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What’s In A Name?

Do you know what’s in a name?

 

A lot. Especially when we talk about knowing our God through His names. Getting to know God by His names is more than simply learning a new word or discovering a new title He goes by. Learning to know God by His names opens up the door to knowing His character more fully and experiencing His power more deeply.

 

In Scripture, God reveals Himself to us through His names. So to fully grasp the significance and power of God’s names, we first need to understand the importance of names in ancient cultures. In Old Testament times, a name was more than simply nomenclature. Rather, it revealed important information about the individual or thing itself.

So strong is the power of the spoken word, that the mighty four-letter name of God, the Tetragrammaton — IHVH is never pronounced by devout Hebrews. The name is usually substituted for by another four-letter name, ADNI, which is pronounced Adonai and means Lord.

 

The true pronunciation of IHVH is known to very few, as it is believed to be a great secret, and “He who can rightly pronounce it, causeth heaven and earth to tremble, for it is the name which rusheth through the universe.” IHVH is commonly spelled out as Jehovah.

 

God made it clear to Moses that He is eternally present. He has always been, He is now and He will always be. This name of God also speaks about His eternal presence with His people. He is present to help us, comfort us, guide us, and so much more… His presence never leaves you, and He will always be with you. That is the greatest comfort we can ever find, and we learn it from the very name of God: I AM.

 

God said: ‘I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU!’

 

 

Jesus Applied The Name Of God On Himself

Jesus  shocked the religious leaders of Israel, when He made a statement that was unheard-of since the beginning of time. Jesus Christ declared that He Himself is God, when He said:

 

“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)

 

Jesus Claimed He Is The ‘I Am’,The Very Name Of God!

When the Jewish religious leaders heard Jesus say this, they tried to kill Him. By applying the very name of God on Himself, Jesus Christ declared that He is God. To the Jews this was the highest form of blasphemy. In the book of Revelation Jesus reveals Himself to the apostle John with a name that is very similar to ‘I AM”:

 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:7-9).

Jesus made it clear that He is the I AM, who appeared to Moses, He is the One who always existed and He is the one and true God who will always be.

 

The Names of God in the Old Testament

 

This is a list of Hebrew names of God in the Old Testament. Remember that God is real and these names reveal who He wants to be for you and your loved ones. He didn’t only exist thousands of years ago, when these names were first revealed. He is just as present today, to show you who He is. He loves you with all His heart.

 

These Names Of God Reveal Who God Wants To Be For You.

 

Yahweh
The self-existent One. He has always existed and will always exist. You can always rely on Him because He is your eternal source of strength.
(Genesis 2:4), (Isaiah 40:3; 10); (1 Samuel 1:2); (Exodus 6:1-4, 3:1-22)

Adonai
God is the Lord over all. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, He reigns forever. Therefor you find safety in Him and Him alone.
(Genesis 15:2, Judges 6:15, Malachi 1:6, Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 2:4, 8:1, 97:5, 136:3; Isaiah 1:24, 6:1; Romans 10:9)

Yahweh-Maccaddeshem
The Lord your sanctifier. He forgiveness your sins and His Holy Spirit works in your life to become like He is: pure, loving and true.
(Exodus 31:13, Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28)

Yahweh-Rohi
The Lord my shepherd. He cares for you, the way a shepherd tends his sheep. He cares for you and leads you to still waters and green pastures.
(Psalm 23, 80:1, 95:7, Isaiah 40:11, Jeremiah 31:10, Ezekiel 34:12, 23)

Yahweh-Shammah
The Lord who is present. He never leaves you, nor forsakes you. He is with you forever. Your best friend, who never betrays you.
(Ezekiel 48:35, Genesis 28:15, Ezekiel 48:35, Psalm 23:4, 46:1, 139:7-12, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Amos 5:14)

Yahweh-Rapha
The Lord our healer. “By His stripes were are healed” declares the Bible. Jesus Christ died to give you life. Not only was God the healer in the Old Testament, but Jesus Christ revealed the healing heart of God for all of us, more than ever.
(Exodus 15:26, Exodus 15:26, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 6:2, 41:4, 103:3, 147:3, Isaiah 19:22, 30:36, 57:18-19, Jeremiah 3:22; 17:14, 30:17)

Yahweh-Tsidkenu
The Lord our righteousness. When we believe in Jesus Christ, He becomes our righteousness. He forgives our sins and washes us with His blood.
(Jeremiah 23:6, Genesis 15:6, Jeremiah 23:6, Psalm 4:1, 5:8, 24:5, 31:1, 36:10, 71:15, 89:16)

Yahweh-Jireh
The Lord will provide. Jesus Christ said that Father cares for us and we never need to worry about provision. He is our source of life, in every way.
(Genesis 22:13-14)

Yahweh-Nissi
The Lord our banner. The Lord gives us the victory in spiritual warfare. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord raises a banner of His love over us and covers us. He wages war on our behalf and makes us more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
(Exodus 17:15)

Yahweh-Shalom
The Lord is peace. Whenever there are storms in your life, hide in Him. He is your shelter in the storm. He gives peace beyond understanding, even when circumstances are chaotic. He is our shelter and our shield.
(Judges 6:24)

Yahweh-Sabbaoth
The Lord of Hosts. The Bible mentions myriads of angels, who wage war against the armies of hell, who try to destroy mankind. Jesus Christ is the Lord of hosts, the Captain of the armies of heaven.
(Isaiah 6:1-3, 1 Samuel 1:3, 17:45; 2 Samuel 6:2, 7:26-27; 1 Chronicles 11:9; Haggai 1:5)

Yahweh-Ghmolah
The God of Recompense. The Lord says in Romans 12 “vengeance is mine, I will repay.” We should never avenge others for what they do to us, but leave it in God’s hands.
(Jeremiah 51:6)

Elohim
God is creator, powerful and mighty, Lord of lords. He is the Lord Most High, stronger and mightier than anyone or anything. When you face impossible circumstances or adversaries, now that your God is stronger.
(Gen. 1:1, 17:7, Ps 19:1 Jer. 31:33)

El-Elyon
The most high God. Do not fear the enemy who tries to intimidate you. Know that your God is the Most High God. There is none above Him. Jesus Christ is exalted high above every name.
(Genesis 14:17-20, Deuteronomy 26:19, Isaiah 14:13-14)

El-Gibhor
Mighty God. The Lord is mighty to save. His arm is not too short. Whatever problem you are facing, know that your God is El-Gibhor, MIGHTY!
(Isaiah 9:6)

El-Olam
The everlasting God. God is eternal, while your problems are temporary. His love will never change. His promises are true. Build on Him, who is eternal and do not focus on your temporary situations. He will show you His great and eternal goodness.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)

El-Roi
The strong one who sees. When you feel lonely and abandoned by people, know that God is with you. He sees you and He knows you. He hears the cry of your heart and He loves you more than you can imagine. He will lead you through and fill your heart with His praise.
(Genesis 16:13)

El-Shaddai-Rohi
God Almighty, the mighty One of Jacob. God is not just another ‘god’ like the countless idols. He truly is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth.
(Gen. 17:1, 49:24, Ps. 91:1, 132:2, 5)

El-Chuwl
The God who gave birth. God is our Creator and our Father. He saw us and He loved us, even before we were born. He has a plan for your life and if you walk with Him, He will fulfill His dreams over your life and amaze you.
(Psalm 139:13-18)

El-Deah
God of knowledge. Wisdom comes from the Lord. Man tries to become wise apart from God, but ends up in foolishness. When we fear God and keep His commandments, to love one another, we will know Him as He is and His wisdom will guide us.
(1 Samuel 2:3; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 1:18-31)

Attiyq Youm
The Ancient of Days. God is eternal. He was before the beginning of time. Therefor He has all authority. Every knee bows before Him.
(Daniel 7:9, 13, 14)

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Gods’ Name In The Bible

 

 

The following list with names of God are descriptions of who God is, what He does and what He means to us, His beloved children. These names apply to either God the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit. Use these names of God to get a wonderful understanding of how incredibly beautiful God is in so many different ways.

 

He is almighty, holy, powerful and His appearance can be terrible and frightening, yet at the same time He is tender, compassionate, faithful, full of grace and mercy, our best friend. Only when we embrace the extremes of God, will we know Him as He truly is.

 

Jesus Christ Is The Lion Of Judah

 

A Lion and a Lamb are two extreme opposites yet Jesus Christ is both of them. Many Christians only want to know Jesus as the Lamb, or the Good Shepherd. But He is also the fierce, roaring and consuming Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the One Who roars from Zion, through the mouth of His prophets. Jesus Christ is both comforting and terrifying. He gives amazing grace and He demands purity and holiness. He is our best friend and our exalted King.

 

Please read through all the names of God and ask the Spirit of God to open the eyes of your heart, so that He can show you who He truly is, in all His majesty, love and wisdom.

