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!

Love is Action, Love One Another

 Loving your church family

Jesus gave us the 11th Commandment.

"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." John 13:34

We read this in 1 John

"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20

Paul tells us that we need to?

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10

I love that. Paul said that we should "Outdo one another in showing honor." It kind of reminds me of some sort of comedy skit. "I love you, have a cupcake." "No, no, no. I love you more. Have a cupcake." No, no, no. I love you more. Have two cupcakes." You get the point.

I truly believe that if you fully understand who the church IS, this should be an easy, easy command to follow. I shared this with you before. I was in Columbus Ohio, spending some time with a pastor over there named Rod Parsely. I was standing in the World Harvest Bible College lobby, when I heard, as clear as day, "My people are a family." My response? "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now I'm trying to pay attention here." I heard it again. "My people are a family." "Yeah, I know. I get it. I understand. Now let me get back to this." One more time, "My people are a family." That was it. "OK, I'm listening. What are you trying to tell me? I mean really God. I got it. I understand that if we are all children of yours, then we are all in your family." What am I missing here?

Turns out I was missing a lot. Starting with the fact many may or may not like. We are NOT all God's children. We ARE all God's creation. However, there is only one way to become a child of God. That is Jesus. That is the Spirit of Adoption. The Holy Spirit. If you are not adopted into the family of God, you are NOT His child.

Look at this in Romans 8

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”" Romans 8:13

Once you become adopted into the family, you then receive many more brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. You are adopted into a very large family. The Family of God. Look what Jesus says here.

"Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”" Mark 10:28–31

We read this story in Luke. Jesus was teaching and there were so many people there that no one else could get in.

"Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”" Luke 8:19-21

We are a family. Let's look at a family. You sleep with, wake with, talk with, and spend time with, your family. You share your day's events and seek to help those in need of comfort, encouragement, or celebration together. Is God's family really one hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to Church?

Think about this. If you have a need, you have a challenge in your life, you can always turn to your family. Your mom or dad can help you. Your older siblings may have already been through what you are facing. They can help you. When you are sad, they try to comfort you. When they are sad, you comfort them. If you are the oldest, YOU may be the one that others look up to. Again, God's family? One hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to Church?

First, a building is a building. The church is the people. You can have a church service in the middle of a field. You can have a church service in the middle of the street. The church, that the Word talks about is always the people. A family.

Just like your earthly family, in God's family, you have babies. Those that just heard the truth and have allowed the truth to set them free. They know next to nothing and are in need of being fed, taught, ETC. You have teenagers. Those that are more knowledgeable, yet, are not yet ready to go out on their own. They can certainly help in the raising of the young. Then you have the moms and dads. Those that have grown up, put away childish things and are in a position to teach, encourage, love, and guide in the way both the children and teenagers should go. These are the elders of the church. Of course, you have the earthly father, who is the head of the church. The Pastor. The one that should be guiding the rest of the family. The one that is responsible for communicating whatsoever God himself tells him.

Look at what Jesus instructed John and Mary while on the cross.

"but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home."

John and Mary had no relationship prior to Jesus. John was a fisherman, and Mary was a teenage mother married to a Carpenter. Now many wonders whatever happened to Joseph, Jesus's "earthly father" which he really never was. The last we see him mentioned in the Bible is when Jesus was 12. The general consensus is simply that he died sometime between Jesus being 12 and the start of his ministry at age 30. This makes sense since Jesus appointed John to take care of His mother Mary and it would have also been Joseph's responsibility to take Jesus's body after the crucifixion. However, since the Bible does not tell us for certain that he died, or how or when, we can not really know for certain.

We should be looking at our church family, even more so, as important as our earthly family. Jesus even tells us that some of our own earthly families will betray us and some may even kill us. Look here.

"Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”" Luke 12: 51-53

Many people fail to hear God's Word. Many people become offended by God's Word. Just like in the rest of the world, once you accept God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and you begin to learn and grow in your faith, some in your own family may become offended and turn out to actually hate you. Look what Jesus tells us here. I know this is a hard lesson. Hard to hear. Look here.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26

What does Jesus mean that we must “hate” our father and mother? Jesus relates a metaphor about a man who builds a house without first counting the cost Luke 14:28–30. The man finds that he cannot follow through with what he set out to do. He leaves the house unfinished because he cannot pay what is required. Jesus is illustrating that we must be willing to go so far as to hate our mother, father, family, and or even our own lives, namely, we must count the cost of being a disciple. There is a cost, and that is the point of the passage. If you accept Jesus and someone in your family starts to hate you or reject you. in essence, tells you you must choose between them and Jesus, you better be willing to choose Jesus. That is the point.

