No Adultery

The Sixth Commandment.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

What does this mean?--Answer.
We should fear and love God that we may lead a chaste and decent life in words and deeds, and each love and honor his spouse.

http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php



What has been done cannot be undone. How hard I try to impress upon our young people (and older) that one can certainly be forgiven their sins; but, we cannot erase our past relationships! They will always be with us emotionally and spiritually. No one except your previous partner and you may ever even know about these liaisons; but, that does not negate the fact that you were joined to one another, if only for a few minutes. And... once joined; you will never be completely unjoined. No matter how hard you try to erase the memories, they will be permanently imbedded in your mind, coming to the forefront when you least expect it.

God did not create this commandment because he doesn't want you to enjoy life. In fact, he wants you to have an abundant and, yes, even a joyful life. Marriage and family can truly be a blessing from God. The children will come and go to raise their own families. But, how wonderful it is to have one person to share your entire life with. The less our lives are encumbered with old lovers making entrance into this new relationship; the less encumbered our lives are with carrying old baggage; the more pleasant and peaceful our lives will be.

There are those who have the mistaken idea that adultery only applies to those who are in a committed relationship: that it does not apply to those who are not married or living together. This is false. Adultery includes having sexual relations (doesn't necessarily even have to include sexual relations) with anyone that you are not bound to, in marriage, for life. Any and all sins can be forgiven by God. However, in this world there are most often consequences for our sins. Adultery has many adverse effects on self and on family. The harmful effects of parents' multiple relationships on children has been well documented. Adultery and the inability to be faithful to those whom we claim to love harms the whole family as well as society around us.

This commandment was not given to benefit God; but, to benefit humankind. If you desire a peaceful life, remain faithful; first to God, and then to one another.

May God help us to be faithful to those whom He loves.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 12:23-36 The Way Is Not A Path of Luxury

John 12:23-36 NIV
Hard times are sometimes associated with the sins of a person. However, the reading today reminds us that we should follow Jesus and that way includes through hard times. We are to follow in his footsteps; footsteps that led him to be lifted up on the cross. The Way is not always easy. It is not, as some would have us believe, a life of luxury and ease. It is a life in which we may often have to remind ourselves; lest we forget, of the hard road which Jesus endured before and for us. Yet, he was willing to be persecuted, suffer, and die that we might live eternal life in our Father's presence. A life lived following Christ is indeed abundant; but, not necessarily, in riches of the earth. It overflows not with material gifts; rather, with the gifts of the spirit.

We usually suffer hard times (consequences) in this world for the sins we commit against others. But, hard times are not necessarily evidence that one has sinned. Jesus said: "Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be." (vss.25-26)

The path which Jesus walked before us and for us included pain, suffering and death. May God help us to remember, the next time we're tempted to complain about the minor hardships of life, that the path which Jesus leads us on is a path to death to things of this world and ultimately to eternal life in our Father's presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Amos 1 - Three Sins and Four

Amos, the shepherd was not a timid man. He warned people vehemently of the coming disaster. He prophesied about the same time as Hosea and Isaiah did. If those two were disliked, Amos was most hated. You will hear very little good news from Amos. He just declares what is going to happen and it's not good. For three sins and for four sins... there will be consequences. He's not talking about different sins. He's talking about the fact that after one sins once; rather than repent, they continue sinning.

How often do we sin and not only not repent; but, make excuses for ourselves as though the sin was not a sin; rather it was something good? I'm thinking probably all too often. Just as no one wanted to hear Amos in his day, no one would probably listen to him today, either. We just don't want to be reminded that we could possibly do anything wrong

Turn to the LORD for He is God and there is only one God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hosea 14 - Repent and Be Blessed

This last chapter in Hosea has a little different tone than the preceding. The preceding chapters were mainly warnings: fall away and suffer the consequences. Today we hear that all who go to the LORD with repentant hearts will be blessed; will be forgiven.

God does not wish for any of us to be separated from Him and from His love. He calls us to turn again (repent) to Him so that we might be made whole.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 49 - Listen, Learn, Be Restored!

The LORD has a message for the Ammonites, for Edom, Damascus, Kadar, Hazor, and Elam. They will all face consequences for their unfaithfulness. Some will learn from the consequences and be restored. Others will not.

The LORD has a message for all people. Listen to Him. Learn from Him and be restored. Live life according to the will of God and you will truly live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Jeremiah 4 - Grief For Those Who Have Deserted The LORD

Nebuchadnezzar is coming. The LORD is sending him and his army to bring terror upon God's people. They have lost His blessing. But, yet, He tells them:

“If you, Israel, will return,
    then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols out of my sight
    and no longer go astray,
and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
    you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
then the nations will invoke blessings by him 
   and in him they will boast.” (Jer 4:1-2 NIV)

God warns His children to return to Him - to return to His ways. But, they do not listen. Do our own children listen? Do they listen to us? Do they listen to the Word of the LORD? Do we?