 

A

ABBA (Romans 8:15)
ADVOCATE (I John 2:1 kjv)
ALMIGHTY (Genesis 17:1)
ALL IN ALL (Colossians 3:11)
ALPHA (Revelation 22:13)
AMEN (Revelation 3:14)
ANCIENT OF DAYS (Daniel 7:9)
ANOINTED ONE (Psalm 2:2)
APOSTLE (Hebrews 3:1)
ARM OF THE LORD (Isaiah 53:1)
AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION (Hebrews 5:9)
AUTHOR OF OUR FAITH (Hebrews 12:2)
AUTHOR OF PEACE (1 Cor. 14:33)
AVENGER (1 Thessalonians 4:6)

B

BEGINNING (Revelation 21:6)
BISHOP OF SOULS (1 Peter 2:25)
BLESSED & HOLY RULER (1 Timothy 6:15)
BRANCH (Jeremiah 33:15)
BREAD OF GOD (John 6:33)
BREAD OF LIFE (John 6:35)
BREATH OF LIFE (Genesis 2:7, Revelation 11:11)
BRIDEGROOM (Isaiah 62:5)
BRIGHT MORNING STAR (Revelation 22:16)
BUCKLER (2 Sam.22:31 kjv,Psalm 18:2 kjv, Psalm 18:30 kjv,Proverbs 2:7 kjv)

C

CAPTAIN OF SALVATION (Hebrews 2:10)
CARPENTER (Mark 6:3)
CHIEF SHEPHERD (1 Peter 5:4)
CHOSEN ONE (Isaiah 42:1)
CHRIST (Matthew 22:42)
CHRIST OF GOD (Luke 9:20)
CHRIST THE LORD (Luke 2:11)
CHRIST, SON OF LIVING GOD (Matthew 16:16)
COMFORTER (John 14:26 kjv)
COMMANDER (Isaiah 55:4)
CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL (Luke 2:25)
CONSUMING FIRE (Deut. 4:24, Heb. 12:29)
CORNERSTONE (Isaiah 28:16)
COUNSELOR (Isaiah 9:6)
CREATOR (1 Peter 4:19)
CROWN OF BEAUTY (Isaiah 28:5)

C

DAYSPRING (Luke 1:78)
DELIVERER (Romans 11:26)
DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS (Haggai 2:7)
DIADEM OF BEAUTY (Isaiah 28:5)
DOOR (John 10:7 kjv)
DWELLING PLACE (Psalm 90:1)

E

ELECT ONE (Isaiah 42:1)
EMMANUEL (Matthew 1:23 kjv)
END (Revelation 21:6)
ETERNAL GOD (Deut. 33:27)
ETERNAL LIFE (1 John 5:20)
ETERNAL SPIRIT (Hebrews 9:14)
EVERLASTING FATHER (Isaiah 9:6)
EVERLASTING GOD (Genesis 21:33)
EXCELLENT (Psalm 148:13 kjv)

F

FAITHFUL & TRUE (Revelation 19:11)
FAITHFUL WITNESS (Revelation 1:5)
FATHER (Matthew 6:9)
FIRSTBORN (Rom.8:29, Rev.1:5, Col.1:15)
FIRSTFRUITS (1 Cor.15:20-23)
FORTRESS (Jeremiah 16:19)
FOUNDATION (1 Cor. 3:11)
FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS (Jeremiah 2:13)
FRIEND (Matthew 11:19)
FULLERS’ SOAP (Malachi 3:2 kjv)

G

GENTLE WHISPER (1 Kings 19:12)
GIFT OF GOD (John 4:10)
GLORY OF THE LORD (Isaiah 40:5)
GOD (Genesis 1:1)
GOD ALMIGHTY (Genesis 17:1)
GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH (Isaiah 54:5)
GOD OVER ALL (Romans 9:5)
GOD WHO SEES ME (Genesis 16:13)
GOODNESS (Psalm 144:2 kjv)
GOOD SHEPHERD (John 10:11)
GOVERNOR (Psalm 22:28 kjv)
GREAT HIGH PRIEST (Hebrews 4:14)
GREAT SHEPHERD (Hebrews 13:20)
GUIDE (Psalm 48:14)

H

HEAD OF THE BODY (Colossians 1:18)
HEAD OF THE CHURCH (Ephesians 5:23)
HEIR OF ALL THINGS (Hebrews 1:2)
HIDING PLACE (Psalm 32:7)
HIGHEST (Luke 1:76)
HIGH PRIEST (Hebrews 3:1)
HIGH PRIEST FOREVER (Hebrews 6:20)
HOLY GHOST (John 14:26)
HOLY ONE (Acts 2:27)
HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (Isaiah 49:7)
HOLY SPIRIT (John 15:26)
HOPE (Titus 2:13)
HORN OF SALVATION (Luke 1:69)
HUSBAND (Isaiah 54:5, Jer. 31:32, Hosea 2:16)

I

I AM (Exodus 3:14, John 8:58)
IMAGE OF GOD (2 Cor. 4:4)
IMAGE OF HIS PERSON (Hebrews 1:3 kjv)
IMMANUEL (Isaiah 7:14)
INTERCESSOR (Romans 8:26,27,34 Hebrews 7:25)

J

JAH (Psalm 68:4 kjv)
JEALOUS (Exodus 34:14 kjv)
JEHOVAH (Psalm 83:18 kjv)
JESUS (Matthew 1:21)
JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD (Romans 6:23)
JUDGE (Isaiah 33:22, Acts 10:42)
JUST ONE (Acts 22:14)

K

KEEPER (Psalm 121:5)
KING (Zechariah 9:9)
KING ETERNAL (1 Timothy 1:17)
KING OF GLORY (Psalm 24:10)
KING OF JEWS (Matthew 27:11)
KING OF KINGS (1 Timothy 6:15)
KING OF SAINTS (Revelation 15:3)

L

LAMB OF GOD (John 1:29)
LAST ADAM (1 Cor. 15:45)
LAWGIVER (Isaiah 33:22)
LEADER (Isaiah 55:4)
LIFE (John 14:6)
LIGHT OF THE WORLD (John 8:12)
LIKE AN EAGLE (Deut. 32:11)
LILY OF THE VALLEYS (Song 2:1)
LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (Revelation 5:5)
LIVING GOD (Daniel 6:20)
LIVING STONE (1 Peter 2:4)
LIVING WATER (John 4:10)
LORD (John 13:13)
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY (Revelation 15:3)
LORD GOD OF HOSTS (Jeremiah 15:16)
LORD JESUS CHRIST (1 Cor. 15:57)
LORD OF ALL (Acts 10:36)
LORD OF GLORY (1 Cor. 2:8)
LORD OF HARVEST (Matthew 9:38)
LORD OF HOSTS (Haggai 1:5)
LORD OF LORDS (1 Tim. 6:15)
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jeremiah 23:6)
LOVE (1 John 4:8)
LOVINGKINDNESS (Psalm 144:2)

M

MAKER (Job 35:10, Psalm 95:6)
MAJESTY ON HIGH (Hebrews 1:3)
MAN OF SORROWS (Isaiah 53:3)
MASTER (Luke 5:5)
MEDIATOR (1 Timothy 2:5)
MERCIFUL GOD (Jeremiah 3:12)
MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT (Malachi 3:1)
MESSIAH (John 4:25)
MIGHTY GOD (Isaiah 9:6)
MIGHTY ONE (Isaiah 60:16)
MOST UPRIGHT (Isaiah 26:7)

N

NAZARENE (Matthew 2:23)

O

OFFSPRING OF DAVID (Revelation 22:16)
OMEGA (Revelation 22:13)
ONLY BEGOTTEN SON (John 1:18 kjv)
OUR PASSOVER LAMB (1 Cor. 5:7)
OUR PEACE (Ephesians 2:14)

P

PHYSICIAN (Luke 4:23)
PORTION (Psalm 73:26,Psalm 119:57)
POTENTATE (1 Timothy 6:15)
POTTER (Isaiah 64:8)
POWER OF GOD (1 Cor. 1:24)
PRINCE OF LIFE (Acts 3:15)
PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9:6)
PROPHET (Acts 3:22)
PROPHET OF THE HIGHEST (Luke 1:76)
PROPITIATION (1John 2:2, 1John 4:10)
PURIFIER (Malachi 3:3)

Q

QUICKENING SPIRIT (1 Corinthians 15:45 kjv)

R

RABBONI (TEACHER) (John 20:16)
RADIANCE OF GOD’S GLORY (Heb.1:3)
REDEEMER (Job 19:25)
REFINER’S FIRE (Malachi 3:2)
REFUGE (Jeremiah 16:19)
RESURRECTION (John 11:25)
REWARDER (Hebrews 11:6)
RIGHTEOUS ONE (1 John 2:1)
ROCK (1 Cor.10:4)
ROOT OF DAVID (Rev. 22:16)
ROSE OF SHARON (Song 2:1)
RULER OF GOD’S CREATION (Rev. 3:14)
RULER OVER KINGS OF EARTH (Rev 1:5)
RULER OVER ISRAEL (Micah 5:2)

S

SAVIOR (Luke 2:11)
SCEPTRE (Numbers 24:17)
SEED (Genesis 3:15)
SERVANT (Isaiah 42:1)
SHADE (Psalm 121:5)
SHEPHERD OF OUR SOULS (1Peter 2:25)
SHIELD (Genesis 15:1)
SHILOH (Genesis 49:10)
SONG (Exodus 15:2, Isaiah 12:2)
SON OF DAVID (Matthew 1:1)
SON OF GOD (Matthew 27:54)
SON OF MAN (Matthew 8:20)
SON OF THE MOST HIGH (Luke 1:32)
SOURCE (Hebrews 5:9)
SPIRIT (John 4:24)
SPIRIT OF ADOPTION (Romans 8:15)
SPIRIT OF GOD (Genesis 1:2)
SPIRIT OF TRUTH (John 14:17,15:26,16:13)
STAR OUT OF JACOB (Numbers 24:17)
STRENGTH (Jeremiah 16:19)
STONE (1 Peter 2:8)
STONE OF ISRAEL (Genesis 49:24)
STRONGHOLD (Nahum 1:7)
STRONG TOWER (Proverbs 18:10)
SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (Malachi 4:2)

T

TEACHER (John 13:13)
TEMPLE (Revelation 21:22)
THE ONE (Psalm 144:2,10)
TRUE LIGHT (John 1:9)
TRUE WITNESS (Revelation 3:14)
TRUTH (John 14:6)

V

VINE (John 15:5)

W

WALL OF FIRE (Zechariah 2:5)
WAY (John 14:6)
WISDOM OF GOD (1 Cor. 1:24)
WITNESS (Isaiah 55:4)
WONDERFUL (Isaiah 9:6)
WORD (John 1:1)
WORD OF GOD (Revelation 19:13)

Y

YAH (Isaiah 12:2 kjv, Psalm 68:4 nkjv)

 

 

God has a name for every situation we find ourselves in. We need to learn the names of God because when we know His character and His capacity, we will find rest and discover peace and power in His covenant love for us. Because of the depth of God’s character, He has various names that reflect the many ways He relates to humanity. Like the examples above, God is called Elohim when revealing Himself as the all-powerful Creator.

