Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness. 2 Corinthians 6:14.
One of the greatest dangers that besets the people of God today, is that of association with the ungodly; especially in uniting themselves in marriage with unbelievers.
Hundreds have sacrificed Christ and heaven in consequence of marrying unconverted persons…. The happiness and prosperity of the married life depend upon the unity of the parties. How can the carnal mind harmonize with the mind that is assimilated to the mind of Christ? … There is a perpetual difference of taste, of inclination, and of purpose. Unless the believer shall, through his steadfast adherence to principle, win the impenitent, he will, as is much more common, become discouraged and sell his religious principles for the poor companionship of one who has no connection with Heaven.
Those who profess the truth trample on the will of God in marrying unbelievers; they lose His favor and make bitter work for repentance. The unbelieving may possess an excellent moral character; but the fact that he or she has not answered to the claims of God, and has neglected so great salvation, is sufficient reason why such a union should not be consummated.
Of Solomon the Inspired Record says, “His wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God.” 1 Kings 11:4…. Let the sad memory of Solomon’s apostasy warn every soul to shun the same precipice.
If men and women are in the habit of praying twice a day before they contemplate marriage, they should pray four times a day when such a step is anticipated. Marriage is something that will influence and affect your life, both in this world and in the world to come.
Unless you would have a home where the shadows are never lifted, do not unite yourself with one who is an enemy of God.
The Faith I Live By p. 258
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Prayer Requests
—-My friend, Nayon, has passed. Please pray for her family and friends during this time of sorrow. Rose
—-Please pray for God’s moving in David’s life. Buck
—-My dear friends have their precious baby in the hospital. . . . Lyric became unresponsive in the car after vomiting continuously for over 4 hrs. . . . They are not sure what is wrong or why she is vomiting blood, losing consciousness, and just lethargic. Connie
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Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was a baby, the place where we were living burned to the ground. We lost everything except the clothes we were wearing. The three things I have missed the most that were burned up that day were my collection of piano music from the 1860’s through the 1950’s, my musical instruments, and my pictures. Those pictures were especially missed as my mother had loaned me her slide collection of over 3000 slides just a few weeks before. They all went up in smoke. Later, most of my mother’s photos were destroyed when vandals went through her house making a mess and taking her valuables. The photos of many generations were destroyed by the police detective when he dusted them for fingerprints. Of course the fingerprints of many generation became visible totally or partially obscuring the picture.
Because of these unfortunate instances, I transferred most of the photos I have to the computer and on an external hard drive. I also have unlimited storage on a cloud service, so if anything were to happen to my house, I would still have them.
When we read God’s Holy Word, we receive a picture of Him just as plainly as the photos I have on my computer. From the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation we can see our Dear Saviour and feel His love for us. Jesus urges, ” Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39 A short time after His resurrection, Jesus revealed this fact to two of His followers along the Emmaus road. As they were telling Him of the happenings of the past few days, He “said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:13-27
Again we read, “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” Acts 8:26-39
Searching out the picture of Jesus in all the Scriptures, takes time and effort much like the time and effort I have taken to preserve what photos I have. Moses commanded the people, “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 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. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates.” “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” De 11:18-20; Josh 1:8 As they hid God’s Word in their heart, as they taught them to their children, as they daily saw His law upon their dwelling, they were protected from losing sight of the picture of Jesus that this was to give them. Sadly, they looked away from their Redeemer and began desiring to be like the nations around them.
How often this is the case with us. The things of this world obscure the picture of Jesus we have within, just as surely as that fingerprint dust obscured the image of relatives from long ago. Let us turn away from those distractions. Our very walk with God depends on it. Indeed, our very future depends on it. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Col 3:16 Let us daily find the pictures of our Great Redeemer as we open the pages of His Holy Word and when we find Him, may we be transformed into His image is my prayer. (2 Cor 3:18)
Rose
Sunshine or Shadows?