A Message to Soldiers On All Fronts.... Visible and Invisible. AMEN!

Onward Christian Soldiers!
Remember what is at stake for our nation, for our troops, and for Israel.
Pray and then Act!
Amen.
---Livvy McDonald :)<><
Speaking of Christ Jesus, the letter to the Hebrew says,

"In putting everything under Him, God left nothing that is not subject to Him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,'I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing Your praises.'And again,'I will put My trust in Him.'And again He says,'Here am I, and the children God has given Me.'"

Thank You LORD for being the strength of our lives.
"Of whom then shall we be afraid!" AMEN!

My Postscript


Psalm 103: 1-22 says,

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits-Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

*
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel: the LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children's children-with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.

*

Praise the LORD, you His angels[messengers], you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His word.

Praise the LORD, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will.

Praise the LORD, all His works everywhere in His dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

HALLELUJAH!
AMEN!

Light in Goshen: Chapter 5 - Marry and Multiply - Part II

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease."

Marriage.

Hey!
"What's love got to do with it?"

Another very dear friend of mine was explaining to us how marriage in Jewish tradition was such that the parents with help from select member[s] of the community would choose the spouses for their children. Agreements were made when the sons and daughters were young with every expectation that with marrying age, those agreements or matches would be adhered to. Such is the kind of activity so artistically presented in the movie, Fiddler on the Roof, a tradition that is also described as eroding as the story progresses.

But, far beyond this artistry remains the Truth of the former situation. The fact is that when parents chose matches for their children, they took into consideration the child's disposition, talents, deficits, and prospects for a strong home and continuation of the line.

So, I asked my friend a question. A question which was more of a statement of what I thought about the whole idea than any real genuine inquiry, if you know what I mean.

"Why would anybody put up with someone else making that kind of life choice, as serious as marriage is? Especially, if one believes marriage is for life!"

My dear Jewish brother said,

"Olivia, first, you don't understand. The whole culture operated that way and as such, matchmaking was considered normal practice, not an unjustifiable infringement on the personal rights of individuals.

"But,let's just take a look at the heart of your question.

"You are assuming that individuals choosing their spouse as is done these days is better than the way of matchmaking done in the Jewish tradition.

"And, I couldn't disagree with your assumption more."

Well, Saints. As you can just imagine, I am "all ears" as they say, by this time.

"Do tell!" I said snippently as only my combined ignorance mixed with arrogance could express.

"Yes. I will tell," he said.

And, he did.

Let me paraphrase his argument for you.

Basically, we in modern times allowed ourselves to go out and choose a mate. Indeed, we have allowed our children to choose a mate. Some of us did not choose well. Some of us selected well but ,in fact, were not good choices for our mates.

Part of the problem in our environment is that expectations about what we desire in a mate prior to marriage are so unrealistic that we psychologically impose on the other individual traits and expectations that there is absolutely no way for them to meet. Looking for the perfect, "10" we often delude ourselves right up to the wedding day by thinking we have got exactly what meets our specifications, and where anything is missing, we will be able to change our spouse. Then, once the rings are exchanged and we begin to build our families, we find we didn't get what we thought we had, nor are we what our mates expected. And, neither of us is willing to change!

My friend then said, it is this disillusionment that becomes the undercurrent of thinking and action in the home that opens the door for unfaithfulness, etc.
Of course, there are exceptions he said, but more often than not, if you ask individuals if they are satisfied with the choices they made leading up to the choice of spouse, they will say, "No."

On the other hand, says my friend, with the tradition of matchmaking, more objective eyes can look at the traits and proclivities of sons and daughters and choose. And, the choice among the families is such that the family itself, the parents on both sides, work harder to reinforce the permanence of that marriage.

So, I interrupted.

"Hey! What about love. What's love got to do with it?"

To this, my friend said.

"Olivia, superimposing our imagery on someone with the requirement that they live up to it is not love, either. But,since you brought the idea of love up. Here is where it comes into the tradition.

"When the young people are introduced to each other in marriage, they have their first meal as a married couple and the thinking progresses over time. The thoughts might run something like this:

---[new husband] "Well, I ate what she cooked and it didn't kill me."
---[new wife] "Well, he gave me the money for the groceries so I can cook, perhaps we won't starve to death."

Time progresses.