 

He is Jehovah Nissi—the Lord’s banner of victory (a name you need to know when seeking victory in your life). God is also known as Jehovah Rapha, or the Lord your healer. When you are in need of provision, get to know the name Jehovah Jireh—God, the provider. No matter what we call Him, we must understand that He is so big in our lives that we can not live a good life without Him. We must always seek His name and presence in our lives.

 

 

God Bless,

 

MyBibleQuestions

 

 

Star Of David

The Star of David is a six-pointed star made up of two equilateral triangles superimposed over each other. It also is known as a hexagram. In Hebrew, it is called the magen David (מָגֵן דָּוִד), which means the “shield of David.” The Star of David doesn’t have any religious significance in Judaism, but it is one of the symbols most commonly associated with the Jewish people. 

The Star of David is not, contrary to what some allege, a pagan symbol. Some claim it to represent the shape of King David’s shield (or perhaps the emblem on it). However, there is really little or no historic evidence to support this idea. The Star of David has all its triangles intertwined. This shows that our soul is linked to the Lord Almighty in each and every aspect.

ORIGINS OF THE STAR OF DAVID

The origins of the Star of David are unclear. We do know that the symbol hasn’t always been associated exclusively with Judaism, but was used by Christians and Muslims at various points in history as well. Sometimes it was even associated with King Solomon instead of King David. 

The Star of David is not mentioned in rabbinic literature until the Middle Ages. It was during the latter part of this era that Kabbalists, the Jewish mystics, began to associate the symbol with a deeper spiritual meaning. One siddur (a Jewish prayer book) dated from 1512 in Prague displays a large Star of David on the cover with the phrase: “He will merit to bestow a bountiful gift on anyone who grasps the Shield of David.”

The symbol itself was relatively common throughout much of the Middle East and North Africa. It is also evident in early Jewish artwork, but not as an exclusively Jewish symbol. Although it was eventually used during the Middle Ages as a magical symbol, its roots are largely associated with a purely decorative design exclusive to no particular ethnicity. One thing is for sure, the star represents the hundreds and thousands of years of struggle, that the Israeli wanderers had been through.

The Star of David was eventually cemented as a Jewish symbol when it became a favorite architectural decoration on Jewish buildings throughout the Middle Ages. According to German-born Israeli philosopher and historian Gershom Scholem, many Jews adopted this symbol in Eastern Europe in an effort to match the prevalence of the Christian cross.

By the 17th century, it was displayed on the outside of synagogues to identify them as Jewish places of worship. By the latter part of the 19th Century, the symbol was adopted by the Zionist movement, and of course used commonly during the 20th Century to identify Jews—by some in a degrading fashion, but by themselves as well to show their unity and strength. The overlapping triangles forming a star are the two dimensions that represent the relationship between God and Humanity.

Then, during World War II, when Hitler forced Jews to wear a yellow Star of David as a “badge of shame,” the symbol become prominently cemented as a Jewish symbol. Jews were also forced to wear identifying badges during the Middle Ages, although not always a Star of David. Jews reclaimed the symbol, beginning with Zionists at the First Zionist Congress in 1897, where the Star of David was chosen as the central symbol for the flag of the future State of Israel.

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WHAT IS THE DAVID CONNECTION?

The symbol’s association with King David comes mostly from Jewish legend. For instance, there is a midrash that says that when David was a teen he fought an enemy, King Nimrod. David’s shield was composed of two interlocking triangles attached to the back of a round shield, and, at one point, the battle became so intense that the two triangles were fused together. David won the battle and the two triangles were henceforth known as magen David, the Shield of David.

This story, of course, is just one of many. Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) is the capital city of Israel. The blue Star of David is prominently seen in the center of the Israeli flag with a white background and placed in between two horizontal blue stripes.

It was officially established in the year 1948, after the independence. The Jews struggled and wandered a lot, and finally have a homeland to call their own. The white background stands for peace, light, struggle and honesty whereas the blue background stands for faith, trust, unity and heaven.

The Israeli emblem was adopted in the year 1949, which is a seven-flame candle stand, called the Menorah, surrounded by an olive branch on each side. There are different color variations to the Menorah, but the blue Menorah is the commonly used emblem by government officials.

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SYMBOLIC MEANINGS

There are several ideas about the symbolic meaning of the Star of David. Some Kabbalists thought that the six points represented God’s absolute rule over the universe in all six directions: north, south, east, west, up, and down.

Kabbalist also believed that the two triangles represented humanity’s dual nature – good and evil — and that the star could be used as protection against evil spirits.

The structure of the star, with two overlapping triangles, has also been thought to represent the relationship between God and the Jewish people. The triangle pointing upwards symbolizes the good deeds that reach heaven and represents God’s laws and scriptures.

While the triangle pointing downwards symbolizes the abundant blessings poured on the earth and the Jews studying and applying their teachings. 

Some Kabbalists say that the six points represent the absolute rule of God over the universe in all directions. The north, south, east, west, zenith and nadir are all under one God’s rule. It may also symbolize the dual nature of good and evil, and is used to protect one against the evil spirit. Yet others have noticed that there are 12 sides on the triangle, perhaps representing the Twelve Tribes.

The flag of Israel features a blue Star of David prominently in the middle of a white banner with two horizontal blue lines on the top and bottom of the flag. Likewise, many Jews wear jewelry that prominently features the Star of David today. Nowadays, it has now become closely associated with the modern nation of Israel and Judaism.

Today, the blue Star of David is looked upon as a symbol of unity, honor, and respect. The six sides and the center describe the six working days. Also on the sixth day, God created man and woman, and the hexagon in the center represents the Sabbath. 

Since it is a national insignia identifying the user or wearer as an Israeli or Jew, or both, one should generally not display it but, it is good to recognize that they are God’s chosen people from the Old Testament and that they hold a special place in God’s heart. God said He would bless those who blessed them and He would curse whoever curses you (Genesis 12:3). We just have to remember that God gave his only Son for all of our sins and that He is the only way to our Father.

God Bless,

MyBibleQuestions

 

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What, then, is the right answer to the above question? Christianity teaches that we are saved not by our works, but by grace. We do not plead our own efforts, but instead to plead the efforts of Jesus Christ. Were all chosen by God before we were even formed in the womb.

 

So, why don’t we grow up being obedient to His Word?

 

After all, Obedience comes with Grace. The word “grace” means an undeserved free gift. Grace is unmerited favor. Grace is receiving the opposite of what we deserve. And it is only on this basis that we can expect God to save us. This is strikingly clear in (Ephesians 2:8-9). For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 

Are you willing to do what it takes to truly know God? Seeking to identify the middle ground between our responsibility (obedience) and God’s role in sanctification (holiness) can be challenging, but it doesn’t need to be. The Bible is filled with passages about obedience. This is why I do not embrace hyper grace, but I cherish biblical grace.

 

Of all the attributes of God described in the Bible, holiness is seen most often. Men fell down in the holy presence of God. Leaders, priests, and kings all trembled at the sheer magnitude of His holiness. The angels cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is our God.” Holiness (through obedience) is the key to truly understanding God.

 

This is why sin is a serious thing. It separates us from God; it stands in direct opposition to Him. It corrupts our character and our testimony; it prevents holiness and quenches and grieves the Spirit within. We cannot say we Love our Lord with all of our heart and not be obedient.

 

That is one of the biggest things that Bible teaches us, To Be Obedient. Every man of God disobeyed Him at one point or another. We all know the story of Israel’s first King. King Saul was disobedient to what God asked him to do and God took His Grace from Him.

 

There are numerous stories in the Bible about removing His Grace because, of disobedience. Samson and King Solomon are other stories in the Bible. We can’t forget about Job, when God allowed Satan to torment him (Even Though He Was A Just Man). All that happened to him was because, God removed His Grace from Job.

 

 

(1 Peter 1:14) says, “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.” 1 John 3:3 adds that “all who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.” And Romans 6:19 tells us to present our “bodies as slaves to righteousness.” Peter asks, “What sort of people ought you to be in holiness and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:11). It’s clear from Scripture that grace produces sanctification (holiness).

 

Holiness is a by-product of our submission to the work of the Spirit. Because of God’s grace I want to obey Him. Sadly, many don’t seek this surrendered life. They want the narrow road to be broad and the cross to be light. But holiness has a cost.

Cost Of Holiness

 

Holiness will cost a man his sins. We must be willing to give up every habit and practice which is wrong in Gods sight… There must be no separate truce with any special sin which We love. Our sins are often as dear to us as our children: we love them, hug them, cleave to them, and delight in them. To part with them is as hard as cutting off a right hand, or plucking out a right eye. But it must be done. The parting must come. Holiness comes with a price…there is a cost – death to self and crucifixion to the world.

 

To be filled mightily with the Spirit, we must first be emptied of self. Pride and arrogance hinder holiness. Were to overcome sin, not surrender to it. A vast majority of Christian are turning a deaf ear to holiness saying, “We live under grace now.” Conviction is replaced with complacency. Their thought is, “I’m just not convicted about that like you are.” Often, the reason is that they are not truly seeking God.

 

Understanding Sin

 

 Understanding this failure to meet God’s standard becomes clear when we recognize that sin is not just a matter of doing, or saying, or even thinking wrong things. No, it is much more fundamental than that. Sin is naturally in our hearts. All the evil things we do come from within us. Sin is not fundamentally just a matter of what we’ve done, but rather who we are. Let’s look at the way Jesus explains this in (Mark 7:20-23).

