What is a Godly Wife to Look Like

DEVOTION
02/10/06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

Greetings from the Humphrey household! Yes, Kyle has asked me to take over the computer, again! (As his wife … I submitted to his authority! Hmmmm … what a way to start this devotion … about the role of a wife!) Like is his demeanor, he hit the men pretty hard last week but (see What is a godly husband to look like), but at home, he is gentle and kind to the woman of his life. Today, you wives will get the gentle side of our relationship! So, without further ado, let us see what YHVH has to say about wives and their role in a marriage.

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Our society is one that revels in ambiguity. No longer is black and white clear, but only shades of grey. The world has been teaching that men and women are now the same and should act and be treated as such. Fashion trends are placing colors, patterns, and styles previously relegated to one gender as the hottest new styles for the opposite gender!

This teaching has now overflowed into marriage. People have fallen for the lie that it is an equal partnership in which every possible aspect is dually shared by both parties. Thus, taking out the garbage and “bringing home the bacon” (turkey bacon of course) is as much her job as it is his. Also, “nursing” the baby and cooking and cleaning are as much his job as hers. Although these points may be debated as far as physiology or even philosophy goes, there are some aspects of marriage that YHVH has mandated as distinct and relegated to either the husband or wife only. Kyle touched on the husband’s responsibilities last week, so please allow me to look at the wife’s today…

VERSES TO PONDER:

- “Then YHVH God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) (So, here we have it right from the start … our main purpose in the marriage relationship, as wives, is to be a helper for our husbands. The most basic and critical way we can be this helper for our husband is to pray for him every day. Pray that he will have God’s wisdom and discernment to lead our family in truth. Pray that our marriage will be protected from any attacks from outside forces (possibly from other women who may not be living biblically and telling us to do the same) or from within (disagreements or moods maybe due to lack of submitting … or just a bad day). Pray that you both will grow closer to each other and to YHVH as He gives you a oneness of vision and heart and mind. This is a vital part of our roles as wives. Also, we must realize that we are part of the marriage to help our husband carry out the mission God has given him. We need to make sure we are supporting him and not working against him. We have examples of both in Scripture …

 “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6) (Here we have an example of the influence that a woman has on her husband which can be used to work against the mission God has given him. We also see the catastrophic results in our society when a husband and wife are not united in heart and mind with YHVH and work against each other which paves the way to the divorce court.
 “At a lodging place on the way, YHVH met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin…” (Exodus 4:24-25a) (Here we have an example of a wife who knew the mission YHVH had for her husband, and who worked toward that end, helping fill in the gaps where he may have been lacking. Do we, the wives, fill in where our husbands are lacking?? Or do we complain about them to others and nag about them continually until they are shamed? Speaking of nagging, what does the LORD say about this sin???

- “A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.” (Proverbs 19:13b)

- “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.” (Proverbs 12:4)

- “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” (Proverbs 21:9) (We have to ask ourselves constantly, does our husband ever feel like packing up and moving to the roof??? Even if they are gracious enough not to tell us, WE have to examine ourselves. Have we fallen into the trap of nagging, arguing, or belittling him to others or to him in front of others? Remember, we are to be his helper. Instead of working against his weakness or shortcomings, we must pray for them and let YHVH work great things in his character. If we do not, that nagging and berating will only drive him farther away (and of our ideal of what he should be in life).

- “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:24)

- “Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands” (1 Peter 3:1a) (Yes, the Lord is a God of order and there is to be a “chain of command” in our marriages, as well. We are not to be the final authorities in our homes and we must not try to use our influence to manipulate our husbands into following our own ways or our agendas. Oh, we may think that we have thought out and analyzed the entire situation and must convince our husband to do things our way. (Yes, that is what Eve thought, also). If we take over this position of leadership, we are working against what God has set in place. We must realize that God ordered marriages this way and we must trust Him to guide our husbands to make the right decisions. Ladies, I am not saying that we have no input, but the final decision is to be his. And when it comes right down to it, what a relief that we are not the ones with that ultimate responsibility and accountability before YHVH! We also must realize that our husbands are not perfect and that they will make mistakes and wrong decisions. So when this happens, do we then have the right to say, “I told you so!!”? Not at all. This is when we need to encourage him, bind up his emotional wounds and trust that YHVH will work it all for HIS good because you love HIM and have been obedient to his will for your marriage.)

