Command the Raven

There are many simple statements in Scripture revealing man’s part in his own damnation or salvation. It is God’s will that none perish, but that all should come to repentance [Jn. 3:16 [show/hide]John 3:16 For God So Loved the World [16]"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)
; 1 Tim. 2:4 [show/hide]1 Timothy 2:4 [4]who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)
; 2 Pet. 3:9 [show/hide]2 Peter 3:9 [9]The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (ESV)
; Rev. 22:17 [show/hide]Revelation 22:17 [17]The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (ESV)
].

If men will not meet God’s terms they will be lost [Mk. 16:16 [show/hide]Mark 16:16 [16]Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (ESV)
;  Jn. 3:3 [show/hide]John 3:3 [3]Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (ESV)
, 5; Pr. 1:24-31 [show/hide]Proverbs 1:24-31 [24]Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, [25]because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, [26]I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, [27]when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. [28]Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. [29]Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, [30]would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, [31]therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
]: and if any become saved then turn back on God and persist in rebellion until death, He is not responsible.

If it were up to God only to save the lost and take them to heaven, all would be saved; but since all are not going to be saved, this proves that man does have a part in the matter.

Actually the failure of any man to be saved is his own failure, not God’s.
- Dake A.R. Bible – page 237.

MAN’S RESPONSIBILITY:
Deuteronomy 29:4 [show/hide]Deuteronomy 29:4 [4]But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear. (ESV)

Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. [Dake]

On the surface this verse suggest that God was responsible for the people not having proper faculties, but it literally means they did not use their faculties properly and the grace that He permitted them to have that they might know Him better.

They did not use the means or take the advantages which they, as a people, had above other nations; therefore, they were not wise, loving, and obedient before God as they should be. Had they had eyes eager to see, ears eager to hear the Word of God, and hearts eager to obey it, they would have been commended; but by not using their own created faculties the right way it proved they had grieved God and hardened themselves against the Holy Spirit and the means of grace.

This was deplored of God [v4 Cp. 5: 29]. The same complaint was made by Isaiah and quoted in Matt. 13:14-16 [show/hide]Matthew 13:14-16 [14]Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. [15]For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.' [16]But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. (ESV)
, which is a further explanation of this verse. See Isaiah 6:9-10 [show/hide]Isaiah 6:9-10 [9]And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' [10]Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."
.

Among those who refuse to hear, refuse to obey, and harden themselves when God gives them the opportunity to be broken and obedient, Pharaoh is an outstanding example, as well as Israel. [Further notes on Harden in Index: Dake A.R. Bible].

BACKSLIDING:
Deuteronomy 28:63 [show/hide]Deuteronomy 28:63 [63]And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. (ESV)

And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

The theory that God will not punish, judge, and condemn His people when they backslide and persist in sin and rebellion has no foundation in any attribute, act, promise, prophecy, covenant, or revelation of God. He has been just and good to all in all ages, blessing men when in obedience and cursing the same men when in disobedience.

He is no respecter of persons and nothing can cause Him to be unlike what He is and has revealed Himself to be.

God has given hundreds of warnings for men not to backslide lest they be cut off and die in their sin and rebellion to suffer the fate of all sinners.

He has given us many examples of angels, demons, and men who have actually suffered and will yet suffer such destiny. The facts are facts and must be accepted as such.
- Dake A.R. Bible: page 237

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 [show/hide]Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Laws Concerning Divorce [24:1]"When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, [2]and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, [3]and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, [4]then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. (ESV)

When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.
And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand and sendeth her out of his house; or if the later husband die, which took her to be his wife;
Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

It appears here that only the man had the authority concerning divorce. Perhaps this was true in early times, but later, especially in Christian times, a woman had the right under certain circumstances.