 

And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

 

 

What Is Grace?

 

The word “Grace” according to Bible scholars and theologians means “unmerited favor” – the concept that none of us in the human race deserve to be saved because we are all wretched sinners. But God through His “graciousness” sent His Son (apparently instead of God coming to earth Himself) to die for all sinners, so those who “make the right choice” and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior will not have to die eternally.

 

Instead, God apparently will overlook the fact that we are all sinners (because as they say, no one IS perfect – or even CAN be perfect) so Jesus’ blood on Calvary somehow “covers us up” so God apparently cannot see that we are sinners. Or at least God apparently looks the other way and let’s us into heaven anyway because “Jesus died in our place.”

 

 

 

The Need For Grace

 

We’ve seen that Grace is a pardon for sin. Sin results when we disobey God. There-fore, the need to pardon us for sin exists because of what Jesus did on the Cross. A murderer would not be condemned to die if there were no law against murder, and he would not need a pardon. God offers His grace and sent Jesus to die for our sins for the plain and simple fact that the Grace is in effect.

 

We all know that Jesus came to show us his Grace but, Grace is also in the Old Testament. In (Genesis 6:8) we find Noah found grace in the eyes of God and therefore God saved him from the penalty of death by drowning. (Exodus 34:5-7) reads like something out of Galatians — speaking of God’s mercy, grace, long-suffering, and abundance in goodness and truth. Were under grace. Grace is not a permanent condition of the believer but a gift granted by God. That gift can be rejected through our attitude of rebellion and acts of disobedience.

 

After all, if Noah (and his sons) did not build the Ark, they would have drowned like the rest of the world. That is true. Jesus Himself said that those who love Him obey His commandments (John 14:15). So, does obedience of the commandments of God save us?

 

Scripture is clear. No ritual or work can save us. Only God does. Noah, then, would have to have been saved spiritually before he built the Ark (2 Corinthians 2:15) since we know that salvation and faith are both gifts from God (Ephesians 2:8-9) and no unsaved person can obey God in the fullest sense (Ephesians 2:2-3).

 

His building of the Ark, therefore, is a manifestation of the salvation already there. Because he loved God, he obeyed God.

 

We can say; blood doesn’t force the heart to pump by flowing through it. The heart pumps the blood by itself, giving the body life. The illustration isn’t perfect, but the idea is what is seen: our work is a natural effect of the cause, salvation. It’s not as though God was doing things differently in the Old Testament than He did things in the New Testament. God is the same always (Hebrews 13:8). This doesn’t mean we therefore adopt the works-based religion of the religious leaders that Jesus condemned. This means we apply God’s truth consistently.

 

Am I saying that us as Christians never sin after were’re saved? No, but I am saying that Christians obey the commandments of their king because their king has saved them. If you trust that you can do enough good things to counter-balance your bad things, then you don’t have Christian salvation. Luckily for you and I, salvation is a free gift to those who desire it. We just have to be obedient to what God asks us and He will show us His Grace. We should not apologize for following God’s Word.

 

Were in the midst of a spiritual battle. We will be criticized for following Christ, mocked for believing in truth, and challenged for promoting holiness. Were called to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him. The day of the passive, lukewarm church must come to an end if we truly desire for families to be restored and for lives to be rebuilt.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions

 

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This question is one that kids and adults have asked me in more than one occasion. We serve in our church children’s ministry and it has been asked quite a few times. There are a a lot of passages in the Bible that we can imagine by the way it is written that God does have a sense of humor.

 

We can’t expect for God to be serious every hour of everyday. But, God does have a purpose for everything that happens in our lives even and we can’t take everything lightly or even to seriously. We have to ask our Father for wisdom in everything that we go through in our lives.

 

(Genesis 1:27) So God created mankind in his own image.

 

There’s no reason to think God doesn’t have a sense of humor. Most humans have a sense of humor, and we are made in his image. When you think of someone who has a great sense of humor, you will usually find this person is someone who laughs a lot. Laughter and a good sense of humor go hand in hand. This ability to laugh comes from God.

 

A baby who is made in God’s image does not have to be taught to smile and laugh. It just comes natural. Babies usually begin smiling within a couple of months after being born. When a baby smiles in response to seeing their mother, or after hearing their dad’s voice, it is evidence that God has given us things like laughter, humor, and happiness to help us in our lives. A baby smiles because it is happy to see its loved ones.

 

This in return brings happiness to the parents who see their little ones smiling. Hearing the laughter of children brings joy to most everyone.

 

How’s A Talking Donkey For Proof Of God’s Sense Of Humor

 

One of the most amazing proofs of God’s sense of humor comes from the Old Testament.

 

(Numbers 22:28) Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?

 

Using a talking donkey to line out the prophet Balaam may not have been funny to the prophet, but many others over the years have gotten a laugh from this incident when they have read about it. When God want to speak to us, He will use anything or anyone  to get His message to us.

 

Other scriptures to consider about the subject of laughter and humor include (Proverbs 15:13) A happy heart makes the face cheerful, (Ecclesiastes 3:4) a time to weep and a time to laugh, and (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine.

 Ananias and Saul

 

In the Book of (Acts 9) God asks one of his followers to do something that is laughable. He asks Ananias, who lives in Damascus (in present day Syria), to go see a man named Saul who is visiting his city. The reason this is so laughable is because this isn’t the kind of guy Ananias is ever going to want to meet.

 

We have to remember that Saul had come to Damascus to capture and arrest people (like Ananias) who were following Jesus. After God tells him to go to Saul, I picture Ananias laughing (even though it tells us he was actually scared). Maybe Ananias says something sarcastic like, “Sure God, I’ll make it easier on him to find me. Do you want me to beat myself for him as well?”

 

But God isn’t kidding. Even though Saul’s plan was to oppose everything Jesus was about, Jesus is going to use Saul (later be renamed Paul) in spreading this church all over the known world and as the author of much of the New Testament of the Bible.

 

Ananias went to Paul, and the rest is church history. Imagine Ananias as he aged. Don’t you think he looked back on this point in time, when God called him to do this crazy thing, as one of the real highlights of his life? Maybe he even laughed!

 

Jonah and The Fish

 

Jonah disobeys God’s instructions and takes a wild ride in the belly of a whale for 3 days. The fish vomits him onto the shore (I’m thinking seaweed wraps his body). Whatever he’s covered with dries to his skin as he marches to Nineveh to deliver God’s message of destruction. Throughout the ordeal, everyone but Jonah obey God: the sailors, fish, the wind, the gourd, the Ninevites, the worm.

 

Nineveh repents so God changes His mind, which really angers Jonah. He pouts and sits in the shade. He asks  the Lord to take his life. God causes a worm to eat the shade plant (too funny) so Jonah scorches in the hot sun. God has Jonah on His mind (probably giggling all the time) and starts a conversation with him. God tells Jonah that “Do you Do Well To Be Angry”  See how the story ends (Jonah 4).

 

Other Passages

 

The Bible is full of such stories: Elijah whining after killing the prophets of Baal, Moses losing control and destroying the first set of the Ten Commandments, frogs hopping about in Egypt, and Rhoda leaving Peter outside knocking on the door (Acts 12:11-16).

 

There’s no doubt God has a sense of humor and wants us to laugh because He does, often. Start noticing your comical surroundings. As you chuckle and snicker, thank God for His gift of humor He loves to share.

 

 

Many people have used humor in a way that is very displeasing to God. Dirty jokes from coworkers and vulgar comedians have given humor a bad name for some people. This is man’s way with many things that God did not originally intend. Appropriate humor and laughter is a gift from above that should be put into practice as often as possible.

 

Many people tend to forget that God is the master of our lives if we let him and has a master plan for each and every one of our lives. He is in control. God knew and wrote the book on our live long before we were born and he knows our lives better than we do.

 

Despite what we human may think is best for us God really does know better what`s best for us. Many people have asked for something they were sure to get including myself only ending up to not get it at that particular time but say years down the line saying, Now it makes sense. I see why God didn`t give me what I originally asked for because if he had I wouldn`t be in this better situation I am currently in. ”  God has the perfect time for everything.

 

If you are with God then you know he is constantly working in our lives preparing us for the future and giving us what is best for us. When we go through the many trials we experienced in our lives  and realize we are on our last leg we should pray and pray a lot. I have had many unexplainable things for the better happen to me when I prayed and going through  trying times also brought me closer to God.

 

God may take us through trying times only to help us grow stronger and bring us closer to him. He does it because he loves us so much and loves us with an unconditional love. Just like you and I love our kids, we are all God`s children and he loves us dearly.

 

So, when people ask, “Does God have a sense of humor?” Yes, He does. He created us in his image and when we rejoice he rejoices right along with us. When we celebrate, he celebrates right along with us, when we are wallowing in happiness; he is right by our side as happy as we are. And when we are going through tough and trying times he is right there with us holding us in the palm of his hand and leading the way.

 

So, just remember that God has a plan for each and every one of us and sometimes those plans are not always what we expect. When we all realize the greatness of God and his level of his love for us then he can rejoice and laugh right along with us as we celebrate his goodness and greatness.

 

 

God Bless,

 

MyBibleQuestions

 

 

One of the most amazing stories in all of the Bible is the story of Samson. He was the strong man; judge of Israel and the Philistines arch nemesis. His birth was miraculous and his rise to fame was nothing short of legendary. Samson, a member of the tribe of Dan, was one of the Judges of Israel.

 

He Judged Israel for 20 years. Samson’s mother received a visit from an angel, who told her she would give birth to an unusual son, a Nazirite, and not to cut his hair. Samson had great strength, he killed a lion with his bare hands, and later killed 1,000 Philistines with a jawbone of a donkey. He had romantic encounters with three Philistine women.

