I used to ask that question all the time, especially during my separation and divorce. In all honesty, I still ask the question sometimes still, yet I have a better understanding of the spiritual aspect. Why do I talk about my divorce all the time? I've never had to deal with drugs or with alcohol. I can't speak on that. I've never had to leave home because of some fight with my parents (at least with my immediate family). I've never had to be involved with the court system in any way negative. I've never put my hands on my wife or my son. In general, according to man, I've lived a pretty decent and clean life. The only thing major that I can hopefully speak on spiritually was my divorce, and all of the emotions that went along with it.
I gotta say, if it weren't for God, I'd be in a really bad place still. I lost......... my whole family. People who said that they would NEVER leave me, that they would love me, and I believed them, ESPECIALLY my Wife who looked me in the eyes so deep that early evening at Stone Mountain Park and said "I'm never going to leave you". My Wife (who took my son). My Father. My Mother. My Brother. My Sister. All In-Laws, all gone, but my family regardless. I lost them all in one vicious swoop of a divorce decree. The coolest thing about God, for me anyway, is that He was there when they left me. I learned then that you can't trust man's promises. He was there when they dropped me like a stranger. He answered me when no one else would. What's even cooler than that, is that during my interaction with my family, I did some things that I should not have done. I stopped having a relationship with Him. I basically stopped praying, stopped reading my bible, I stopped being dedicated to Him. I never really knew how to fast so I never fasted back then. These are things I did, I blame no one else. So the tears can't help but to fall when I think about the fact that it was Him who came to me when I called, when I suffered so much by the tactics my Wife initiated. He answered me as if I had never left Him. When they lied, He was there when I called on Him for peace, and I tell you truthfully within about 5 minutes I had that peace, as if it never happened. I called on Him to figure out how to handle the Ford, having no idea what to do, and He told me just what to do. He guided me when I started bringing an escort with me to help watch my son when I did see him. I can go on with all the things that I had to endure. So many things that were done were just so hurtful, so.... it seemed, spiteful without any reason. I had no experience in dealing with people like that. I used to say "But they are supposed to be Christians. Why would they do this to me?"
Oh yea, I've had plenty of times to say, and I made sure I took the opportunity to say, "WHY ME?!" I had no training in how to be divorced. I only have experiences of how to be married, having at least 6 marriages to pull from, with the youngest marriage now being a few years old. Thank God He pulled me through. Out of my whole family, which includes 12 kids (from my grandparents), about 22 grandkids, and about 6 great grand kids, I am one of the only two that has gone through a divorce. Strangely enough, both of us were married to women who were not in the church (I speak in terms of a home church that was visited every week).
So what do I do now? I pray that God deals with them as He sees fit. I ask that He blesses them as He sees fit. I don't ever tell Him to send down His wrath upon their heads, who am I to request that? I just pray that He allows them to see the error of their ways. I'm WAY more forgiving now than I was say 2 years ago, giving way to peace, yet hoping for next time. No my circumstances haven't changed, yet I'm more forgiving, loving, at peace, and strengthened spiritually than I was before.
I can't do anything but say Thank You Jesus!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
WHY ME?! Part 1
Thats the question that so many of us have asked of ourselves and sometimes of God.
"Why me?"
We ask when things seem to be going every which a way but ours.
"Why me?"
We ask when it seems like the things that we go through are too hard.
"Why me?"
We ask when we have not been trained how to handle the things we go through.
Yet, how bout asking "Why not me?"
Because God saw fit that you could endure what was put on your plate.
"Why not me?"
If God, who made you and knows you better than your own mother or best friend, has faith in you that you would succeed in your trials, why tell Him that He was wrong?
"Why not me?"
Be proud that He finds you worthy to go through, that He finds you to have the strength needed to accomplish the test.
"Why not me?"
You're not living this Christian life for yourself, you're living it for God. So that He gets the glory, so that someone can say "Thank you Jesus", "He's worthy". So that you can say "Look at what God did for me!"
It's simple really. You become prideful, and thankful of enduring trials, spiritual trials, and you can handle them better because you know who the Comforter is. You've got someone you can talk to, and He'll talk back to you. He'll give you peace when the perfect storm of negative events swirl around you. You start to look at life in a more positive aspect rather than seeing the negative. You start to live in a good place, and it's all mental. Your circumstances haven't changed, it's the way you now view life.
"Why me?"
We ask when things seem to be going every which a way but ours.
"Why me?"
We ask when it seems like the things that we go through are too hard.
"Why me?"
We ask when we have not been trained how to handle the things we go through.
Yet, how bout asking "Why not me?"
Because God saw fit that you could endure what was put on your plate.
"Why not me?"
If God, who made you and knows you better than your own mother or best friend, has faith in you that you would succeed in your trials, why tell Him that He was wrong?
"Why not me?"
Be proud that He finds you worthy to go through, that He finds you to have the strength needed to accomplish the test.
"Why not me?"
You're not living this Christian life for yourself, you're living it for God. So that He gets the glory, so that someone can say "Thank you Jesus", "He's worthy". So that you can say "Look at what God did for me!"
It's simple really. You become prideful, and thankful of enduring trials, spiritual trials, and you can handle them better because you know who the Comforter is. You've got someone you can talk to, and He'll talk back to you. He'll give you peace when the perfect storm of negative events swirl around you. You start to look at life in a more positive aspect rather than seeing the negative. You start to live in a good place, and it's all mental. Your circumstances haven't changed, it's the way you now view life.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
What Happened?
I was laying awake in my bed a few minutes ago this morning thinking about the first 7 months of my marriage and how it differed from the rest of my marriage. It was better than the rest which caused me to ask myself, why? What was I doing then that I wasn't doing the rest of the marriage? I was praying. I wanted to make sure that we stayed married, that we were able to work through things. I wanted to grow old together and really know my wife, so I prayed many a night, at least from what I can remember. I remember thinking that if we weren't praying together, I should at least be praying. I never realized how right I was.
Before I met my wife, I was........not as spiritually understanding as I am now. Meaning that I really wasn't reading my bible as often as I should. I was working all the time so I very rarely went to church, and when I did have a Sunday off, though I can't remember having one off, I never went to church. But I had grown up with the teachings from when I did go to church. I was taught of God, Jesus, faith, prayer, etc.....I had a basic, if anything, understanding of what a Christian should be, how they should act, and what they should do. I had went through experiences that caused me to be a real believer in faith and prayer. Man I had some STRONG faith! It didn't matter what happened in life, if I prayed and gave it to God, that was it. I never worried no more about whatever was going on.
Then I met my wife, and her family. I was enthralled at how spiritually bonded my Father-in-law and Mother-in-law were. I mean they would get up on Sundays and read "The Daily Word" together and discuss it. I remember thinking that's how I wanted my marriage to be. In the process of being involved in my wife's family, I spent a lot of time away from my own. I forgot my spiritual upbringing and went slack. After marriage, we spent the majority of our time involved with her family, only going to church a total of 3 times. Twice at my own and once at some church her parents wanted to go to. I continued to go slack in my spiritual self.
I don't blame her and her family for my downfall. I blame myself. I had it right and I let it go. This has nothing to do with them, yet everything to do with me. This is a reflection of my actions.