In Israel, the right to divorce was also a right to re-marry; a legal divorce was the absolute end of marriage. In Matt. 19 [show/hide]Matthew 19 Teaching About Divorce [19:1]Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. [2]And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. [3]And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" [4]He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, [5]and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? [6]So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." [7]They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?" [8]He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. [9]And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." [10]The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." [11]But he said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. [12]For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it." Let the Children Come to Me [13]Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, [14]but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." [15]And he laid his hands on them and went away. The Rich Young Man [16]And behold, a man came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" [17]And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." [18]He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, [19]Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [20]The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?" [21]Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." [22]When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. [23]And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. [24]Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." [25]When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" [26]But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." [27]Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" [28]Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [29]And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. [30]But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (ESV)
Jesus did not change their meaning of divorce. The question then was: for what reason may one lawfully seek a divorce? [see notes e-h, Matt. 5:31-32 [show/hide]Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce [31]"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' [32]But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (ESV)
for definitions of divorce, fornication etc.] For wording of ancient Jewish divorce decree, see not f, Mk. 10:4 [show/hide]Mark 10:4 [4]They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away." (ESV)
. According to the Gospel [Matt. 5:31-32 [show/hide]Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce [31]"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' [32]But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (ESV)
; 19:1-9; Mk. 10:1-8 [show/hide]Mark 10:1-8 Teaching About Divorce [10:1]And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. [2]And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" [3]He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" [4]They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away." [5]And Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. [6]But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' [7]'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, [8]and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. (ESV)
; Lk. 16:18 [show/hide]Luke 16:18 Divorce and Remarriage [18]"Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. (ESV)
], Moses wrote the law on divorce because of hardness of the heart of the people; and except for fornication one must not divorce his wife [Mt.5:31; note b, 19:19]; except for fornication, if one puts away his wife he causes her to commit adultery [Mt. 5:32; 19:9]; and except for fornication dissolving a marriage, one who marries her that is put away, commits adultery.
All hardness-of-heart divorces for any and every cause are wrong, and only those for a scriptural reason give the right to re-marriage.
The man or woman who get a divorce without scriptural grounds cause sin by forcing each other to marry someone he or she has no right to.
In Paul’s writings we find one more scriptural reason for divorce – willful desertion because of Christ and the Gospel [1 Cor. 7:12-15 [show/hide]1 Corinthians 7:12-15 [12]To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. [13]If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. [14]For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. [15]But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. (ESV)
]

[sendeth her out of his house v 3] – This is the same as put away in the N.T. See not e, Matt. 5:31 [show/hide]Matthew 5:31 Divorce [31]"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' (ESV)
.

[Her former husband v4] – This is in contrast with some modern teaching that a second marriage, which may have come about while the couple were yet in sin, should be broken up at the time of their becoming Christians, so that one or both might return to former companions. Such a theory is not supported in either testament. The nearest instructions we have to this are those in 1Cor.7:10-16 where a Christian woman who leaves her husband without getting a divorce, is required to remain unmarried or be reconciled to him.

A woman divorced and remarried was considered defiled as far as her former companion was concerned, but not as far as the new husband was concerned or God’s law would not have tolerated her marriage to him [v4]. The word defiled as used here refers to that which is illegal. The word is used in various ways. Dinah was defiled by the prince of Shechem [Gen. 34:4, 13, 27 [show/hide]Genesis 34:4 [4]So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this girl for my wife." (ESV)
]; a woman committing adultery is spoken of as defiled [Num 5:13-14, 20, 27-29 [show/hide]Numbers 5:13-14 [13]if a man lies with her sexually, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act, [14]and if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself, (ESV)
]: a person was defiled if he touched a dead body [Num. 6:9, 12 [show/hide]Numbers 6:9 [9]"And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. (ESV)
; 9:6-7]; and sowing different seeds in a vineyard defiled the fruit [Dt. 22:9].

Reason for Divorce: [Dt. 24:1]
Heb. ‘ervah’, trans. Uncleanness [v1]; shame [Isa. 20:4 [show/hide]Isaiah 20:4 [4]so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. (ESV)
]; and nakedness [Gen. 9:22-23 [show/hide]Genesis 9:22-23 [22]And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. [23]Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. (ESV)
; 42:9, 12; Ex. 20:26 [show/hide]Exodus 20:26 [26]And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.' (ESV)
; 28:42; Lev. 18:6-19 [show/hide]Leviticus 18:6-19 [6]"None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD. [7]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. [8]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness. [9]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home. [10]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son's daughter or of your daughter's daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness. [11]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, brought up in your father's family, since she is your sister. [12]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's relative. [13]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's relative. [14]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. [15]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. [16]You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; it is your brother's nakedness. [17]You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall not take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; it is depravity. [18]And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive. [19]"You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. (ESV)
; 20:11-21; 1 Sam. 20:30 [show/hide]ERROR: No passage found for your query.
; Isa. 47:3 [show/hide]Isaiah 47:3 [3]Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.
; Lam. 1:8 [show/hide]Lamentations 1:8 [8]Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away.
; Eze.16:36-37; 22:10; 23:10, 18, 29; Hos. 2:9 [show/hide]Hosea 2:9 [9]Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season, and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness.
].
It comes from ‘arah’, which means to make bare; empty; destitute; discover; make naked; uncover. The idea here is that of discovering or uncovering something in the wife that was not known before to the husband. Exactly what is included in the word ‘uncleanness’ in this connection is not known. Judging from the word as translated above it would be something of the nature of shame, disappointment, and extreme dislike. If the uncleanness refers to moral sin, as in 22:13-21, the earlier law demanded the death penalty. Perhaps Moses, seeing that by carrying out the letter of such law there would be frequent executions because of the extreme laxity of morals among the Israelites; and he thus modified the law by permitting a wife, in some cases, to clear herself by a solemn oath [Num .5:11-31], and in other cases, allowing the husband to put his wife away privately without bringing her to trial [v1-4; Matt.1:19].

