A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Tuesday, May 14,
2019
Several large geese families reside on Donegal Creek.
It's
always a highlight to see them on our spring walks on
the trail.
"God's
Pattern"
Holy
Marriage
Message
summary:
This week's
series on
"God's
Patterns" may
be offensive
to some
because so
many have
rejected God's
revealed
patterns and
accepted new
worldly
philosophies
and a notion
that marriage
is simply a
human social
construct.
Listen to
our message on
your audio
player.
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).
When
I was young my
parent's biggest
investment
educationally for
their children was a
complete set of the
World Book
Encyclopedia,
probably revised to
about 1962. That was
long before you
surfed the web in
pursuit of
information! I
recall spending
hours surfing
through the
encyclopedia and
reading articles of
interest and, of
course, looking at
the pictures.
Early
in my ministry
Brooksyne presented
to me a huge copy of
"Webster's
Unabridged
Dictionary of the
English Language"
which I still have
and occasionally
use. Of course
technology
understandably
brings new words and
thus makes aspects
of the dictionary
outdated. My edition
from 1983 doesn't
have words we now
use commonly in the
computer age like
website, gigabyte or
podcast. But it's
also interesting to
see how meanings of
old words change and
provides
a fixed point so
that when a word
changes you don't
have to say, "It
seems to me that
word used to mean
...". I looked up
"marriage" in that
dictionary and it
stated, "the social
institution under
which a man and a
woman establish
their decision to
live as husband and
wife by legal
commitments,
religious
ceremonies, etc."
In the
last several years
marriage has been
redefined based on
the notion that it
is merely a social
construct and thus
humans can make the
meaning whatever
they want it to be.
But I read this
powerful rebuttal,
"Marriage is a
covenant
relationship and an
institution
established by God
rather than simply a
human social
construct (Genesis
2:24; Matthew
19:4–6; Ephesians
5:22–33)."
The Got
Questions teaching
site has this
succinct Bible
definition of
marriage:
In
Genesis, chapter 2,
God declares it is
not good for Adam
(the first man) to
live alone. All the
animals are there,
but none of them are
a suitable partner
for Adam. God,
therefore, in a
special act of
creation, makes a
woman. Just a few
verses later, the
woman is called "his
wife" (Genesis
2:25). Eden was the
scene of the first
marriage, ordained
by God Himself. The
author of Genesis
then records the
standard by which
all future marriages
are defined: "A man
leaves his father
and mother and is
united to his wife,
and they become one
flesh" (Genesis
2:24).
Bible
teacher Alistair
Begg, writes "Secular
viewpoints continue
to press for the
destruction of the
traditional family.
What was once
considered living in
sin is becoming
accepted by
society." My, isn't
that the truth, even
an understatement.
As time
passes more and more
younger generations
will see this new
definition of
marriage as the new
normal and
eventually as just
the normal. In fact
attempts are being
made to frame the
traditional Biblical
understanding of
marriage as hateful,
backward and
ignorant. We have a
friend who owns a
wedding venue who is
being persecuted for
his principled
decision not to
allow its use for
purposes that
violate his
convictions, which
he had established
long before the
decision to redefine
the meaning of
marriage.
Here in
America the
redefinition of
marriage was
officially made by
our country's
Supreme Court less
than four years ago
on June 26, 2015.
Just as there has
always been a
remnant opposing the
Supreme Court's evil
decision to legalize
abortion in 1973,
there will always be
Bible faithful
people who will
oppose this decision
to redefine marriage
in opposition to
God's clearly
established pattern.
God has also
maintained a people
who contend for His
truth.
Just as we
have seen disastrous
consequences from
the abortion
decision we will
most assuredly see
disastrous
consequences from
the redefinition of
the marriage
decision. We already
see them. The Bible
says, "Do not be
deceived: God
cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what
he sows. Whoever
sows to please
their sinful
nature, from that
nature will reap
destruction"
(Galatians 6:7,8a).
But let us
who follow Christ
and the Bible hear
the words that
follow, "Whoever
sows to please the
Spirit, from the
Spirit will reap
eternal life. Let
us not become
weary in doing
good, for at the
proper time we
will reap a
harvest if we do
not give up"
(Galatians 6:8b,9).
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
You are our
God and firm
foundation,
our Rock, the
only solid
ground on
which we stand
because
nations rise
and fall.
Kingdoms once
strong are now
shaken but we
will trust
forever in the
victorious
name of Jesus.
Your kingdom
is from
everlasting to
everlasting.
Help us not to
bow down to
the god of
this age and
conform to the
teachings that
counter the
instruction of
Your Holy
Word. You
are unmatched
in all Your
wisdom, in
love and
justice you
reign, and one
day every knee
will bow and
every tongue
confess that
Jesus is Lord,
to the glory
of God the
Father. Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Only God
Forever" Video
Brooksyne's note: Our
choir led in this song on
Sunday and I adapted some of
the words and included them
in our prayer today. The
lyrics support the timely
message we share today
regarding the current
philosophies of our day that
are not supported by
Scripture, in fact, they
conflict with the Bible. I
believe it will bless your
heart as you listen.
Our God, a firm
foundation
Our rock, the only solid ground
As nations rise and fall
Kingdoms once strong now shaken
But we trust forever in Your Name
The Name of Jesus
We trust the Name of Jesus
Our rock, the only solid ground
As nations rise and fall
Kingdoms once strong now shaken
But we trust forever in Your Name
The Name of Jesus
We trust the Name of Jesus
For
further study:
I
read about
this 2019
commencement
address and
these sobering
observations:
The
days of easy
Christianity
in America are
over.
People
of faith have
shaped this
country since
its founding.
But sometime
in the last
century,
things slowly
began to
change. That
change
accelerated
during the
last
administration,
as the
government
tried to force
Christian
groups to be
complicit in
things that
our faith
teaches we
cannot be part
of, including
the
destruction of
innocent
unborn life.
But
there's a more
pernicious
trend that's
unrelated to
the
government.
Until
recently,
being known as
a good
Christian was
an advantage
in your
career, a
signal that
you were
someone
deserving of
trust and
respect.
But
the young
Christian
graduates were
warned that
their faith
may cost them
their job if
they take
their
Christianity
seriously on
issues such as
the sanctity
of life and
the meaning of
marriage.
"Some
of the loudest
voices for
tolerance
today have
little
tolerance for
traditional
Christian
beliefs. So as
you go about
your daily
life, just be
ready.
Because you're
going to be
asked not just
to tolerate
things that
violate your
faith; you're
going to be
asked to
endorse them.
You're going
to be asked to
bow down to
the idols of
the popular
culture.
"So, Class of 2019, my word to all of you is decide here and now that you're going to stand firm, that you'll persevere, and that you'll always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have, and you'll do so with gentleness and respect. Because our nation and our world need that message of grace and love maybe more now than ever before."
"So, Class of 2019, my word to all of you is decide here and now that you're going to stand firm, that you'll persevere, and that you'll always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have, and you'll do so with gentleness and respect. Because our nation and our world need that message of grace and love maybe more now than ever before."
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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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