The first 7 months of my marriage was the best, not so much because we were still living in the honeymoon phase, but because, I believe, of my prayers. She never knew it, but there were plenty of nights when I would come home from work and strip my clothes off, get in the bed and wrap my arms around her as any loving husband would do. As she slept, as I listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing, feeling the her stomach move up and down under my hands, I was praying for the both of us. Praying for our marriage.Praying for our relationship. And it worked! Prayer was the reason why for 6 months or so we never used protection and she never got pregnant. It was also because of prayer that our son was conceived in his mother's womb no more than a good week and a half later. Prayer was the reason why I met my wife to begin with , getting down on my knees in honesty, and seeing her the next day. Love at first sight I tell you. I KNEW she was mine. It took years, but it didn't matter, I was confident that she was mine. Thank you Jesus.
Our downfall I'll contribute to me not praying anymore. In the first few months, I used to wish that she would pray with me. But I was too.......scared, hesitant, unsure of what her response would be, so I never brought it up. That was the Enemy working in my mind. The strength that our marriage would have had if we prayed together! The bond! One spouse praying is good, but if both are in the same accord praying for the same thing in unity..........how do you defeat that?
I won't say that she wasn't praying. Maybe she was, I just never knew myself. For all I know, she could have been thinking the same thing, that she wanted to pray together, but was unsure of what my response would be.
I'm a praying man now. I have long conversations with God. Sometimes I'll get restless and drive to Florida, South Carolina, Alabama or what have you and pray the whole time. My faith isn't as strong as when she first knew me back in say 2002 or so, and I attribute that to all the things I had to endure during the divorce. So messy. So not necessary. Then again, it should be because of those reasons that my faith should be stronger. I continue to pray that God blesses her and her family as He sees fit. That He has mercy on them, and quickens their spirit. I thank God for my wife, my In laws, my brother and sister. I pray that He continues to bless me as He sees fit, has mercy on me, and quickens my spirit as well.
So what would I require if she were to come back? Now that is another post for another day, I need to get ready for work.
Let the Spirit of Christ dwell within all who read these postings as well as the writer. That our spirit be overcome with peace, love, and joy towards one another, even those who we feel may have done us wrong. Let the Spirit of forgiveness drown our spiritual being, that what was done in the past be forgotten and stays in the past, much like God has promised to us, forgiving our sins and throwing them into the lake to be remembered no more.
Before I met my wife, I was........not as spiritually understanding as I am now. Meaning that I really wasn't reading my bible as often as I should. I was working all the time so I very rarely went to church, and when I did have a Sunday off, though I can't remember having one off, I never went to church. But I had grown up with the teachings from when I did go to church. I was taught of God, Jesus, faith, prayer, etc.....I had a basic, if anything, understanding of what a Christian should be, how they should act, and what they should do. I had went through experiences that caused me to be a real believer in faith and prayer. Man I had some STRONG faith! It didn't matter what happened in life, if I prayed and gave it to God, that was it. I never worried no more about whatever was going on.
Then I met my wife, and her family. I was enthralled at how spiritually bonded my Father-in-law and Mother-in-law were. I mean they would get up on Sundays and read "The Daily Word" together and discuss it. I remember thinking that's how I wanted my marriage to be. In the process of being involved in my wife's family, I spent a lot of time away from my own. I forgot my spiritual upbringing and went slack. After marriage, we spent the majority of our time involved with her family, only going to church a total of 3 times. Twice at my own and once at some church her parents wanted to go to. I continued to go slack in my spiritual self.
I don't blame her and her family for my downfall. I blame myself. I had it right and I let it go. This has nothing to do with them, yet everything to do with me. This is a reflection of my actions.
The first 7 months of my marriage was the best, not so much because we were still living in the honeymoon phase, but because, I believe, of my prayers. She never knew it, but there were plenty of nights when I would come home from work and strip my clothes off, get in the bed and wrap my arms around her as any loving husband would do. As she slept, as I listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing, feeling the her stomach move up and down under my hands, I was praying for the both of us. Praying for our marriage.Praying for our relationship. And it worked! Prayer was the reason why for 6 months or so we never used protection and she never got pregnant. It was also because of prayer that our son was conceived in his mother's womb no more than a good week and a half later. Prayer was the reason why I met my wife to begin with , getting down on my knees in honesty, and seeing her the next day. Love at first sight I tell you. I KNEW she was mine. It took years, but it didn't matter, I was confident that she was mine. Thank you Jesus.
Our downfall I'll contribute to me not praying anymore. In the first few months, I used to wish that she would pray with me. But I was too.......scared, hesitant, unsure of what her response would be, so I never brought it up. That was the Enemy working in my mind. The strength that our marriage would have had if we prayed together! The bond! One spouse praying is good, but if both are in the same accord praying for the same thing in unity..........how do you defeat that?
I won't say that she wasn't praying. Maybe she was, I just never knew myself. For all I know, she could have been thinking the same thing, that she wanted to pray together, but was unsure of what my response would be.
I'm a praying man now. I have long conversations with God. Sometimes I'll get restless and drive to Florida, South Carolina, Alabama or what have you and pray the whole time. My faith isn't as strong as when she first knew me back in say 2002 or so, and I attribute that to all the things I had to endure during the divorce. So messy. So not necessary. Then again, it should be because of those reasons that my faith should be stronger. I continue to pray that God blesses her and her family as He sees fit. That He has mercy on them, and quickens their spirit. I thank God for my wife, my In laws, my brother and sister. I pray that He continues to bless me as He sees fit, has mercy on me, and quickens my spirit as well.
So what would I require if she were to come back? Now that is another post for another day, I need to get ready for work.
Let the Spirit of Christ dwell within all who read these postings as well as the writer. That our spirit be overcome with peace, love, and joy towards one another, even those who we feel may have done us wrong. Let the Spirit of forgiveness drown our spiritual being, that what was done in the past be forgotten and stays in the past, much like God has promised to us, forgiving our sins and throwing them into the lake to be remembered no more.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Fasting - Part 2
So what did I fast for? My wife had divorced me, which was final April 1st, 2010. She did a real number on me. Things I never knew she was capable of were done to me. I surely did question her Christianity, as well as her parents. I got accused of things that I never did, my son was being withheld from me, to this day I still don't know/understand why she divorced me. I don't have a reason, at least one that's specific. So my fast, in general was for myself, which kind of included her. I needed to forgive her, especially since her antics continued. I needed to be at peace. I needed to be able to grow in Christ. I needed to get rid of some of my known sins, and learn about the sins I never knew existed within me.
So did it work? Oh yes, but not how I expected it. I was able to forgive her, but I also dreamed about her, at one point 3 nights straight. It was like I couldn't be rid of her even when I tried. I also did grow in God, I read the New Testament from Matthew to Revelations about 3 times straight through and continue to read my bible more than I did before the fast. I learned things I never knew existed. My faith in God grew substantially. The peace I needed grew substantially. I was able to deal with her antics better. I learned about some of my sins I never knew I was doing. I was able to pray for her and her family. I just became a better spiritual man. Later on in the year, God made me do something I refused to do after my Moms ask me (repeatedly mind you) after I had taken it off for about a good year, year and a half or so. I put my wedding ring back on. I won't lie either, I argued with God. I literally raised my voice and argued with Him.
-"You need to wear your ring".
-" No, NO! Why should I wear my ring?! SHE *pause* LEFT *pause* ME! It doesn't matter. She's not going to see it anyway! What benefit is it to her anyway?!"
