Category: Wisdom from the Psalms

‘Til Wedding Day Do Us Part! |Marriage Series

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Isncript.com

—Imagine being so enthralled in the action that you forget the commitment?

—We have many young people committing to a marriage & not ready for it.

I remember when I was younger, a few of my friends were getting married. Their future wives were so hypnotized by the whole ‘getting married process’.

—Now before I go on, I want to make sure that I don’t come across as anti-ceremony; this is by far the opposite of what I am.

—Marriage is to be celebrated. It is to be shared and witnessed by friends and family and made a priority before the LORD.

 

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BUT.…yes there is a ‘but’…

—But, what I have noticed even in some young Christian couples, I will say this again, some have turned the thrill of the action of getting married, to the all-encompassing reason why they are getting married. They have subconsciously turn their Wedding Day into an idol.

When young engaged couples have asked, I tell young couples getting married this:

  1. Please be careful not to get caught up making the Wedding Day planning the main thing and forget about the life-long commitment of marriage.
  2. Many churches have great marriage classes and counseling but it is not enough.
  3. Brides plan their wedding day in more detail than finding out about how the other person is doing spiritually, mentally and financially.
  4. Again, the latter should not play a huge part in committing to the marriage but it should be looked over from both sides.

—Parents, please do not forget this most important part:

  1. You have done a great job praying, studying for your kids’ school and Devotion time.
  2. You have taken them to soccer or baseball or swimming through their time with you.
  3. You then hear that your son or daughter is engaged, and you’re happy for them.
  4. But this is just the beginning.
  5. As parents, you are responsible, not the church, for the spiritual well-being of your kid.
  6. Now also, your future son or daughter-in-law.
  7. This is where you jump in and make sure both of them have a firm foothold on The Rock. Because the foundation in faith is the most important part of starting a life together.

—It is not how much money the wedding is going to cost or how many family and friends you’re going to be able to invite.

—The real thing everyone in the family needs to be thinking of is:

— Have we done enough to have these two engaged people stand firmly in their faith so they do not get divorced in the future?

—Dads and moms, you are the most important person in the wedding. So goes your leadership in this, so goes the rest of the wedding.

—Your son or daughter will be enamored with the process and date of ceremony that you’ll need to be their compass.

—You’ll need to bring them back to reality. Specially if it’s a daughter. Trust me, I know!

—This pre-wedding day process is for you to remind them of all the things you have taught them about God and about marriage.

—Let them know that the Ceremony Day is just that, a day in their lives that some will remember vividly, but a flash in time for most invited guests.

AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL:

—Let them know that they need to go and speak to as many people whom they admire, from your Christian circles. Those who:

  1. Have been married for a short time.
  2. Those who have been married for a long time.
  3. Those who are divorced.
  4. Those who are in ministry.
  5. Specifically those who are pastors.
  6. Ask them this:

            a. How is your marriage doing?

            b. What would you do differently for your marriage and the wedding day?

            c. Any advice for us?

—If they are willing to answer all the questions, keep them as mentors. Most of them will automatically tell your kids how a strong faith in God & constant prayers helped them through the many obstacles of marriage and family…

More on this on next post….

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Blessed are the broken — They will be Transformed & Renewed! |Blessed Are The…. Series

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There are storms in life that grind us down to the point of wearing us down to find dust and floating away with the hurricane’s forces.

Sometimes as Christians, some of us are ready to throw in the towel. You’ve heard it said, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken…” I love this saying . It is an excellent saying. But it’s not entirely accurate; God wants the broken vessels. God wants broken people.

How do I know? Because He had to break me for me to submit to His will fully. Don’t get me wrong; I have never doubted that God exists. Faith is not only knowing who God is and trusting Jesus on a personal and intimate level but also listening to Him and having Him rule your life.

It is in the act of submission, not like other faiths, but in the complete submission that brings a renewed faith, spirit and change in your life which transcend all your human understanding.  One that lifts, penetrates and oozes out of your every being.

Faith that doesn’t fear what men will do to you. A faith which emboldens encourages and enthralls your whole spirit, mind, and body.

This kind of faith is what God wants from us. This kind of faith moves mountains, breaks empires, restores marriages, gives life to others, sees good in the storms of life, and when you break in its power, brings you closer to the Creator of the universe.

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By Oscar Roca

You see, when you think that you can’t handle life’s storms, when you feel you have been broken to the point of being powder starting to float into the atmospheric heavens, God snatches you and makes you whole again. It is the action of calling out to Him with all your spiritual might that He then can perform miracles for His glory. The state of being in His clutches. Not those of a tyrannical God whose claws are piercing through your body like a predator trying to keep its prey from escaping; but as a mother’s touch to her babies, making sure that she is covering them with her body and wings, to keep the storm from hurting them.

