Making It Plain

I have been studying Paul's writing for quite sometime. There were many passages that left me in a quandary and I either went back over them to meditate on or just left it alone until I could grow up in the Spirit for a better understanding. Marriage was one of those quandaries by which my inner response was, "how could Paul teach something that he has no experience and no knowledge of what the institution consists of?" His rules seemed too strict and bordered on contradiction of the original text (Old Testament). Tried as I could, I still liked my own ideals more than what Paul was trying to teach. The rules that began frustrating me had nothing to do with if you don't have a wife don't try to find one (1 Corinthians 7:27 KJV). Nor was it that if you do marry, you didn't sin; though when you put the two verses together your entire expression would be a question mark. The problem I was having was if I marry I would no longer try to be pleasing to God but ...

In the dating process, we will eventually come to a point of wondering why continue with dating this particular person. Naturally we make assessments. Spiritually, by which we walk, we seek peace with God. This would be the mature thing to do; however, there are those times where we think this is our personal sitcom acting as if we are doing them a favor by even spending our time with the person we are dating. This is arrogance and in that state where arrogance takes over. The conversation changes where questions that arise to ask might very well be suggestions much like the first woman dealt with while residing in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-13 KJV). The suggestions, whether you consider the Garden of Eden or in what is asked on a date, is indicative of not trusting in God. So watch and pray before speaking (Mark 14:38 KJV) . Yes, that's right, this is a warning! You have no idea what hornets nest you will be swatting at when asking such probing matter that has either been ...

What we have in America is what I was taught in grade school, "The Great American Melting Pot" . America has embraced different nationalities as well as a variety of cultures and religions. Other countries aren't as welcoming nor accommodating as America. It seems that we should be pleased with the diversity; however, there does come a point where even the most liberal, well centered, confident American must take a stand and say enough is enough. When? Could it be during the Winter and catching a cab trying to be at a place 20 minutes ago. There you are trying not to be a back seat driver when some horrendous B.O. wafts over and envelopes your whole head. At making mention of the smell, the ethnically diverse cab driver holds a soliloquy on how in his country, the natural smell of men is becoming to the women. No? Well what about when a woman said to me that she believed a man should love her just the way she is without her making any necessary changes. She called it...

It is a phrase that has been said over the years by the world. As we know the world gets their influence through anyone and anything. Their perspective is very broad which is why they continue to tell all to keep and open mind. We know that the Word says broad is the way to destruction and that minds should be more like Christ (1 Corinthians 2:15-16 AMP). God tells us to be thou holy for I am holy and whomever is a friend of the world is an enemy to God. These are clearly two different perspectives by which people live. How then can two people having each their own completely different outlook on life be attracted to each other? This, based on the Word (which is our only means of truth) is therefore a theory come out of the pit of hell. It makes no sense to me then why would any minister, preacher, apostle, pastor, evangelist, teacher or prophet say such foolishness to a people they are called to help. Younger Christians, not having the habit of reading the Word for themselves y...

Because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17 KJV), I can't help but to stress over and over the importance women of God have to raise the bar and not settle for anything less than what God has prepared for us. I woke this morning and had an epiphany: why would I want to take care of a man? Why should a man date a potential wife by making sure she knows how to cook  and clean first? That just sounds more like a job interview for a maid. Does a woman come into a marriage with the preconceived notion that the dynamics of her marriage is based on her physical ability to do household maintenance? What can a man do? What does he have issues with? He can't do laundry and that's why he needs a wife? If she marries him for that, she deserves what she gets? Can he cook? If he can't, get a cookbook!!! That is still not a reason to get married. What does he need a wife for? The bible doesn't state that she needs a husband until after the fa...

The question is when has one exceeded the overflow? There just comes a time where we have to stop and assess our lives and ask ourselves some practical questions. Is it what God called you to do? Are you doing more than what He said to do? Granted, sometimes we just can't help ourselves being made in His image and He being more than enough; however, after His work, the Word states that He saw and said it is good. There was a moment where He canvased all. When do we see what we have done and can call it good? Was it in God? Was it in ourselves whose agenda is subject to change? God has told us to plan and write it down. He tells us to make it plain . Why would such simple instruction be note worthy? Could it be that we could lose focus, be discouraged by others, be influenced by some other idea, or be predisposed to be a man-pleaser? I believe I wrote about this before; however, I have received new insight on the matter. It was about that ministry where the pastor taught th...

For many of us we take the chance with this verse in the bible because we are so enamored by what we see, we don't realize that love just doesn't work this way - especially for the devoted Christian. If you would recall, God is love and it is impossible to please Him without faith (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). Seeing that faith is the substance we hope for and the evidence not seen, how then can we equate love based on what we see? With this understanding, we can tell that beauty has already faded. The verse had also been taught that beauty fades because of age. But the verse doesn't say that. The lesson is taught based on again not experience but what has been seen. There are many of the elderly that if we saw a picture of what they looked like in their younger years, you couldn't recognize them. The mother of a high school classmate had family pictures on a mantel in her home. When I visited them, I saw the pictures and tried to examine them closer. The classmate's moth...