1. Sunrise after the darkest of nights
2. Friends who bring out the best in me
3. A love that makes me smile
4. Belief that anything is possible
5. Courage to finally do what I've been putting off
6. Time for myself
7. Promises that are not broken
8. An answered prayer
9. A heart that forgives
10. A joyful feeling all year round
11. A soul that heals, and
12. A good life and healthy body
November 26, 2008 - This morning I scanned the Bible randomly, I ran across 1 Corinthians chapter 7. God really knows what page to lead me to. I've been married for eight years now, and it is only now, that I am reading this chapter. I appreciate the bible more now, because it has everything to say about whatever topic there is to life. Since I am married, might as well read and understand what I signed for, in the first place. hahahaha.... why only now Nancy? Well, that's how good God is, He wants all His sheep be found. I was lost and now that He found me, I would want to stay as close as I can be.
Let me write down what I read, so I won't forget ( and so you won't forget too..)
1 Corinthians chapter 7 has 40 verses, and all are about principles, fellowship in marriage and singleness. But I will not write about it all at once, let's savor verses 1 to 6 first (NIV).
1 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2 But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
Paul brings out that it can also be good for a person to remain single--but because of the sexual immorality all around you (in Corinth), it's also good to be married. It's a natural thing for a man and woman to be married. God created man and woman and gave them a sex drive. Marriage is a safeguard against sexual immorality. In light of the danger of sexual immorality (ever present in the Corinthian culture – and our own), it is appropriate for husband and wife to have each other in a sexual sense.
3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.
a. Instead of a man not to touch a woman, within marriage, a husband must render to his wife the affection due her. It is wrong for him to withhold affection from his wife.
i. The affection due her is an important phrase; since Paul meant this to apply to every Christian marriage, it shows that every wife has affection due her. Paul doesn’t think only the young or pretty or submissive wives are due affection; every wife is due affection because she is a wife of a Christian man!
ii. Paul also emphasizes what the woman needs: not merely sexual relations, but the affection due her. If a husband is having sexual relations with his wife, but without true affection to her, he is not giving his wife what she is due.
iii. Affection also reminds us that when a couple is unable – for physical or other reasons – to have a complete sexual relationship, they can still have an affectionate relationship, and thus fulfill God’s purpose for these commands.
b. On the same idea, also the wife to her husband – the wife is not to withhold marital affection from her husband. Paul strongly puts forth the idea that there is a mutual sexual responsibility in marriage; the husband has obligations towards his wife, and the wife has obligations towards her husband.
i. Render to his wife: The emphasis is on giving, on “I owe you” instead of “you owe me.” In God’s heart, sex is put on a much higher level than merely being the husband’s privilege and the wife’s duty.
c. The wife does not have authority over her own body: In fact, these obligations are so concrete, it could be said that the wife’s body does not even belong to herself, but her husband. The same principle is true of the husband’s body in regard to his wife.
i. This does not justify a husband abusing or coercing his wife, sexually or otherwise. Paul’s point is that we have a binding obligation to serve our partner with physical affection.
ii. It is an awesome obligation: out of the billions of people on the earth, God has chosen one, and one alone, to meet our sexual needs. There is to be no one else.
5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.
d. Do not deprive one another: Paul rebuffs their idea that husband and wife could be more holy by sexual abstinence. In fact, harm can come when they deprive one another, as they open the door to the tempter (so that Satan does not tempt you).
i. The word for deprive is the same as defraud in 1 Corinthians 6:8. When we deny physical affection and sexual intimacy to our spouse, we are cheating them.
ii. Do not deprive: Sexual deprivation in marriage has not only to do with frequency, but with romance also. This is why Paul tells husbands to render to his wife the affection due her. Either deprivation gives occasion for the deprived to look elsewhere for fulfillment – to the destruction of the marriage.
iii. For your lack of self-control: It might be easy to think that self control is expressed by abstaining from sexual relations in marriage, but Paul says that to deprive one another is to show a lack of self-control, and a lack of self-control that will leave one easy to be tempted by Satan.
e. I say this as a concession: God will permit (reluctantly, as a concession) a married couple to abstain from sexual relations for a short time, for the sake of fasting and prayer. But if this concession is used, it is only to be for a time, and then husband and wife must come together again in a sexual sense.
i. Not as a commandment: God is not commanding, or even recommending, such abstaining from sex within marriage; but it can be done for a brief time for a specific spiritual reason.