Right now, one of my daughters has felt this storm come like the apocalypse. I will not give details, but I know that she is now looking up to God and asking Him to see her through this of many challenges in her young life.

If you are going through something that has steamrolled you and you are not able to get up, call on The One who can lift you up and miraculously bring you into His strong tower. Whatever you are going through, know that people have gone through something similar, and they are battling a storm too. Some people try to survive on their own. Others call out to the One that can calm the storm and bring you peace through it. Sometimes, if not all, God will not take the storm away, but like Jesus’ disciples when they cried out to Him found out, God is always there for you.

Even if you think He’s sleeping while you’re drowning, He is there, and He is aware. Jesus will calm the storm and see you through it if you let Him…

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The Offended Society |The Offended Generation Series

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The offended Society

  • We need to get back to praying for our schools, our colleges, our government representatives, our families and this country.
  • Too many are blaming Christians for everything that is wrong with society. Yet the less people personally know God, the more chaos there is.
  • To the point where they will try to shut up those who will think differently than the whole mass of people.
  • Now more than ever, we need independent people who will speak truths.
  • Not whispering  sweet nothings to appease society.
  • Prophets are needed again LORD!
  • This is what I pray…

 

I walked outside and thanked God aloud

“Lord thank you for the beautiful day you’ve given me. The sun is out the sky is blue, and the birds are singing.”

A passerby who walked on by stopped and said, ” Sir I’m offended. Offended by your prayer. Please keep that to yourself!”

As I drove off, I pondered,

“How peculiar is the state of our society…”

It was Sunday when I went to worship. I was early and sat in prayer. “Lord may those that don’t know you come to find your saving grace,” I said.

My eyes were closed when I heard:

“Sir, I’m offended. Offended by your prayer. Please keep that to yourself! We need to be inclusive to all, even if they don’t believe.”

Service was done I said my goodbyes, but as I drove off I pondered,

“How peculiar is the state of our society…”

I went to eat, my family all merry. We sat, and we talked about God and country. About boys being boys and girls being girls.

“Excuse me!” someone said,” How dare you put your children in a box! How dare you and your wife make them feel as if they have no say!” Stop telling your kids who they are to be when they play! Let them choose to identify themselves it’s their say! Why don’t you keep your antiquated thoughts to yourselves!”

As I sat with my family, I finally yelled out, “Whatever I think, whatever I choose, whatever I make, whatever I lose. Whatever is best for my family and me, it is up to me and the will of the Good Lord because I am free! Free to choose and free to praise, free to say and free to pray! All on my own. I don’t need a fascist society to be so offended at whatever’s intended! Free to be me, it’s my God-given right. No one can take, that would be a huge mistake! I don’t answer to you or society! I answer to God for the sake of my country.”

The hush in the restaurant was deafening! All eyes on me were reddening. I had passed the offensive marker no one dared dream of. How dare I say such nonsense! How dare I speak out. Didn’t I know that I should think like the whole?

Couldn’t I see, that the words I had spoken pierced and offended their ears?

“Arrest him, arrest him! Call the police! How dare he speak to us all, the way he just did! We won’t tolerate that He won’t get away free! We’ll shut him up, just wait and see!”

I kept talking, they started screaming. Like demons possessed. Their faces contorted, their screams in excess!

“If you don’t agree sir, we’ll stop you like this! So get off our safe spaces!” With offended screams, for this is what the collective deems, “No one dare change, no one dare go out on a limb!”

“Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”

“Arrest him, arrest him or his offense is due! No one speak to us like he did! Arrest him or he’ll be beat!

“Father forgive them, they know not what they say!” I cry out, “ I have every right against tyranny to fight!”

“Arrest this fascist! Arrest him right now! Or we will deal with his kind, that we surely vow!””

We left in haste, their screams left a bad taste.

When I got home, I sat there and pondered.

“Have we come to this Lord? Have we come to this? I’ve heard this before, in the book 1984.

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Entrance Fit For A King! |Palm Sunday

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Zechariah 9:9

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of a beautiful culmination of promises (Prophecies) set by God to His people, the Israelites and to the rest of the world.

Imagine being a captured Jewish teenager, living in Babylon, and serving the King who destroyed and enslaved your people.

Now imagine being older and becoming an important political figure in the same kingdom and for the same king who destroyed and took most of your countrymen and women captive into his service.

  • Daniel is such a man. He is found to be highly beloved by God. There have only been a few people loved by God who are mentioned in the Bible, and Daniel is one of them.