 

He fell in love with one of the women, Delilah. The five leaders of the Philistine nation went to Delilah, and demanded that she find out from Samson what made him so strong, so they could subdue him. She eventually found out it was because his hair had never been cut. While asleep, Samson’s hair was cut off. Losing his strength, he was captured by the Philistines, who gouged out his eyes, and made him grind grain in prison.

 

Samson’s commitment to God, through his Nazarite vow, was the key to his strength (Judges 16:17). The enemy constantly sought an opportunity to find out what would make Samson weak, but they failed to realize that Samson would become weak long before the locks of his hair were cut off. Samson’s undoing would prove to come through the portal of his eyes.

 

In (Judges 14:1-3; 16:1), we find the following statements, “saw a woman”, “I have seen a woman”, “for she pleaseth me well” (literally, is right in my eyes), “saw there an harlot”. The man who was renowned for his strength would be brought to his knees because he couldn’t harness his own fleshly desires.

 

When the enemy finally subdued him, after cutting his hair (Judges 16:9), the first thing they did was put out his eyes (Judges 16:21). Little did they know that they had done Samson a favor. By taking out his eyes, they eliminated the lifelong hindrance that Samson had. Now, in his blindness, he was able to see God like never before. His sight had proven to be his downfall and now his blindness would lead to his greatest moment of victory.

 

Perhaps the most critical passage in the book of Judges is that which has to do with Samson’s selection of his Philistine wife, with the reluctant participation of his father and mother. Here is the controversial reading:

 

“But his father and mother knew not that it was of Jehovah; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines” (14:4).

 

:There are two problems here that must be carefully considered:

 

First, there is the phrase (regarding Samson’s marriage to this Philistine), “it was of Jehovah.” How can that be said when, clearly, marriages between the Hebrews and pagans were prohibited (Exodus 34:16); (Deuteronomy 7:3)? Did God cause Samson to violate divine law? He did not. What, then, is the meaning?

 

This is an example of the use of a common Hebrew idiom, whereby God is said to actively do what he merely tolerates. The Lord can take a bad situation and use it for the accomplishment of his own purpose.

 

Second, what does the text mean when it says that “he sought an occasion against the Philistines”? Does the pronoun refer to God, or to Samson?

 

Though some attribute the action to Samson, more likely the reference is to God. If that is the case, we must not assume that the Lord was arbitrarily looking for some excuse to justify the destruction of an innocent people. No, the record of Philistine depravity is clear enough. In fact, these people should have been eliminated during Israel’s initial invasion of the land.

 

Furthermore, “sought” is a form of the figure of speech known as anthropopathism (human emotions ascribed to deity) — just as physical traits are sometimes employed of God for emphatic purposes (Isaiah 59:1).

 

The meaning of the text, therefore, seems to be this. God, in his infinite wisdom and in the exercise of his sovereign power, allowed Samson to utilize his own freedom of choice — foolish though it was — yet the Lord turned the occasion into a victory for Israel over their oppressors. Jehovah’s will cannot be thwarted!

 

 

The Philistines stood Samson in the center of a temple during a celebration, his hair had now grown back. Samson was placed between the two main pillars of the temple. He asked God to strengthen him one more time “so that I may pay back the Philistines for the loss of at least one of my eyes.” Then Samson pushed against the pillars with all his might. “Let me die with the Philistines,” he prayed.

 

The temple crashed, killing more Philistines at the time of his death, than during his entire lifetime. His brothers brought him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah was buried. The story of Samson is found in the Book of (Judges 13). The name Samson means “Little Sun.”

 

Samson’s Moral Flaws

 

In discussing Samson as a person, we must first observe that the critical view, which sees this narrative as a collection of “folk tales” which were merely intended “to entertain”  and do not reflect historical reality is to be rejected forthrightly.

 

The inspired writer of Hebrews obviously considered Samson as a real, historical person  as with the other Old Testament figures he mentions. Besides, such a stained character would scarcely have been invented as a national hero.

 

The early years of Samson are passed over quickly by the sacred writer. He “grew, and Jehovah blessed him. And the Spirit of God began to move him” (Judges 13:25). A study of the subsequent record, however, pinpoints many weaknesses in this man who was so strong physically. Let us focus attention upon this matter.

 

One of Samson’s constant sins was his lust for women. He flung principle to the wind by marrying a heathen woman simply because she “pleased” him (Judges 14:3). He fraternized with a prostitute at Gaza (Judges 16:1), and fell head-over-heals for the treacherous Delilah — even though he could discern her designing intentions from the start. He subordinated spiritual interests to the flesh.

 

Additionally, Samson did not live up to his training and dedication as a Nazirite. He involved himself in a wine-drinking feast (so the Hebrew term misteh of (Judges14:10) indicates). He took honey from the carcass of a dead lion, thus violating laws regarding ceremonial separateness (Numbers 6:6).

 

Finally, many of his heroic efforts appear to have been motivated by personal inclination of revenge, rather than a desire to establish the cause of a Holy God.

 

But that is not the entire story.

Samson’s Commendable Traits

 

By way of contrast, Samson possessed qualities which obviously were worthy of commendation. 

 

He appears to have accepted his role as one who was set apart to be a deliverer of the Lord’s people from their pagan enemies. There is no evidence that he repudiated the divine appointment, of which his parents would have informed him.

 

While he was marred by weakness, he did not hesitate to engage the enemy as a lone warrior. He never led an army; his victories were achieved with only God as a partner.

 

There are glimpses of trusting faith when he calls upon God for strength and sustenance (Judges 15:18-19). It is interesting that in his final prayer (16:28ff), he employs three names for God. He appeals to Yahweh (rendered “Jehovah”), the covenant name of the self-existing God (Exodus 3:14-15).

 

He designates God as Adonai (Lord), suggestive of the sovereignty or mastery of deity over man. Then there is the designation Elohim (God) which likely hints of the strength or power of deity.

 

• Samson’s willingness to be used as an instrument of Israel’s deliverance and even to die in a final act of courage was an expression of faith — however jaded such might have been.
   
• The reflective student cannot but be troubled by what appears to be a disproportionate amount of material derailing Samson’s weaknesses as compared to his deeds of nobility. However, to provide balance, the following factors must be kept in mind.
  

 

•  The period of the judges was “the dark age” of Hebrew history. The entire nation was characterized by a spirit of rebellion. Samson’s weaknesses mirrored the religious and moral climate of the people as a whole.
  

 

• One must remember that Samson judged Israel for twenty years (16:31); the episodes recorded in the book do not represent the totality of his service.

 

• Samson’s sins were weaknesses of the flesh. They were not defiant repudiations of the Creator, such as were those frequent meanderings into idolatry to which so many of the Hebrews were prone. The fact that the Lord responded to this judge when he called out for help, is testimony that Samson was sincere in his devotion, though tragically weak in character.

 

• The Old Testament record contains these unvarnished accounts of Samson’s sins, with no attempt to conceal them, is evidence of the divine inspiration of the document. A strictly humanistic vantage point would have down-played the man’s blunders and exalted his nobler traits.

 

• The Old Testament contains wonderful examples of how Almighty God can work a divine plan using even the most tarnished of characters. The acts of Providence are amazing indeed. The examples of Balaam (Numbers 22-24), Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:9), and Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28-45:1) are incredible cases of where God employed weak — sometimes even evil men — to weave his sacred purpose into the tapestry of history.

 

 

 

When Samson’s eyes were removed, he did more in his blindness than he ever did with his sight and, may I add, he saw more of God in his blindness then he ever did with his sight.

 

The prayer of every believer should to be, “Lord, remove from me that which hinders my view of You, and that which keeps me from accomplishing all that You desire me to do.” We must not let the things of this world blind us to what’s important and that is to Worship and Glorify God’s’ name put God first in our lives and everything will be alright.

 

We are in good hands when we trust God and Love Him with all of our Heart, all of our soul, with all of our mind and with all of our strength.

 

 

God Bless,

MyBibleQuestions

 

Racism is a word that is used often nowadays. In recent months there has been an obvious increase in tension among race relations in America. In fact the tension seems to be building with each news cycle covering stories focusing on crime that happens to be one race against a differing race.

 

In a recent survey 57% of Americans said that race relations are bad and 38% feel they are getting worse. The situations in Baltimore, New York and Missouri have each shown that there is a growing problem with increased conflicts revolving around race.

 

This problem is not only in the US but, all around the world. In this time together we will look into why racism is bad and what does God say about this problem with his people.

 

 

As Christians, we look to the Bible to shape our thinking on all world issues, cultural battles and answers to questions and challenges of life. We look to the Word to remind ourselves that we are all of one race, one blood created by the same God with the same parents. (Acts 17:24) states that He has “made of one blood of all nations.” In (Malachi 2:10) the prophet here raises the question “have we not all one Father, has not one God created us?

 

Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?”

 

When we remember we have the same God and Creator there should be no room for racism. Evolutionary thinking that some races are superior by evolving stronger, smarter or faster have fostered racism. When we reject the idea that there are few if any common threads among races due to evolution and accept the truth of the Bible that we are “one blood” from one family, one God and Creator the outcome should be peace and harmony even in a sinful world.

 

Behind racism is the sin of arrogance, pride and selfishness. When one repents of their sin, turning from sin to Jesus who died and rose again with forgiveness, mercy and grace one can experience true unity with God and fellow man. So let’s look back to the Bible, look to Jesus and follow Him to find a solution for the unnecessary tension among race relations today!

 

(Romans 10:12) “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.”

 

The Bible makes it clear that we are all equal. The only person above that is God. Whether Jew, Greek, Black, White, Asian, God cares for us all. In the same way, we should care for each other regardless of our race. In His eyes we are all sinners and no one is better than the other. Paul says in (Romans 3:10) “None is Righteous, no, not one.”

 

(1 John 2:9) “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.”