f. The principle in this passage is important. God makes it clear that there is nothing wrong, and everything right, about sex in marriage. Satan’s great strategy, when it comes to sex, is to do everything he can to encourage sex outside of marriage, and to discourage sex within marriage. It is an equal victory for Satan if he accomplishes either plan!
i. This can be seen in the way some of the Corinthian Christians thought it was just fine to hire the services of a prostitute (as in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20), and other Corinthian Christians thought it was more spiritual for a husband and wife to never have sexual relations!
ii. A Christian husband and wife must not accept a poor sexual relationship. The problems may not be easily overcome, or quickly solved, but God wants every Christian marriage to enjoy a sexual relationship that is a genuine blessing, instead of a burden or a curse.
Sources: enduringword, biblegateway
Making the most of my time now, by reading the Bible, it's been years that I have not calibrated with the Man above us all. He is worth my time than any other. -Nance
"If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away"
Scripture: Matthew 5:27-32
27 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery." 28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. 31 "It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce." 32 But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Meditation: What does Jesus mean when he says “pluck out your eye “ or “cut off your hand and throw it away” if it leads you to sin? Is he exaggerating here? Jesus used forceful language to urge his disciples to choose for life — a life of joy and happiness with God -- rather than for death -- an unending life of horrible misery and separation from the loving presence of an all-good God.
Jesus set before his disciples the one goal in life that is worth any sacrifice and that goal is the conformity of our will with God and what he desires for our well-being and happiness with him.
Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which inevitably leads to spiritual death.
Jesus warns us of the terrible responsibility that we must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith.
Jesus teaches that righteousness involves responding to every situation in life in a way that fulfill's God's law, not just externally but internally as well. Jesus says that evil desires spring from the heart. That is why the sin of adultery must first be dealt with in the heart, the place not only of the emotions, but the mind, will, thought, and intentions as well.
God’s intention and ideal from the beginning was for man and woman to be indissolubly united in marriage as “one flesh” (see Genesis 2:23-24 ). That ideal is found in the unbreakable union of Adam and Eve. They were created for each other and for no one else. They are the pattern and symbol for all who were to come.
Moses permitted divorce as a concession in view of a lost ideal (see Mark 10:2-9). Jesus sets the high ideal of the married state before those who are willing to accept his commands. Jesus gives grace and power to those who seek to follow his way of holiness in their state of life -- whether married or single.
If we want to live righteously we must understand the intention of God's commands and decide in our heart to obey the Lord. The Lord writes his law on our hearts and gives us his power to live his way of righteousness and holiness.
Do you trust in God’s love and allow his Holy Spirit to fill you with a thirst for righteousness and holiness?
"Lord, begin a new work of love within me. Instill in me a greater love for your commandments. Give me a burning desire to live a life of righteousness and holiness. Purify and transform me that I may be fully conformed into the likeness of Christ." -rc.net
We experience great joy first before sorrow.
At some point in our lives, we will be given something special... and once we have learned to love it and give it much importance,
it will be taken away from us...
at the time we are not aware of.
But all happens to make us realize that....
Indeed, it is impossible to taste the fullness of joy without tasting first the bitterness of deep sorrow.
- Author Unknown
"For God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son"
Scripture: John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
Meditation: True love doesn't count the cost; it gives liberally. A true lover gives the best he has to offer and everthing he has for the beloved. God proved his love for us by giving us the best he had to offer -- his only begotten Son who freely gave himself as an offering to God for our sake and as the atoning sacrifice for our sin and the sin of the world. Abraham's willing sacrifice of his only son, Isaac prefigures the perfect offering and sacrifice of God's beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This passage in the gospel of John tells us of the great breadth and width of God's love. Not an excluding love for just a few or for a single nation, but a redemptive love that embraces the whole world, and a personal love for each and every individual whom God has created. God is a loving Father who cannot rest until his wandering children have returned home to him. Saint Augustine says, God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love. God gives us the freedom to choose whom and what we will love. Jesus shows us the paradox of love and judgment. We can love the darkness of sin and unbelief or we can love the light of God's truth, beauty, and goodness. If our love is guided by what is true, and good and beautiful then we will choose for God and love him above all else. What we love shows what we prefer. Do you love God above all else? Does he take first place in your life, in your thoughts, and actions?
