Neisha Marie

Is playing hide and seek with God a possibility?

There is nothing you can do that God does not see. Nothing is hidden in darkness; nothing kept a secret from our Sovereign God. He knows all your private thoughts and your secret affairs. He knows your heart and He cannot be fooled. 1 John 1:6, “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” All that you do whether physically or by thought God knows. He is an omniscient God (who knows all things), and therefore, nothing is hidden. This is significant for a couple reasons.

First and foremost, He knows all that we are, our pure and impure thoughts, our actions both good and evil, the motives of our heart both selfish and unselfish and yet He still redeems, loves, forgives, guides, counsels and comforts His children. Secondly, it makes our wholly good God an all-knowing God who allows things to happen for the better good and to glorify His Name. We may not always understand His reason, we may not ever know all of Him, but we can be assured that He knows everything that goes on and there are no accidents with God. 1 Corinthians verse 4-5 says, “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”

We cannot be naive for judgment is sure to come. We get through the hard times by faith for we are comforted by His word and our ability to pray. Think about what you do today when no one can see and realize there is one who sees all things. Be reminded when you have evil thoughts, doubts, and fears that God hears those unspoken words, but He can redeem you. He can and will lift your faith and remove all fears for He is omnipotent and has overcome the world. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33.

Please continue to pray for the Holts family. Their teenage son is still fighting his battle with cancer.

Please add Ray and Ena to your prayers for they are both fighting cancer and need the power of our wholly good God to fight this disease.

Please pray for my friend Tim for he is having health concerns. Please lift Him in your prayers for the power of God to heal and rebuke his struggles.

Lord we come before you, strengthened by your word and comforted by your love. Lord we bring these people before you for healing. God bring them under your wing and may Your Name be glorified. I pray you are seen through there struggles and hope that each of them as well as their families grow closer to you. Heal them now Lord, in Jesus Name, we thank you and give you praise. Amen.

We give thanks and praise to God for Angie C. She is now a cancer SURVIVOR!! She is completely healed and cancer free. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty! He is the ultimate physician and can overcome all things. He is the ultimate healer and we give Him thanks and praise for Angie. Thank you Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.

With all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength I want to know and understand the Word of God (Deuteronomy 6:5). I want to know his expectations and understand his Will for my life. We cannot simply go through life assuming what God wants for each of us and assuming what the law of the Lord commands from us. We need to be in His Word, seeking His presence so that we may become obedient to Him.

The bible is spoken in parables, but that does not mean that we do not take His Word seriously. There will be a judgment day and you will be held accountable for your decisions. You cannot say that you did not know any better simply because you refuse to learn about what His Word says. God knows if you have the resources to hear His Word and failed to exercise your right to know Him more intimately. Hebrews 10:26-27 says, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” I can only pray for each of you whom choose not to know His Word, whom fails to spend time in His presence that you wake up and seek the truth only He can provide. Is this life and your behavior worth burning in the fires of hell forever? Is it worth it to burn forever for a temporary pleasure?

God is very clear in the bible about His law and expectation. He is clear about His grace and righteousness. He is a loving Father and wants you to speak to Him. He wants you to be saved, but you must come to Him. He is there, waiting for you to call upon His Name. Serving the Lord does not mean that you cannot enjoy life, but it does mean that you may need to change some or all of your ideals, perspectives, friends and behaviors. He does expect you to be obedient and He does want you to be transformed by the Holy Spirit for the glory of His kingdom. 1 Corinthians 3:18, “And we with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” The Lord does want a relationship with you because He wants you to be fulfilled by the gifts He has to offer and the joys that come from serving Him and having an incredible relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is your Father and you are His child and He loves you more than you love your earthy children. We cannot grasp His kind of love. He died so that you could live, tortured on the cross, shed His blood so that you could experience the gift of live and be saved by His sacrificial death to enjoy eternity in heaven forever (John 3:16).