The rival schools of Hillel and Shammai in he days of Christ interpreted this ‘uncleanness’ different ways. Shammai held that it referred only to moral and criminal sins of adultery; but Hillel contended that it referred to anything disliked by the husband, even though it was something trivial [notes e-h Matt. 5:31-32 [show/hide]Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce [31]"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' [32]But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (ESV)
; note m, 19:3; notes e-h Mk. 10:1-9 [show/hide]Mark 10:1-9 Teaching About Divorce [10:1]And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. [2]And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" [3]He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" [4]They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away." [5]And Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. [6]But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' [7]'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, [8]and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. [9]What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." (ESV)
]. Christ sanctioned the teaching of Shammai; and if we are to take Him as interpreting the ‘uncleanness’ of this passage as fornication, then that is the nearest explanation of it in Scripture [Matt .5:32; 19:9]

The various translations are as follows:
Young, nakedness of anything;
Rotherham, some matter of shame;
Peshitta, some evidence of prostitution in her;
Berkeley, something improper in her;
Moffat, found her immodest in some ways;
Septuagint, found something unseemly in her;
Fenton, found repulsive qualities in her.
All this seems to indicate a serious moral sin.

Whatever the intended thought, it is clear that divorce was not commanded here, but permitted because of the hardness of hearts [v1; Mt.19:8]; that both divorced parties were free to re-marry [v2]; that the first husband could not take the wife a second time; and that taking the same woman a second time was an abomination to God [v3-3].

Such things must be understood in the light of several things; that a wife became the actual property of the husband and he became her lord and master [Ex. 21:7-11 [show/hide]Exodus 21:7-11 [7]"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. [8]If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. [9]If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. [10]If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. [11]And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money. (ESV)
; 1 Cor. 11:3 [show/hide]1 Corinthians 11:3 [3]But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. (ESV)
; Eph. 5:22-33 [show/hide]Ephesians 5:22-33 Wives and Husbands [22]Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. [23]For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. [24]Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. [25]Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26]that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27]so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [28]In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29]For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, [30]because we are members of his body. [31]"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." [32]This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. [33]However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (ESV)
; Col. 3:18 [show/hide]Colossians 3:18 Rules for Christian Households [18]Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (ESV)
; 1 Pet. 3:5-7 [show/hide]1 Peter 3:5-7 [5]For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, [6]as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. [7]Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (ESV)
]; that easy divorces were a common thing in those days among all nations; that Israel had been influence greatly by such nations and were in the habit of obtaining divorces for the most frivolous excuses; and that Moses simply tolerated certain practices because of the harness of the hearts of Israel.
Hence this special law of limiting divorce for the one cause of uncleanness, was needed.
- Dake Annotated Reference Bible : page 237, notes Dt. 24:1-4.

1 Corinthians 7:10 [show/hide]1 Corinthians 7:10 [10]To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (ESV)

And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband.