- “…and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33b) (Although we may outwardly submit to our husband, YHVH desires our hearts to submit, also. This is a command … to respect our husbands. This needs to be an outward display (which will be evident if it is not coming from the heart). This INCLUDES when we are talking about him to others. (This also includes not rolling our eyes when we disagree…just in case you were wondering!))

LAST THOUGHTS:

When we build our husband’s self esteem by giving him the respect that is due him, this will draw him to love and cherish you all the more. When our husbands walk through that door, we must give them time to shed their uniforms of war … and examine their wounds of battle. They are hurting and have been away from the ones they love all day.

Ladies, we must work at being the reason that they want to come home. Our desire is to be their helper! (“… Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16b)) If not, instead, he will only view us as “grief” and “opposition”. If this is how you are viewed, he will run somewhere else during these times of need. He may bury himself in his work, withdraw into depression, or as I have so often seen it, into the arms of another woman. Our husbands need a place where they feel safe from the abuse and feel loved!

In conclusion: So when we hear the door open at the end of the day, we must run and jump into the arms of the man we love! Greet him with a kiss and tell him how much you missed him and are so glad he is home! (Allow him time to change!! Not only the physical clothing, but his warrior clothing, as well) Take the time to write him special love notes to put on the milk jug for when he gets up in the morning or on his car as you pass by his place of employment. Make your home a sanctuary of peace and joy which is a refuge for him from the world. Make your arms a place of security where he finds comfort. Don’t bombard him with a list of all your troubles when he first walks in the door (there will be time for that later)! Train your children to run and greet him, as well. Make him feel like the king of the castle … because he is. But just like the true King acted, so too will a godly husband. This type of husband will actually serve you back … just like the TRUE example (The Messiah) does to his bride (the believers).

Oops! Look at the time … I gotta go. I need to go fix up and get that delicious dinner going … as I wait with anticipation for the arrival of the one I love, respect and help! Thank you for this time though.

Fathers … Do Not Lose Your Daughters

STUDY ON:
A Dad’s relationship with his daughter (protecting her beauty).

FIRST THOUGHTS:

I cannot emphasize how much I love my daughters.

Oh, how precious are my daughters!

How you treat your daughters reveals your heart to them. What you allow them to wear, allow them to see, and where you allow them to go … lets them know how much you love them. Our daughters will be attracted to men with their father’s characteristics. Is that good or bad? How do you treat their mother? How do you show your love to your daughter? Read again carefully. YOU are who your daughters are looking for in life.

Of course the warm weather has brought to light this neglect (as it does each year). It is a huge area of neglect regarding how fathers need to protect and to train their daughters in God’s laws for modesty. It breaks my heart to see young ladies dressed in outfits that reveal their very flesh of private areas. For it is the PARENTS who have taught them how to dress like this … simply by allowing it and approving of it (Even by approving of their friends who teach them how to dress). My daughters WANT my opinion because they trust me for their future and do not want to be deceived by a man simply desiring their beauty! We often talk about man’s lust and they do not want to marry a husband who only wants their flesh!

Fathers, OPEN YOUR EYES!!! Protect that which God has given to you. By allowing them to draw young men into sinful thoughts, the fathers of these overexposed daughters are sinning, as well. It is very sad that so many fathers seem to be neglecting this critical part of raising their daughters.

- How a young lady is allowed to dress may determine if she becomes a prey for young men or is treated with respect by men who are holy. How do you allow your daughter to dress when she leaves the house? Is she revealing her flesh or revealing her spirit? What kind of man do you desire her to be with?
- How a young lady is treated by her father may determine if she will try to seek love elsewhere in a man’s arms. AGAIN, if a daughter is not getting love by her father, she will find it elsewhere! Because she is not getting her self-esteem fulfilled by her father at home. Yes, you heard me right: our daughters NEED their Daddy’s attention to fill that void!

