the trouble of a legal divorce when they're done with their latest partner. Beware then of those who say they love you but are unwilling to risk making commitments.

There is a big difference between what is legal in this country and what is good and right according to scripture. If you want a good life; if you want peace in your life and you must be with someone then wait for the right person. Jumping around, trying out new partners is really only going to cause you grief. Who has time for that kind of grief? Be faithful to your spouse and be faithful to the one true God. 

May God bless your relationship with your spouse and even more importantly with Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Stay Away From Temptations!

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. Matt 14:6-12

Herod was just a little worried (maybe a lot worried) that John the Baptist spoke the truth when John condemned Herod's divorce from one woman and his subsequent marriage to Herodias, the ex-wife of his half-brother. Herod was afraid that John was indeed a prophet and servant of God. Although, Herod wanted to keep John from stirring up trouble against him, he did not want him executed. But, carried away with excitement over watching his step-daughter dance for him, Herod promised to give her whatever her heart desired. Her heart's desire, was her mother's heart's desire: the execution of John the Baptist.

We need to be careful as to how impressed and excited we get with the things of this world. Before we know it, desires of the heart may have carried us to a place that we never intended or wanted to go. We can get caught up with temptation without even realizing it until it is too late and what we would not desire to do has already been done.

The best way out of these situations is to not enter into situations that will tempt us in the first place. Do what is right because it is the right thing to do. Do what is right because it will glorify God.

God's Peace - Pr. J