Did you know that the current divorce rate in America is 50%?
I was thinking this morning about how I want my life to matter. In the end, I came to the conclusion that I want to bring gifts to the Lord’s wedding. It didn’t take a heartbeat for my mind to compare gifts at a wedding today with gifts at the wedding of the Lord.
People marry for their lifetime, at best. The Lord’s wedding to his people will be a “once in eternity” event. Never has it happened before, and never will it happen again. It would be good to let that sink in.
With divorce at 50%, what is the value of any gift we might bring to a wedding? There’s a 50-50 chance they will only be useful in the division of things. Our token of love might well become a token of division.
But then it dawned on me, the importance of the Lord’s wedding to his people. When the Lord marries us, it will be forever without the slightest chance of disillusionment. What then is the value of the things I bring him on that Holy day?
How do I bring him gifts? What can my hands invent that I can bring him in my soul? The Flesh, and all I can do, will be nothing on that day . Nothing. What then are these gifts I’m talking about? Simply put, the gifts we bring the Lord are born of obedience to him today. We bring honor to his wedding because we have let him do the work in us that brings his Father Glory.
We know what he wants. We know who he is. And we know who he wants us to be. I’m really not sure I need to say anymore.
Tag Archives: Divorce
The Engine of Peace
I look at what Man has accomplished. How he has established law, regulation, procedure, and expectations, to force love upon the people for one another. What I see is that punishment is the motivator. Look with truth and you will see it also.
If you do what is evil the law will come and take from you. If you contribute according to the law of the land you will reap what they say is great benefit.
I see how they encourage one another to do good works. But again, the motivator is gain or severe loss.
Every day, every man wakes knowing that if he does not do what is expected he will lose horribly. This is not the gospel of Christ. It is the so-called good news of Man.
This good news of Man is dependent on the resources available. There’s only so much money in the world. There’s only so much food. Politics restrains the gain for all. And the vast majority find themselves suffering loss as the sun goes down on each day. Even the so-called winners are exhausted from their efforts. And there’s no need to itemize the broken families the come from the so-called good news.
In this good news of Man greed must be honed to a fine edge. Look at the advent of training and implements that has been made available to help. In all these things, the motivation for adherence comes from outside the man.
You know what’s funny? With all this trust toward the ability of Man to create peace, the world is no better off.
What does God say? “14 . . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 chronicles 7) This Promise of God does not present itself as a manipulation. It’s the offer of free and complete help.
Take note of how God strips the strength of greed. In its place he only requires humility.
This is no empty promise. But who will take up the mantle and respond?
Pathetic Silence
It makes me sad to look about.
Our cities under siege.
The “dead” in homes,
Lives like drones,
Amazed at what they see.
The Devil comes and takes away.
No words are spoken.
No!
“No way!
If we speak,
He’ll take us too!
Then, tell us what we all should do.
We’ll leave it to the likes of you.”
The bully on the playground
Pounds and pounds and pounds.
Daring those who watch him work
To make a single sound.
Is this the life you want to lead?
Are shadows giving what you need?
Why can’t you see the pitiful plight
Of he one who bleeds and has no fight?
Be silent then!
Your days well spent,
Watching Death on your TV.
The challenge is there in front of you.
The challenge is up to you and me.
See how the gospel is hidden.
Even surely by those who know!
See how the evil one has risen.
Without striking a single blow.
Finally, I Speak of Divorce
Often at the completion of some writing, I have thought to myself, “This one is the best”. But I have added these beginning words after I have written all that follows.
This writing may not be the best for all men, but it is the most sincere gathering of words I have ever gathered together in one place. With the greatest sincerity that any man can write, I have written.
_________________
All the evil and boastful words I hear others speak in regard to their ex husband or ex wife. You will not find those here! Instead I will expose self-loathing.
“Here I will expose,
For all the world to see,
The end result
Of our stupidity.”
What follows is the picture of a Christian who knows he has done wrong, and knows he has no means to make it right. This is not the picture of hatred that I hear so many paint; of a righteous choice to inflict pain, or gain release, called “divorce”.
This is my testimony of joining with the mindset of God. I testify that now I agree with him in all his Holy judgments concerning divorce. For he spoke his final word in regard to this murderous actions of men, “I hate divorce”. Now I testify, I know why.
My sins are paid for by the inexpressible strength of my Lord Jesus. And for that, there is peace within me. Then what are these tears this morning?
They are tears for the sake of others. They are not tears for the sake of the lost. They are not tears for the sake of what men do to one another. They are tears of realization for what I have done to so many.
As the dawn breaks and the Sun comes up, old age has slipped upon me. The righteous man smiles with his family all about him. But my family is called regret.
I will lay in my bed and die, perhaps with the company of one or two. But I am given to take note of one who will die without her husband. The joy of marriage ripped from her by the selfish sins of this man.
The tender hands of care will be absent, at the excruciating moment of her completion. The sight rips my heart in two!
Still I urge this enemy of mine, come and shove the dagger deep. Let the remembrance of my sins penetrate to the very marrow of my bones! Let my selfish heart, that was once like granite, feel the pain of my senseless stupid choices.
When my heart was cold and dead I did as I pleased. But now I have sobriety of soul, and a heart of flesh. With this, awareness dawns like the blazing heat of a Summer Sun on a man who has not slept well. In a vast arid desert, he wakes alone! And but for my Holy Lord of compassion, I could not bear this eternal pain.
