Mail Order Bride

Do you know anyone who uses on line dating services? We prefer to think matches are “made in heaven;” but some in desperation result to “.com!” Earlier outlets included “Lonely Hearts Clubs” or newspaper personal columns.

Match making goes back farther than we can prove; but the father of Leah, Jacob’s first wife, used deception to find her a man! (Genesis 29:16-28). Today she would likely be referred to as “a plain Jane;” with slim chances to “land a man.” The wedding night for Jacob and Leah goes beyond the worst “blind date” surprises! Seeing her in the camouflage of a bridal veil Jacob suffered from “night blindness;” and he had an eye opener the following morning!

I find interesting the old stories of “mail order brides.” People corresponding by mail learned little about their prospective mate; but they took the risk and arranged their marriage. Many things brought them together, including a deep desire for companionship. I’m sure the U.S. postal system offered no guarantees! The mail order arrangement brought perfect strangers together to form the binding covenant of marriage. 

The Bible gives another vivid example of such blind trust. “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls (1Peter 1:8-9 NAS).” 

As His bride we receive all the benefits and honor of taking His name as ours. It is recorded and on file in heaven! —PamFord Davis

Maintaining His Intent

Years ago while working at a do-it-yourself warehouse my manager summarized his expectations of me and it went like this: ‘in everything you do here in this business you should always maintain my intent.’

What he meant was this. He was the manager and I was a supervisor on his payroll. It was important that I understood what his goals and expectations were for the company and even when he wasn’t in the building, I was to be maintaining his expectations.

Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘when the cats away the mice will play?’ All too often in business the second the manager or the head honcho steps out of sight everything runs differently, and not always better.

Jesus faced this same issue when he explained to His disciples that He would only be with them a little while longer but He left them with clear expectations.

My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:33-35 NIV)

As Christians we all too often become complacent and don’t always maintain His intent, yet this is our responsibility! Just because Jesus isn’t physically sitting at your lunch table or in your office, does not mean that we should slack on our responsibility! We were commissioned to love one another just as He loved us, and this my friends, is how people will know we are His disciples!

Regardless of what we have been called to do! Regardless of our job or our education, we must maintain His intent! If we are going to be so bold to wear the title of Christian, then we must be bold enough to love! We must know Him well enough to know His expectations! We must know what His Word says and follow it accordingly! —Jounda LaMance

Lord so often we fail to maintain your intent! We have done a lot of talking and preaching and failed somewhat in the doing! Lord, you made it very clear what you expect from us, help us to know you in such a way that we do not have to second-guess what you expect! Help us Lord to love one another – just as you loved us! 

Magnets Attract

I wonder how many young children are as fascinated by magnets as I was. I didn’t have to understand how it picked up nails or metal filings. I became a believer while watching my grade school teacher demonstrate its power.

By using a small horseshoe shaped magnet, I confirmed what I had readily believed. Magnets attract, drawing other objects to them.

God the Father drew me close. In faith, I responded.

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:44 KJV).”

Why resist the LORD?

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me (John 12:32 KJV).”

As we lift Jesus through word and witness, we exalt his holy name. His lovingkindness and mercy draws me …

I am in agreement with the Psalmist.

“But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation (Psalm 69:13 KJV).”

—PamFord Davis

Made Righteous Through Christ

2 Corinthians 5:21
For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteous of God in Him.

Let us take an in-depth look at our scripture and analyze the "He", "Him" and "us" in today's topical discussion. The "He" is God the Father and the "Him" is Jesus Christ our Savior and the "us" is all humanity. For mankind to be made righteous we must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The work of God the Father and God the Son encompasses John 3:16 because it includes everyone; to receive salvation one must believe in Jesus Christ the Son of the living God.

With that being said, let's look at the love that was on display in that Jesus Christ took on the sins of the world so that all who believe would be made righteous in Him so that when God looks on all believers He sees the righteousness of His Son. Another school of thought is that Jesus Christ willingly gave up His seat in heaven to come to earth as man and be subjected to human limitations and humiliation while knowing that He would have to sacrifice His life in order to meet God's requirements to provide salvation.

Given what God and His Son done for all believers is worthy of all songs of praise, worship and thanksgiving as a way of saying "Lord, I thank You for making me righteous through Your Son's shed blood."

Believers, we are the righteous of God through Jesus Christ. —Dr Willie B White