"Lord Jesus Christ, your love is better than life itself. May your love consume and tranform my life that I may desire you above all else. Help me to love what you love, to desire what you desire, and to reject what you reject".
Source: rc.net
"Let him who is without sin cast the stone"
Scripture: John 8:1-11
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."
Meditation:
Do you know the joy and freedom of repentance?
The grace of Jesus Christ has power to change our lives and to set us free from our unruly desires and passions.
Jesus' association with sinners upset the religious leaders. They confronted him on the issue of adultery and retribution. Jewish law treated adultery as a serious crime since it violated God's ordinance and wreaked havoc on the stability of marriage and family life. It was one of the three gravest sins punishable by death.
This incident tells us a great deal about Jesus' attitude to the sinner. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to entrap Jesus with the religious and civil authorities. That is why they brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. Jesus turned the challenge towards his accusers. In effect he said: Go ahead and stone her! But let the person who is without sin be the first to cast a stone. The Lord leaves the matter to their own consciences. When the adulterous woman is left alone with Jesus, he both expresses mercy and he strongly exhorts her to not sin again. The scribes wished to condemn, Jesus wished to forgive and to restore the sinner to health.
His challenge involved a choice -- either go back to your former way of sin and death or to reach out to the new way of life and happiness with him.
Jesus gave her pardon and a new start on life. God's grace enables us to confront our sin for what it is -- unfaithfulness to God, and to turn back to God with a repentant heart and a thankful spirit for God's mercy and forgiveness. Do you know the joy of repentance and a clean conscience?
Nancy's corner: We are so blessed to have an understanding and forgiving God. Had it not been for His mercy and grace, none of us would be given another chance to "make up" for our mistakes, heal the hearts we've wounded and hurt, and make a difference in our lives and other people. Heaven would be close to being empty, but God always cleans our record, so let us not waste it. We only live once, but if we live right, one lifetime is enough.
Same is true for the ones who have wronged us. No matter how grave the sin is - forgive anyway. When you forgive, the first beneficiary is you - and the gift you give to yourself is FREEDOM - free from the heavy chain - the garbage in your heart, from the resentment/anger that poisons your soul. You release that person from his debt on you. Tell your offender, "In Jesus name, I forgive you. You owe me nothing, you're release from your debt. And whatever you took from me, Jesus is going to pay me, He is going to give it back to me ten folds."
A friend once sent a note; Never use failure as an excuse for not trying again. We may not be able to reclaim the loss, undo the damage or reverse the consequences, but we can always make a new start.
"God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect. In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, that you are on our side against all that stunts life, and that our resentment against you was groundless. So we come to you, asking you to forgive our past ignorance, and wanting to know more and more of you and your forgiving love, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Saint Augustine)
"Song for me daw".
.. - from my spouse Di ko man maamin, ikaw ay mahalaga sa akin
Di ko man maisip
Sa pagtulog ikaw ang panaginip
Malabo man ang aking pag-iisip
Sana'y pakinggan mo ang sigaw nitong damdamin
Ako'y alipin mo kahit hindi batid
Aaminin ko minsan ako'y manhid
Sana at iyong nariringSa 'yong yakap ako'y nasasabik...
Ako'y alipin mo kahit hindi batid
Aaminin ko minsan ako'y manhid
Sa 'yong yakap ako'y nasasabik...
Pilit mang abutin ang mga tala
Basta't sa akin wag kang mawawala
Ako'y alipin mo kahit hindi batid
Aaminin ko minsan ako'y manhid
Sana ay iyong naririnig
Sayong yakap ako'y nasasabik
Pagkat ikaw lang ang nais makatabi
Malamig man o mainit ang gabi
Nais ko sana iparating na ikaw lamang
Ang siyang aking iibigin.....
For my dear husband, song from Ms. Lani Misalucha
All this time we've been together
Everyday a new adventure
Time's enough to last forever and a day
Our love was sometimes all we had
Through good times and through bad
I loved you all the way. . .
All our days weren't bright and sunny
There were times we had no money
You could always find some funny things to say
And lookin' back on where we've been
I'd do it all again
I loved you all the way. . .
I loved you all the way, heeeyyy
Everynight, everynight, everday. . .
Times I thought I couldn't take it
Wondrin' if we'd ever make it
You could hold me close and make it go away
And though I've said it all before
I never meant it more
I love you all the way. . .
I loved you all the way. . .