It is absolutely heartbreaking that we cannot hear or want to receive the blessings of the LORD. Instead, we, like little children, think we have to experiment with other gods. Those other gods will inevitably fail us. Jeremiah grieved for the disaster that was about to befall God's people. How can anyone not grieve for the church today? So many have fallen away... yet, these same who have taken up false gods bear the name Christian and it is there witness that others are hearing. It is a tragedy that worshipping false idols (so many things have taken precedence over loving God with your whole heart, and mind and soul) within the church on earth has taken on epidemic proportions. And... since we have left the LORD to live for our own egos and false gods, we are left to our own devices and their consequences. It is enough to make one grieve for what is about to come.

Return to the LORD and be blessed.

God's Peace - Pr.J

Isaiah 36 - Let The People Hear The Truth

Again, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem are warned that because they falsely trust Egypt to save them, they will be overthrown by Assyria. The commander of Assyria provides this warning and threat. He reminds them that it is their own God, who is turning them over to them because of their infidelity. The commander tells them, boldly and in front of all the people, "Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it." (Isa 35:10 NIV)

Now the leaders of Israel would really prefer that this commander were speaking in another language, in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, so that the ordinary people would not hear and understand the dire straights that they were in. But, the commander refuses. The people are going to hear. If they are going to suffer the same judgment as their leaders than they really should have a heads up on what is going on and what is coming!

That goes not only for that day, but for ours as well. I believe that we have a right to know what our government is planning. I believe we have a need to know about potential threats and what our government plans to do about it. Listening to the news, as I cleaned house last night, I could not help but think that we have a few too many government agencies who are doing top secret things that maybe we (the people) should know more about before they even begin these activities. Top Secret is beginning to sound more akin to doing something that the people may not approve of or maybe God does not approve of, so lets keep it a secret so the ordinary people don't know what trouble we are leading them into.

As most of you know, the media can drive me nuts at times. They seem to do a lot of surmising without a lot of facts. However, it is beginning to be revealed that this surmising sometimes brings out truth that would otherwise be hidden from the ordinary people, the average voter. It reminds me of the commander of the Assyrian Army speaking to the leaders of Israel in full hearing of the people on the wall and telling them that the people need to know so that they can understand the consequences of the leaders' decisions. Some of the decisions being made today appear to have some possible far reaching possibilities for negating the constitutional freedoms and rights of the people. There may be many consequences for us all that we have not even begun to imagine by trusting in a government before trusting in God.

This morning, as detestable as some of the things I hear on the news is (and some of it sadly is mere gossip), I am thanking God that there are whistle-blowers out there who report on not so constitutional activities of the government and a media that is not afraid to report it.

May we all be so truthful so that we can all be prepared for whatever may befall us in our tomorrows.

God's Peace - Pr. J

BTW - did you notice how in the face of internal problems with our own government, we don't hear so much about North Korea? Why is that, I wonder?

Sorry if I offend anyone this morning. As a reminder, this blog, is to remind you to read the chapter for the day and I will comment as it stirs up thoughts in my own heart and mind. These are my thoughts this morning....

Isaiah 5 - Woe To Those Who Call Evil Good

A lot more woes, today, for the children of God, who have proven fruitless! There are consequences, it seems, for real world sin. There are consequences for those who have turned their backs on God and followed in their own ways. Isaiah uses a parable of a vineyard, to warn the people before it is too late and they suffer the consequences of their own greed and self-centeredness.

God has planted a vineyard. He planted it with the choices vines, but it has yielded for him only bad fruit. Woe says, the Word of God, through Isaiah to the children of God.

"Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
and champions at mixing drinks,
who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
but deny justice to the innocent.
Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw
and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay
and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore the Lord’s anger burns against his people;
his hand is raised and he strikes them down."  (Isa 5:20-25 NIV)

Has anything changed since Isaiah's time? God's children suffer the consequences of their unfruitfulness, they repent, they turn to God, and then do it all over again. Will we ever learn? Over and over again, we do the same things that lead us into trouble, but so often we just never learn. Here's one - how about that drunk driver who either almost or does kill someone and; yet, refuses to acknowledge that he has a drinking problem so he's out there sneaking behind the wheel while he's intoxicated the first chance that he has when he thinks he won't be caught. Or... the prescription drug uses who abuses these "legal drugs" to the point that they can no longer care for their families appropriately. They use these "legal drugs" and then blame the fact that they are crabby or mean or neglectful of their family or maybe can't even work because they are sick when the reality is that they can't do these things because the "legal drugs" have made them sick. This illness we call addiction. Get help before you (and the people you love) suffer worse consequences than you already have. And, please don't try to justify your abuse of "legal drugs" by saying it's the only thing that helps. I hear this way too often, by way too many people. God knows better. I know better. You know better. Calling evil good is one of the things we are warned about by Isaiah. If it damages your body, mind, and spirit; if it damages your family, your relationships, how can it be called good? There are consequences for doing those things which we call good, but are not.

