Category: Jesus Speaks

Divorce is Devastating

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” (Matthew 5: 31 – 32)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

During the time of Christ’s earthly ministry, many of the more liberal Jews believed that a man could divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus corrected that malicious belief; reaffirming the sanctity and permanence of marriage. According to God’s divine will, divorce is only permissible when one of the married individuals has committed some act of sexual immorality; such as adultery. And yet even then, God desires repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation whenever possible. Like many horrific sins, divorce devestates entire families; creating insecurity, instability, and spiritual decay. It is therefore to be avoided at all costs.

Let’s take a moment to look at some of the consequences of divorce. In only 10 percent of divorces did both parents feel they had achieved happier lives. Children of divorce may have lower scores on self-concept and social relationship tests. Girls whose fathers left home before they were five years old were eight times more likely to become pregnant as adolescents than girls from intact families. As adults, the female children of divorced parents experience less trust and satisfaction in emotional relationships. Boys who have experienced divorce, become sexually active at an earlier age and are more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases. Children of divorce are also less likely to view marriage as permanent and less likely to view it as a lifelong commitment. Kids from divorced households demonstrate lower grade point averages. Children growing up in single parent households are almost 200 percent more likely to be physically abused or neglected. Children of single parents are nearly twice as likely to have emotional and behavioral problems.

Jesus condemns divorce because it creates suffering in the lives of all those who experience it. Marriage is an institution created by God, which unites one man and one woman together as one; for an entire lifetime. Divorce tears two individuals apart; which damages them, their children, and society as a whole. May we always respect the unity and permanence of holy matrimony. May we continue to strengthen our marriages by loving and serving one another. May we not look to the left nor to the right, but always stay focused upon, and be satisfied with, whomever the Lord had given us.

Heavenly Father, we recognize the permanence of marriage. Help us to love our wives, our husbands, and our children with a passion. May we care for them as we would any possession you have relinquished into our custody. May we serve them; may we love them; and may be gracious toward them. Take away those things that divide us and draw us ever closer together in unity and affection. We love you Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen. God bless all of you!

Inspiring Conversions

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

    “While I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by their faith in me.’” (Acts 26: 12-18)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

    There once lived an angry young man named Saul, who hated Christians with a passion. He journeyed from synagogue to synagogue, beating, harassing, and perhaps even killing those Jews who openly professed a faith in Jesus Christ. One day however, while traveling to Damascus, God intervened in Saul’s life. Jesus appeared to him and said, ‘it is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ [Note: Oxen were trained to pull heavy plows; an untrained ox would often try to kick itself free. In turn, farmers attached sharp pieces of metal to the plow (known as ‘goads.’) When the ox kicked the plow, it would stab itself in the leg; the harder the kick, the more painful the sensation. After a short time, the animal would learn to accept it’s position.] Like an untrained beast, Saul had been struggling against God’s calling. After his visitation, Saul finally quit fighting and accepted Jesus as his Lord and savior. He also changed his name to Paul and went on to write many of the New Testament letters. Throughout history, some of the greatest Christian leaders have often been those who were once devout enemies of God.
    Sir William Ramsay was one of the most influential scientific minds of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He taught at Oxford and is credited with discovering several new elements; he also received numerous scientific awards and honors. Ramsay’s parents were atheists who raised him as a nonbeliever (a disposition he clung to for most of his life.) Obviously he harbored little respect for Christianity; in fact, he claimed that the bible was nothing more than “a book of fables.” He eventually began to study archaeology and traveled to the Middle East in hopes of disproving the historical accuracy of the bible. After 25 years of travel and research, he was forced to concede that even the most minuscule details of the New Testament were indeed accurate. Instead of writing a book disproving the validity of scripture, Ramsay wrote a book entitled “St. Paul, the Traveler and Roman Citizen.” In it, he presented his findings; all of which supported the reliability of the bible. Convinced by the evidence, Ramsay shocked his colleagues and fellow intellectuals by announcing that he had converted to Christianity.
    Like Paul, and like Sir William Ramsay, there are many today who are kicking “against the goads.” God however is still actively reaching out to atheists, agnostics and nonbelievers the world around. If we too have been raging against the call of God, we must stop struggling and give up, and give in. Let the Lord into your heart and He will replace your pain with peace; your hatred as well will turn to love. Surrender to Him and you will know pure joy, genuine freedom, and everlasting life.
   “Lord Heavenly Father, may Your perfect will be done in our lives. We pray for those who might be “kicking against the goads.” Soften their hearts and open their eyes, that they may come to believe in Your Son, and in the redemption offered through His sacrifice upon the cross. May they embrace and receive Your free gift of salvation through faith. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.” God bless all of you!

The Source of Power

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

    Then they said to him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6: 28 – 29.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

    Everywhere Jesus went the crowds went with him; having witnessed His countless miracles, the masses desperately sought to discover how they too might accomplish similar feats of greatness. Jesus answered them saying, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” According to the Lord, righteousness and divine power are the offspring of a life founded on genuine faith; faith in the Son of God; faith that His teachings are God’s revelation to mankind; faith that He is seated at the creator’s right hand; faith that He loves us and that through Him we are reconciled to our Almighty and Everlasting Father. The Messiah is the source of all our power; only through Jesus can we hope to accomplish God’s will.
    Some time ago I purchased a saw from a local hardware store. Unfortunately the saw suddenly shut down while I was using it. I tried everything to get it to start again. I fiddled with it; I read the directions more thoroughly; I searched the internet for similar problems. Eventually I had to bring the saw back to the store and exchange it for a different one. After returning home, I plugged in the new saw; sadly it didn’t work either. My frustration drove me to try a different socket, and sure enough, the blade began to spin. I soon discovered that a local fuse had blown which only affected a couple of outlets in the house. Needless to say, I was more than a little embarrassed. The saw had never been broken; instead, it stopped working because it had become separated from the source of it’s power.
    Like my saw, many today are disconnected from the source of all divine power. Without faith in Jesus Christ they are unable to function properly. Those who do place their faith in God’s Son grow strong and continue to mature. They possess great peace and an enduring hope; they are given the ability to live righteously and to accomplish many wonderful works in the lives of others. May we continue to place our faith in Jesus Christ. May we never turn away from the source of our strength, that our lives may continue to be a testament to God’s power and majesty.
   “Lord Heavenly Father, we believe in Your Son and we acknowledge His power. Increase our faith that we might grow stronger and be more like You. Accomplish Your works in us and through us, that our lives may be a testament of Your goodness and mercy. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!