1. Let every man have his own wife.
2. Let every woman have her own husband.
3. Let the husband meet the sexual needs of the wife [v 3-4]
4. Let the wife meet the sexual needs of her husband [v 3-4]
5. Defraud not each other in sexual matters – pay your conjugal vows [v 5]
6. Come together again after you have consented to live continent for a period so as to pray and fast [v 5].
7. Let both men and women marry if they have battles of self-control [v 9]
8. Let not the wife depart from her husband [v 10]
9. If she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband [v 11]
10. Let not the husband divorce his wife [v 11]
11. Let not the Christian man divorce the non-Christian if she be pleased to dwell with him: reasons [v 12-16].
12. Let not the Christian wife divorce her husband if he be pleased to dwell with her [v 13-16].
13. If the unbeliever departs and refuses to live with the Christian, let him depart. Do not force continuance of the marriage. The Christian is freed from the marriage bonds in such cases [v 15]
14. Let every man or woman remain as he or she was when each became a Christian [v 17-24]. That is, do not use Christianity as an excuse to break up your own home and perhaps another, seeking a new companion.
15. If you are bound to a wife, seek not to be loosed [v 27]. That is, do not get a divorce, regardless of the past. Stay in the same calling and state in which you were saved [v 17-24].
16. If you are loosed from a wife, seek not another wife [v 27]. If you do marry, however, you have not sinned [v 28].
17. You that have wives, live as though you did not have them [v 29-31]. That is, live free from anxiety [v 32-35].
18. Let the father who has a daughter of marriageable age be free to give her in marriage. It is no sin for him to do so or for the virgin to marry [v 36-38].
19. The wife is bound by law to be married as long as the husband lives [v 39]. Marriage is for the lifetime of the husband or wife.
20. Christians must remarry only Christians when companions die [v 39].
- Dake Annotated Reference Bible: page 191.

Don’t Be Fooled by What You See
Saints of God, don’t look at the way things appear.
Servants of God cheat on their wives, then go on with new wives, apparently still enjoying God’s blessings! Not so! You do not see or hear of God’s judgment on them. You know nothing of the sleepless nights, the despair and sorrow that floods in on them. To live under God’s displeasure is a burden few can bear. To have the heavens shut and end up ministering in the flesh leaves its mark on men. Little by little, their influence wanes, their following dwindles. People may smile at them but there is an insurmountable loss of respect. Those who live and preach as adulterers minister death and not life. What they say IS tainted by their evil deeds. They are heard only by the ear, and not the heart.

The only message with power is that which is preached from a pure heart, by men with clean hands. All else is sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. God will not speak to a man or woman living in sin; He closes the heavens to those who break and flaunt HIS commandments. So what they preach has to come out of their own hearts and minds and can only be man-centered. They have no searing, scorching word from God that drives men to their knees. They strike no fear to divided hearts and compromisers. Their thunder has been silenced by the evil charms of an adulterous woman.

We don’t have to go about with eyes full of lust-we don’t have to be looking at all-but Satan will always try to use a supposed lack in our lives ~o sna.re us in an evil relationship. Those kinds of relationships may be justified and continued for years on the grounds that we are all the better for it. Both may provoke each other to pray more and go deeper in God. But it is still sin!

The mate always knows. There is a strange wall that is erected and nothing but honesty can ever penetrate it. There is an aloofness, a holding back, something you can’t put your finger on, but you know something is really wrong.

A man of God can stand in the pulpit and preach with all his might, then give his heart and time to an adulterous relationship. Then, if he is a true man of God, he weeps over what he has done. He feels his heart going out in the wrong direction; he feels Satan breath¬ing down his neck, trying to wreck his ministry; and he cries out to God to be free of the attraction. How deeply it becomes embedded in the soul! What an ocean of tears is shed in sorrow of heart, because there seems to be no way out.

He hears in the deepest of his soul the taunting-cry, “You are a phony! You preach against this very thing! You are hooked just like any common drug addict! You preach freedom from sin, and you are enslaved! Liar!”

There is the constant fear of exposure and, worst of all, the hounding fear of bringing reproach on God’s name. There is the fear of ending up like Samson, stripped and shelved by God-c-or even worse, judgment by death.

The man of God caught in this kind of snare will walk his room at night, begging God for cleansing. His heart will yearn for the day he can once again look God and the world in the eye and proclaim, “1 am clean! 1 am pure! 1 am free!”

Oh, the broken promises, the lies. What appears to be a victory only ends in defeat. Just when you think it is dead, it comes back again in greater force. Then it is realized that only a true death at the Cross can deliver from its hold.

Many a great man of God has come this way to the Cross-broken down, helpless, having broken every promise, weary of grieving God and ministering under a lie. God has used that crisis to roll in death on every¬thing in that man’s life and raise him to resurrection life and glorious freedom.