You may have the power of darkness over your eyes if you believe you are going to heaven for simply being a “good person” or that you are going to heaven because judgment is just not that serious. I pray that your false view on life, your misunderstanding of God be rebuked and your eyes to open to the truth of the Lord. Jesus is the light of the world, He is the only truth; I pray you are wise enough to rebuke the power of darkness which have you fooled because you enjoy the darkness. John 3:19, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

A teenage son in the Holts family has been struggling with cancer for the last year. After a year of therapy the cancer has returned. Please pray for the Holts and their young teenage boy. Thank you!

Lord, you are the ultimate physician! We pray right now Lord that you rebuke and remove this disease and may your Name be glorified. Show your grace and favor upon the Holts family and heal this young boy. I pray their family hold fast to the hope you provide for them. I pray they are comforted by your grace and encouraged by your almighty power. May their faith remain strong; I pray faith takes the place of their worrying hearts. In Jesus Name, Amen.

When you cannot hear the voice of God speaking into your daily life it is not because He is not speaking to you. Instead, you are failing to speak to Him, listen for His guidance and dedicate yourself to His Word.

When life inundates you and you become engulfed with the noisiness of this world you need to get into your bibles and read. Reading His Word allows you to be more sensitive to His voice. Spending time in prayer is always a way to hear from God, remembering that it is a two way conversation and while you may lay out your heart you need to be slow to speak and eager to listen.

We have all been in a position where we have failed to hear and heed the voice of truth and thus fall into a road where our path is not lit by the grace and love of God. Proverbs 16:20, “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” It is frightening when you stop hearing the voice of God; His magnificent voice of truth. It is important to remember that God doesn’t turn His back on us, but we are unfaithful beings who turn our backs to God. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine,” John 12:30.

Having an intimate relationship with Him is not something we can turn on and off as we please. Having a relationship with the Lord is something we must work on daily in order to line up His will with our own. Do not forget who you are meant to be in the Lord. The Lord wants you to come to Him; all who are thirsty and weak.

Revelation 22:17, The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

We miss out on so many opportunities to evangelize because we have placed ourselves on a pedestal and failed to remember that we are all sinners stumbling down this narrow road. We judge others for their behavior and fail to recognize the plank within our own eyes (Matthew 7:3). I see Christians turning their heads to other Christian because they feel their walk is better than their brothers. Instead of turning a loving hand over to these lost individuals we turn our cheek and fail to acknowledge them when they walk in the room. As Christians we are to lead and restore, not judge and condemn. Matthew 7:2, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.”

As Christians, it is our job to guide the lost; to lead those from darkness back into the light. However, sometimes, somewhere along the line we believe we have this ‘following Christ thing’ all figured out. If I ever feel like I have it all figured out, Lord I pray you help me see the errors of my ways. We forget that righteousness is a gift from God and something we cannot obtain on own.

There is a fine line between indulging in sinful behavior and guiding someone out of it. As a follower of Christ I am not going to attend an idolatry session in honor of Buddha, nor am I going to support homosexual behavior or hang out with drug dealers on a Friday night. However, in the presence of someone suffering from this kind of disobedience to the living word of God I will be faithful to my God, be a voice for His truth and an example of His wondrous love. Otherwise, he who is without sin cast the first stone, John 8:7.

The woman who wears a bikini is not a sinful woman, but the man in which lust upon her wearing the bikini is a sinful man. A woman provoking the man to lust after her is indulging in sin, whereas, the man who turns his cheek to avoid such temptation is being faithful. Do you see the difference?

Christians sometimes judge others based on their own weaknesses. Drinking an alcoholic beverage is not sinful, in the bible it says to drink and be merry (Luke 12:19), but enjoying a drink in the company of others is very different from drunkenness and gluttony which is sinful. However, sometimes an ex-alcoholic saved by believing in Christ (amen) will condemn another Christians for drinking simply because of their own convictions. We take our own convictions and try to apply them to the lives of others and yet cannot back them up with scripture.

