EARLY LIGHT - Pray for our Nation

Special Devotion

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Proverbs 14:34

2 Chronicles 36:15-17
15) “And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:  16) But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.  17) Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: He gave them all into his hand”. 

    

     One of the most terrifying phrases in the Bible is “God gave them over….” That phrase is used repeatedly in the Old Testament to describe God’s dealing with Israel – His faithful people – through His divinely decreed captivity of Israel by other nations.

     In the New Testament the phrase takes on new and traumatic meaning in Paul’s epistle to the Romans: “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts…” (Romans 1:24). “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions.” “…God gave them over to a depraved mind…” (Romans 1:28).

     Today the judgment of God is still expressed in terms of captivity. Although we may not be conquered by invading hordes, we are rapidly becoming a nation enslaved to moral depravity. Pornography, drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, abortion, child abuse, sexual immorality, and other forms of moral corruption have captured and now rule the heart and soul of a nation once founded on the moral principles of Scripture.

     The consequences are devastating. Families disintegrate. Public decency and compassion are neglected. Authority is despised. Chaos and degradation are unavoidable.

     The question is - Can you make a difference?  YES - Pray!

Equipment Malfunction

     On Friday July 8^th Peggy & I attended the East Texas (15 year old) Babe Ruth All-stars State Baseball Tournament in Nederland, TX., to watch our grandson play in the opening game. The announcers asked everybody to rise for the playing of the National Anthem before the first pitch of the game.  However, the music system malfunctioned and the announcer stated; we have an equipment malfunction so let’s just go ahead and play ball. The players went back into their respective dugouts making ready for play and the fans seated themselves.

     However, I immediately shouted from the stands let’s all sing it, and began along with a couple of other folks to sing.  My voice seemed to resonate from the stands with our blessed National Anthem, and suddenly everybody rose to their feet, removed their hats with the ball players coming back out of the dugout standing and paying honor to our flag and nation. Upon completion the people began clapping, whistling and cheering with a demonstration of patriotism not often seen anymore, especially in venues such as this.

     You know folks, this great nation of ours did not become great by giving up when a malfunction occurred. It’s time real true Americans take a stand and let their voices be heard from the Little League fields to the White House. We must get involved, stay informed and contact our government leaders informing them that they work for us and all the bureaucratic malfunctions (i.e. unsustainable national debt, overzealous government spending, programs and waste and poor economy) are no longer acceptable and remind them that the 2012 elections are coming and our vote counts.

     God bless America.

RELATIONSHIPS

The Bond of Love

Ephesians 52:21-33

Introduction

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Paul is pleading for unity: in the church, home, with children, with servants and masters. Submit is a hard word, but it melts all tensions. True love must forget self and seek the best for the one you love.

Bond of Love for the Church

Christ is the head of the church, His body. He is the savior of the church. The church is subject to Christ. He sacrificed to make the church holy, without stain or blemish. She should be blameless. “Washing of water through the word.” A bride was ceremonially bathed before the wedding. This probably refers to the cleansing of baptism. All of us who comprise the church have been washed.

Husband and wife

Husband is to love his wife like Christ loved the church. Therefore, he makes her look good (his queen). He protects her and his whole family. He works to make his wife and home radiant, meaning no blemish. Why? If the man does his part, then the wife can submit. The house does not have two heads (Read Genesis). You see, the idea of male and female was God’s idea (Genesis 1:27). Marriage was designed by God to meet the first problem of the human race: loneliness, therefore a Helpmate, helper was part of the design. The same word used of God in Psalm 46:1: “A very present help in trouble.”

Marriage was planned to bring happiness, not misery. Adam said: “I have finally found the one who can complete me, who takes away my loneliness, and will be as dear to me as my own flesh. She is so beautiful! She is perfectly suited to me. She is all I will ever need” (Genesis 2:23).

Marriage is leaving other relationships to establish a permanent relationship between man and woman. Leave father and mother. Honor and love them, but leave them. Both husband and wife must refocus their lives together, and nothing takes precedence over marriage relationship—not career, advanced education, hunting, golfing, televised sports, over-involvement in church, children, especially a wondering eye (lust) for someone else by either party.

Cleave. The inseparable joining of husband and wife. In other words to adhere, to stick, to be attached by some strong tie (how about Jesus). You cannot be separated without damage to both husband and wife in an intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual way. Such is the case with many who separate and ultimately divorce because of SIN issues.  

Oneness. The two shall become one flesh, which means: No adultery or other person receiving your effections. To divide or let someone come between the two is to fracture the two.

Conclusion

 In Christian marriage there are not two partners, but three. The third being Jesus Christ.

CLOSING COMMENT FORM THIS EVANGELIST: There are some of you out there (you know who you are) struggling with these very issues. Listen to me Closely, because I speak to you having experience with this personally: Do you want to heal your marriage? “The answer which you seek is found in the Cross!  The solution which you seek is found only in the Cross!”  The Word of God in Romans 6 tells us that the only remedy for sin, the only solution for sin, the only answer to sin, is the Cross of Christ, which becomes the object of our faith because of the finished work of Jesus there.  In other words, the Holy Spirit through Paul takes the Believer straight to the Cross.  Remember, Paul is not speaking here to unbelievers, but rather to Believers.  As we attempt to live for God, and I mean live for God properly, this tells us that we must ever understand that it is the Cross of Christ where we must begin, and where we must end.  There is nothing after the Cross of Christ, because there needs to be nothing after the Cross of Christ. Jesus paid the our penalty and sin debt at the cross.  

Ephesians 5:21-33

21)       Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22)       Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23)       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.

24)       Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the

  wives be to their own husbands in everything. 

25)       Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave            

           himself for it; 

26)       That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 

27)       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.

28)       So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves

           himself.

29)       For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourish and cherish it, even as the

           Lord the church: 

30)       For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 

31)       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. 

32)       This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 

33)       Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; an 

           the wife see that she reverence her husband.