-"It's not for her benefit, it's for yours".
You know that look when someone is so mad that they get quiet, roll their eyes and walk away? That was me. I didn't put it on. I got up the next morning, checked out of the hotel, got back in my car and He says, "You may as well go ahead and put your ring back on". I breathed hard through my nose, and did as He told me to. Now I can't take the ring off. I sleep with it. It stays on my finger 24/7 with the exception of bathing or washing my hair or using lotion or something. I can't take it off. In some ways, I'm not allowed to. Thank you Jesus.
In Pastor Franklin's book, he speaks on the benefits of fasting. Such as monetary, health, financial, spiritual, etc. Those are things I call side effects of doing what you are supposed to do. Your "reasonable service" if you will. But those are not reasons to do a fast, it's about your relationship with God, improving it, being a better Christian today than you were yesterday, and a better one tomorrow than you were today. A fast is well worth it.
So what about this year? She's still acting up. Won't let me come visit to see my son. Won't let me talk with him on the phone (although I don't have her cell number, I have to go through her Moms cell to try and talk with him, so the Moms may very well be preventing me from talking with him). She won't respond to my emails about him. I have no contact with him and have only chatted with him this year 4 times. Yet I still dream dreams about her. At one point waking up out of sleep in the Spirit praying for her and her family, then falling back asleep as soon as I had woke up. I see things in my dreams. So I'm constantly praying for her and her family. Praying for my son. I've learned to forgive her EVERY time I call for my son, knowing I won't talk with him. I have to. What did Peter ask, "How many times should we forgive someone? 7 times 7?" What was the reply? "70 times 7?" (paraphrasing). I'm able to rejoice in my suffering. Oh and yes, I'm on an indefinite fast, or until I have need to change.
God has been just SO GOOD to me during my separation/divorce and afterwards. I just can't tell all of how He's been so good, there's just too many for my little mind to repeat. But I thank Him and that He put His loving arms around me. That He nurtured me when others who said they loved me left me. I lost my whole family-my father, mother, brother, sister, wife and son in one quick swoop. And yet He was there when I needed Him, EVEN though I had left Him by lowering my standards spiritually. I only hope that I continue to do my best in this life so that I can make it in. That I continue to learn, that I continue to raise my standards spiritually. That I continue to understand that it matters not what happens down here on earth, what people do to you, it matter to God how you handle it. Praises be to His name.
Let the Spirit of Christ continue to dwell within us all. That He convicts us to be more forgiving, compassionate, trustworthy, and loving. I pray that He continues to have mercy on my wife and bless her as He sees fit. That He continues to watch over her family and that His will be done in all things, as He sees fit. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
So did it work? Oh yes, but not how I expected it. I was able to forgive her, but I also dreamed about her, at one point 3 nights straight. It was like I couldn't be rid of her even when I tried. I also did grow in God, I read the New Testament from Matthew to Revelations about 3 times straight through and continue to read my bible more than I did before the fast. I learned things I never knew existed. My faith in God grew substantially. The peace I needed grew substantially. I was able to deal with her antics better. I learned about some of my sins I never knew I was doing. I was able to pray for her and her family. I just became a better spiritual man. Later on in the year, God made me do something I refused to do after my Moms ask me (repeatedly mind you) after I had taken it off for about a good year, year and a half or so. I put my wedding ring back on. I won't lie either, I argued with God. I literally raised my voice and argued with Him.
-"You need to wear your ring".
-" No, NO! Why should I wear my ring?! SHE *pause* LEFT *pause* ME! It doesn't matter. She's not going to see it anyway! What benefit is it to her anyway?!"
-"It's not for her benefit, it's for yours".
You know that look when someone is so mad that they get quiet, roll their eyes and walk away? That was me. I didn't put it on. I got up the next morning, checked out of the hotel, got back in my car and He says, "You may as well go ahead and put your ring back on". I breathed hard through my nose, and did as He told me to. Now I can't take the ring off. I sleep with it. It stays on my finger 24/7 with the exception of bathing or washing my hair or using lotion or something. I can't take it off. In some ways, I'm not allowed to. Thank you Jesus.
In Pastor Franklin's book, he speaks on the benefits of fasting. Such as monetary, health, financial, spiritual, etc. Those are things I call side effects of doing what you are supposed to do. Your "reasonable service" if you will. But those are not reasons to do a fast, it's about your relationship with God, improving it, being a better Christian today than you were yesterday, and a better one tomorrow than you were today. A fast is well worth it.
So what about this year? She's still acting up. Won't let me come visit to see my son. Won't let me talk with him on the phone (although I don't have her cell number, I have to go through her Moms cell to try and talk with him, so the Moms may very well be preventing me from talking with him). She won't respond to my emails about him. I have no contact with him and have only chatted with him this year 4 times. Yet I still dream dreams about her. At one point waking up out of sleep in the Spirit praying for her and her family, then falling back asleep as soon as I had woke up. I see things in my dreams. So I'm constantly praying for her and her family. Praying for my son. I've learned to forgive her EVERY time I call for my son, knowing I won't talk with him. I have to. What did Peter ask, "How many times should we forgive someone? 7 times 7?" What was the reply? "70 times 7?" (paraphrasing). I'm able to rejoice in my suffering. Oh and yes, I'm on an indefinite fast, or until I have need to change.
God has been just SO GOOD to me during my separation/divorce and afterwards. I just can't tell all of how He's been so good, there's just too many for my little mind to repeat. But I thank Him and that He put His loving arms around me. That He nurtured me when others who said they loved me left me. I lost my whole family-my father, mother, brother, sister, wife and son in one quick swoop. And yet He was there when I needed Him, EVEN though I had left Him by lowering my standards spiritually. I only hope that I continue to do my best in this life so that I can make it in. That I continue to learn, that I continue to raise my standards spiritually. That I continue to understand that it matters not what happens down here on earth, what people do to you, it matter to God how you handle it. Praises be to His name.
Let the Spirit of Christ continue to dwell within us all. That He convicts us to be more forgiving, compassionate, trustworthy, and loving. I pray that He continues to have mercy on my wife and bless her as He sees fit. That He continues to watch over her family and that His will be done in all things, as He sees fit. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Fasting- Part 1
So what is one thing that most Christians seem to want to do at the beginning of the year and never again until next year? Fasting. What's one thing that should be part of EVERY Christians walk? Fasting. What's one thing that can help get rid of some of the issues that you go through. Fasting. What's one way that any Christian can develop a deeper relationship with God? Fasting. Do you need an answer to a serious question and want to solve it right? Go on a fast.
One of the most important aspects of a Christian life is to go on a fast. However most Christians are numb to the ieda because they aren't taught to go on one, or they aren't taught how to correctly perform one. There really is so much information in regards to a fast, especially in doing it right that I won't go into ALL the details, however I will speak on what I know, and a little bit of what I have experienced.
So what exactly is a fast? Ina nutshell it is denying the body/flesh what it wants through food, movies, games, or any other things that it finds pleasurable and giving yourself wholeheartedly to reading your bible, praying, and meditating on God. You perform a fast for a set amount of time, which is usually dictated by your ability. In looking at the bible, you see certain numbers that seem to pop up throughout the bible, 3, 7, 21, 30, and 40. So, at least in my church, we try to follow by one of those number, but again, it is dictated by your ability.