 

God makes it clear that all Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s rare that someone would hate or discriminate against their biological siblings. In the same way we shouldn’t hate or discriminate other people because of their race. They’re in face part of our spiritual family.

 

The command to love one another had been in force from the beginning of the world; but it might be called a new command as given to Christians. It was new in them, as their situation was new in respect of its motives, rules, and obligations. And those who walk in hatred and enmity to believers, remain in a dark state.

 

Christian love teaches us to value our brother’s soul, and to dread every thing hurtful to his purity and peace. Where spiritual darkness dwells, in mind, the judgment, and the conscience will be darkened, and will mistake the way to heavenly life.

 

These things demand serious self-examination; and earnest prayer, that God would show us what we are, and whither we are going.

 

(John 13:34) “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

 

There are no conditions with this commandment. It doesn’t say to love people who look like you, it says we should love one another. It doesn’t stop there either. We’re commanded to love each other as God has loved us. His love for us is insurmountable. It is of great depth and this is how we should love each other.

 

At this time, we can draw comfort and gain perspective from how God sees us. Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other for Christ’s sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul. But this commandment still appears new to many professors.

 

Men in general notice any of Christ’s words rather than these. By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity.

 

 

When we examine the Bible we find stories about racism, it might not be in the same form that we see today because, there was no news, no Facebook, twitter, or any social network back then for these stories to reach the world like today.

 

Jesus in (John 4:1-25) meets a Samaritan woman that to the eyes of a lot of people was looked at with hatred because, of her mixed race and her reputation. She was known to everyone for living in sin, no respectable Jewish man would speak to a woman with reputation. But Jesus did and you want to know why?

 

The Good News is for every person, no matter what race, social position, or past sins. Jesus teaches us that we must share the Good News with anybody that crosses our path, He crossed all barriers to share the Word and we who follow him must do no less.

 

Christ asked the woman for water. She was surprised because he did not show the anger of his own nation against the Samaritans. Christ took the occasion to teach her Divine things: he converted this woman, by showing her ignorance and sinfulness, and her need of a Savior. By this living water is meant the Spirit. The racism here in this passage is when His disciples return from getting food and none of them had the courage to ask Jesus about speaking to that type of woman.

 

The Bible says in (John 4:27) that the disciples were shocked that Jesus was speaking to this woman. But, Jesus says that His Word is Living Water for everybody that wants to drink and never be thirsty again.

 

In the Old Testament in (Numbers 12:1-16) Miriam and Aaron, representing the priests and the prophets, the two most powerful groups next to Moses were beginning to be jealous of Moses’ position and influence. They tried to find fault with what Moses was doing and in not finding anything, the only option they had was to criticize his wife. They criticized that he had married a Cushite woman which in (Jeremiah 13:23) it explains what this means. They lost focus on what was important to God. They lost sight of the big picture and their purpose of what they were doing for God.

 

The only bad thing (In their minds) that they could criticize Moses on was his wife, which God did not like and punished Miriam for what she did. This lets us know that God doesn’t care about race, He cares about our heart and soul. We also read about another story that is in the Book of James (James 2:1-26) that warns about prejudice, about judging people by how they look.

 

I have been told about stories like this in the present day church, so we can’t think this doesn’t happen in today’s church. This does happen today but, it’s because we forget what Jesus did for us on the Cross. He didn’t just do it me, He did it for everybody that believes in Him.

 

Racism starts with hate and when we come to Christ Jesus and He redeems us we should not have room in our hearts for hate for anyone or anything. We always think that racism is about a white man hating a black man but, that is not always the case. I have met all kinds from a black man criticizing a white man and vice versa and you know what they all have in common? Hate. The only way to defeat Hate is through Gods’ Love. We need to pray to our Father and ask Him to renew our heart to Love our neighbor like Christ loves the Church.

 

We must change that hate to love because in (James 3:11-13) it says that a spring cannot pour from the same opening both fresh and salt water, meaning we cannot have hate and love in our hearts. When Christ makes our hearts new and brings us back to God through the finished work of the cross, only then can we begin to love like Christ, to think like Christ, to lay down our lives for one another like Christ.

 

I’ve had people tell me that God was in favor of not mixing race when He told the Israelites not to mix with other nations. But, this is taken out of context because, the only reason God said that to Israel is that He wanted to keep the Seed pure. By the Seed He means Jesus, God had the to keep the lineage of Christ pure or else Christ would not be perfect as it is explained in (Galatians 3:1-26).

 

Unfortunately, we twisted the Bible to try to justify human fears and prejudices. Some consider the “curse of Ham” to be an excuse to hate those of African descent. Others insist that the Jews were responsible for Jesus’ death and deserve our derision. The fact of the matter is that we all killed Jesus through our sins.

 

The Bible tells us that God’s judgment is not based on appearances but what is on the inside (1 Samuel 16:7), and those who do judge according to appearances do so with evil intent (James 2:4). Instead, we are to treat one another with love (James 2:8), regardless of ethnicity (Acts 10:34-35) and social standing (James 2:1-5). Christian love negates all prejudice, and the Bible condemns racism.

 

Racism is against the very fiber of God’s ideal will for humanity. He sent His Son to die for the entire world. “Red and Yellow, Black and White, Jesus Loves everybody in the World.” God’s people need to have this same attitude regarding their fellow man. The solution to the problem of racism isn’t social justice movements or political activism, though these do help. The solution to the problem of racism and every social injustice is the reuniting of individual hearts to their Creator through Jesus Christ.

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions

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Many Christians are neutral when it comes to this issue; it really doesn’t matter, people say, since all people will be given new bodies in the resurrection of the dead. But our attitudes should not be shaped alone by economics, popularity, feelings, or convenience, but rather by what Scriptures say about this practice. What are some of the reasons given for cremation versus burial?

 

Most of the reasons are for the sake of convenience, hygiene and cost. Sometimes, cremation is done because it is the “last wish” of the person who died. Whatever the reason we will dive into what the Bible says about burial or cremation when someone passes on.

 

What are the most common reasons why Christians wanted their dead buried and not burned? For one, the human body was created by God and thus should be respected. Secondly, because Christ himself was the Word became flesh in the incarnation, and given a glorified body at his resurrection, the human body should be hallowed as well. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit indwells believers in both body and soul, and consequently, they are holy and to be treated with honor.

 

Lastly, Jesus himself, as the believer’s example, was buried and raised bodily from the dead. Scriptures have no direct or explicit command prohibiting burning or cremating the dead.

 

Burial

 

First of all, burial, not cremation is exclusively mentioned and recommended in the Scriptures. Tender loving care and respect were commanded in preparing the dead body for burial.

 

Secondly, burial is included in the Scriptural definition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as written in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The Gospel is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without declaring Christ’s burial, the Gospel would be incomplete.

 

Cremation

 

The Bible never says that God will scour the whole universe, sifting through all the atoms and molecules of cremated humans to restore their body. The Bible teaches that God never changes.

 

We recall that man was created by God on the sixth day after all the atoms and molecules had been created and were available in the dust for God to breathe life into and Adam became a living soul. At least six elements are needed to create life as we know it.

 

The cremation process is carried out in a furnace heated to 1500 F for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. All that remains in the cooled ashes are bone fragments, which are ground into sand-like particles that contain only 1 or 2 inorganic elements which would not be recreated back to life by a changeless God who originally created life from the six or more initially select.

 

The main reason alot of people choose cremation is the cost, let us be honest, how many of us are prepared for death. Rarely anybody worries about that until it’s to late or we might not even get anytime to prepare. Burial prices are through the roof. I had people from a funeral home come to our church and give us information about funeral cost and I honestly never really thought about how expensive it might be.

 

I was thinking, I’m not even forty, why would I have to worry about that now. But, the fact of the matter is it never to early to start thinking about your final expenses. Here I am thinking I am to young to worry about dying, when in our congregation, one of our Brothers in Christ passed away and he wasn’t even forty himself. Big eye opener for me, made me rethink about not leaving any burden to my family when the good Lord takes me. The funeral home gave us this information for us to share with anybody that needed their services. The comparison about the cost between burial and cremation.

 

Bible

 

While the Bible nowhere explicitly condemns cremation, most of the Biblical examples of burning people alive or dead involved dishonor or God’s punishment. In the Book of Joshua, Achan, together with his family and the loot he took from the city of Ai, were stoned to death and then their bodies burned because he disobeyed God’s command (Jos 7:24-25).

 

The bodies of Saul and his three sons were desecrated by the Philistines before the people of Jabesh-gilead took them away and burned them. This was a partial burning, since their bones were left intact for burial. The people of Jabesh-gilead possibly did this to prevent the bodies from further dishonor (1 Sam 31:8-13). By burning the bones of the King of Edom—a pagan—the Moabites did an act of desecration of a human body, thereby provoking God’s wrath and judgment against them (Amos 2:1).

 

Fire also symbolized, and was actually used in God’s judgment on wicked people. When Judah learns that his daughter-in-law Tamar was pregnant because of sexual immorality, Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned” (Gen 38:24). Judah was merely pronouncing the just punishment prescribed by the Law of Moses against sexual immorality (Lev 20:14; 21:19).

 

God himself sent consuming fire from heaven against evildoers: Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24; Jude 1:7), Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-2), and Israel’s 250 rebellious chiefs (Num 16:35). On the other hand, escaping fire is related to escaping judgment, as in the case of Lot and his daughters and Daniel’s three friends.

 

Lastly, fire also symbolizes God’s eternal punishment on the unrighteous and ungodly
(Matt 3:10-12; 18:8; 25:41; |2 Pet 3:7; Jude 1:7; Rev 8:7; 21:8). God made that promise to Noah that He would not destroy the world using water but, by using fire instead.