However, the good news is this. Your church family is far larger than your earthly family. I can honestly say I was surprised at the words that came out of my mouth once when someone asked if I was actually related to someone. I said, without hesitation, "Not by blood, but by love."

Our church family IS by love and blood. The blood of Jesus. We need to love one another as He loved us. We must rely on one another and love one another. Support one another and always see our church family as the family we are.

Always keep in mind though, that there is another aspect to this. It is probably the hardest one to actually understand and or accept.

3- Love your enemies.

This is what we will be discussing next time. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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 Jesus'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 Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, 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

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

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

God IS In Charge, Life and Death

Life and Death

How many can say, "I know, beyond any doubt, God IS in charge."? God IS in charge. He is in charge of Life and Death. What else matters? He gave you life. He gave you eternal life. He is over death itself. What else is there to fear? We will be talking about this today, but even in light of this, we still fail to see God in charge sometimes?

God IS in charge of your Family.
God IS in charge of your needs.
God IS in charge of appointing leaders.
God IS in charge of the future.

Let us begin today with the fact that God IS in charge of life and death itself. If you were to truly get this truth, you would not worry about anything else. God said this.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

He created everything!

"For by him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16

Then He created Mankind, Genesis 1:26, and then at His appointed time, He created you.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

You are the way you are because God said so. You are exactly the way you are because God said so. He created you. Then comes the "Five Steps of an Anointed Life." Romans 8:29-30

"For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

He foreknew to, brought your Parents together, to bring you forth. He set up and plan and purpose for you and your life. Then He calls you. This is where you come in. "Yes." or "No." Which is your answer? If you say "Yes." Then He justifies you. A time of preparation and equipping. Then step five, Glorification.

For this conversation, I will assume you said "Yes." You are now a Child of God. He is now your Father. He is now in total charge of you and your life. More importantly than that, He is now in charge of your death.

“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33

We have nothing to fear. Death is simply a part of life. I will repeat that. Death is not a punishment, a curse, or something to be feared. It is simply a part of Life.

"For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." Ecclesiastes 3:10-8

Say that part again. "a time to be born, and a time to die." Is being born something to fear? No. Of course not. Everything dies at some point. You will die too. Sorry for the spoiler. So should we fear death? No. If you are a Child of God, it is a far better place you are going than this of which you leave here.

Here is something you really need to get. There is a time. Your time. There will come a day that will be your last day on this earth. Yet? It is God appointed. God ordained. God controlled. Not the Worlds. Not a sickness. Not fellow Mankind. God. You are not going anywhere until God says so.

Moses escaped death as a baby. Escaped death from Pharaoh. {Exodus} David defeated Goliath A tiny young teen against a heavily armed and armored giant with a slingshot and rock. {1 Samuel 17} Paul? Well? Put in prison over and over. Faced death over and over. Received 39 lashes from the Jews 5 times. Beaten with rods 3 times. Stoned one time. Shipwrecked 3 times. He spent a day and night in the Sea. Often hungry and thirsty, cold and naked. I guess you could say he had some Trials and Tribulations. You can find Paul explaining this in {2 Corinthians 11}.

There is no man that is going to end your life before God is ready to receive you into the Kingdom.

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!" Luke 12:4-5

We should not fear any person. We should not hate them either. We should love and forgive them. Bless those that hate you. {Romans 12:14-21}

Remember God said this.

"Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’" Deuteronomy 32:35

Paul reminds us of this when he said this.

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." Romans 12:19

So if God is, and make no mistake about it, He IS, in charge of Life and Death, why should you fear anything else? Are you fearing for your family? Do you have a bunch of drama in your family? Is God in charge? Are you fearful of your Job, or your needs being met? Is God in charge? Are you fearful of who may win the upcoming Election? Is God in charge? Are you fearful of the future? Is God in charge? Of course, He is. Of course, He is in charge of it all. Want to have a happy family? No fear for your needs, leaders, or future itself? Realize that God IS in charge of it all. More on a Godly Family next time.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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 Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He raised 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 Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt 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

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

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

Righteous Conduct. Family

God's Family Plan

We have been talking about Righteous Conduct. How do others see you? How are you conducting yourself? The Word declare that we should conduct ourselves Righteously. That people are watching us, and as with our own Children, people will learn to accept more of what they see, than anything that they hear someone tell them.

We have talked about Salvation and Adoption into the Family of God. Obviously, you cannot live a Righteous Life, nor conduct yourself above Worldly Standards, if you are still living according to the World.

