"Sometimes I bust out and do things so permanent. Like tattoos and marriage."
-Drew Barrymore - Actress
On Monday, Sherman and I had the privilege of being guests on Allen and Kyla Woods' Permanent Plus One podcast. When you RSVP to an invitation, the card asks if you'll be attending singly or with a 'plus one.' The show's premise is that marriage is to be celebrated! and your spouse is your "Permanent" plus one. The Woods', who've been married for 6 years, invite couples who've been married longer to share, "Why marriage is so dope." (that means great ; ) Our Episode, # 9 posts sometime later today.
Nowadays, a positive concept of marriage and it's permanency is sadly, rare. Hebrews 13:4 instructs, "Let
marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price,
and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be
un-defiled (kept un-dishonored); for God will judge and punish the
unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous." Sometimes
it's uncomfortable for married couples to celebrate their unions
because we want to be sensitive to those who are single; but there's
good reason for the festivities!
Marriage definitely has seasons of difficulty, but it also yields deep joy and satisfaction. We're sharing the intimacy and security of being with one love permanently. Who can forget the movie,"The Notebook,"
where protagonist Noah repeatedly retells the beautiful story of their
lifetime of love to his sweetheart Allie, who suffers dementia and lives
in a nursing home. They eventually die together in each other's arms.
One of the strongest and most comforting promises God gives ALL of us is, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) This verse is after the one on marriage. The King James Version says, "Keep your conversation (meaning conduct) free of covetousness (wanting something that belongs to someone else), and be content with what you have." In a world with so many options, the married person is forever devoted to the ONE they've chosen. The
mystery of marriage is a sharpening tool God uses to work selfishness,
greed, envy and covetousness out of us. It reveals, then builds into us
the kind of unconditional, sacrificial love Christ had for His Church,
and the reverence his Bride is to have for Him. (Ephesians 5:21-33) That
passage will stretch even the most 'spiritual' of us.
PERMANENT means lasting or intended to last or remain unchanged indefinitely; or lasting or continuing without interruption. The Latin derivation means 'remaining through to the end.' Marital storms test the durability of our intent to remain committed to our promise. There are not many things we can claim are or should be permanent, but marriage is one of them. That's why these marriage vows are so incredibly powerful when believed and lived out:
"I_______ take thee________to have and to hold, from this day
forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness
and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, and
forsaking all others, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I
plight thee my troth." (I pledge to you, my faithfulness).
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Tuesday, October 31, 2017
WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PERMANENT - Sadell Bradley -11/02/17 New Life Covenant Cincinnati
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SHELTER - 10/25/17 Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati
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"When the storms of
life come, if they come to me personally, to my family or to the world, I
want to be strong enough to stand and be strength to somebody else, be
shelter for somebody else." - Anne Graham Lotz
Vernon John Charlesworth a Baptist minister,
"The LORD'S our Rock, in Him we hide. A Shelter in the time of storm. Secure whatever ill betide, a Shelter in the time of storm.
A shade by day, defense by night, a Shelter in the time of storm. No
fears alarm, no foes afright, a Shelter in the time of storm. The
raging storms my round us beat, a Shelter in the time of storm. We'll
never leave our safe retreat, a Shelter in the time of storm. Oh, Rock
Divine, oh Refuge dear, a Shelter in the time of storm. Be thou our
Helper, ever near, a Shelter in the time of storm. Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, a weary land, a weary land...a Shelter in the time of storm." I love the capitalization of the word Shelter, signifying the name, reputation or character of God!
Psalm 91 reiterates this assuring Truth. I can't say it any better, so I'll just leave it here for your consideration, meditation and comfort:
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of
9 If you say, "The Lord is my refuge," and you
make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no
disaster will come near your tent.11 For He will
command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they
will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot
against a stone.13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will
trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he
loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he
acknowledges my name.15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.16 With
long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Be
encouraged! Like the Haven's family, we can hide in the cleft of the
Rock when the storms of life are raging and find shelter under God's
protective care!
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Tuesday, October 17, 2017
WEDNESDAY'S WORD - INTROSPECTION - 10/18/17 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati
"To thrive, all
businesses must focus on the art of self-disruption. Rather than wait
for the competition to steal your business, every founder and employee
needs to be willing to cannibalize their existing revenue streams in order
to create new ones. All disruption starts with introspection." -
Jay Samit - Vice President Deloitte Digital
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The same introspection is required as we live out the holy lifestyle that accompanies our salvation.
Paul's apostolic call included meting out correction and restoration
when persons under his care were overtaken in faults. (Galatians 6:1)
There were some in Corinth whom he had warned a few times to stop
sinning. Their habitual and deliberate actions brought him to question
the genuineness of their conversion and the seriousness with which they
regarded his spiritual authority. He warned, "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith." (2 Cor. 13:5)
The first course of action in these instances was NOT
for others, even the leader, to jump in and make judgments - but to allow individuals the opportunity for introspection.
The power of the Holy Spirit to convict people of sin and convince them
of righteous behavior and judgment is still operative (John 16:8). We
can be so quick to try to do His job for Him. He is also the one,
through self-examination that helps us keep our own consciences clear. Inter-personal conflicts, difficult situations, and emotional decisions open the doors for introspection. They're wide open doors for transformation, if we're not too afraid to open up and see what's really inside!
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PERILOUS - 10/04/17 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati
"To act coolly, intelligently and prudently in perilous circumstances is the test of a man - and also a nation." - Adlai E. Stevenson
Paul described for his protege Timothy, the climate and attitudes that would prevail in "the last days." I can imagine throughout Church history, many teachers have warned their students that they were in perilous times. I wonder if they could envision what we are now experiencing:
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.2 People
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,
not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over
gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all
kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3:1-9
Sounds eerily familiar, doesn't it?
This is actually about apostasy in the Church! people from whom we're
to distance ourselves. Paul shared the sufferings and persecutions he
endured in the midst of the peril, "but the LORD rescued me from the all." He cautioned, "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (vs. 11-13)
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