 

 

 

First, all the dead in the Bible, except in the case of King Saul and his sons who were partially cremated (1 Sam 31:12-13), were buried: in caves (Abraham, Sarah), on a mountain (Moses), hills (Eleazar son of Aaron, ), under trees (Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, King Saul and his sons) , fields (Joseph), tombs (Gideon, King Asa), at home (Samuel), in a garden (King Manasseh), and under piles of stones (Absalom).

 

Abraham made a great effort to find the right grave for his wife Sarah’s burial place (Gen 23:3). His sons Isaac and Ishmael made sure to bury their father where their mother was buried (Gen 25:9). Before he died in Egypt, Joseph instructed his people to carry his bones out of Egypt to be buried in the Promised Land, believing in God’s promise that Israel would someday return to their homeland (Gen 50:24-26; Jos 24:32). Moses died on Mount Nebo after viewing the Promised Land, and God himself buried him on the mountain (Deut 34:5-6).

 

But the most compelling Biblical support for burial is seen in the death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ himself. Christ’s body was carefully prepared with spices, wrapped in strips of linen, and then buried in a tomb owned by a rich man. This burial in a rich man’s grave was even foretold by Isaiah, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death” (Isa 53:9), pointing to the importance of his burial.

 

Paul uses an agricultural illustration in explaining death and resurrection. Our bodies are like corruptible seeds in the image of earthly Adam sown into the ground, but in the resurrection, we will have incorruptible, spiritual bodies in the image of the Man from heaven (1 Cor 15:42-49). Does the practice of cremating bodies have any connection with planting seed in the soil? Of course not! It is burial that Paul has in view in using the analogy of sowing seed in the ground.

 

Final Thought

 

But what about the heroes of the faith who were sawn into pieces, burned at the stake, drowned at sea, eaten by lions, or blown into pieces or incinerated in fiery explosions? For sure, God could put their bodies back together perfectly with one word.

 

The Bible is full of examples of God doing the impossible, especially in the creation of human beings inside barren wombs. If he wanted to show us the greatest example of his creative power, he could have allowed Jesus to be burned to ashes and then resurrected him with a glorified body!

 

1. The history of cremation attests to its roots in pagan societies whose idea of a human being is similar to Greek gnosticism, and who have no hope of a bodily resurrection.

 

2. Biblical data points to burial as the honorable treatment of the dead, and burning as desecration of or God’s judgment against the dead.

 

3. Biblical evidence also makes burial as the primary option for Christians who believe in a future resurrection of the dead.

 

Conclusion

 

My thoughts on this are just like any other God Fearing Christian, will God be happy if I go with cremation and not burial. The only conclusion I could come up with is that God’s love for us is real and it is everlasting. God will not judge us or condemn us for choosing cremation over burial. It depends in what situation we are in when we die.

 

Did we Honor and Glorify His name while we where alive? Did we help our brothers and sisters when they needed a hand? Did we spread the Gospel like His Word asks us to do? That is what will be important to him, what type of heart we had because, that’s where the springs of life flow (Proverbs 4:23). God knows our hearts and he knows what we think. We have to prepare for our passing by walking with God everyday of our lives because, it might be our last.

 

Financially we might not be able to afford a burial and end up going with cremation but, that should not be a situation that drifts us away from God. Jesus promised us eternal life if we believe in Him and it doesn’t include (unless you choose cremation over burial). We believe in a God that brought bones back to life (Ezekiel 37), how can we not expect Him to bring us back from cremation and give us heavenly bodies like the Apostle Paul said.

 

There is really no right or wrong answer to this question as we have studied God’s Word. Let us remember that we serve a God, that when we think something is impossible, He makes everything possible. Blessed Be The Name Of Our Lord Jesus Christ Forever, Amen, Amen Amen.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions

 

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Christians With Guns

 

Should Christians carry concealed handguns. This question gets a lot of debate because it is in our constitution the right to bear arms in the Greatest Country In The World. How good is it for a God-fearing man to own a weapon and having to make a decision of ending someone’s life even if the other person is the aggressor.

 

Thank God, I have never been in that situation because, I have chosen to not own a handgun. I’m not saying that everybody has to do things like me but, that’s just the choice I have made. That would be hard decision for me and something I have to live with the rest of my life if ever I would have to use it.

 

I feel bad enough when I run over a squirrel when I am driving, so I don’t even want to begin to think about taking someone’s life. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you are wrong or right about owning a gun and that I am right about not owning a gun, but in this article we will have some insight on what the Bible says about this issue. We will also look into why Pastors and Ministers are starting to bring guns into God’s house for protection.

 

 

We have all heard of stories of people getting mugged at gunpoint. You can be having a nice evening out and encounter someone that wants to take what is yours. Sure you can think about doing something when it is one mugger and weigh your options but, two or more would be more of a challenge and certainly not worth the risk. Hopefully they just take what they want and not harm you in any way.

 

Some might say: “If only I’d had been carrying a weapon of my own, I might have been able to turn the tables, or at least hold onto our wallets.” A good thought. After all, they say the best defense is a good offense, so why not be ready to take charge in such a situation?

 

An argument could be made that a gun might have helped. The muggers could have been forced to flee out of fear. The potential firepower might have caused panic, and I might have been able to take control of the situation.

 

But it’s also true that bringing a second gun into the picture might have escalated the situation. It is likely that the perpetrators did not plan to use the gun. There’s a good chance that the instigators might have found themselves in a desperate situation requiring desperate action. I’m pretty sure this situation would not have been improved by issuing a threat of violence in response to the initial threat of violence.

 

A response in kind, even in self-defense, is exactly what it sounds like: a response in kind and it is something the Bible tells us not to do. With these types of incidents happening close to where I live, in an urban setting, some might recommend that you buy a weapon to protect my family. That I prepare for the worst.

 

For me, carrying a weapon is in direct conflict with my desire to be a faithful disciple of Jesus. How can I justify responding to violence with more violence when I follow the Prince of Peace? How can I think of carrying a weapon designed solely to kill efficiently if I’m seeking to follow a God who instructs us, “Do not kill”?

 

How can I think of owning a gun when Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, and to pray for those who hurt us?

 

How can I stock up on ammunition when (Romans 12: 17-18) clearly instructs us to “not repay evil for evil” and to “live at peace with everyone”? Paul also says if your enemy is hungry feed him.

 

These days there is a lot of conversation about guns and gun rights, particularly in the wake of so many school shootings and in public places. Many say that it is their constitutional or even God-given right to carry a gun. Some are sure that the answer to the outbreak of violence in our schools, homes, and streets is not fewer guns, but more.

 

More guns in our schools. More guns in our homes. More guns in our neighborhoods. And that is not adding that a lot of people don’t have proper training in the use of a firearm. We don’t seem to have a problem with putting guns  into our homes, schools and neighborhoods but, we have a problem with God being in these places, to the point that we have taken Him out of our schools, our home and our neighborhoods.

 

It doesn’t seem like a fair trade to me but, you can form your own opinion about that issue. God is our protection, he is all we need but, we just don’t realize it or forget sometimes.

 

The argument that we need more guns, and more people trained to use them, boils down to, we can kill before we get killed. At some level, this argument may be right. This strategy may well be effective and even the most effective.

 

But what kind of society do we want to have?

 

What kind of people do we want to be?

 

One response to violence is to admit that we live in a sick society and increase weapon proliferation to deal with the issue. It’s effective, I’ll feel safer are some of our thoughts. But do we really want a society in which there are more weapons that can be unleashed on a schoolroom full of unsuspecting children?

 

A society where our children are afraid to walk the streets because there may be a neighborhood watch person following them with a gun? Nowadays people can snap in a second, even though they have a permit to carry but, mentally they are not right. How do we explain all these mass shooting.

 

The more troubling question is, Do I really want to become someone who has to be trained to kill someone else as the answer to reducing violence? To me, this stems from a lack of imagination and a lack of hope. Let us remember that God wants us to put our faith in Him and that is all the protection we need. (Luke 9:24) says that whoever tries to save their life, they will lose it.

 

If this present life is most important to you, then we will try to do anything in our power to try to protect it. You will not put yourself in harms way. By contrast if following Jesus is most important to us then we might find ourselves in situations that are unsafe, uncomfortable and unhealthy. We might risk life because, we know that He will raise us to eternal life. We live on this earth but, our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

 

I’d rather we work on connecting better with our neighbors, getting involved in our neighborhood schools, and learning the opportunities and challenges we face together. Try to get God back into public places. We should deal with mental health issues and make counseling accessible to those who need it. We must rather be a person who is trained to love than one who is trained to kill, even in self-defense.

 

We have to love our brothers and sister like the Word says. That’s why I am simply not interested in carrying a firearm. In the U.S., the Constitution may grant me such a right. But I follow someone who eschewed his rights to self-defense (and many other things).

 

Many will point to Jesus endorsing the carrying of swords in (Luke 22) and note that even he knew when it was time to arm oneself. Yet when the disciples say, “See, Lord, here are two swords,” Jesus replies, “That’s enough.” Or as another translation puts it: “Enough of that!” The point is not that he endorses the private right to carry weapons.

 

Rather, the display of two weapons in the face of a contingent of armed Roman soldiers from Pilate makes the point that Jesus and his disciples are not there to act in violence. He wants us to use our Spiritual Sword. The Sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves. Jesus notes that he has the power to call down legions of angels to his defense.

 

But he refuses to resort to such violence, even when self-defense might call for it. He says, My kingdom is not of this world, otherwise my servants would fight.

 

I was invited one time to a church by some close friends where they were congregating  and what I saw was surprising to me because, I have not seen it in my church or any other church that I have visited. The Pastor actually had body guards and they were by his side or close to him when he would preach. I know some might think, well he is the pastor and they have to protect him, but where do we leave God.

 

Isn’t that all the protection we need?

 

Do we forget about what Paul told the Romans in (Romans 8:31)? (Isaiah 54:17) mentions the same.