 We can give our daughters affection by: conversing with them as a close and dear friend, and listening to them and their needs.
 We should be giving our daughters compliments by: telling them how beautiful they look and how much they mean to us.
 Yes, listen up, and we MUST protect them out of our love for them by: explaining how they are to save their physical bodies and beauty for someone who loves them for who they are … their future husband. We can’t allow them to dress as the world dresses; TELL them it is because we love them. They must understand that this pleases both their father and our Lord (If they are being raised right … this SHOULD matter to them!).

How do you show your daughter that you love her? Do you allow your daughter to reveal her private areas that are to be kept private and saved for her husband? Do you simply give them a quick kiss as they go to their friend’s house … not caring who their friends even are? Does your daughter know that she is not to lead other men into sin? Have you taught your daughter the truth?

I am amazed by how a father can let his daughter’s chest, or any other private part, be seen by any man? Why would I want a man, that is not her husband, be lusting after my daughter? What wicked father would allow this? Do these same men let their wives go out like that? (If yes … they most likely will not understand this study and this concept of God’s righteousness!) Our daughters must know how to dress modestly and behave godly, so as not to attract an ungodly man, but a holy and righteous one. This is according to God’s Word … To us, what other way is there? If we allow our daughters to attract other men with their flesh, then that is the man they will marry and most likely divorce when their bodies are no longer satisfying.

VERSES THAT RELATE TO SEXUAL IMMORALITY
(Yes … inappropriate dressed woman is a hint of sexual immorality!):

- “Your beauty should NOT come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of GREAT WORTH in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands” (1 Peter 3:3-5)
 Why do so many young women dress like they are ready to go stand on a street corner? Why do their fathers allow them to go out revealing what God meant to be private and between husband and wife ONLY? I want a young man to see my daughter for who she is … NOT because of her physical appearance (Isn’t that the “icing on the cake” and not why the cake was bought?). The man who dates because of who a woman is under the clothing, will ALWAYS be looking at other woman the same way (while married to your daughter!). Do you want that for your daughter?

- (When a young lady goes out “dressed to kill”, she is not using her body in a way that is holy and honorable.) “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should AVOID sexual immorality; that each of you should LEARN to control his own body in a way that is HOLY and HONORABLE, NOT in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God … For God did NOT call us to be IMPURE, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7-8)
 My family? My daughters know that if they bend over and people can see down their shirt … they must change (Here is the miracle … they WANT to please me and God!) They may even ask me, “Daddy, do you think this outfit reveals too much?” They know that I would not steer them wrong when it comes to living a godly life unto God. A life THEY now desire! They know that they are absolutely beautiful and they want a loyal, faithful, and God-fearing husband … like their Dad is to their Mother.

- (What is a hint of sexual immorality? Is it “painted on” clothing? Is it the exposed cleavage? Fathers … how much of your daughter do YOU want other men to see and lust after?) “But among you there must not be even a HINT of sexual immorality, or of ANY KIND of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be OBSCENITY, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be SURE: NO immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Ephesians 5:3-5)
 Fathers, our daughters are precious to us. We should want to raise them and prepare them for a man that is equally concerned about their well-being and who loves them by showing them. So, in a way, we are to be showing them by example. With our lives: This is what you are to look for in a husband, my love.
 Our sons? Oh, that is another study. But be assured … my sons are being prepared to flee from the sexually immoral woman … is he fleeing from your daughter? What kind of man do you want for your daughter?

LAST THOUGHTS:

Don’t be fooled either. Our children can have a double life and often the parents will NEVER know. Make sure, fathers, that you win the heart of your daughter BEFORE another man does! I don’t buy my daughter’s love by showering them with gifts and I don’t barter for it, either. My daughter’s heart is MINE, and mine to lose from the start. It is MINE to give away to another man … her husband. Our daughters want and desire a father who protects and cares for them. They want hugs and affection. They want to be protected and guided. My daughters see how I treat THEIR mother … and they love it … they want that, too!