There can be no deliverance from an adulterous attraction outside of total death at the Cross. Cry a river of tears, try to kill it on your own, suppress it any way you can-it will still be there. And, it will eventu¬ally destroy both of you. You will go back to it; you will always have that lingering memory erupting unexpectedly
Take my warning-O man of God! You are not above this kind of sin.
- SET THE TRUMPET TO THY MOUTH: David Wilkerson

Genesis 6:3 [show/hide]Genesis 6:3 [3]Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years." (ESV)

Then the Lord said, My Spirit shall not for ever dwell and strive with man, for he also is flesh; but his days shall yet be 120 years. [The Amplified Bible].

Enoch had warned these people [Jude 14, 15 [show/hide]Jude 1:14 [14]It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, (ESV)
];
Noah had preached righteousness to them [2 Peter 2:5 [show/hide]2 Peter 2:5 [5]if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; (ESV)
];
God’s Spirit had been striving with them [Gen. 6:3 [show/hide]Genesis 6:3 [3]Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years." (ESV)
].
Yet they had rejected God and were without excuse. – Amplified Bible: page 7.

One would be in good stead to consider the reality of this Scripture and the fact that God may not strive with you indefinitely.

To stagger and reel between two decisions is no longer a viable option, if God is God, go, and serve Him, and if not, go and serve another.

Exodus 20:14 [show/hide]Exodus 20:14 [14]"You shall not commit adultery. (ESV)

You shall not commit adultery. [Matt. 5:28 [show/hide]Matthew 5:28 [28]But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (ESV)
; Rom. 1:24 [show/hide]Romans 1:24 [24]Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, (ESV)
; Eph. 5:3 [show/hide]Ephesians 5:3 [3]But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. (ESV)
; Prov. 6:25, 26 [show/hide]Proverbs 6:25 [25]Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
].

Observe here the expansion of the thought in the catechism which includes whoredom in all its forms, as well as unchastity [premarital relations, sexual impurity, and lustful desire under whatever name] [Lange’s Commentary, condensed].

Not only adultery is forbidden here, but also fornication and all kinds of mental and sensual uncleanness.

All impure books, songs, pictures, etc., which tend to inflame and debauch the mind, are against this law [Clarke’s Commentary].

- The Amplified Bible: page 93

This is a very good article. Those who are still single may learn something from this article….
Those who are already married may take it as a guideline to improve your marriage….

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, “How do I know if I married the right person?”
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, “It depends. Is that your husband?” In all seriousness, she answered “How do you know?”

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it’s weighing on your mind.

Here’s the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn’t hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn’t have to DO anything. That’s why it’s called “falling” in love… Because it’s happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, “I was swept of my feet.” Think about the imagery of that __expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It’s a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It’s the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse’s idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, “Did I marry the right person?” And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work,a
hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it. I’m not saying that you couldn’t fall in love with someone else. You could.

And TEMPORARILY you’d feel better. But you’d be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT’S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It’ll NEVER just happen to you. You can’t “find” LASTING love. You have to “make” it day in and day out. That’s why we have the __expression “the labor of love.” Because it takes time, effort, and energy . And most importantly, it takes WISDOM . You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It’s a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable. ..you can “make” love.

Love in marriage is indeed a “decision”.. . Not just a feeling .

Remember this always

“God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.”

- Author Unknown

P S A L M S

PSALM I.
________________________________________
This is a psalm of instruction concerning good and evil, setting before us life and death, the blessing and the curse, that we may take the right way which leads to happiness and avoid that which will certainly end in our misery and ruin. The different character and condition of godly people and wicked people, those that serve God and those that serve him not, is here plainly stated in a few words; so that every man, if he will be faithful to himself, may here see his own face and then read his own doom. That division of the children of men into saints and sinners, righteous and unrighteous, the children of God and the children of the wicked one, as it is ancient, ever since the struggle began between sin and grace, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, so it is lasting, and will survive all other divisions and subdivisions of men into high and low, rich and poor, bond and free; for by this men’s everlasting state will be determined, and the distinction will last as long as heaven and hell. This psalm shows us, I. The holiness and happiness of a godly man, ver. 1-3. II. The sinfulness and misery of a wicked man, ver. 4, 5. III. The ground and reason of both, ver. 6. Whoever collected the psalms of David (probably it was Ezra) with good reason put this psalm first, as a preface to the rest, because it is absolutely necessary to the acceptance of our devotions that we be righteous before God (for it is only the prayer of the upright that is his delight), and therefore that we be right in our notions of blessedness and in our choice of the way that leads to it. Those are not fit to put up good prayers who do not walk in good ways.

