Solitude for Newly Married Couples

If newly married couples do not leave their family of origin and begin their own traditions and ways of living they will be too enmeshed in the family cult to spiritually and emotionally mature.

When the family structure will not let go of a newly married couple they squash the personalities, hopes, and joys of the newlyweds. The newlyweds are expected to be just like the family cult, never allowed to think on their own and develop their own relationships.

Matthew 19:5

"5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?"

Often the relationships in marriage are damaged by too much extended family interference. Continual contact with extended family does not allow for each person to develop within themselves, make their own decisions and develop their own personality in the way they do things.

Joseph was taken from his family so that eventually he was able to follow God's plan for him. The jealousy of the wicked brothers who threw him into a well was an act of hatred, but God used it for good, just as Joseph said.

Abraham was taken away from family to fulfill the plan God had for him.

We cannot fulfill the plan God has for us if we are tethered to families who want us to be just like them. They will hold us back through jealousy, gossip and lies against us to keep us under their thumb.

I knew of a family who was bankrupt in their lifestyle. One young girl in the family expressed to me that she wanted to be different. I encouraged her that she could move forward by staying strong to her values and goals. The family mocked her that she wanted something better and worked daily to discourage her from becoming something more than what the family wanted for their own lives.

Family pressure can be very subtle and oppressive to newly married couples. If a couple has a family system of encouraging the couple to begin their life separately from the family then that group may be alright, but it is rare for extended family who are interacting on a daily basis to allow the newly married couple to develop their own relationship together without interference.

It is vitally important that newly married couples take their first years of their marriage spending their time together learning to live with one another.

I am always dismayed when a couple gets married and continually surrounds themselves with people in everything they do. Developing a quality relationship takes alone time and effort without others judging what they do.

May anyone newly married reading this take a few years alone with one another before engaging in constant relationships outside their little nuclear family. The first years are the years we learn the most but only if we are not distracted by others.

Luke Warm and Angry People

It is common now for "Christian" relatives to refuse to listen to God's Word. They have a form of religion but are angry at those who adhere to the Bible. They reject anyone who corrects them and hate everyone who will not play their superficial games of religiosity.

Most modern Christians are very proud of who they think they are but are full of dead mens' bones.

Revelation 3:15-17 "…16 So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. "

Full of and depending on ritual and superficial outward appearances the modern church is filled with pretenders. Those who think they are going to heaven and difficult to reach with the real gospel.

Matthew 7:21-23

I Never Knew You

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

When we realize this is what we are dealing with we can remove those who refuse to hear us and depend on the Holy Spirit to show us what is next for us.

We are waiting for that time when it will all be over and Chris will call us home to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Hallelujah!

Come Out From Among Them

Wicked Plots Against the Just

Remember saints, whatever comes, leave it to God. We are not to conspire with the world.
God is in control.Our service on earth now is bringing the gospel, and warning others.
GOD LAUGHS AT THE CONSPIRACY OF MEN
Psalm 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Emotional Vampires Have Taken Over the World

Looking to Christ Alone

Train up a Child

The statement "train up our child in the way they should go" is not a promise, it is a general principle. No parent can train their child perfectly because we are not perfect and each child will have a free will to walk with God or not.

God created the perfect children beings in Adam and Eve and yet they made the choice to disobey the perfect Father.

We must obey God and teach and train our children in the ways of the Lord, that will be on us, but the choice of the child is not on us.

Ezekiel 18:20 "

The person who sins will die. A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."

Those who proudly think they will do the perfect job and their children will come out the way they expect are denying free will of the child. God never forces anyone and good teaching does not force a child, only the choice of the child prevails. The children will emulate the pride of the parents and follow their example more than their words.

Romans 3:10-17

10 as it is written:

“There is no righteous person, not even one;

11 There is no one who understands,

There is no one who seeks out God;

12 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;

There is no one who does good,

There is not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave,

With their tongues they keep deceiving,”

“The venom of asps is under their lips”;

14 “Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,

16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,

17 And they have not known the way of peace.”

We must remember that we should do what God commands but our obedience, which should be an example to others is not a guaranteed formula that others will choose to obey God.

I have known many godly people who came from wicked families and I have known children who came from godly families who rejected Christ.

If we thought we could use a formula that would make it all happen correctly then our trust is in our formula and not in Christ. If we trust in ourselves to make sure the children get it, then we are trusting in ourselves. We must trust in Christ, be obedient and leave the rest to Christ. God will work in our children and they must make their own choice.

I have heard parents say things like; "I will win my child to me so that he does the right thing." We must never work to win our children to ourselves, we must preach the truth and pray that God win them to Himself.

One of the reasons so many parents are devastated when their children reject God or choose a superficial spirituality is because they have been filled with pride about how good they believe they will do. Family appearances then become more important than the inner heart of their children.

May each one of us trust Christ and not ourselves or the perceived appearance to others. Even if others have a view of us that elevates us, God still sees the real us and sometimes Spirit-filled believers see the real us too.

Depending on ourselves and our formulas will often accomplish the opposite of God's desires.

Hebrews 4:13 "13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."