Ephesians 3:14-19, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Matthew 7:14, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Have you ever considered that there is only one way to heaven? Have you ever thought about the fact that billions will burn in the depths of hell? Have you ever thought about the fact that even though there are thousands of religions – there is only one true way to salvation? While many people believe in God, a Creator, so many people fail to acknowledge the truth, the light, and the way through the Savior; the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He is the other way to the Father and the only way to heaven. John 3:18 tells us, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Society has tried to teach us that we must all coexist together and accept one another for which we are and the gods we serve, but that is a world view. While we may be forced to coexist among one another we are to lead, guide and save each other in the name of Jesus Christ. We are not to live by the standards of this world, but by the standard of the Triune God living by faith in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is the road to salvation, the road to forgiveness and amazing grace. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no-one is justified before God by the law, because, “the righteous will live by faith.” You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace (Galatians 3:10-11; 5:4).

God loves all of humanity, but as a father disciplines his son so the father in heaven will discipline you. We will be punished for living for this world. We will all fall upon his judgment; it is a day no one will miss. It is one appointment you will attend whether you like it or not. For He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead, Acts 17:31.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he has done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, the lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire,” Revelations 20:11-15.

Often times it is in the still of the night that my God speaks to me. It is in these quiet moments when the house is silent and my kids are all asleep; God speaks and gives me wisdom. There are so many times, more often than others, that He speaks to me and I fail to get out of bed to write for Him. I wish that was not true, but after an exhausting day the last thing I want to do it get back out of bed, go down stairs, turn on my computer and write. I pray that I may become more disciplined and take notes when He speaks. Something I plan to work on. I plan to work on this for several reasons. First and foremost out of pure obedience and secondly, He is no longer speaking to me in the chaos of my morning when my boys are awake and breakfast needs to be made. So often the words of wisdom He gave me during the silent hours of the night are often lost. My honesty is to repent and ask for forgiveness for my disobedience and also to share with you the humbleness of my heart in hopes that you too will repent for disobedience. My relationship with the Lord is the most important relationship I could ever have. Disobedience no matter how large or small it may seem is all disobedience at the end of the day. My prayer for you as well as myself is to be sensitive to the Lord when he speaks and remain obedient in all things. We all fall short of God’s glory and we may not always be obedient, but we can continue to work on our relationship with the Lord and can never become too obedient to His word.

Romans 5:19, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus Christ) the many will be made righteous.”

May God bless you with a reigning ear to be sensitive to His word and respond to His call. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Psalm 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him (NIV).

Life can become overwhelming and full of discouragement so quickly. It is only in the Lord that we find rest, peace and hope that the cards we have fallen into will shuffle themselves around and deal out a better hand. It is hard to find peace in unanswered prayers, especially when the life around you is full of chaos. However, we must trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5) and remember that unanswered prayers can be the greatest blessings. We find hope in the Lord through the blessings in our lives that we see and so often take for granted. It is not the things of this world that give you happiness, but the gifts from the Lord your God starting from salvation to the joys of laughter.

We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, sharing his death and resurrection through baptism and receiving the gift of forgiveness (1 Peter 3:21). There is no better feeling than being forgiven by our Father and finding humility as he works on our heart. It can be a low point in your life where you are stripped from your old ways and molded by the Potter’s hands into someone new. Jeremiah 18:4, “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

We often fight this change and holy intervention, but the rewards are great and God’s gift of living water (Revelation 7:17) are eternal. We die to this world so that we may live because of his love and amazing grace. When the world feels like it is at war against you it is only through Jesus that we find our Savior, the one we all need to overcome and conquer the battle. There is nothing too big for our God; he can handle all things and defeat any enemy. “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you,” Romans 16:20.