We just got done discussing what True Repentance actually means. You can be Saved, and not changed? I really do not think so. However, you MUST be Changed if you are going to even have a hope of Righteous Conduct.

Today, we are going to talk about Family. Yes. There is a right way, and a wrong way, to do Family. There is the World's Family Plan, and then there is God's Family Plan. Let's start by saying, Family? It is pretty important to God. WE can start back in Genesis. Back at the very Creation of Man.

"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." {Genesis 2:18}

Then in Genesis 2:24

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

God Created Man, then Woman, then Marriage. All back in the beginning. Leaving aside the whole Fall of Man thing for a second, we see that Family is the most important Non-God related thing on Earth. Then again, Family is not actually suppose to be non-God related. A Righteous Living Family, is all about God. It is so important that it is the fifth Commandment, and the first with Promise..

Exodus 20:12

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

Here is God's plan for the Family. We are born, learn and grow, leave our Father and Mother, 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.

However, this is one of those teachings that have been twisted, manipulated, and even forsaken, by some Churches. It is also not necessarily Politically Correct. That doesn't change the fact that God has a very clear plan for our Earthly Family. In Ephesians 5:20-24

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."

Now here is the first bone of contention by some. They say that this means that Women should be subservient. That if her Husband was to become Abusive. Tough. If her Husband cheats on her. Too bad. That she must be barefoot and pregnant in the Kitchen, hanging on every command from her Husband.

That is simply not the case. First, as I heard it recently put, nowhere in the Word does it tell anyone to follow anyone into Sin. Second they fail to continue on reading. Ephesians 5:25-33

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

First, let's leave aside the fact that God says we become one flesh. Which means we are equal. God tells us that Man ought to love their Wives as Jesus loved the Church and died for it. Jesus would do anything He was able to do for the Church. As we, {Speaking to the men} should towards our own Wives.

What God also says about men is that WE are responsible for the Family. We are responsible for going before God, and seeking His Will and His Way for us. Then going back and teaching the Family what God teaches us. We are responsible for meeting the needs of our Family. We are responsible for all things. Being a Husband and Father is not something that should be taken lightly. It is an Honor and great responsibility.

Continuing in. Ephesians 6:1-4

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

Does this mean that children must allow themselves to be abused? God forbid. Does it mean that Parents can abuse their children? Of course not. However, Parents should be raising their children in the Ways of the Lord.

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

The Word tells us plainly, that we need to teach our Children the Word of God. We need to teach them the Ten Commandments as an example.

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." {Deuteronomy 6:7}

"And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." {Deuteronomy 11:19 }

In reference to the ways of God...

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD." {Psalm 34:1}

Psalm 132:12

"If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore."

God calls for Parents to correct them when needed. Yes, that includes Corporal punishment. Proverbs 22:15

"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Proverbs 23:13

"Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die."

Proverbs 29:15

"The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."

You see, true education should always be from the home. Parents, you are raising your children. They will go out into the world and learn things of the world. They must have a strong foundation, so that they are not lead astray. So that they will not be lead into sins.

Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Again, this is not saying that it is OK to beat your child. It is not saying that it is OK for Husbands to abuse their Wives. God IS Love. God wants us to Love our families the way God loves us. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Love suffereth long, and is kind; Love envieth not; Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth:"

Jesus told us we can sum up all the Commandments of God in two. "Have no other God before God, and love they neighbor as thyself."

In an ideal world, the Man, Husband, should be the one going out into the world and providing for the Family. The Wife, should be staying home, caring for the house and raising the Children. The Children should be allowed to be Children. Growing, playing, learning.

I understand we do not live in a perfect, nor ideal world. Today, most of the time, both Parents need to go out and work. This puts a strain on the Family unit. We have turned over the education of our Children to others. Then, on top of that, we have even removed God out of the entire system. We have created dumping grounds for our old, and forsaken God's plan for our Family. Then we wonder why our Divorce Rate is rising. We wonder why our single Family homes are increasing in numbers as well. We wonder why Youth Crime is rising, and why our teen suicide rate is skyrocketing.

As with all things, if we would only follow God's plan, we would be so much happier. Our lives would be so much easier. We would have so much more peace. Learn what it means to have a Righteous Family. Conduct yourself in that manor.

Live for God. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Both in your Earthly Family, and in the world. Be a living example of the Love of God which is shown through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Keep in mind, our Children learn far more from us, by watching us what we do, than hearing us, what we say. Be the Family God wants us to be. Both Earthly and in Spirit. We ARE the Family of God.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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 Jesus's sacrifice for me. 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 Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt 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}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus is Lord!