The Happy Man.
________________________________________
Psalm 1:1-3 [show/hide]Psalm 1:1-3 The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked [1:1]Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; [2]but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3]He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The psalmist begins with the character and condition of a godly man, that those may first take the comfort of that to whom it belongs. Here is,

I. A description of the godly man’s spirit and way, by which we are to try ourselves. The Lord knows those that are his by name, but we must know them by their character; for that is agreeable to a state of probation, that we may study to answer to the character, which is indeed both the command of the law which we are bound in duty to obey and the condition of the promise which we are bound in interest to fulfil. The character of a good man is here given by the rules he chooses to walk by and to take his measures from. What we take at our setting out, and at every turn, for the guide of our conversation, whether the course of this world or the word of God, is of material consequence. An error in the choice of our standard and leader is original and fatal; but, if we be right here, we are in a fair way to do well.

1. A godly man, that he may avoid the evil, utterly renounces the companionship of evil-doers, and will not be led by them (v. 1): He walks not in the council of the ungodly, &c. This part of his character is put first, because those that will keep the commandments of their God must say to evil-doers, Depart from us (Ps. cxix. 115), and departing from evil is that in which wisdom begins.

(1.) He sees evil-doers round about him; the world is full of them; they walk on every side. They are here described by three characters, ungodly, sinners, and scornful. See by what steps men arrive at the height of impiety. Nemo repente fit turpissimus–None reach the height of vice at once. They are ungodly first, casting off the fear of God and living in the neglect of their duty to him: but they rest not there. When the services of religion are laid aside, they come to be sinners, that is, they break out into open rebellion against God and engage in the service of sin and Satan. Omissions make way for commissions, and by these the heart is so hardened that at length they come to be scorners, that is, they openly defy all that is sacred, scoff at religion, and make a jest of sin.

Thus is the way of iniquity down-hill; the bad grow worse, sinners themselves become tempters to others and advocates for Baal. The word which we translate ungodly signifies such as are unsettled, aim at no certain end and walk by no certain rule, but are at the command of every lust and at the beck of every temptation. The word for sinners signifies such as are determined for the practice of sin and set it up as their trade. The scornful are those that set their mouths against the heavens. These the good man sees with a sad heart; they are a constant vexation to his righteous soul. But,

(2.) He shuns them wherever he sees them. He does not do as they do; and, that he may not, he does not converse familiarly with them.
[1.] He does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He is not present at their councils, nor does he advise with them; though they are ever so witty, and subtle, and learned, if they are ungodly, they shall not be the men of his counsel. He does not consent to them, nor say as they say, Luke 23:51 [show/hide]Luke 23:51 [51]who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. (ESV)
. He does not take his measures from their principles, nor act according to the advice which they give and take. The ungodly are forward to give their advice against religion, and it is managed so artfully that we have reason to think ourselves happy if we escape being tainted and ensnared by it.

[2.] He stands not in the way of sinners; he avoids doing as they do; their way shall not be his way; he will not come into it, much less will he continue in it, as the sinner does, who sets himself in a way that is not good, Ps. 36:4 [show/hide]Psalm 36:4 [4]He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.
. He avoids (as much as may be) being where they are. That he may not imitate them, he will not associate with them, nor choose them for his companions. He does not stand in their way, to be picked up by them (Prov. 7:8 [show/hide]Proverbs 7:8 [8]passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house
), but keeps as far from them as from a place or person infected with the plague, for fear of the contagion, Prov. iv. 14, 15. He that would be kept from harm must keep out of harm’s way.

[3.] He sits not in the seat of the scornful; he does not repose himself with those that sit down secure in their wickedness and please themselves with the searedness of their own consciences. He does not associate with those that sit in close cabal to find out ways and means for the support and advancement of the devil’s kingdom, or that sit in open judgment, magisterially to condemn the generation of the righteous. The seat of the drunkards is the seat of the scornful, Ps. 69:12 [show/hide]Psalm 69:12 [12]I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
. Happy is the man that never sits in it, Hos. 7:5 [show/hide]Hosea 7:5 [5]On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.
.