There are so many variations and combinations to a fast, for instance, you could do a 3 day water fast which is just what it means, nothing but water for 3 days (understand that this is a strenuous task on your body and you should seek medical advice before attempting this one). You could do a Daniel fast which is nothing but fruits and veggies and juices for 3 weeks (21 days). You could do a Daniel fast, but perform it for 40 days. Or you could do a fast for say 6 months and do the Daniel fast but after a certain time in the afternoon, allow yourself certain foods. The possibilities are endless. Regardless of what fast you do, drink plenty of water!
So here's what I've done in the past. I read a book on fasting by a pastor by the name of Jentezen Franklin. Very good read! Not a long book, easy to read in about a week or so. I THOROUGHLY suggest reading his books for more information. You WILL learn something. After reading his book I immediately went on a 3 day water fast (I did not consult a physician of some sort, I just had that much faith that I'd be fine). After the 3 day water, I did a Daniel fast for 37 days, making it 40 days. At the end of the 40, I didn't feel as if I had completed my end of the bargain, so I went on for another 20 days, making it a total of 60 days of nothing but water, fruits, vegetables, juices, nuts, no wheat, no sweets, and no meats. The first 3 days were rough, I think mostly in part to the fact that I didn't prepare for it, I just did it. The 2nd day was the worst, and the 3rd day was better. At the end of the 3rd day, that small salad tasted SO GOOOOOD!! I never knew greenery could taste that good! Anyway, I did my Daniel fast for the next 57 days. It wasn't so bad, it's just changing your eating habits. You get used to it. My only regret is that I didn't go for a full 100 days. I was already on it, already did 60 days, another 40 would not have hurt me. Understand that you will lose weight in doing a fast, especially a long one. I myself am not all that big, most times I weigh in at about 125, but I still lost weight-weight I never knew I had!
Go to the next blog for the remainder of this post!
One of the most important aspects of a Christian life is to go on a fast. However most Christians are numb to the ieda because they aren't taught to go on one, or they aren't taught how to correctly perform one. There really is so much information in regards to a fast, especially in doing it right that I won't go into ALL the details, however I will speak on what I know, and a little bit of what I have experienced.
So what exactly is a fast? Ina nutshell it is denying the body/flesh what it wants through food, movies, games, or any other things that it finds pleasurable and giving yourself wholeheartedly to reading your bible, praying, and meditating on God. You perform a fast for a set amount of time, which is usually dictated by your ability. In looking at the bible, you see certain numbers that seem to pop up throughout the bible, 3, 7, 21, 30, and 40. So, at least in my church, we try to follow by one of those number, but again, it is dictated by your ability.
There are so many variations and combinations to a fast, for instance, you could do a 3 day water fast which is just what it means, nothing but water for 3 days (understand that this is a strenuous task on your body and you should seek medical advice before attempting this one). You could do a Daniel fast which is nothing but fruits and veggies and juices for 3 weeks (21 days). You could do a Daniel fast, but perform it for 40 days. Or you could do a fast for say 6 months and do the Daniel fast but after a certain time in the afternoon, allow yourself certain foods. The possibilities are endless. Regardless of what fast you do, drink plenty of water!
So here's what I've done in the past. I read a book on fasting by a pastor by the name of Jentezen Franklin. Very good read! Not a long book, easy to read in about a week or so. I THOROUGHLY suggest reading his books for more information. You WILL learn something. After reading his book I immediately went on a 3 day water fast (I did not consult a physician of some sort, I just had that much faith that I'd be fine). After the 3 day water, I did a Daniel fast for 37 days, making it 40 days. At the end of the 40, I didn't feel as if I had completed my end of the bargain, so I went on for another 20 days, making it a total of 60 days of nothing but water, fruits, vegetables, juices, nuts, no wheat, no sweets, and no meats. The first 3 days were rough, I think mostly in part to the fact that I didn't prepare for it, I just did it. The 2nd day was the worst, and the 3rd day was better. At the end of the 3rd day, that small salad tasted SO GOOOOOD!! I never knew greenery could taste that good! Anyway, I did my Daniel fast for the next 57 days. It wasn't so bad, it's just changing your eating habits. You get used to it. My only regret is that I didn't go for a full 100 days. I was already on it, already did 60 days, another 40 would not have hurt me. Understand that you will lose weight in doing a fast, especially a long one. I myself am not all that big, most times I weigh in at about 125, but I still lost weight-weight I never knew I had!
Go to the next blog for the remainder of this post!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Dream - Wife wants forgiveness
This was crazy too. Had it in 2010, I believe during my 60 day fast. I may have to talk about fasts soon. Those things can.....do things to you in your life. All good though.
I was invited out to my In-laws house in D'ville. Some sort of party/get-together. I drove up in my Saturn (I MISS that car, but I no longer had it during the dream so I don't know why I was driving it) and had bags of groceries/snacks and what not in the back seat. I parked on the street as I normally did and my wife came out and walked down the driveway to meet me. I was in the backseat sitting down trying to get a hold to some of the bags that had fallen to the floor and under the passenger seat. Both hands were full but I was still leaning over with my right hand trying to get this one stubborn bag. She's trying to talk to me, being on my left outside the open car door. I hear her, but kind of blow it off. It was something like, "I'm sorry for everything I did", and like I said, I blew it off not believing her, or being distrustful of her words. So I'm still fiddling with the bags and she seeing I wasn't paying her any attention got in the car with me, straddled me, held down both of my arms with her knees, held my face in her hand so I couldn't look anywhere else except her face, and I'm trying to get free but I can't. And said yet again "I'm sorry for what I did to you." I can't remember if there was some tears by her or me, but I believe I did smile, now understanding that she was serious. After that moment of forgiveness I finally got the bag out. We both walked in to their house and I immediately got on my knees, seeing my son in the kitchen with Gramma. I figured that I'd crawl to him growling , knowing that's one of the things I did with him. My Mother-in-law is running around trying to get things in order and prepared. He's following her getting in her way, but trying to help. That's MY boy! I see my Father-in-law in the living room. He sees me and smiles, I nod to him, not wanting to give away my position to my son, wanting it to be a surprise. I continue to crawl towards my son................... and I think I wake up, but then again, I may have addressed my Mother-in-law as well.
In the other dream I posted, I had a problem believing my wife when she apologized, thinking that's what she's saying, but what's really going to happen? During this divorce, after it as well, she's done some things that have caused me to not trust her. Things I could not have thought up. So I've been trained, by her, through the separation/divorce, to not trust her, even if she apologizes. I think I need to work on that. With me crawling inside of their house, I kind of believe that's a sign of respect towards my Father-in-law more specifically, and somewhat towards my Mother-in-law as well. Just like a peasant would a king, bowing or taking a knee, I believe my crawling was that symbol of respect and honor towards his house, towards him. I say not as much towards her since I never really saw her much. It was him that I had direct eye contact with. I think it also has to do with the fact that my Mother-in-law and I have never really had any issues towards each other. We never really bumped heads. Yet I definitely had with my Father-in-law. At one time pointing at him when I felt he lied in front of my wife and I ( I have a habit of talking with my hands, so when I pointed, my action wasn't to be disrespectful, but to signify specifically that it was none other but him who said whatever, in the end, it was disrespectful and I hope my Father in heaven can and has forgiven me as well as my Father-in-law.) So, yea that's yet another dream.