When life surrounds me with frustration and discouragement I gaze upon my family and find happiness in the simple gifts of God. The best way to find my ground is to grab hold of my roots and minimize what my eyes see by paying attention to the small things. Remember, you aren’t feeding the root; the root is feeding you, Romans 11:18 (MSG). I am so often reminded what really matters when I see laughter in my children; turning out the lights in the house and trying to find each other during a game of cowboys. It is in the joy of their laughter and the touch of my husband that I find thanks and praise in the simplest form. The entire world could fall over and yet those gifts from God are priceless and irreplaceable.

There is nothing wrong with asking God for a break when a break is needed. When the attacks just keep on coming and the burden is to heavy; I pray that the Lord remove my burden and carry my heavy load (Matthew 11:28). In Christ we find mercy and he loves us more than we could ever imagine. He is a Father who disciplines, but a Father who loves and when we ask and believe He is there to answer when we call. I pray you find rest under his wing and in the hands of the merciful. It is peaceful to get out of the sun and under the shadow of His wing. I pray that when life is trying to exhaust you that you find rest in the arms of God and the strength to defeat these obstacles through his supernatural power.

I thank our God for being the God of hope and a place to find refuge.

Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Patience can be such a difficult thing and yet something asked of us so frequently. I certainly fall short of God’s glory and often fear that he will give up on me. I find myself asking God not to let me go and all the while He is the one who loves me most. If anyone is giving up here it would be me. I would be the one who gave up on him and not the other way around. There is hope in his promise and grace in the one He sent to save us all, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:25 says, “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

We are asked to wait for everything in life it seems, “wait for your turn, wait until your appointment, wait until you’re an adult, wait until you’re a parent and you’ll understand, wait for that perfect job, wait for the right spouse and even wait upon the Lord.” I believe we all heard those words encouraging each of us to wait and be patient. We can find ourselves in quite a mess when we decide to go against the grain and refuse to wait for the right time to do things in life. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer,” Romans 12:12.

When we put our hope and our trust in the Lord we receive strength to wait for Him to speak to us, guide us and bless us with that in which we strive to reach. When we fail to make the right decisions we must wait and let the consequences take their course and God will restore us in the right time. During these difficult moments when we are punished for our decisions it is by the love of God we overcome, learn and grow in faith. Just as a loving father disciplines his son, our heavenly father disciplines us as well (Hebrew 12:7). It is for our own good and out of love for his children that we are disciplined. “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty,” Job 5:17.

Unanswered prayers can be amazing blessings. Trust in the Lord because He knows best and pray for His will to be done in all situations. Try to think of waiting as time for God to prepare and perfect your blessing; time to work out all the details, time to prepare you, develop you spiritually and to teach you to trust and rely on Him in all things. Hebrews 6:12, “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

I pray that each of you find patience and the strength to wait for the Lord to answer your prayers. I pray you are steadfast in obedience. My prayer is that God fills you with hope so that you do not get discouraged. In your battle with patience or poor judgment; I pray you seek to trust in Him and be restored in the eyes of the Lord.

Psalm 25:5 (NIV)
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)
As Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Judgment is necessary in life because it provides discernment from right and wrong, good and evil. We do not want to be so open to things that we lose sight of what truly matters; devotion to Christ. Judging allows us to decide what we want in our lives and form opinions whether wise or unwise. While judgment is necessary in life it is not appropriate to judge others in such a way that we are arrogant towards them and treat them as if they are beneath us.

Sometimes there is validity in judging others. We should judge not the person, but the sin. We are not omniscient and do not know the root of a person’s heart or what they do in private; only God knows all truth. We are here to help restore one another to God. Evangelizing to others does not always mean that you cast judgment upon them. Sometimes the best way to evangelize and be a vessel for God is to be a good friend, to listen, to provide feedback when requested and be a positive example of Christianity. Sometimes there is more said through your actions than in words.