---[young husband]"Baby, looks like me."
---[young wife] "My husband is acting just like a kid, he is so happy. Look how
he is holding our baby."

Time progresses.

---[husband] "I am going to come up with a better way to provide for our growing family."
---[wife] "Look how hard my husband works to take care of us. He is a good man."

Time progresses.

---[husband] "We made the right decision to match our child with the child of
[fill in the blank.]
---[wife] "I see the industrious traits of my husband in [fill in the blanks.]

Time progresses.
And, as my friend described, admiration between husband and wife grows. Love and respect are built, built upon the right actions of each in their role as husband and wife. Built, with the multiplication of those traits throughout the family. Built, with the multiplication of families with those traits to make community.

So, instead of beginning marriage with high expectations that get dashed daily, daily eroding relationship over time till divorce happens, there is the starting with no expectation and the building of relationship over time with the discovery of each positive trait exhibited by each spouse.

Needless to say, this analysis gave me something to think about.

From a biblical perspective--not simply a traditional Jewish perspective-- we have an answer. God is not silent on this issue of marriage. Afterall, "Marriage" is God's idea. He originated it. He tells us what is required.

Relevant Verses Include:
Genesis 2:18
Genesis 2:20
Genesis 2:23-24
Matthew 19:6
1 Corinthians 7
Ephesians 5:22-33

We must pray for our spouses and the future spouses of our children. We must guide our children in teaching them to think biblically and to value that which God values. We must provide environments where our children can interact with others that share those same values. And, as I said before, we must pray. We must pray. We must cover ourselves and our children and there future spouses, those of God's choosing, with prayer.

And, we must instill in ourselves and our children a valuable lesson:
The key to all relationships including that of marriage really is love.


We are all familiar with that of recited passage in 1 Corintians 13 called the "Love Chapter."

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

But, you say, "What if I chose really badly? What do I do?"

I have given this question a lot of thought, Y'all.

Yep. I have come to the following conclusion.

The problem behind the immediate is our failure to reverence God.

This is not said flippantly. And, if you find yourself in an abusive relationship,
please don't just sit there and take it.

"But, but...." you might be thinking. "What in the world is this woman saying?"

Here is my point.

When you have an excellent husband, it is time to get on your face before God and pray prayers of thanksgiving in adoration of God for His provision to you.

When you have a not so excellent husband, it is time to get on your face before God and pray prayers of thanksgiving in adoration of God for His constant vigilance and protection over you, for His promise to be a husband to the widow[which is what you are in effect during those times of emotional and physical abandonment.]

In either case, good spouse or bad spouse, God is to get the glory. Both conditions are there to prompt us to get on our face before God. Let's celebrate anything that draws us closer to God. Every encounter with God transforms us, brings us to a new place in Him. And, although circumstances may or may not change, we will have changed by reaching a new altitude in faith in God.

I can say this with confidence that this is the better way having done it all wrong more than once in this life.

God's Way is Better!

Christ Jesus is our Goshen!
He fills us with His Light!

And, even unsaved spouses can recognize God's light.
So much so that 1 Corinthians 7:13-14 says,

"And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy."

But, even if the spouse never "sees the light" sort of speak, we are to fear God.
That is the safest and most promising place to be, right in the center of God's grace and mercy and His will.

A faithful wife is protected by God. Just look at the history of a God-fearing wife, Abigail in the household of Nabal, a "fool." Read all about it in 1 Samuel 25,the Holy Bible. Do note, Abigail protected her husband to the end. If she had not acted in love for Nabal, all she had to do is say nothing. David would have killed Nabal, and Abigail would have been freed from the bondage of that marriage, forever. However, because Abigail was proactive, spoke Truth including the hard truth about her husband, and then acted in his behalf by prudently supplying what was needed to shore up her husband's deficiencies, God intervened, removing not only the bad husband, but elevating Abigail to the position of wife to the future King David.

Love never fails.

One last word, just to make sure we are on the same page about this notion of "love."
There are enough books on the the distinction between Agape love and other forms, so I won't go into that here. But, I do want to share something with you that was very helpful for me to think about with regard to "love".

One of the theologians of the distant past spoke there being various levels of love shown to God. Let me if I can remember these correctly for you.

There is a seeming progression of understanding that comes with our growth spurts in God. This progression comes with are ability to permit God's love to exude from us into every aspect of our lives.