I was invited out to my In-laws house in D'ville. Some sort of party/get-together. I drove up in my Saturn (I MISS that car, but I no longer had it during the dream so I don't know why I was driving it) and had bags of groceries/snacks and what not in the back seat. I parked on the street as I normally did and my wife came out and walked down the driveway to meet me. I was in the backseat sitting down trying to get a hold to some of the bags that had fallen to the floor and under the passenger seat. Both hands were full but I was still leaning over with my right hand trying to get this one stubborn bag. She's trying to talk to me, being on my left outside the open car door. I hear her, but kind of blow it off. It was something like, "I'm sorry for everything I did", and like I said, I blew it off not believing her, or being distrustful of her words. So I'm still fiddling with the bags and she seeing I wasn't paying her any attention got in the car with me, straddled me, held down both of my arms with her knees, held my face in her hand so I couldn't look anywhere else except her face, and I'm trying to get free but I can't. And said yet again "I'm sorry for what I did to you." I can't remember if there was some tears by her or me, but I believe I did smile, now understanding that she was serious. After that moment of forgiveness I finally got the bag out. We both walked in to their house and I immediately got on my knees, seeing my son in the kitchen with Gramma. I figured that I'd crawl to him growling , knowing that's one of the things I did with him. My Mother-in-law is running around trying to get things in order and prepared. He's following her getting in her way, but trying to help. That's MY boy! I see my Father-in-law in the living room. He sees me and smiles, I nod to him, not wanting to give away my position to my son, wanting it to be a surprise. I continue to crawl towards my son................... and I think I wake up, but then again, I may have addressed my Mother-in-law as well.
In the other dream I posted, I had a problem believing my wife when she apologized, thinking that's what she's saying, but what's really going to happen? During this divorce, after it as well, she's done some things that have caused me to not trust her. Things I could not have thought up. So I've been trained, by her, through the separation/divorce, to not trust her, even if she apologizes. I think I need to work on that. With me crawling inside of their house, I kind of believe that's a sign of respect towards my Father-in-law more specifically, and somewhat towards my Mother-in-law as well. Just like a peasant would a king, bowing or taking a knee, I believe my crawling was that symbol of respect and honor towards his house, towards him. I say not as much towards her since I never really saw her much. It was him that I had direct eye contact with. I think it also has to do with the fact that my Mother-in-law and I have never really had any issues towards each other. We never really bumped heads. Yet I definitely had with my Father-in-law. At one time pointing at him when I felt he lied in front of my wife and I ( I have a habit of talking with my hands, so when I pointed, my action wasn't to be disrespectful, but to signify specifically that it was none other but him who said whatever, in the end, it was disrespectful and I hope my Father in heaven can and has forgiven me as well as my Father-in-law.) So, yea that's yet another dream.
Desert Wasteland (centers around my wife and I)
So back in 2003-2004 or so, I had a dream about my wife and I. We were only bf/gf at the time if even that. I only just had the dream discerned I believe last year, or early this year. I never told anyone, even my wife who was my gf at the time, until I had it discerned. Crazy thing is that a few weeks ago, I had, at least I think I did, a revelation which I intend to explain after the meaning. It was one of my Uncles, who was in the Spirit at the time, that translated it for me. So here we go.
It starts off in a desert wasteland. Its like an apocalypse. Dust blowing everywhere. No good thing growing. Trees are rare. I see mountains in the background. It's hot, the sun is out. Just a desert-like area after a nuclear bomb had gone off. It's almost as if I was in the sky because I see my wife below and I drop out of the sky to meet her face to face. She's crying. So sorrowful. She's hurt, emotionally. I'm somewhat distrustful of her. I'm not mad at her, it's just for some reason I don't trust her fully. I realize that in the background there's disasters coming for us. There's no where to hide. There's tornadoes, fireballs from the sky, tsunamis, and sand storms. All are converging on us. I look back on my wife and she says "I'm sorry for everything I did to you". As soon as she said that, my heart softened knowing that she was serious and for real, especially when I know that she has a problem with apologizing (at least she did back then, not sure about now). It was like we knew this was the end of the world and we had to forgive one another before we died. I held her and whispered to her, "I never stopped loving you." I may have said also, "I never left you to begin with", but I'm not entirely sure. I can't remember. As soon as we had forgiven one another and held and kissed one another in love, genuine love, I knew that she was mine forever. Then the 4 disasters swallowed us up as we held one another. We get hit with the tornado, sand storm, fireballs, and tsunami all at once. They were powerful too. To endure one disaster is one thing, to go through 4 at once, you can't live after that. We died together in each others arms. Then I woke up. At the time I wondered why would she have to apologize to me. I said to myself, there is nothing that she can do to me or against me that I won't forgive. I was confused at the time. I never told her, never told anyone till late '10 early '11. Thank you Jesus.
So here's the translation. The desert and the dust blowing around, the apocalypse, all that is in reference to my marriage (which is to say how my marriage was during the separation/divorce). My marriage, rather specifically the divorce, was the desert, the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. It was where no good thing could grow. The 4 disasters are God. It's going to take God to save our marriage, or rather, for us to forgive one another and come back together. Yet come back together in genuine love for one another. So God comes down to swallow us up, essentially he surrounds us. He gets in between us, gets all through us, surrounds us, just saturates us with His presence. Then we die together in one another's arms, which is to say that we die in God. God takes over in our lives so that we can be together.
So that's the general translation, so what about the possible revelation?
I was taking my little sister to work one morning, I think I was on my fast then, and after I dropped her off a thought hit me. You see I have Yahoo set as my homepage. So whenever I jump on the computer, there's Yahoo and they display whatever is going on in the country/world. So a couple times I logged on and saw a few things that Arizona was going through, natural disasters. At one point I saw fires to the east of Phoenix, at another time I saw, if I remember right, flooding/mudslides (not entirely sure bout that one), and I've also seen a major dust storm, one that swallowed the city. So a few weeks/months later after seeing these things randomly, I had this revelation. What if the dream was both spiritual and natural? Spiritual in that it shows what has to happen for us to be back together (in regards to God taking over), natural in that it's a timeline that has to be followed. For instance, she lives in Arizona now. It's a desert. It has mountains in it's backdrop. The 4 disasters were the tornado, tsunami, sand storm, and fireballs. There's a possibility that the fireballs were the fires to the east of Phoenix, the tsunami was the rain/mudslides (I'm still not sure if they had the rain/mudslides though), they just had a major sand storm recently. All that is left is the tornado, or a reference to one. Could that be the last disaster (or some reference to it) that has to happen before she comes back to me? It really shook me up that I had to come home and tell someone.
I don't know much of anything, but I do know that it was translated in the Spirit. I try not to dwell on the dream, just continue to pray for her safety, that she has a strong foundation in the Lord, her spirit be quickened by His, that her faith in God be strong. I pray for her forgiveness and mercy, and that she have confidence in herself. That she recognize her role as a mother and let no one take that from her, that her word is final in the upbringing of our son (as long as she's over there/until we get back together). I just pray that she train up our son the the righteous way, so that he too can make it into heaven. I pray that God touch her and deal with her as He sees fit, only His way is righteous.
I still pray for my wife.
