“Reasons to stay together,” I read on the front page, when I picked up an old Reader’s Digest. (January 2007)
I am interested. The fact is that I am very interested.
Inside the Reader’s Digest the title is “New Reasons to stay together.” Did I ever enjoy reading the article by Elizabeth Marquardt. It says there also, “With the effects so long-lasting, is there any such thing as a “good divorce” when children are involved?”
I am reading about “Reasons to stay together” and New reasons to stay together.”
But for me there is only one reason to stay together:
“I HATE DIVORCE,” says the Lord God of Israel, …” We are reading that verse in the Bible, in the Old Testament. (Malachi 2:16)
And did I not say, “I WILL, ” when the minister asked me something like this on our wedding day (we got married in Thailand) : “A——-, will you take B—— to be your wife; will you commit yourself to her happiness and her self-fulfilment as a person, and to her usefulness in God’s kingdom; and will you promise to love, honor, trust, and serve her in sickness and in health, in adversity and prosperity, and be true and loyal to her, so long as you both shall live?” (The Broadman Minister’s Manuel by Franklin M. Segler)
Please remember also that the Bible says this in Second Corinthians 6:14, 15, 16:
“DO NOT BE YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS.
Intr.:
Questions (5)
1. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
2. Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
3. What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
4. What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
5. What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
“Wishing you Peace at Christmas Time,” is written on one Christmas card we received this year. The card is beautiful.
What is PEACE?
We are reading in Romans 3:23:
” …, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, …”
THE RESULT OF GOD LOOKING UPON US IN GRACE IS PEACE.
What is grace? Grace means favour we don’t deserve.
What does God’s grace give us?
1. God’s grace gives us peace with God.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” (Romans 5:1) Because of what God has done for us in his grace, we are no longer his enemies.
2. The grace of God does not only give us peace with God, it gives us inward peace. Inward peace follows after peace with God. (Philippians 4:7)
This inward peace is not hindered by the struggles of the world. (John 14:27 and John 16:33)
3. After that has happened, we are led to a state of peace with other people.
Part of the purpose for which the Lord Jesus Christ died was to make peace between man and man (Ephesians 2)
4. But that is not all. The Bible tells us that to all that ‘the peace of God’ is added.
The grace of God leads us to the peace with God, inward peace, peace with our neighbours and to ‘the peace of God’.
What is peace? The New Testament was written in Greek. When we are reading the word ‘peace’ in our Bibles we must think about the word ‘union”. That is the root meaning of the Greek word. We were separated from God, but now we are united. We were enemies of God, but now we are reconciled.
“Reasons to stay together,” I read on the front page, when I picked up an old Reader’s Digest. (January 2007)
