Sometimes I think that we put less (rational) thought into choosing a mate, than we do when choosing a vehicle.  Oh, that one is a pretty color, but does it have a motor?  Oh, that one is a classic, but you can only drive it in parades?  Oh, that one has 500 HP, but can you afford to buy the gas?  Oh, that one is as fast as a rocket, but is it street legal?  Whatever happened to just being practical or making a wise decision?

So what makes our decision about a life’s mate wise and practical?  Are you going to have children?  Don’t pick someone who hates kids.  Are you looking for someone to raise and teach the kids certain values?  Don’t pick someone who doesn’t share those values.  Are you looking for someone that you can trust?  Don’t pick someone who looks really good but is unstable.  Are you looking for a Christian believer?  Don’t pick someone who isn’t a Christian with the idea that you will convert them.

Chances are you are not going to meet someone this week and know within two weeks, three months or even a year that this is the one that meets all the above.  Even someone who professes to be a Christian should not be accepted as such based on their word alone.  

Does their life action match what they say?  Are they under the Spirit’s control?  Do they manipulate?  Is the Word of God important to them?  What kind of friends do they have?  How do they handle money?  Do they love the brethren?  Observing all this takes time and it doesn’t need to take place in a romantic relationship.  

Before I met my wife, I came up with what I considered to be some biblical guidelines to keep me on track and to help me find God’s will for a mate.  

The desire of my heart was to find a wife that was willing to help me find God’s will and who would support me in doing so.  I was also looking for someone who would help me raise our kids according to biblical values.   My heart’s desire was for a wife who was loyal and faithful and in whom my heart could safely trust.  I was looking for a woman of godly character.  

When it was time, I knew it was to be her.  There were no nagging doubts.  I found her or I should say that God led us to each other.  I have often said of her; “I dated some prettier, but none more beautiful”. 

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.  Proverbs 31:28 – 31

I remember a particularly difficult and lonely time in my life. During that time I heard a preacher on the radio say; Walking with God can be lonely,…..but it is a sweet loneliness.

(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.  Psalm 139:1 – 18

There is a popular teaching making the rounds in professing Christianity today. In fact, it is nothing new as it has been around for a long long time. It is the teaching that believing in Jesus is just one of many ways to attain salvation.  In other words, salvation is at the top of the hill and how you get up there is up to you as long as you are sincere.  After all, who am I to judge?

The proponents of this teaching simply won’t say, when asked about the cults and other world religions such as Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Islam, Hinduism, etc., that they also must trust in Jesus Christ and His merit alone as their only hope of salvation.  The response is simply……I just don’t know, who is to say?  I don’t want to be judgmental.

Well the manual on Christianity, the Bible, actually has a lot to say about that.  In fact, John 14:6 is the Lord Himself speaking.  Surely if you believe in Him, you would accept His own words on the subject, wouldn’t you?

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  John 14:5&6

Can salvation come by anyone else?

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  Acts 4:12

If you believe in Jesus and also believe that there are other ways to God for those that are sincere in their beliefs, then you believe in another Jesus, and not the Lord Jesus Christ of Scripture.  You are yet in your sins.

If you were taught that there are other ways to God after you believed in Christ, then you have been taught incorrectly.  You need to repent and believe the words of the Christ of Scripture.  Jesus speaking……no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

…..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly……

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:28 – 31

With Mother’s Day coming up, it is a good time to remember how important mothers are.  I have an example of how one of my own children reminded me of that many years ago.

To maximize the effect, you need to know that I hold a Master plumbing license in a couple of states.  At that time, I also held a plumbing contractor’s license in a neighboring state.  Quite often I would bring plans home to work on at the dining room table.  I was sitting there at the table one weekend several years ago, working away, when one of the kids came running down from upstairs.

He had an urgent look on his face as he ran through the house and then down to the basement.  When he came back up from the basement still in a hurry and still looking for someone, I asked him as he ran by, what was the matter?  He replied; Where’s Mom?  The faucet upstairs won’t shut off!

How important are mothers?  Say no more.

Happy Mother’s Day!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

Can you lose something that is eternal or everlasting?  If you can lose it, then whatever it is you have is not everlasting.  

Did you come to Christ thinking that you could become lost again?  If you did, then you didn’t really trust Christ at all.  You were trusting something or someone else, yourself or Christ plus something.  Maybe you were trusting your church.  

  If you think that there is something you can do to lose salvation,  then apparently you think there is something you did to gain it.  Repent (change your mind based on Scripture) and place your faith in Christ and His merit alone.

For by grace (God’s enabling) are ye saved through faith (a firm persuasion based on hearing); and that not of yourselves: it is the gift (can’t be purchased) of God: Not of works (anything you do), lest any man should boast (praise himself).  Ephesians 2:8&9

What the Lord gives is everlasting life.  If you are truly trusting Him, you can’t lose the life He gives, because the life He gives is eternal.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  I and my Father are one.  John 10:27 – 30

If you came to believe that you could lose your salvation after you trusted Christ, then someone taught you incorrectly.  Repent (change your mind) and accept the Scripture’s description of the life believers have in Christ as everlasting.

Note:  Remember to always interpret unclear passages in Scripture in the light of those that are clear.  Eternal or everlasting life is pretty clear, therefore any passage that may seem to indicate you can lose it, must be interpreted otherwise.  God never contradicts Himself.  God cannot lie.

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  I John 5:13

…..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…..

All my life I had a longing
For a drink from some clear spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.

Refrain:
Hallelujah! I have found Him
Whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings,
Through His blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the husks around me,
Till my strength was almost gone,
Longed my soul for something better,
Only still to hunger on.

Poor I was, and sought for riches,
Something that would satisfy,
But the dust I gathered round me
Only mocked my soul’s sad cry.

Well of water, ever springing,
Bread of life so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth,
My Redeemer is to me.

Written by Clara T. Williams 1875

Music by Ralph E. Hudson 1875

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.  Hebrews 9:24-28

Have you and I ever promised the Lord some great thing and then failed Him in it?  Peter did.  His story of failure is tucked in and around the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  

The wonderful thing about this account is that the Lord Jesus knew everything about Peter before He called him.  He knew Peter’s frame.  Messiah Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him at that critical moment.   

We have to ask ourselves; did it end their relationship?  Did the Lord cross Peter off the list?  Did He say; I told you so?

Mark’s Gospel is the only account that records the Lord’s tender acknowledgement to Peter by way of the angel at the empty tomb………….read on!

Scene I

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

But he (Peter) spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.  Mark 14:26-31

Scene II

And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.  And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

And he denied it again.  And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

And the second time the cock crew.  And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.  Mark 14:66-72

Scene III

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.  Mark 16:1-7

The Lord Jesus knows you and I.  

If you are a first timer to this blog or if you have only been reading the newest articles found on page one, I would like to suggest that you begin by reading the earliest articles, which are found at this time, on page 18.

I am suggesting this because although much of the information found here stands alone, there are also sequences which tie together subsequent articles and which build on certain themes and/or Bible doctrine.

The greatest benefit to the reader, in my opinion, is to start at the beginning.  You can still check out the most recent article, if you like,  on your way there!

…..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.….