When we are judged, the most important thing to ask yourself is whether you are offended because the judgment is valid or because you are wrongly being judged. In judgment we sharpen one another and there is such a thing as healthy judgment (friendly judgment) and there is false judgment motivated by others to inflict pain through deceitfulness (unhealthy judgment). Sometimes when we judge the sins of others it helps the sinner realize that they are committing a sin and judgment may help them overcome that in which they indulge. Through fellowship and using each other as sharpeners we grow in faith and become stronger believers in Christ.

Matthew 10:16 (NIV, Amplified)
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd (sharp, discerning, intelligent) as snakes and as innocent (guiltless, pure) as doves.

When judgment is not valid it can be brutal and hurtful to be viewed as something unfounded – we should rebuke our feeling of being offended and ask for forgiveness (from God) for being offended at all because if their judgment has no validity then all that matter is whether or not you are doing right by God. God speaks to each of us, in different ways and guides us into different directions. We find convictions in different situations that are outside of the Ten Commandments, however, we should not place judgment on others based on our own convictions. I am not sinning against God if what I am doing is not against his Word.

While I am more of a bold person in speaking out to others stating things they do not want to hear (the truth) it is helpful that those in which I find fellowship know that my judgment lies against the sin and not the sinner him/herself. It is vital to love the sinner and care deeply for those in which you find fellowship. It is easier to build each other up when friends know you are there for them and love them even though they are sinning because we are all sinners trying to overcome the darkness in this world and while we are blessed to find light we still stubble into the darkness every once in a while. True fellowship is found in the light and in the darkness just as our faith in Christ is tested through the calm and during the storm. We are saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8) and under His wing we find protection (Proverbs 18:10) and forgiveness. There is no one that seeks God (Romans 3:11) and we all fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23).

Matthew 7:1-5, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor” (The Message).

We are given authority over our children by an Almighty God. He has entrusted us with the offspring of His children and we should take that delegated responsibility seriously. We are all children of God in which he loves and disciplines (Rev. 3:19). The Lord disciplines his children in order to teach us His ways and turn us against our old ways of doing things. Since God has put sacred trust into parents to raise His children, we are to discipline them and guide them in their ways (Proverbs 22:6); teaching them that which is good and evil.

We are to teach our children about God and the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, for no one will enter into the kingdom of heaven except through faith in the Messiah (John 14:6). Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do to hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt. 19:14).

There is an enormous difference between child abuse and discipline. Discipline consists of several different tactics such as time out, loss of privileges and a good ol’ spanking on the hind-end. I believe spankings should not always be the first disciplinary action that we take because every action deserves a different reaction based on its severity. I believe in chances, but when the offense is a safety concern, a repeated offense or a sinful offense such as lying, stealing and evil deeds then punishing them on the cushion God gave them is completely acceptable and necessary (Proverbs 22:15, 23:13).

There is a healthy balance between discipline and love and we see that balance ourselves with our personal relationship with God. He loves us and therefore we are disciplined. Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law (Psalm 94:12-13). As parents we do not enjoy making our children upset or sad, but children appreciate boundaries and discipline. Although my son does not enjoy being disciplined he will admit that he deserves it. I am proud of him for being humbled enough to understand why it is necessary and that he does deserve to be punished; he says it with a half grin and those beautiful brown eyes of his full of honesty at that very moment.

I make sure my kids know I love them every day and I also make sure they are aware that I love them even though they are disobedient sometimes. I am quick to let them know that I am teaching them the way in which they should go in life and that I discipline them because I love them. I acknowledge verbally that they are children and mistakes will be made, but God gave me his trust to raise and guide them in truth, love and even discipline.

I never know when will be the last day I get to hold them and tell him how very special they are to me. When I put my kids to bed I enjoy a moment of peace and quiet when I gently kiss their head and take a good look at their beautiful faces because I do not know what tomorrow holds. However, I try my best to do all I can today to raise them with the time I have to help them grow into their full potential as children of God and future leaders in this world. Therefore, everything I do day, the opportunity I have today to teach them is indispensable in the development of who they become tomorrow.