Prophecy (in the Old Testament) is not so much a prediction of what will come. It is more of a prediction (a warning) of what might come if something doesn't change. It doesn't have to be. Remember that no matter what we have done in the past, through faith in the redeeming power of the Son, Jesus the Christ, we are forgiven all the evil that we have done. You are forgiven, through Jesus the Christ and that alone should be cause enough to rejoice and return most fully to the LORD! We can change. With the help of God, we can be changed so that our lives are more fruitful. Give up on those desperate attempts to go against God's will - receive His love - His grace - His mercy - and live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. The list of evil that we call good, in today's world, is way too long to even think about enumerating in a blog.

 

Ecclesiastes 8 - Eat, Drink, Be Glad; Live Life

"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun." (Eccl 8:15 NIV)

Would this not be a wonderful way for the world to live: for everyone to be able to enjoy our daily lives; to eat, drink, and be glad; even as we go about the business of providing for ourselves, our families, even our neighbors? Sadly, it is not so. Those who prefer to spend their time stirring up strife, destroying the lives of others, are always around. The wicked need to have things their way. Whatever they think is good for them is the way that they will go regardless of the trouble and harm it may bring to others. They do not understand that "....wickedness will not release those who practice it." (Eccl 8:8) There will, sadly, be consequences. Consequences not just to those who actually carry out things such as mass murders, but to those who secretly plot against their neighbors to cause problems in their daily lives. Their wicked ways will turn upon them.

Thanks be to God, that God in His infinite mercy, sent His only begotten Son, so that all who believe might not perish, but have eternal life in His presence, in His Kingdom, where there actually is joy and peace. (John 3:16, Rom 14:17) Repent then... turn from the wickedness in your heart and live life in Christ. Live life in the one who truly loves you and was willing to be persecuted, tortured, and die for you. The wisdom of living life in Christ will bring a brightness to your face and change your hard appearance as well as the hardness of your heart. Live Life! And... let others do the same.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Proverbs 2 - Ask For Wisdom

The LORD gives wisdom to those who ask.  Are you asking?

I don't think there are too many days that I don't shake my head in wonder at some of the things that are done with a total lack of wisdom or discernment. So many people making choices to destroy their own lives and they don't even know it. They are not wise enough to even recognize that they are miserable!

If you are tired of making wrong choices and seeing bad consequences, ask the LORD for wisdom. Follow in the path that He has set before you. Quit derailing yourself. The wisdom of the LORD will help you to make your journey through this life with peace - peace of heart and mind.

May God grant you wisdom and peace with His and the whole world around you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 111 - Fear and Wisdom

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever." (111:10 NRSV)

Now, we know that we are to love the LORD, our God, with all our heart, our soul, and our strength (Deut 6:5), so what does this mean that we should fear the LORD? Doesn't scripture (1 John 4:18) also say: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."  All of this seems to be a contradiction, does it not?

Think of it in this way. Last week many of our children brought their report cards home from school.  Some of them were afraid to show their parents their grades. They love their parents and their parents love them, yet they were a bit anxious about their parents finding out that while they were in school they were not focusing on the main objective and that would be to receive a good education so that they might have prosperous futures in this world. They had been busy doing their best at something other than what they should have been working on. So they were afraid because they did not want to be exposed. They did not want their parents to know that they had dishonored and disrespected their parents and themselves as well as their teachers and peers, by doing what they ought not and not doing what they ought to. It is not, hopefully not, that they were afraid of their parents. They feared the disapproval of their actions and inactions. They maybe even feared losing their parents love and respect. Maybe, some were just afraid of the consequences; that they might be grounded or have some privileges taken away until they can get back on track and start studying a bit harder. Out of love, parents will give consequences for not going in the way our children should be going. But, in all this, they do not stop loving their children.

There is no fear in love, yet do we not all, in some way, fear not being loved? And, who could love us more than He who was willing to die so that we might live in His loving presence forever?  Over and over again I hear the worries of the people that they may have done something so horrible that God cannot forgive them. How could He possibly love them after all they had done? Like a loving parent, He corrects us, but He never stops loving us. For those who have the wisdom to know that they have not been following in the way of the LORD, our God and Father forgives you all your sins. In this you should trust and have no fear. Do not fear that you cannot be forgiven or loved. He loves you enough to die for you.

Praise the LORD, extol Him with all your heart! Thanks be to God for, in Jesus Christ, His love is made perfect for you!

God's Peace - Pr. J