2. A godly man, that he may do that which is good and cleave to it, submits to the guidance of the word of God and makes that familiar to him, v. 2. This is that which keeps him out of the way of the ungodly and fortifies him against their temptations. By the words of thy lips I have kept me from the path of the deceiver, Ps. 17:4 [show/hide]Psalm 17:4 [4]With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
. We need not court the fellowship of sinners, either for pleasure or for improvement, while we have fellowship with the word of God and with God himself in and by his word. When thou awakest it shall talk with thee, Prov. 6:22 [show/hide]Proverbs 6:22 [22]When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.
. We may judge of our spiritual state by asking, “What is the law of God to us? What account do we make of it? What place has it in us?” See here,

(1.) The entire affection which a good man has for the law of God: His delight is in it. He delights in it, though it be a law, a yoke, because it is the law of God, which is holy, just, and good, which he freely consents to, and so delights in, after the inner man, Rom. 7:16, 22 [show/hide]Romans 7:16 [16]Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. (ESV)
. All who are well pleased that there is a God must be well pleased that there is a Bible, a revelation of God, of his will, and of the only way to happiness in him.

(2.) The intimate acquaintance which a good man keeps up with the word of God: In that law doth he meditate day and night; and by this it appears that his delight is in it, for what we love we love to think of, Ps. 119:97 [show/hide]Psalm 119:97 Mem [97]Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
. To meditate in God’s word is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things contained in it, with a close application of mind, a fixedness of thought, till we be suitably affected with those things and experience the savour and power of them in our hearts. This we must do day and night; we must have a constant habitual regard to the word of God as the rule of our actions and the spring of our comforts, and we must have it in our thoughts, accordingly, upon every occasion that occurs, whether night or day. No time is amiss for meditating on the word of God, nor is any time unseasonable for those visits. We must not only set ourselves to meditate on God’s word morning and evening, at the entrance of the day and of the night, but these thoughts should be interwoven with the business and converse of every day and with the repose and slumbers of every night. When I awake I am still with thee.

II. An assurance given of the godly man’s happiness, with which we should encourage ourselves to answer the character of such.

1. In general, he is blessed, Ps. 5:1 [show/hide]Psalm 5:1 Lead Me in Your Righteousness To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David. [5:1]Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
. God blesses him, and that blessing will make him happy. Blessednesses are to him, blessings of all kinds, of the upper and nether springs, enough to make him completely happy; none of the ingredients of happiness shall be wanting to him. When the psalmist undertakes to describe a blessed man, he describes a good man; for, after all, those only are happy, truly happy, that are holy, truly holy; and we are more concerned to know the way to blessedness than to know wherein that blessedness will consist. Nay, goodness and holiness are not only the way to happiness (Rev. 22:14 [show/hide]Revelation 22:14 [14]Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (ESV)
) but happiness itself; supposing there were not another life after this, yet that man is a happy man that keeps in the way of his duty.

2. His blessedness is here illustrated by a similitude (v. 3): He shall be like a tree, fruitful and flourishing. This is the effect,

(1.) Of his pious practice; he meditates in the law of God, turns that in succum et sanguinem–into juice and blood, and that makes him like a tree. The more we converse with the word of God the better furnished we are for every good word and work. Or,
(2.) Of the promised blessing; he is blessed of the Lord, and therefore he shall be like a tree. The divine blessing produces real effects. It is the happiness of a godly ma

