Rejoice and be Thankful 3

Having a Godly Spouse.

I have to start this off with this simple fact. I have a Godly Wife. I do. I have a Wife that God brought into my life when I did not want one, as an answered prayer of what a true Godly marriage is all about. She has been with me for 20 years this year and we have been blessed with three beautiful kids along the way.

We have been through a lot. Together. That is the point. I am not alone, neither is she. We honor each other, love each other, and truly become one. I truly am living Proverbs 31

“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:10-12

God is very clear about this. We should not be alone. He created Marriage immediately following His creation of Man and Woman.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

Yeshua, or as translated Jesus repeats this when asked about divorce.

“But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. What, therefore, God has joined together, let man not separate." Mark 10:6-9

This is why we are warned about marrying a non-believer.

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

What agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14–18

Why does God give us this warning in His Word? Because He is trying to save us from a life of pain and trouble and He is trying to help us to honor His Holy plan for family. Turn with me to Ephesians 5:21-33

“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Now stop there for a second. This is the context in which we are talking. “Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Now onto the offensive and misused text.

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit everything to their husbands.”

Now see, she has to do whatever I say. She has to submit and obey me. I am the Husband. No. If you think like this you are an idiot. Read on.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their bodies.”

One, how did Christ love His church? That would be me and you. He died for us. He put us first over His own sinless life. Husbands, are you ready to lay down your life for your wives?

“He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:21-33

See men? You are not off the hook. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church, giving himself up for her. This love is sacrificial, selfless, and unconditional. God is not talking about living in an abusive and controlling marriage. Just in this sermon, we read three times now, God, Jesus, and Paul, all saying the same thing.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

Marriage is so important to God that He made the 7th Commandment.

“Thou shall not commit adultery.”

Why? Because you are giving yourself away to someone else. You are giving the most intimate part of you and what is reserved for your spouse to another. This is the only true reason Jesus gives us for divorce. Turn to Matthew 19 for a second.

“They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?" He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning, it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." Matthew 19:7-9

We read, and some use the Bible to justify divorce in three ways. First of course is death. If your spouse dies then of course you are free from the obligation of marriage. The second comes from Paul, who even tells us it is from Him and not God. Look here in 1 Corinthians 7, starting at verse 12

"But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and if he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." 1 Corinthians 7:12-15

Again, look at what Paul says here. “But to the rest speak I, not the Lord:” I believe Paul is referring to a situation in which two non-believers are already married, and one of them becomes saved and becomes a child of God, while the other does not. This is different from actively seeking out and marrying a non-believer, which is why we are warned against doing so. However, the Lord clearly states, "Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." This statement seems quite clear, doesn't it?

Let me share a bit more about myself than I usually do. Some of you may know some of this, while others may not. I have diabetes, COPD, severe obstructive sleep apnea, and clinical depression, and I deal with complications from a leg injury sustained in a head-on car crash. Yeah, I know, right? My wife sure hit the jackpot, didn't she?

To be fair, when we met, I weighed 230 pounds and went to the gym regularly. Unfortunately, all of these health issues, including a cancer scare, arose after we got married. But you know what? Now, not only is she my best friend, but she is also my nurse, my medication technician, my helper for things I can no longer do, the mother of our kids, and so much more.

How can I not be thankful for her? How can I not thank God always for my wife? She is not my wife one day a year, but every day, 24-7.

I have news for you. God is the same way. He is not just God on Thanksgiving when you should decide to give Him thanks over the Turkey, nor is He God only on Sundays, no, He is God 24-7
Maybe try to get into a habit of thanking God daily.

Here is a prayer if you would like to pray along these words.

“Heavenly Father, We give you thanks for all your many blessings.

We thank You for the gift of life, and for the opportunity to experience all that You have created.

We thank You for the food we eat, prepared with love by our hands and the hands of others.

We thank You for the home we live in, a place of safety and comfort.

We thank You for our family and friends, for our spouses who enrich our lives with their love and support.

Guide us in our lives, Lord, and help us to live under Your will. May our hearts be filled with gratitude for all that You have given us.

In Yeshua’s name, amen.”

Giving thanks should be a daily practice. Everything we have is a gift from God. 

I am grateful that, despite my ignorance, weakness, and limitations, He is wise, strong, and all-powerful. I am thankful that He has allowed me to play a small part in His overall Plan and has given me a purpose for my existence.

Take some time to reflect on this. What are you thankful for? Be sure to give God the thanks He deserves. Your godly spouse should be at the top of your list of blessings. If you are not married and you are a child of God, resist the temptation to pursue a non-believer. Women, please understand that you likely cannot save someone who does not share your faith. Avoid putting yourself in that situation and then wondering why you feel miserable. Instead, follow God’s plan for a godly family.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14

Train up your children in the ways of the Lord.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth."Ephesians 6:1-4

God's plan for the family. We are born, learn, and grow, leave our father and mother, and come together and marry, becoming one. God's plan for us is that as parents, you take care of your children, raising them in the ways they should go, and then later in life, if needed, your children should be able, and willing, to care for you.

What God says about men is that we are responsible for our families. We are tasked with going before God to seek His will and guidance for us and then returning to teach our families what God has revealed. We are responsible for meeting the needs of our families and for all aspects of family life. Being a husband and father is an honor and a significant responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

In an ideal world, the man, as the husband, should go out into the world to provide for the family while the wife stays home to care for the house and raise the children. Children should be allowed to be just that—children—growing, playing, and learning.

However, we do not live in a perfect or ideal world. Today, both parents often need to work, which places a strain on the family unit. We have passed the responsibility of educating our children onto others and, on top of that, removed God from the system. This has led us to create environments where our children are simply placed, forsaking God’s plan for our families. We then wonder why the divorce rate is rising, why single-parent homes are becoming more common, and why youth crime and teen suicide rates are skyrocketing.

As with all things in life, if we would only follow God's plan, we would find greater happiness and our lives would become much easier. Having a Godly spouse brings peace. If you are fortunate enough to have a Godly spouse, rejoice and be thankful, for you are truly blessed.

Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Yeshua, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!