Level 1 Love of God for what God provides

Level 2 Love of God because He is God

Level 3 Love of oneself because of the love of God

Level 4 Love of others as oneself because of the love God [This is the kind of love resident in those folks who exhibit the fruits, kindness, patience, and long-suffering.]

May we in God's strength love others [including our spouses, independent of their traits], love them as we love ourselves because of the love of God.

Amen!
---Livvy McDonald :)<><
Next post- Light in Goshen: Marry and Multiply Part III - It's all about the Children, Y'all!

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My Postscript

Light in Goshen: Chapter 5 - Marry and Multiply - Part I

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease."

Marriage.

Marriage according to Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary:

"MAR'RIAGE, n. [L.mas, maris.] The act of uniting a man and woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and woman for life. Marriage is a contract both civil and religious, by which the parties engage to live together in mutual affection and fidelity, till death shall separate them. Marriage was instituted by God himself for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity,and for securing the maintenance and education of children.

Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled. Heb.13.

1. A feast made on the occasion of a marriage.

The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage for his son. Matt.22.

2. In a scriptural sense, the union between Christ and his church by the covenant of grace. Rev.19."

Dear Saints,

Marriage is a promise we make to God about another person, the person that becomes our spouse. When we break the marriage, in essence, we are breaking the promise to God, not simply a promise to the spouse.

But,... Why?

Why is it so easy to break this promise to God these days?

One theologian suggests that it is a "perennial temptation of Christians who seek to come to terms with the surrounding culture to bend the Gospel to fit the preconceptions of the culture." ---Bloesch, Faith and Its Counterfeits

How did we get here?

Well, even the philosopher/theologian, Paul Tillich futuristically warned of our current state. [Just a point of clarification before you read the quote that follows. Tillich frequently uses the term "horizontal plane." He is making reference to focus on activity of humanity without any reference to the "vertical" which would be focus on God.]

Tillich maintained,

"If the symbol of creation which points to the divine ground of everything is transferred to the horizontal plane, it becomes a story of events in a removed past for which there is no evidence, but which contradicts every piece of scientific evidence. If the symbol of the Fall of Man, which points to the tragic estrangement of man and his world from their true being is transferred to the horizontal plane, it becomes a story of a human couple a few thousand years ago inwhat is now present-day Iraq. One of the most profound psychological descriptions of the general human predicament becomes an absurdity on the horizontal plane. If the symbols of th Savior and the salvation through Him which point to the healing power in history and personal life are tranferred to the horizontal plane, they become stories of a half-divine being coming form a heavenly place and returning to it....

"If the idea of God (and the symbols applied to Him) which expresses man's ultimate concern is transferred to the horizontal plane, God becomes a being among others whose existence or nonexistence is a matter of inquiry. Nothing perhaps, is more symptomatic of the loss of the dimension of depth than the permanent discussion about the existence or nonexistence of God---a discussion in which both sides are equally wrong, because the discussion itself is wrong and possible only after the loss of the dimension of depth.

[And, Saints, here is the crux of Tillich's argument.]

"When in this way man has deprived himself of the dimension of depth and the symbols expressing it, he then becomes a part of the horizontal plane. He loses his self and becomes a thing among things. He becomes an element in the process of manpulated production and manipulated consumption. This is now the pattern of public knowledge. We have become aware of the degree to which everyone in our social structure is managed, even if one knows it and if one belongs himself to the managing group. The influence of the gang mentality on adolescents, or the corporation's demands on the executive, of the conditioning of everyone by public communication, by propaganda and advertising under the guidance of motivation research, et cetera, have all been described in many books and articles." --Tillich

My summary is this.

"Things" are disposable.
Man as a "thing" is disposable.
It then follows that "Promises" generated by that which is disposable, are also disposable.

Saints, it is distance God that has led us here[to heights of irrationality], in a diabolically spun place of mind where even the current Webster dictionary now redefines marriage.

According to Merriam-Webster:

Definition of MARRIAGE:

1a (1) : the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law

(2) : the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage
b : the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock
c : the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage

2: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities

3: an intimate or close union
-

Saints,

I contend that there is not only a loss of depth, a superficiality associated with our God-given lives, but there is also a rejection of the idea that there is absolute truth. Without Truth as absolute, anything goes. And, the absence of Absolute Truth is the darkness of Egypt.