It starts off in a desert wasteland. Its like an apocalypse. Dust blowing everywhere. No good thing growing. Trees are rare. I see mountains in the background. It's hot, the sun is out. Just a desert-like area after a nuclear bomb had gone off. It's almost as if I was in the sky because I see my wife below and I drop out of the sky to meet her face to face. She's crying. So sorrowful. She's hurt, emotionally. I'm somewhat distrustful of her. I'm not mad at her, it's just for some reason I don't trust her fully. I realize that in the background there's disasters coming for us. There's no where to hide. There's tornadoes, fireballs from the sky, tsunamis, and sand storms. All are converging on us. I look back on my wife and she says "I'm sorry for everything I did to you". As soon as she said that, my heart softened knowing that she was serious and for real, especially when I know that she has a problem with apologizing (at least she did back then, not sure about now). It was like we knew this was the end of the world and we had to forgive one another before we died. I held her and whispered to her, "I never stopped loving you." I may have said also, "I never left you to begin with", but I'm not entirely sure. I can't remember. As soon as we had forgiven one another and held and kissed one another in love, genuine love, I knew that she was mine forever. Then the 4 disasters swallowed us up as we held one another. We get hit with the tornado, sand storm, fireballs, and tsunami all at once. They were powerful too. To endure one disaster is one thing, to go through 4 at once, you can't live after that. We died together in each others arms. Then I woke up. At the time I wondered why would she have to apologize to me. I said to myself, there is nothing that she can do to me or against me that I won't forgive. I was confused at the time. I never told her, never told anyone till late '10 early '11. Thank you Jesus.
So here's the translation. The desert and the dust blowing around, the apocalypse, all that is in reference to my marriage (which is to say how my marriage was during the separation/divorce). My marriage, rather specifically the divorce, was the desert, the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. It was where no good thing could grow. The 4 disasters are God. It's going to take God to save our marriage, or rather, for us to forgive one another and come back together. Yet come back together in genuine love for one another. So God comes down to swallow us up, essentially he surrounds us. He gets in between us, gets all through us, surrounds us, just saturates us with His presence. Then we die together in one another's arms, which is to say that we die in God. God takes over in our lives so that we can be together.
So that's the general translation, so what about the possible revelation?
I was taking my little sister to work one morning, I think I was on my fast then, and after I dropped her off a thought hit me. You see I have Yahoo set as my homepage. So whenever I jump on the computer, there's Yahoo and they display whatever is going on in the country/world. So a couple times I logged on and saw a few things that Arizona was going through, natural disasters. At one point I saw fires to the east of Phoenix, at another time I saw, if I remember right, flooding/mudslides (not entirely sure bout that one), and I've also seen a major dust storm, one that swallowed the city. So a few weeks/months later after seeing these things randomly, I had this revelation. What if the dream was both spiritual and natural? Spiritual in that it shows what has to happen for us to be back together (in regards to God taking over), natural in that it's a timeline that has to be followed. For instance, she lives in Arizona now. It's a desert. It has mountains in it's backdrop. The 4 disasters were the tornado, tsunami, sand storm, and fireballs. There's a possibility that the fireballs were the fires to the east of Phoenix, the tsunami was the rain/mudslides (I'm still not sure if they had the rain/mudslides though), they just had a major sand storm recently. All that is left is the tornado, or a reference to one. Could that be the last disaster (or some reference to it) that has to happen before she comes back to me? It really shook me up that I had to come home and tell someone.
I don't know much of anything, but I do know that it was translated in the Spirit. I try not to dwell on the dream, just continue to pray for her safety, that she has a strong foundation in the Lord, her spirit be quickened by His, that her faith in God be strong. I pray for her forgiveness and mercy, and that she have confidence in herself. That she recognize her role as a mother and let no one take that from her, that her word is final in the upbringing of our son (as long as she's over there/until we get back together). I just pray that she train up our son the the righteous way, so that he too can make it into heaven. I pray that God touch her and deal with her as He sees fit, only His way is righteous.
I still pray for my wife.
The Dream- Sins Away
I had a dream late last year. I can't remember if it was during my 60 day fast. I wanna say it wasn't. Took a while to figure out, but I got it! Check it out,
I was in my backyard cutting down some trees. These trees were TALL!! I mean they were like some of the, I believe those are redwoods that grow so big a car can drive through them? Anyway, these trees were tall. I walked up to one and just looked up. It was amazing. So I'm cutting up these trees and I'm making a mess of slices of these trees. A few roll down the yard to the fence in the back. I called a guy that agreed to take the pieces of the trees away. He wasn't able to come out so he sent his son (he was sick or had other plans or something). So the son comes out and drives to my backyard and he's in a Mans-truck with a trailer on the back. White truck with a diesel engine, like a F-450 or something. Essentially he collects all of the pieces of tree that I had and takes it away. So whats the meaning?
I called the Father (God) and He sent His Son (Jesus). His Son came in a white truck (white normally means purity or friendship) and took all of the pieces of tree with Him (my sins).
That was the coolest thing to see! Based on the size of the trees, there's a lot of sins/faults that were taken away!
I was in my backyard cutting down some trees. These trees were TALL!! I mean they were like some of the, I believe those are redwoods that grow so big a car can drive through them? Anyway, these trees were tall. I walked up to one and just looked up. It was amazing. So I'm cutting up these trees and I'm making a mess of slices of these trees. A few roll down the yard to the fence in the back. I called a guy that agreed to take the pieces of the trees away. He wasn't able to come out so he sent his son (he was sick or had other plans or something). So the son comes out and drives to my backyard and he's in a Mans-truck with a trailer on the back. White truck with a diesel engine, like a F-450 or something. Essentially he collects all of the pieces of tree that I had and takes it away. So whats the meaning?
I called the Father (God) and He sent His Son (Jesus). His Son came in a white truck (white normally means purity or friendship) and took all of the pieces of tree with Him (my sins).
That was the coolest thing to see! Based on the size of the trees, there's a lot of sins/faults that were taken away!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Fleshly Filter
So in my profile I've stated that I don't listen to anything but Christian music as well as Gospel, more specifically gospel from the '50s -'80s and some '90s. Why is that? You have to watch what you take in. It's similar to what you eat. You eat nothing but snacks and fast food, you get unhealthy and in some cases you die. But if you eat healthy food you remain healthy and live. So how does that run parallel to what I listen to?
Living a life of Christianity, we have to be constantly mindful of what our senses receive. More specifically hearing and seeing. A Christian is a spiritual being. But your flesh is going to want to do things that are contradictory to your Spirit. Lemme simplify it like this. How is listening to R&B or Hip Hop or Rap going to edify your Spiritual being? Lemme go further. On that one R&B track when he/she sings about making love to another, they aren't married are they? When you think about it, do songs that aren't Gospel (old)/Christian kind of encourage feelings, acts, standards that go against Gods standards? There's songs about leaving a bf/gf. Songs about cheating and as if it's ok, songs about drinking and smoking, hot women, etc..... I guess what I'm saying is, for anyone whose trying to make it into heaven, how do these songs encourage you to live for God better? I think it encourages you to live according to the world better. I also think that it clouds your view of what your role as a Christian is, being that its mixed with the Spiritual and natural.
So I got rid of all of my cd's, even my Joss Stone which I had JUST BOUGHT and got in the mail and DIDN'T have a chance to listen to! I stopped singing secular songs, which was hard because I MISS my Eric Benet Hurricane! But I'm glad I did it though. I think I've become a better Christian since my mind isn't blurred with secular thoughts. But that also means I have to check what I watch on TV/ at the movies, the games I play on my PS3, play them rarely or not at all. I really can't hang around people that cuss all the time and are disrespectful towards others. I get rid of all that, those people and I can live better for Christ. And more importantly, God can use me better. He can use me more for His glory and benefit.