 

Isn’t God’s’ word everlasting?

 

The Apostle John also tells us that no one will snatch us out of His hand (John 10:28).  I’m sorry but, I cannot listen to preaching about trusting God when we have financial problem, marital problems or any type of problem we can think of including illness and say we need to trust God and he will look after us.

 

To me that is contradictory because, we can pick and choose what we want God to protect and solve for us. It’s through his Grace that we find protection and healing. When, something is meant to happen it will happen no matter how much we try to do to stop it. In the Gospels when Peter cut off the ear of one the high priest’s slave, he did it without knowing that it was something that had to happen (Jesus’ Arrest).

 

The scripture said it was supposed to happen, even though the disciples saw it as bad, in reality it was meant for good. Not only for them but, for all of us that believe in our Lord And Savior Jesus Christ. He did it to give us abundant life (John 10:10). The problem is that we see things sometimes with our human eyes and not with our Spiritual eyes. Our eyes will be opened when we have  that personal      relationship with our Father.

 

When the kingdom of heaven breaks in, there is a refusal to respond to violence with more violence. There is a love that is greater than calling upon our rights. There is a forgiveness that can be extended even to those who would put us to death, as Jesus and many of his earliest followers exemplified. In our society, people have the right to carry or own a gun. But I’m not going to be one of them because my hope for peace outweighs my desire for personal safety.

 

Because, my desire to follow Jesus exceeds my desire to defend myself. And because responding to a threat upon my life with an act of love, even if it costs me my life, might be one small piece of God’s kingdom being realized here and now.

 

There are no easy answers or solutions to the reality of gun violence in our nation and our world. But should that stop us from dreaming? What if we tried to enact the prophetic dream now, and gave up our obsession with violence? What if we didn’t wait for someone else to get rid of the guns but, set the example ourselves? What’s the worst that could happen?

 

At the end of the day it is a personal decision we have to make whether we want to carry or not. Here I gave you a few good points for which I don’t own a gun because, that defeats the purpose of me putting my Faith in God, our protector, our provider, our healer and He is our everything. That alone should be enough to put us at ease and trust in Him.

 

 

God Bless,

MyBibleQuestions

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Should Divorced Christians Remarry

 

Honestly no matter how much we study the Word, only God can truly answer this question. Brothers and sisters are encouraged to spend extended time in the Word and obedience to it, as well as extended times of prayer and fasting, and seeking God for wisdom and protection. All destructive relationships and toxic counsel must be severed as you seek to answer this question.

 

God does not want us in situations that put us in danger or harm and asks us to be wise about our about the decisions we make in our lives. We must always seek His guidance (Psalm 32:8). Can I remarry after I commit adultery is one of a few questions that I will answer in this time we have together, God Bless and Let’s get started.

 

The other day I was asked ” What Does The Bible Say About Me Being Divorced And Being Remarried”. This question coming from a person that is new to the walk of God and having that hunger for the Word, I had to make sure to answer the question the best Biblical way possible. First we have to remember that there is not one sin that God does not forgive and that includes adultery (1 John 1:9).

 

Peter also says in (Acts 2:38) to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. The word repent in the Bible means “to change one’s mind”, it teaches us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8-14). So when I was asked this question I immediately thought that God would forgive her sins (which in part is true) and all she had to do was truly repent. The answer might not be as easy as it seems.

 

 

 

Many Christians are divided on this issue. Some believe that re-marriage to another is never allowed unless one of the spouse’s dies, but others suggest that it is permissible when adultery and abandonment occur. Most of the controversy centers on (Matthew 5:32) where Jesus says, “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.”

 

Remarriage is not the issue here; manipulation and abandonment are. The normal understanding of (Matthew 5:32) runs the danger of leaving the woman involved a double victim: she has been divorced by a husband who may well have rejected her at his own whim and is now to be barred from any new relationship because she bears the stigma of the ‘divorcee’.

 

Matthew 5:32 has a twofold warning: 1. Do not divorce without cause. 2. Do not pursue a relationship with someone who has abandoned their spouse. Unfortunately, many add, “If you’ve experienced divorce, you cannot remarry—period.” Not only does the text not say this, this statement actually condemns someone for the actions of another: Forbidding remarriage because of the actions of the previous spouse.

 

One thing is certain, if the Scriptures on marriage and divorce were fully taught and acknowledged, it would create more serious consideration before marriage, and would be a great deterrent to divorce. Lack of regard for the Scriptures has taken us to the other extreme – no fault divorce.

 

The Apostle Paul warns us in (2 Corinthians 6:14) being careful not to marry an unbeliever. Scripture also tells us (1 Corinthians 7:12-16) if a woman marries an unbeliever and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.

 

Same thing would be for a man that marries an unbeliever and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. For the unbelieving wife or husband is made holy because of the believing spouse. Paul mentions that if the unbelieving spouse separates then let be so and in such a case the brother or sister is not enslaved. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife.

 

God has called us to peace. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:15) reconciliation is pleasing to Him. There are instances, in my opinion, when one is released through adultery and/or abandonment; however, reconcile should still be sought. God’s will is that we walk in integrity, follow His principles, use wisdom, be patient, and seek Him during the journey. For some, reconciliation may result, for others it may not but, it should always be our first option.

 

When reconciliation does not occur, the enemy often resurrects past failures to hinder peace and joy. We become very fearful…we do not want to experience the pain of divorce again.

 

 

 

If you are separated, or recently divorced, and are lacking peace and joy, I encourage you to re-think your current situation. Confusion, anxiety, fear, and some forms of depression are sometimes indicators that we are outside of God’s will.

 

One of the biggest obstacles when considering restoration or seeking direction is becoming involved with someone soon after you divorce or separate. This can severely hinder your chance for reconciliation, as well as your ability to follow God’s lead.

 

Avoid this at all costs. Paul says (1 Corinthians 7:8-9) that the unmarried and the widows, it is good for them to remain single like him but, if you cannot exercise self-control you should marry. Being unmarried according to Paul gives you the liberty to serve God suited to their powers and circumstances, of which others often are very unfit judges. All must determine themselves, seeking counsel from God how they ought to act.

 

God has given us the freedom to choose, and, in marriage, the choices of one will affect the life of the other. If your spouse has left, and you’ve waited and have done all that you can do biblically, I believe that God will consider your heart more than your circumstances.

 

King David was not able to build the temple because of his past – he was a man of war, but God said, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart” (2 Chronicles 6:8). Contextually, this verse is not dealing with marriage, but the overlapping principle applies: Because David’s heart was right, God continued to direct him.

 

 

 

Divorce is not the unpardonable sin; rejecting Christ is. Clearly understand that I’m not advocating divorce, nor am I saying that if you are currently separated that divorce become an option because better opportunities await you. God hates divorce and anyone who has been there knows why. We also have to take into account if the divorce happened before we came to Christ, then it is something that was forgiven when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

 

Now if we are walking with Christ and divorce, then that is a different story, then we have to take our questions to God and pray for his answer. There are also certain circumstances that are important to take a look at as well. A husband or wife in an abusive marriage or marriages where the husband or wife impedes the believer to worship and serve God.

 

Those are the things that we have to take to God and let Him lead us to the right decision. God is faithful and wants the best for us so, He will not lead us astray. We must pray and have that communion with God, we must pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1).

 

Let me reiterate: I believe, first and foremost, in reconciliation and restoration but these are not always options. That’s why a personal relationship with Jesus and obedience to God’s word is profoundly important. Through that relationship you will be able to make the right decision. It won’t be easy because lives have been damaged, dreams destroyed, and promises broken, but God continually redeems us through His forgiveness as we forgive others. God desires that we know His will and follow His lead, especially during the detours of life.

 

Many divorced Christians carry years of regret into future relationships. If God is doing a new thing, it’s vitally important that past brokenness does not prevent future plans. But if God is ministering restoration in your spirit, wait for it; contend for it; pray fervently for it.

 

I also encourage you to remove everything that may hinder restoration (e.g., wrong relationships, strongholds, addictions, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.), and seek Him wholeheartedly and unconditionally. He will direct you, this I can tell you by experience.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

MyBibleQuestions

 

 

 

Do you ever stop and think what is Gods purpose for you. Sometimes we feel like Job (Job 3:1-26) but, without the benefit at the end. Seem like everything is against us and nothing goes our way. We even see people who don’t serve the Lord, having a better life then us. All we know is heartache and we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Jesus tell us in (John 16:33) that life was not going to be easy but, by trusting Him we will be in good hands and He has control of everything. God Has A Purpose For Our Lives.

 

I certainly believe God has a purpose or a plan for all of us. Many of us go through Life without ever thinking about it but, it doesn’t change the truth that God gave us life for a purpose. We aren’t here by accident, we are here because God put us here. He certainly put us here for a reason, so we can come to Him and have a personal relationship with Him, and live the way He wants us to live.

 

The greatest discovery we can make is finding out that we were created to know and worship God. God not only has a general purpose for each of us but, He has a specific Plan for each of lives. He knows you (Jeremiah 1:5) and chose you before you were even born.

 

That is why we must Pray and seek God’s Will when we face tribulations and have Faith in knowing He has our best interest in mind when He does what He Does, even when we think is bad or we don’t understand.

 

The Bible tells us “Teach Me Your, O Lord and lead me on a level path because of my enemies (Psalms 27:11-14).

 

How do we find out what God’s plan is for our lives. First we must commit our lives to Jesus Christ and seek His wisdom (Psalms 111:10). We can’t wonder through life not knowing what God wants us to do. We must read His word and understand how He wants us to Glorify His name.

 

Each of us has our own calling, we cannot go by what other brothers and sisters are doing, we must seek our own calling. God’s Word says that “For My Thoughts are not your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8) so we need to seek His guidance in whatever we do, because everything we do is to Glorify His Name Forever.

 

 

God Bless,

 

 

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