I write this as a testimony. For one, that understanding has come, and with it inexpressible surprise of horror, sadness, and pain. And another, that those who live their lives with selfish abandon, can expect a visitation from regret; that relentless monster of remembrance.
I testify that divorce is a hideous and unholy choice. It is Murder of the vilest kind! While it may have appeared palatable at the time, the time will come when bitterness will cleave your tongue to the roof of your mouth. You will despise yourself like you have never despised a man before.
Expectations of joy were dashed to pieces. Hopes and dreams of childhood find no place of welcome. Shame and despair will take their place. And without the mercy of God, hopelessness will be the banner of all your future days.
Does this sound like the foolish and simplistic picture the world paints of divorce? Does this have any resemblance to the hope of satisfaction that the court of Man does promise?
This is not an exposé of some macabre selfish ambition; that I will display my horror as if for the sake of entertainment. No, this is to show the end of what God plainly says he abhors.
It is an apology with tears and sincerity. It is an expression of the hope that is in Christ, even for a man such as I! But it is a sincere warning for those who think divorce is some pleasant place to live. The fruit at first is sweet, but it is poison indelible for your soul.
To the sweet mother of my children, who did no wrong, I am deeply sorry. I wrote this here so that I would not dig up old pain by bringing this to your door.
Let this be a place where a gift is given. Let some poor wayward soul come and understand what I have written. Let his selfish longing for divorce be stymied by this confession of pain. Then the turmoil and trouble, between her and I, has found some fruit of hope. As if a man stands and warns the travelers, “A lion waits at the edge of the woods ahead”. Indeed, let someone take heed lest his children live as orphans and his wife shed tears that did not need to fall.
Amen, amen, amen!
By His Grace
Panacea
Panacea:
“A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.”
IS
Faith in the Christ of the Living God.
Political, social, personal, bodily, mental, environmental, technical, it doesn’t matter what it is. Christ Jesus is the panacea for all the ailments of Man.
From aspirin to nucular bombs, from violence to political correctness, from sewers to recycling, from the advancements of wars to the pursuit of world peace, humanity tries everything but Jesus. Take a good look at the result of Man’s ability. Go ahead and be ignorant (display stupidity), tell me things are better than they’ve ever been.
Why would you say such a thing? Is it because you can watch television? “Big woop!” Do you think things are better than they’ve ever been because you have a cell phone? “Woo hoo!” Do you really think man has cured everything evil because you get to ride around in a car? “Wow! Really, wow?”
Depression runs rampant among you. Hatred and anger are the call of the day. Blame is considered the cure for personal mental difficulties. And unforgiveness, ungodliness, hatred, immorality, laziness, obesity, physical and mental illness of every kind, find a happy home among modern Man. “Yeeha!” Not to mention the pre-eminent god of Man, money.
The majority of mankind has thrown Jesus to the refuse pile. And in doing that, they have sealed their own fate. I can’t fix the world. I can’t help even one person. But unless you give your life to Jesus, in its entirety, you are destined to suffer by your own hand.
Panacea among men is a fairytale. But look how stupidly they chase after it. The solution is quite simple. Trust Jesus with everything you have. Allow him to show you how to be holy.
To solid Christians, this is obvious. To the rest of the world, it is an abhorrent concept. But does anybody even ask why that’s true? It’s true because it destroys the pride of Man. It’s a direct attack against everything Man is.
The Word of God labels every man as a liar. God has no respect for any man. God says, “Humble yourself before me! Remain in that posture, and when my wisdom says the time is right, I will lift you up”.
But people say, “NO! You will lift me up now. Everything in this world either does what I want it to, or I throw it away.” And this is how they have treated the Holy Son of the Most High God. “You will fix my troubles now, if indeed you are God.”
Ok that’s fine. Then live among the things of squalor. Watch your children turn to drugs and sexual immorality. Watch the concept of marriage become so deluded that priests even marry animals to humans. Watch the wars intensify. Watch every sort of wickedness explode in the streets. And you will be fully helpless to stop it.
Christ Jesus IS the panacea! And it really doesn’t matter whether you believe these things or not. Eternity is quite capable of moving on without you.
By His Grace
Divorce
“It’s too hard to stay here.” So says the one who thinks divorce is an option. They think the pain of abuse is too much. They think the lure of lust is worth travail.
My friend, you have no idea what waits for you in the night. You know nothing about the pain you will feel when you look at your children’s faces. You have no idea how painful it will be to remember your former spouse. You have no idea what you are throwing away.
The joy of one year will fade with explosive quickness. You will never be a part of the next family you try to join. You will always belong where you were!
But you will not listen to my words. Though they are the words of one who knows, you will not hear them. You have already made up your mind in some fantasy you embraced.
And if you are foolish enough you will continue to embrace this fantasy, regardless the regret your heart gives you, you will be faced with a severe choice. Your heart is cold and callous now. Foolishness will turn it to stone.
You will not love with open heart. You will love by ritual and habit. You are cutting yourself deeply and the scar will never leave.
You married for the wrong reasons. You think your ignorance gives you license. What you are purchasing is a license to death.
You should stay and learn. You should clear the rubble and work to build a strong foundation. Once you have made the step, you cannot go back. And you will soon desire to go back.
The warning has been made, what would you do?
By His Grace
Words From There 