The things we take in show in our actions. Our thoughts, beliefs, standards can in some way be linked to the movies, games, people we associate with, and songs we listen to. The key is to be able to surround yourself with things that will support you in Christ.
Living a life of Christianity, we have to be constantly mindful of what our senses receive. More specifically hearing and seeing. A Christian is a spiritual being. But your flesh is going to want to do things that are contradictory to your Spirit. Lemme simplify it like this. How is listening to R&B or Hip Hop or Rap going to edify your Spiritual being? Lemme go further. On that one R&B track when he/she sings about making love to another, they aren't married are they? When you think about it, do songs that aren't Gospel (old)/Christian kind of encourage feelings, acts, standards that go against Gods standards? There's songs about leaving a bf/gf. Songs about cheating and as if it's ok, songs about drinking and smoking, hot women, etc..... I guess what I'm saying is, for anyone whose trying to make it into heaven, how do these songs encourage you to live for God better? I think it encourages you to live according to the world better. I also think that it clouds your view of what your role as a Christian is, being that its mixed with the Spiritual and natural.
So I got rid of all of my cd's, even my Joss Stone which I had JUST BOUGHT and got in the mail and DIDN'T have a chance to listen to! I stopped singing secular songs, which was hard because I MISS my Eric Benet Hurricane! But I'm glad I did it though. I think I've become a better Christian since my mind isn't blurred with secular thoughts. But that also means I have to check what I watch on TV/ at the movies, the games I play on my PS3, play them rarely or not at all. I really can't hang around people that cuss all the time and are disrespectful towards others. I get rid of all that, those people and I can live better for Christ. And more importantly, God can use me better. He can use me more for His glory and benefit.
The things we take in show in our actions. Our thoughts, beliefs, standards can in some way be linked to the movies, games, people we associate with, and songs we listen to. The key is to be able to surround yourself with things that will support you in Christ.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Real love- Romans 13:10
So I was reading my bible today and stumbled upon this little nugget of information.
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
So many Christians forget that. They claim to be Christ-like, yet with their actions do the opposite. When I read it, I immediately thought of my wife. You see I haven't talked with my son in some months now. To be precise, I've only chatted with him 4 times this year. In general, I call her (or rather her Moms cell) two times a week, trying to retain some sort of a bond with my son. And yet I'm not allowed to chat with him. My own flesh and blood. I email her about me visiting him, and I get no response. I ask for pictures, and yet again I get no response. And yes I do pay my child support, and on time in general. Yet I don't get mad, I keep hoping for the future. I'm more let down. Even though I'm being treated wrong (in my eyes), I won't call her up every few minutes. I don't talk bad about her. I just let her continue to do me wrong. I pray for her, I ask that God forgives her, that He allows me to forgive her as well. That He continues to give me strength to do what I'm supposed to do. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm continuing to show her love and compassion and forgiveness.I haven't just blasted her or snapped. I let God deal with that, He deals with the heart. He changes people from the inside out. The coolest thing about trying to live for God, is that you develop a will to live right, certain things don't bother you as it would have in your previous life. You do in fact show love as you need to, and you do it willingly. I show love to her even when she does me wrong (or so it seems that she's doing me wrong). Besides, every time she does me wrong and I treat her right regardless is another step towards me making it into heaven right? Course.............. it would also mean her taking another step towards making it into hell though. :(
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
So many Christians forget that. They claim to be Christ-like, yet with their actions do the opposite. When I read it, I immediately thought of my wife. You see I haven't talked with my son in some months now. To be precise, I've only chatted with him 4 times this year. In general, I call her (or rather her Moms cell) two times a week, trying to retain some sort of a bond with my son. And yet I'm not allowed to chat with him. My own flesh and blood. I email her about me visiting him, and I get no response. I ask for pictures, and yet again I get no response. And yes I do pay my child support, and on time in general. Yet I don't get mad, I keep hoping for the future. I'm more let down. Even though I'm being treated wrong (in my eyes), I won't call her up every few minutes. I don't talk bad about her. I just let her continue to do me wrong. I pray for her, I ask that God forgives her, that He allows me to forgive her as well. That He continues to give me strength to do what I'm supposed to do. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm continuing to show her love and compassion and forgiveness.I haven't just blasted her or snapped. I let God deal with that, He deals with the heart. He changes people from the inside out. The coolest thing about trying to live for God, is that you develop a will to live right, certain things don't bother you as it would have in your previous life. You do in fact show love as you need to, and you do it willingly. I show love to her even when she does me wrong (or so it seems that she's doing me wrong). Besides, every time she does me wrong and I treat her right regardless is another step towards me making it into heaven right? Course.............. it would also mean her taking another step towards making it into hell though. :(
Friday, August 5, 2011
Explain yourself please
So I've only written one post so far, and I'm quite sure that with what is described in that as well as what you would find in my profile, you'd have some questions. Like why do I say that I'm still married to a woman who divorced me?
Well in a nutshell, God said it. But to be more descriptive...........how do I explain this? Maybe I should explain the bible first? I think I will.
Ok so you have the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is filled with stories and rules that earlier Christians had to go by. In order to live right, you had to abide by those rules. Do what God commanded. Then Jesus comes on the scene and changes everything. His teachings are the foundation that current Christians are to live by. The rules of the old are nonexistent to us now, because we have His new rules. So His teachings are the basis of, and start off, the New Testament.
SN: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the first books of the New, recount the same story but from what they saw, which is why some things in one book aren't in another, or two books may say the same thing but not in another, or something is explained in more detail than in another book. It was the perspective they saw. Sorta like 2 people looking at an object, you can only see whats in front of you, you can't see whats behind it, but the other can see what's behind it. Another note, the bible is separated into chapters and verses. The Apostals wrote to churches in letters, just one long letter essentially. But as the bible began to be mass produced, a way of making sure everyone was on the same page was needed, so that's why the bible is divided into chapters and verses. Which is also why sometimes you read a chapter and it kind of seems like the next chapter belongs with the previous. Ok I'm done!
So in regards to marriage we have to look at the New Testament and ask what is commanded of us about marriage. So where do we turn to? The foundation, Jesus. Matthew 19 and special attention to verses 1-12. I am still married to my wife because of what is in verse number 6. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.". So we know that marriage is a concept developed by God. Therefore, to be married and remain married is a Godly action. So who are we, as man, who were made by God, are to tell God that it's okay to be divorced just cause we want to be? Who are we to state what the requirements are for being married? Who are we to say that the divorce down here on earth is better than the laws sent from heaven? That's being ignorant. So then the Pharisees ask, "Well why did Moses allow us to get a divorce then?", and Jesus replies in verse 8, "He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.". Moses didn't want divorce, but the people of that time kept pestering him for the law. So he allowed it. But as the scripture states, "but from the beginning it was not so", that wasn't what the spiritual law was from the beginning. Once you got married, you were married. That's the law that God recognizes.