Now here’s where the story gets to be incredibly and magnificently miraculous.

Daniel is seen in chapter 9 of his book, praying and asking for God’s guidance on when the Jews would be returned to Israel and to their city Jerusalem. As he is praying the most remarkable of prayers, Gabriel the Archangel comes to deliver a heartwarming message for Daniel and his people.

Gabriel gives Daniel the hope he has been praying for. You see 3 things we can learn from Daniel:

—Daniel is a serious student of the Word. He knows scripture. He knows the time is drawing close for God to restore His people.

— Daniel discerend the time of the Jews to be delivered was coming upon them; since the 70 years of captivity were closing in. Jeremiah the prophet wrote about their captivity and explained how many years they would be gone from Israel and for what reason in Jeremiah 29:10-11.

— He is a prayer warrior. I don’t care if people think I can write, teach and preach the word. What I want them to remember that none of those things are any good without being a fervent prayer warrior. This is where all of us gain in strength, courage, patience and endurance.

Without Daniel’s fervent and faithful prayers, he would never have found favor with Nebuchadnezzar and more imperative, would never have had such a favorable position with God.

In Daniel 9:20, Daniel  prays, God answers. He sends Gabriel to explain what will happen:

—Comes to give Daniel insight & understanding vv 22

—70 weeks are decreed or commanded for Daniel and the Jews.

    a. To stop the sins of Israel vv 24— Through Jesus The Messiah or Savior

b. Put an end to sin vv 24—Through Jesus The Messiah or Savior

c. To make atonement for their evil sins— Through Jesus sacrificing Himself on the cross for all our sins

d. To bring in everlasting Righteousness— The King of righteousness Jesus

e. To seal up vision and prophecy— Jesus came to fulfill and complete prophecy. More prophecies still to be fulfilled in His Second Coming

f. To anoint the Most Holy Place.— Still to come on Second Coming

Daniel 9:25:

— From the command to rebuild Jerusalem— King Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2:1-8, gave approval to rebuild Jerusalem and thus, the whole country.

—Until Messiah the Prince, there will be 7 weeks and 62 weeks. A total of 69 weeks.

Now keep in mind that a week here would be like us saying 5 decades. To the Jews 7 weeks could mean 49 years. I will not bore you with the days and numbers. If you want to look at the different formulas, check JV MaGee’s commentary on Daniel and Sir Robert Anderson’s work in his Book—The Coming Prince.

Of course there are always skeptics within the church and I will cover this in a different post. But, I give you these numbers because if we believe that God is omnipotent, and outside of time and space, then He could bring about timelines to the exact day and time for His Son to stroll into the Gates on a donkey and be proclaimed King of the Jews.

Again I will stop on the day today roughly almost 2,000 years ago. When a humble Servant King allowed the people of Israel to shout Hosanna! Hosanna! While using Palm branches to make a royal procession for Jesus, while riding on a donkey and thus fulfilling the 69th Week of Daniel’s Prophecy in chapter 9. And also fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy.

All this to the exact time and day Jesus was fulfilled to come in riding on a foal of a donkey…to the day!

Here is the shortcut version of this post:

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Our Messiah King came in in the exact time as people were singing Psalm 118 for Him. I give you an excerpt but please click on the link below for all of this beautiful and prophetic Psalm.

Last Part of Psalm 118:

19Open to me the gates of righteousness;

I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

20This is the gate of the LORD;

the righteous shall enter through it.

21I will give You thanks, for You have answered me,

and You have become my salvation.

22The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

23This is from the LORD,

and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24This is the day that the LORD has made;

we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25O LORD, save us (hosanna), we pray.

We beseech You, O LORD, cause us to prosper!

26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.

From the house of the LORD we bless you.

27The LORD is God

and has made His light shine upon us.

Bind the festival sacrifice with cords

to the horns of the altar.

28You are my God, and I will give You thanks.

You are my God, and I will exalt You.

29Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

His loving devotion endures forever.

  • Next up, the Passover-Last Supper of Jesus.

 

External Links:

JV MaGee free material resources

Sir Robert Anderson–The Coming Prince

Bible Hub

Berean Study Bible

 

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The God of Love & Bananas! |Letters to My Kids

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*New King James Version

Letters to My Kids Series

My little Dude(Rosh),

You just got done spending some time with us over the weekend. It is a joy watching you grow up. As I sit here smiling at all the toddler antics you can create, I want you to learn the lesson of the banana.
When you woke up early on Sunday, and we were getting ready, you decided to grab a banana and told Nana you wanted to share it with Poppa. We had bought those specifically for you.
I was in the bathroom getting ready and could hear the conversation you were having with Nana. It was music to my ears. The thought of you being that young and wanting to share something with your Poppa made me joyful.
But the temptation was too strong for your little mind, hands, and mouth.