[1.] That he is planted by the grace of God. These trees were by nature wild olives, and will continue so till they are grafted anew, and so planted by a power from above. Never any good tree grew of itself; it is the planting of the Lord, and therefore he must in it be glorified. Isa. 61:3 [show/hide]Isaiah 61:3 [3]to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
, The trees of the Lord are full of sap.
[2.] That he is placed by the means of grace, here called the rivers of water, those rivers which make glad the city of our God (Ps. 46:4 [show/hide]Psalm 46:4 [4]There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
); from these a good man receives supplies of strength and vigour, but in secret undiscerned ways.
[3.] That his practices shall be fruit, abounding to a good account, Phil. iv. 17. To those whom God first blessed he said, Be fruitful (Gen. 1:22 [show/hide]Genesis 1:22 [22]And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." (ESV)
), and still the comfort and honour of fruitfulness are a recompense for the labour of it. It is expected from those who enjoy the mercies of grace that, both in the temper of their minds and in the tenour of their lives, they comply with the intentions of that grace, and then they bring forth fruit. And, be it observed to the praise of the great dresser of the vineyard, they bring forth their fruit (that which is required of them) in due season, when it is most beautiful and most useful, improving every opportunity of doing good and doing it in its proper time.
[4.] That his profession shall be preserved from blemish and decay: His leaf also shall not wither. As to those who bring forth only the leaves of profession, without any good fruit, even their leaf will wither and they shall be as much ashamed of their profession as ever they were proud of it; but, if the word of God rule in the heart, that will keep the profession green, both to our comfort and to our credit; the laurels thus won shall never wither.
[5.] That prosperity shall attend him wherever he goes, soul-prosperity. Whatever he does, in conformity to the law, it shall prosper and succeed to his mind, or above his hope.

In singing these verses, being duly affected with the malignant and dangerous nature of sin, the transcendent excellencies of the divine law, and the power and efficacy of God’s grace, from which our fruit is found, we must teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, to watch against sin and all approaches towards it, to converse much with the word of God, and abound in the fruit of righteousness; and, in praying over them, we must seek to God for his grace both to fortify us against every evil word and work and to furnish us for every good word and work.
- Matthew Henry Commentary

Joshua 1:8 [show/hide]Joshua 1:8 [8]This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (ESV)

This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

This is the only place in the early English versions where the word “success” is found.

The secret of success is given in verses 5 to 9.

Joshua accepted Moses’ place of leadership without misgivings. God’s will for him was his will, and he did not hesitate.

To be all-out for God was already habitual with him; it is the unfailing prerequisite of eternal success. [Deuteronomy 6:3-5 [show/hide]Deuteronomy 6:3-5 [3]Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. [4]"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [5]You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (ESV)
; Luke 10:25-28 [show/hide]Luke 10:25-28 The Parable of the Good Samaritan [25]And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" [26]He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" [27]And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." [28]And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." (ESV)
; Psalm 1:1-3 [show/hide]Psalm 1:1-3 The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked [1:1]Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; [2]but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3]He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

- Amplified Bible: page 258

Proverbs 24:13 [show/hide]Proverbs 24:13 [13]My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

As the cold of snow (brought from the mountains) in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the life of his masters.

God demands faithfulness, loyalty and obedience from His messenger when He commissions them to convey His Word.

This is His refreshing that He delights in, the knowledge that you are willing to heed His call and obey His instructions.

The disappointment experienced in those that are unreliable can be daunting, for if they are not trustworthy who will be prepared to send them?

When the opportunity arises and He calls you to bring His Word, your response ought to be spontaneous and immediate; as you open your mouth, He fills it and teaches you to speak.

Isaiah responded immediately to His Call, Who will go for us, who will we send? Here I am Lord, send me.

Whereas Moses was reluctant and pronounced that he was not a man of words, slow of speech and ineloquent. In Genesis 4 [show/hide]Genesis 4 Cain and Abel [4:1]Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." [2]And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. [3]In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, [4]and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, [5]but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. [6]The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? [7]If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." [8]Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. [9]Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" [10]And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. [11]And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. [12]When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." [13]Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. [14]Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." [15]Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. [16]Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. [17]Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. [18]To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. [19]And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. [20]Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. [21]His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. [22]Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. [23]Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. [24]If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold." [25]And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, "God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him." [26]To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD. (ESV)
: 11 & 12 the Lord asked him “Who has made man’s mouth? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and will teach you what you shall say.

The Spirit is moving all over the world, searching for faithful messengers – the loyal, obedient and willing.

Imagine the delight of the Father as He personally goes with you and teaches you to speak, and as you do, you refresh His Life.

The message is of great importance – desperately waited upon and sometimes a matter of life and death, or life-changing.

Fear is a great disadvantage and one should not to succumb to it, God is greater than the obscure fear in your heart. If God is for you, who then can be against you?

Are you prepared to be courageous and keep your appointment with God? The messenger who faithfully speaks the Word of God that burns like a consuming fire?

Will you become a willing participant, or will you merely be a spectator who with profound sorrow will watch as the Holy Spirit passes you by and searches for another?