In closing and simply to remind ourselves. There are only two ways to raise our daughters:

- According to the “flesh” and the “world’s” standards and desires
- According to the Spirit and what God’s children are commanded to look like

Here are some other thoughts to ponder:

Although this passage is speaking about the body of our Messiah, it refers to the truth about our physical bodies, as well: “And the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are UNPRESENTABLE are treated with SPECIAL MODESTY.” (1 Corinthians 12:23)

Remember when Adam and Eve sinned and they realized their nakedness? What did they cover themselves with? (Fig leaves) What did their Father do? He clothed their nakedness with animal skins! Their attempt was not enough! Today many think that fig leaves are ample dress … God still commands “animal skins” (smile)!

Fathers … Do Not Lose Your Sons

STUDY ON:
A Dad’s relationship with his son (the son will be like his Dad).

FIRST THOUGHTS:

What timing! I went to a family gathering with my brother, sister and all my children (now remember, I have 4 boys, 2 daughters, 5 grand-daughters, 3 grand-sons, and one more on the way – as of 07/22/09). All the fathers were to say something that they were thankful for about their children. When it came to my own Dad, he said something that I was proud of. He said, “I want to thank Kyle for carrying on my name by having so many sons.” You see, my Dad was an only child; My brother (at the time of this devotion) had never had any children, and there were no one else besides myself to continue the name. I and my brother, and my sons are … the heritage of my Dad and his name. My Dad had three arrows in which to shoot into the world and make an impact. What about your arrows?

- “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. BLESSED is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.” (Proverbs 127:4-5) (Do not get me wrong. I love my daughters greatly and they realize that they will actually be the fulfilling of her husband’s father’s heritage. Note: I have done a study on our daughters and recommend that you read it, as well. THIS one is about our sons!)

Do your sons bring you honor or do they bring you grief? I am not perfect, and neither are my sons. When they embarrass me, my heart is grieved and I feel like hiding face for there is no greater pain than to have a child act ungodly in front of the world … especially our sons.

WHAT ARE WE TRAINING OUR SONS:

Are we training our sons to show our Messiah to a dying world? Are we teaching our sons that it is more important to be successful in the world’s eyes … or success in their Creator’s? Are they being trained to treat their future wives in a way that will show the world what Christ did for HIS bride? (“Husbands, love your wives, JUST as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” … Ephesians 5:25) Do they see us fathers instructing our daughters to dress modestly and to speak with a humble heart? They will seek woman that please us, their fathers, in the same way.

Are we training our sons to hate what is evil and love what is good?

- How about wealth? (James 5:5 … “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.”)
- Are our sons being shown what contentment is? (1 Timothy 6:8 … “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”)
- Not to desire riches, but neither to desire poverty? (Proverbs 30:8-9 … “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is YHVH?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”)
- How to hate the evil desires of the world and pursue God? (Proverbs 8:13 … “To fear YHVH is to HATE evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” and Amos 5:15 … “Hate evil, love good.”)

Fathers, do not be fooled … sons often become exactly who their fathers are! If a father does not search for the face of God, yet thinks that he is saved because life is good, carefree and full of wealth … his son will most likely live by this false sense of security, as well. He will be unsaved … just like his father was. In the same manner, if a father fools around on his spouse, or gazes at other women (such as gazing at the cheerleaders as he sits on the couch watching game after game) … so will his son. If a father treats his wife with disrespect or as a door-mat …. So will his son. Does a father mumble at his son’s Mother and make degrading remarks? You guessed it … so will the son to HIS wife. The same goes with drinking too much, or spending excessive time at work … or any other sin … so too, will his sons!

Let us not be fooled, the sins of the father are carried to the third and forth generation of those who hate YHVH! This means that the sons will have the sins of their father’s … on and on this goes. “for I, YHVH your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,” (Exodus 20:5) SONS carry the sins of their fathers! If the father is an adulterous man (that is the sin), so too will the sons be adulterous men (they hate YHVH, as well). The fathers TAUGHT their sons by their very lives they lived out!