  • I kept hearing Nana say, “Are you still sharing with Poppa?”

I had to smile because I knew what was happening…
That banana you had in your hands was calling out to you! Begging for your attention. Your little toddler stomach was, like always, super hungry. You had this wonderfully delicious fruit in your hand, and your stomach was on empty.

  • So your little toddler body was hungry and wanting to continue to feed itself. But your spirit wanted to share with Poppa.

I heard Nana asking you the same question four times. I listened to you answering her four times. You would come knocking at the bathroom door and asking, “Poppa, Rosh share the banana with you?”
I couldn’t help but laugh and answer, ”Hey! Don’t eat it all! Hold some for me!”

  • At that very moment, I saw myself as a toddler and God as my  Poppa.

The joy of giving of ourselves and our blessings are just like that banana. You see, God owns everything. Our houses, our jobs, our spiritual and physical blessings. He holds this whole universe. Yet, when we give with a cheerful and willing heart, He takes joy in it.
Why? Because just like when I could hear you happily wanting to share your banana with me, I knew how hungry you were. I knew that you had just woken up and that you, at that moment, had the thought of sharing your banana with me. That moment was a joyful satisfaction because you were acknowledging the relationship that you and I have built.

  • Even when at the very end, the tenth of the banana was all you could muster to give your Poppa, it was all that I needed!

I looked at your famished little chunky toddler face of joy in giving me what you could handle giving me. All I could do was laugh, and cut that tiny small piece of banana into two and give some back to you.

  • You will learn that God is the same way. He is not some angry old man jotting down every little mistake we do. Nor is He looking at how much we give Him.

His love for us is so much more than what we can ever give Him. He doesn’t need our money or possessions. He owns everything.
Rosh, all He wants is your little heart. He wants you to acknowledge and share your heartfelt joys, sorrows, and pieces of your bananas with Him. Because like Poppa, God is enjoying just observing and hearing your fruits and temptations of life…

If you want to know the God of love and bananas:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Are You Still Drinking From Milk?! |Quote the Word Not Commentaries!

When I was a kid, I remember wanting to be like such and such soccer player or dribbling like that basketball player, hitting the game winning run like that famous baseball player… Life was good and I, along with the rest of the neighborhood kids would imagine ourselves in big games with thousands of fans cheering for us while we saved that specific sports universe we were playing in. It was fun and it brought discipline to what we were doing in every sport we played.

As I got older, I didn’t want to be like this athlete or that athlete. I wanted to make my own game. I started realizing that I would watch the best athletes competing in their sport and learn their movements. But when I played, I wasn’t playing exactly like specific people. I was taking what I had seen and watched on TV and making it my own.

  • Sadly, I find that a large number of people who have been Christians a long time, still have the ‘neighborhood kid playing’ mentality.

What is the ‘neighborhood kid playing‘ mentality? It is when a Christian who has been a Christian longer than others in the church, is still quoting pastors he listens to, book commentaries he or she reads, or quotes from social media constantly; and yet, this same person never quotes directly from scripture.

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DISCLAIMER ***** Don’t get me wrong, I still quote all the above but it is not where I end. I usually say, “This pastor wrote this about this, this other pastor wrote this about this subject, here’s what the Word of God says and what I got from it, for application.” **********

  • So it’s not that I don’t ever quote anyone, it’s that I have found out, the Bible is all I need.

The Word of God is and was from the beginning. Jesus is the Word(See John 1) He has spoken His Word into our lives and into His Word, the Bible which makes one wise, disciplines by showing us our true nature and then instructing us to grab on to Christ and not let go(see Hebrews 4:12-13).

How do we become people who can be discipled and disciple others? We must be teachable, learners of the word(See Proverbs 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) ,and be able to pass it on.

Jesus tells us to do one thing. To go into all nations, and make disciples of all nations. We are to be teachable and then go out and teach others(See Matthew 28:19).

  • Now here is where I do become that neighborhood kid playing, when I start imitating Jesus and Jesus alone.
  • May I be able to be Christlike always.
  • May I be able to quote scripture just like Jesus did when being tempted by the enemy(See Matthew chapter 4).
  • May I be able to withstand everything that comes against me like Jesus did, because I was able to quote His Word, which gives me strength(See Philippians 4:13)…

Want to know more about Jesus?

Steps to Peace With God

How Can I know God

Know God

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