So then we goa little further and read in verse 9, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." So here's what happens when we stray away according to our own natural understanding. We get a divorce, to go date/marry someone else, in His eyes since we are still married, we are commiting adultery.And we will be punished as such. Now it reads, as if it was the man divorcing the woman, but it also recognizes the woman too. She is in danger of sin if she divorces her husband.Now this also is supported by Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18, and by 1 Corinthians 7:10.
Now we also can shoot over to 1 Corinthians 7 chapter. Good chapter to read about marriage. 10th verse is POWERFUL! Paul says, I command, yet not I, "but the Lord". What's he saying? God is speaking through him and telling us, "Let not the wife depart from her husband". Now if you mess around and do the opposite, go to the next verse, 11. "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." Plain and simple, she should not put herself in the position to get married again.And if she should want another relationship, she HAS to go back to her husband, and "reconcile" Reconcile: to bring into agreement or harmony. Essentially to fix, to work on the relationship. The verse also says "let not the husband put away his wife." These are commandments from God. Can't argue with that! This is scripture. Not what I would have chosen for myself, but its the rule I have to follow, yet I do it willingly.
Now there are other scriptures that apply to the husband, and some to the wife. But I have to ask myself, how does it relate to me considering that I'm divorced from her?
I stay single. I can't go out on dates, I can't have sex, I can't be involved with a female on that level. I become married to Christ. So spiritually, I'm following the supreme rules, my life is in God, but naturally, I'm just a single man with no real life with anyone.
This is a hard life to live, and it's not for everyone. However, if you're really following God, it becomes easier to do. It becomes something you're willing to do, joyfully. You do it joyfully because you understand that you're living for your treasure above, not for the things of this earth.
The Spirit of Christ dwell within you all at all times. Let Him guide you in all things. Don't justify your sinful actions. Let His peace, compassion, and strength abound in you as you live your lives and be the standard of how you treat others, especially those who you feel have hurt you.
Well in a nutshell, God said it. But to be more descriptive...........how do I explain this? Maybe I should explain the bible first? I think I will.
Ok so you have the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is filled with stories and rules that earlier Christians had to go by. In order to live right, you had to abide by those rules. Do what God commanded. Then Jesus comes on the scene and changes everything. His teachings are the foundation that current Christians are to live by. The rules of the old are nonexistent to us now, because we have His new rules. So His teachings are the basis of, and start off, the New Testament.
SN: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the first books of the New, recount the same story but from what they saw, which is why some things in one book aren't in another, or two books may say the same thing but not in another, or something is explained in more detail than in another book. It was the perspective they saw. Sorta like 2 people looking at an object, you can only see whats in front of you, you can't see whats behind it, but the other can see what's behind it. Another note, the bible is separated into chapters and verses. The Apostals wrote to churches in letters, just one long letter essentially. But as the bible began to be mass produced, a way of making sure everyone was on the same page was needed, so that's why the bible is divided into chapters and verses. Which is also why sometimes you read a chapter and it kind of seems like the next chapter belongs with the previous. Ok I'm done!
So in regards to marriage we have to look at the New Testament and ask what is commanded of us about marriage. So where do we turn to? The foundation, Jesus. Matthew 19 and special attention to verses 1-12. I am still married to my wife because of what is in verse number 6. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.". So we know that marriage is a concept developed by God. Therefore, to be married and remain married is a Godly action. So who are we, as man, who were made by God, are to tell God that it's okay to be divorced just cause we want to be? Who are we to state what the requirements are for being married? Who are we to say that the divorce down here on earth is better than the laws sent from heaven? That's being ignorant. So then the Pharisees ask, "Well why did Moses allow us to get a divorce then?", and Jesus replies in verse 8, "He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.". Moses didn't want divorce, but the people of that time kept pestering him for the law. So he allowed it. But as the scripture states, "but from the beginning it was not so", that wasn't what the spiritual law was from the beginning. Once you got married, you were married. That's the law that God recognizes.
So then we goa little further and read in verse 9, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." So here's what happens when we stray away according to our own natural understanding. We get a divorce, to go date/marry someone else, in His eyes since we are still married, we are commiting adultery.And we will be punished as such. Now it reads, as if it was the man divorcing the woman, but it also recognizes the woman too. She is in danger of sin if she divorces her husband.Now this also is supported by Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18, and by 1 Corinthians 7:10.
Now we also can shoot over to 1 Corinthians 7 chapter. Good chapter to read about marriage. 10th verse is POWERFUL! Paul says, I command, yet not I, "but the Lord". What's he saying? God is speaking through him and telling us, "Let not the wife depart from her husband". Now if you mess around and do the opposite, go to the next verse, 11. "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." Plain and simple, she should not put herself in the position to get married again.And if she should want another relationship, she HAS to go back to her husband, and "reconcile" Reconcile: to bring into agreement or harmony. Essentially to fix, to work on the relationship. The verse also says "let not the husband put away his wife." These are commandments from God. Can't argue with that! This is scripture. Not what I would have chosen for myself, but its the rule I have to follow, yet I do it willingly.
Now there are other scriptures that apply to the husband, and some to the wife. But I have to ask myself, how does it relate to me considering that I'm divorced from her?
I stay single. I can't go out on dates, I can't have sex, I can't be involved with a female on that level. I become married to Christ. So spiritually, I'm following the supreme rules, my life is in God, but naturally, I'm just a single man with no real life with anyone.
This is a hard life to live, and it's not for everyone. However, if you're really following God, it becomes easier to do. It becomes something you're willing to do, joyfully. You do it joyfully because you understand that you're living for your treasure above, not for the things of this earth.
The Spirit of Christ dwell within you all at all times. Let Him guide you in all things. Don't justify your sinful actions. Let His peace, compassion, and strength abound in you as you live your lives and be the standard of how you treat others, especially those who you feel have hurt you.
Lets get started
So I guess maybe I should introduce myself for the first post. I don't quite know where to start however. My name is Deon, Cornelius Fortson really. Early 30's, black and slim. I work full time at a job I hate, and "work" part-time at a job I really do love. Love fishing, eating, grilling, PS3-ing, Hehe. This is a spiritual blog so I will speak as if everyone has the basis of Christ's teachings. I say that to say this, I am married to my wife "T", and have been since July 1st, 2006. LOVE her! We have no arguments, just intense moments of bonding, which sometimes last months. Hehe. It is hard work. Marriage is real. Marriage is FOREVER in the eyes of God. We have one son together. I could not have found a better woman to have a child by or be married to, and I thank God that He gave her to me! Between me and her, our son has a GREAT set of parents and will be, God willing, well rounded in life. I love him! He's a trip. I see both myself and my wife in him, both physically and in his personality.
In the natural prism, I've been divorced from my wife since April fools day of 2010. The relationship is essentially nonexistent, yet not of my own doing. The divorce was uglier than a homemade cookie made by a 4 year old! Thanks be to God that despite what they put me through, the lies they told, how I was treated, I wasn't as bad off as I could have been. I thank God that He brought me back. I thank God that I went through it, that I still have to deal with it, deal with the things they still do. Yet I do it joyfully!
In the natural prism, I've been divorced from my wife since April fools day of 2010. The relationship is essentially nonexistent, yet not of my own doing. The divorce was uglier than a homemade cookie made by a 4 year old! Thanks be to God that despite what they put me through, the lies they told, how I was treated, I wasn't as bad off as I could have been. I thank God that He brought me back. I thank God that I went through it, that I still have to deal with it, deal with the things they still do. Yet I do it joyfully!
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