- “He did evil in the eyes of YHVH, as his father Manasseh had done. He walked in ALL the ways of his father; he worshipped the idols his father had worshipped, and bowed down to them.” (2 Kings 21:20-21)

The fact is, unless the fathers search and conform to image of the Messiah, most likely their sons will not either. Satan is out to destroy our boys (the future fathers and husbands). For it is the sons who are to become men; who are to become husbands; who are to become fathers … the circle of life continues. For Satan knows that it is the men who are to be the leaders of their household and show Christ in the way they treat their wives. The world is looking on and is often seeing father’s compromising and maligning God’s Word.

WHERE DO YOU STAND WHEN IT COMES TO RAISING YOUR SON?

Are these the type of words that you spend time instructing to your son? (This is King David talking to his son Solomon … instructing him!):

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, THEN you will understand the fear of YHVH and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-5)

The sad realization is that many fathers fall into this next category. So many fathers are too tired or lack the wisdom to restrain their son’s sins. To rid their sons of the folly that is in them. Their sons may end up “good enough in the sight of the world”, yet are lost eternally.

“For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he KNEW about; his sons
made themselves contemptible, and he FAILED to restrain them.” (1 Samuel 3:13)

- I have seen too often sons speaking crossly at their mothers, and their fathers sit there un-moved.
- I have seen too often, sons who whine and complain and get what they want for doing so.
- I have seen sons go out with friends purely to satisfy their flesh (like a lion after its prey, are many sons flesh).

This list goes on and are all sins that the fathers fail to restrain. Read 1 Samuel 3:13 again. Men, you will not find me barking from a couch at my sons. When I see my son treat his sister, or heaven forbid, my wife with disrespect … I get up or stop what I am doing immediately and correct this folly. My sons know they have done wrong AND yet that I love them. Did you get the last part? They know that I love them because of the way I treat the rest of the time!

WHERE ARE WE TO START IN RAISING OUR SONS?

- “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word.” (Psalm 119:9)

- “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

- (How much a father corrects his son, may reveal how much he truly loves his son!) “because YHVH disciplines those HE loves, as a father the son HE delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12) But what does it look like when a son is NOT disciplined or corrected regarding his folly? “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.” (Proverbs 17:25)

- “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.” (Titus 2:6) To be able to “control oneself” IS to be self-controlled!! We must teach our sons to control themselves. They will be able to turn from wicked sights and thoughts of sexual immorality, to control his tongue, to restrain the sinful nature … THIS is self-control!

LAST THOUGHTS:

Who are the women that my sons are being trained to be attracted to and desire to be married to?

- “Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Titus 2:4-5) Did you catch the last part? We raise our sons to be godly men and our daughters to be godly women … each having their own roles to live by while on this earth!!! Why? So that NO ONE can malign the Word of God! Society has let go of this order and now we now have women competing for, and desiring jobs outside of that which God created for them. We have men not treating their wives as Christ treated the church, and families are torn apart. Here is the secret: if our sons can see their fathers treating their mothers with the utmost respect, honor and love, and likewise, they see their mothers submitting to their father’s authority … they have gotten a glimpse of Christ and His relationship to His bride! This is what they should be seeing modeled in our homes. A model for their future marriage.

Fathers, there is a very good chance that our sons will be attracted to and attract the kind of woman WE accept! Our sons will be greedy businessmen and adulterers if we are. Let us be unwavering in our zeal for and commitment to the Lord. Let us not teach our sons to lead their families based upon what the world, or even the church, around us is doing. Let us show our sons that our zeal to know the Lord is higher than any other option in our lives! They will then carry THAT on to their children and our grand-children and we would have shot a bull’s eye with our arrow!

Wealth and Prosperity Get in the Way

“The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear,
but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures,
and they do not mature.”

(Luke 8:14)

05 / 10 / 08
(NIV used)
(Comments in parentheses, underlines, and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Money … it can be a blessing or it can be a god. Most people think that they can handle the balance, but so many have lost the One True God in pursuit of the other one – money.

“… who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:5-10) Note: It is NOT the money that is evil, it is the desire for it that causes people to fall.