The "darkness" of Egypt---when it slithers into the Church--- leads the Church to speak of the gospel as "a good way to get to God" rather than as the only way to God.

I agree with those that say that the Church is tempted to draw on the truth claims of other religions and philosophies in order to build the case of the gospel. The consequence then becomes that the "point of departure of the church is no longer divine revelation but religious and moral humanity."--Bloesch

In God's mercy, He has given us the Holy Bible to Light our path so that we will know the good Way and can walk in it! Amen!

The Bible says that Christ Jesus holds the whole universe together.

He (Christ Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all Creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ---Colossians 1:15-17, the Holy Bible

If allowed, Christ Jesus through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, can [and is the only one Who can] empower us to keep our marriage together, to keep the promise we have made to God.

We must follow God's instructions in our choice of spouse, our role as spouse, our fidelity to Christ, our love of Christ shed abroad to cover others, including our spouse. We must ask for Wisdom from God, [James 1:5]if we are to bless our households, Saints.
I so love the lyrics of Sabbath Prayer from Fiddler on the Roof.
[The Words are on point.]
Here they are:

[Parents sing to the children...]

May the Lord protect and defend you.
May He always shield you from shame.
May you come to be
In Israel a shining name.

May you be like Ruth and like Esther.
May you be deserving of praise.
Strengthen them, Oh Lord,
And keep them from the strangers' ways.

May God bless you and grant you long lives.
(May the Lord fulfill our Sabbath prayer for you.)
May God make you good mothers and wives.
(May He send you husbands who will care for you.)

May the Lord protect and defend you.
May the Lord preserve you from pain.
Favor them, Oh Lord, with happiness and peace.
Oh, hear our Sabbath prayer. Amen.



We must show ourselves committed to God, faithful to our promise to Him, if our children are to have the examples to follow for their own marriages.

More about this in our next entry.

As members of the Body of Christ Jesus, may we be found faithful to the promises we have made to our Promise Keeping God.
Amen!
---Livvy McDonald :)<><
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My Postscript

Light in Goshen: Chapter 3 - Dwell in the House

"Build houses and dwell in them...." Jeremiah 29:5, Holy Bible

What does it mean to "dwell" in the house?

According to Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language [1828 Edition], the word "dwell" has a number of meanings.

"Dwell" means,

1. To abide as a permanent resident, or to inhabit for a time; to live in a place; to have a habitation for some time or permanence.

Example of Use:

God shall enlarge Japheth, and He shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Genesis 9.

Saints, Noah Webster says,

"Dwell imports a residence of some continuance. We use abide for the resting of a night or an hour; but we never say, he dwelt in a place a day or a night. Dwell may signify a residence for life or for a much shorter period, but not for a day. In scripture, it denotes a residence of seven days during the feast of tabernacles."

Examples of Use:

Ye shall dwell in booths seven days. Leviticus 23.
The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. John 1.

2. To be in any state or condition; to continue.

Example of Use:

To dwell in doubtful joy.

3. To continue; to be fixed in attention; to hang upon with fondness.

Examples of Use:

The attentive queen dwelt on his accents.
They stand at a distance, dwelling on his looks and language, fixed in amazement.

4. To continue long; as, to dwell on a subject, in speaking, debate or writing; to dwell on a note in music.

Inappropriate Example of Use of the Term, "Dwell."

Dwell, as a verb transitive, is not used. We who dwell this wild, in Milton, is not a legitimate phrase.

From what we read in the Holy Bible, we can draw some conclusions.

According to Jeremiah 29, the captives were to build their houses and "dwell" in them. Implied was this idea of settling in for the duration. In otherwords, approach your "dwelling" as your abode, a place distinct from the attributes of the context called captivity. In a real sense, Christ Jesus is our "dwelling" place.
The ability to "dwell" resides in right relationship with God in Whom we live, and move, and have our being. Consequently, the first step toward "dwelling" in our houses begins in finding our place in Christ Jesus. It is that recognition that led David to sing,

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4, Holy Bible

To acknowledge,
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23, Holy Bible

The Psalmist proclaims in Psalm 84,,

"How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may have her young—a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You. [Selah]

Blessed are those whose strength is in You,who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. [Selah]

Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on Your anointed one.

Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You."

Hallelujah!
AMEN!
--Livvy McDonald :)<><

My Postscript