I began to ponder this passion of our flesh while reading the parable of the sower (The top passage is only a part of the entire parable.). We read that the son of God is describing four different people who hear the Word of God (The seed is the Word of God) and what they do with it (or where along the path the seed falls and how it grows). Read that passage again. There are three SEPARATE items mentioned in this verse that KEEP the truth from maturing: stress, wealth, and pleasures. If you really think about it, any one of these can sabotage a total dependency on the One True God.

1.) Stress (not being able to trust God)
2.) Wealth (focusing on money and stuff instead of God … “Two things I ask of you, O YHVH; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is YHVH?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7-9)
3.) Pleasures (the things that fill in the time between work and family.) The boat, the camper (I camp and this can become something that comes between the seed and growth), the jet-ski, you name it!! Even a cottage away from home. These are not sinful in and of themselves, but where does God fit in? For instance, I use the camper to get away to study God’s word and catch up on lost time with my Father. I cannot judge what you do with your pleasures (extras in life) … that is between you and God.

I once was witnessing to a wealthy couple. They spoke of trusting in God for their salvation and their love for Him. Our conversation lead us to the above passage and I said: How can you trust God for tomorrow’s food if you have a month’s worth in your fridge? How can you trust God for anything, when you have it all? The wife almost started to cry (I am working on compassion, okay!) and said, “You know, I have never really thought about that. I have never been poor, so I can’t truly say that I know if I could REALLY trust God if He took it all away.” I then responded, “Ask Him.” “Ask Him what?” She responded. “Ask Him to take it all away so that you can learn to trust Him.” The conversation stopped. That would definitely change the level of faith and dependency upon the Lord. Let’s take a look at some examples in God’s word. You may find it quite humbling.

VERSES RELATED TO THOUGHTS:

- “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.” (Hebrews 12-15)

- “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) my Lord, for whose sake I have LOST all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ … .” (Philippians 3:8) How would Paul answer my question? “Yes, Lord, take it all away so that I may know you more. You are my passion and desire.”

- Speaking about pleasures of this world versus spiritual pleasures: “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:10) The sorrowful (in Christ), the poor (in Christ), those who have nothing (in Christ) … can still be rejoicing because they have true spiritual riches.

- “Then Yeshua (Jesus) said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (He did NOT say impossible, just hard. How hard, though?) Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”.” (Matthew 19:23) Why are there so many preaching that if we have enough faith, we will have wealth? I truly believe that if a rich man comes to Christ while he is materially wealthy, that is where God Almighty wants to use that man. We must be content with what we have. My goal is to be content in ALL circumstances. That way, my focus can remain on God, and not on wealth. For “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Luke 16:13) … It is clear that God knows that our flesh, in its sinful state, craves the greenbacks.

- Can you imagine actually living in a community like the following? It cannot work as long as there is a love of money. Only when someone TRULY trusts in God can they give it away freely as the believers did back then:

 “At the present time your plenty will supply what THEY need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what YOU need. Then there will be equality.” (2 Corinthians 8:14)
 “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 2:44-45)
 “There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 4:34-35)

- “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who RICHLY provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be RICH in GOOD DEEDS, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is TRULY LIFE.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19) We are not truly living until we can give away the greenbacks of life freely and often.

- Regarding the end days … “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver has corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days … You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” (James 5:1-3 and 5) Hmmmm … you don’t often hear this kind of preaching, do you? Perhaps, maybe it is because the leaders’ income depends upon his listeners feeling “good” about their money.

- “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Revelation 3:17-18)

- It’s funny, but the following verse so often describes my cry, as Jeremiah did in Jeremiah 12:1 “You are always righteous, O YHVH, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?” Then God usually answers me:

“Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed – and MEN praise you when you prosper – he will join the generation of his fathers, who will NEVER see the light of life.” (Psalm 49:16-19)

- Other passages confirm this, as well: Proverbs 11:28, Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, Ezekiel 28:4-5, James 1:11, Psalm 119:71-72, Proverbs 8:10, etc… etc… (Go ahead … look them up and think: Have we fallen for a lie?)

- As you read the following verse, keep an eye out for who it is that God says runs after the things of this world: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ for the PAGANS run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mathew 6:31-34) So, is stress, wealth and pleasures keeping you too busy to focus on what is truly important? Many have said, “How do you find the time to do all these writings.” I just never think about it. I love God more than anything, I suppose. “But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness…” We must realize that “and all these things will be given to you as well.” is talking about food and clothing (We don’t want our flesh to run away again and think that “these things” are all the world’s pleasures and wealth … they are not.)

LAST THOUGHTS:

We all know that only a few will be truly saved in the end. Make sure that you are being rooted in the TRUTH. Do not attend a church simply because you feel good there. Do not surround yourself with people who will tell you how good you are, but people who will keep you accountable. God blesses His children, indeed! He truly comes up with the money each week to buy food. He comes through with the job that you need. Yes, He is faithful.

Questions to ponder:

- Can a rich man easily bring the good news of the Son of God to a poor man? Would that poor man listen or think that the rich man cannot understand what he is going through?
- Can a poor man bring the same good news to a wealthy man? Would that wealthy man think that “this guy is not even wise enough to be prosperous here on earth, how can he know more than I?”)

I will not answer these two questions, but only say that our Savior thought it wisest and best to come to earth with humble means as a poor man and no place to lay His head.

Just something to think about the next time we cash that paycheck. Let’s keep our focus where God wants it to be – not on the things of this world.

Does God Hear ALL Prayers?

07 / 08 / 06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

I had always thought that God hears everyone’s prayers, as long as they folded their hands and close their eyes (real tight). Is this true? I was taught that God is love and does not reject those who call on Him. Les us search deeper: Would God actually ignore someone’s prayer? With that, let us search Scriptures to see what prayers never reach the ears of the Creator of the Universe:

VERSES THAT TOUCH ON THE THOUGHT:

Proverbs 15:8 … “YHVH DETESTS the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” (The word “upright” in word search means: straight, just, doing what is right in God’s eyes and walking in His ways.)

Proverbs 15:29 … “YHVH is FAR from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Let us do a word search: Wicked means: ungodly, wrong, guilty (in regards to sin and willfully committing them) … versus … righteous which means: lawful (obeying God’s Laws), just (in delivering justice), conforming to God’s standards.)

Isaiah 1:15 … “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I (God) will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer MANY prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood.” (MANY are lifting their hands in prayer, yet their hands are guilty of intentional sin. This passage may be only to those who teach disobedience to God’s Laws (For they are destroying lives))

(Many try to justify their sins by claiming there is no Law … but we must call it as we see it … sinning is considered evil by God!) 1 Peter 3:12 … “For the eyes of YHVH are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, BUT the face of YHVH is against those who DO evil.”

1 Peter 3:7 … “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with RESPECT as the weaker partner and as HEIRS with you of the gracious gift of life, so that NOTHING will HINDER your prayers.” (WOW, can you imagine all the prayers that are hindered according to this one verse alone? Men … I am talking about belittling your wives and not treating them with the utmost respect! For example: rolling your eyes when they talk is not respecting them! You who do such things? Your prayers are ignored in heaven!)

1 Chronicles 28:9 … “ACKNOWLEDGE the God of your father, and SERVE him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for YHVH SEARCHES every HEART and understands every MOTIVE behind the thoughts. If you SEEK him, he will be found by you; BUT if you FORSAKE him, he will reject you FOREVER.” (It seems that … in a nutshell … God hears the prayers of those who seek Him with a sincere heart. He is looking for hearts that yearn to be with Him. This, of course, depends on God’s definition of “wholehearted devotion” … not ours!!)

Proverbs 28:9 … “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are DETESTABLE.” (Okay … okay … I will leave this one alone. Allow just one question: Isn’t this what many are claiming as being done away with?)

LAST THOUGHTS:

God is NOT a genie or a Santa Clause for people to call upon for wishes and desires. Prayer has ALWAYS been for communication between those who seek and desire to commune with a Holy and Righteous God! It is our intimate time of bonding with the Creator of the Universe!!

Just think about it … prayer is a gift from God. Not a routine, chore or a time to claim the possessions or outcome of a circumstance one may think God owes them.

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