Angie has invasive breast cancer and had surgery a few weeks ago. I had requested prayer for her and I thank you for your prayers and time spent with God on her behalf.

The surgery went very well, however, now she began chemo treatment. It seems as though she is responding well to treatment thus far, but I continue to ask you to include her in your prayers for God’s protection and healing hand for Angie.

Angie is truly an amazing woman and has the blessing and favor of God upon her. I thank each of you for praying for Angie, including her in your church prayer groups and bringing this need to God on her behalf.

God bless each one of you.

Lord, thank you for protecting my Mom, Angelic, as she went through surgery this morning to remove a benign lump in her breast. God you are so faithful and we give you all the glory and praise.

There is no one like you Lord, no one that can come close to your glory and your power. Work on us so that we can be more like you, a bright reflection of your love and transform our heart to seek you and praise your Name.

Thank you for building our faith and hearing us when we call. You are a gracious God.

God, you know the difficulties that we face and you alone are the healing hand we need to overcome the attacks on our bodies. Lord I pray for healing and protection. I pray to be under your healing hand, your wing of grace and that your provide wisdom be upon those who are in charge of my care on this earth. I pray you grant me favor and help discover, heal and recover whatever is not functioning in my body as it should. My faith and my trust is in you and in you I find peace and hope. In you I find security and strength. Lord you are the foundation in which never fails and I thank you for always being there to catch us when we fall. I thank you for the faith you provide to those who believe in your Name and I thank you for being faithful when we lose sight of you. I thank you for never letting us go. Lord heal us this very day, this moment God I pray for your healing hand and protection for being upon us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Lord, you know those who need you to intervene in their marriages today. God I pray the they seek you like never before to rescue them and save the covenent they made in your presense. God I pray that these couples communicate like never before. I pray they hear and their eyes be opened to you, acknowledge the sin in their lives and I pray they rebuke and repent these sins. God I pray that they find comfort in your Word and your promise. Lord, speak to them and be the strength that we lack in and of themselves and be the Rock in their marriage and families. God I pray they create boundaries and safe guards to protect their marriage moving forward. I pray this hardship strengthen them and encourage them forever. We find strength in storms and trials and I pray this too shall pass and they will stand strong in you Word and your love and you will be glorified through the renewal of their hearts and marriage. I thank you Lord for hearing us as we call out to you and I thank you for answering our prayers. You are the one and only faithful God. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Teleological Argument
The Teleological Argument is part of the Intelligent Design Argument because humanity has a system of parts in which the parts are so arranged that under proper conditions they work together to serve a certain purpose (Rowe, 57). The argument shows that machines which are created by intelligent design may be comparable to humanity since we are designed so intelligently. Philosopher Henry More states that the reason nothing is done needlessly is because of a divine providence that sets all things in order (Rowe, 58). Although humanity is not literally machines, we are designed with great physical intelligence. Our biology functions perfectly without anything in the body being useless or created without reason. There are marks of an intelligent designer seen in creation by intelligent order and purpose (Pojman, 51).

The Argument from Beauty
Richard Swinburne argues the existence of God through the beauty of the world. Not only does Swinburne agree that the world is orderly, but also beautiful which also gives reason to leave some room for ugliness within the power of the creatures to determine (Swinburne, 73). Humanistic views of beauty may be argued as beauty seen through the eyes of the beholder for the creation of beauty, however, if you have ever been to the top of a mountain or alongside a flowing river you will see the artistic beauty of nature and it will speak to your soul. If we confine ourselves to the argument from the beauty of the inanimate and plant worlds, the argument surely works (Swinburne, 74).

General Revelation is just one of the ways that God reveals himself to mankind. We see his work in nature and without a doubt it is created by an intelligent design. The circle of life functions in such perfect order from the honey bee to the temperature of the sun. It certainly takes more faith to believe that the Big Bang Theory, a small probability, could burst causing the universe to set into such perfect functionality and amazing beauty. Beauty is a gift from God, the artistic creator, and He bestows favor to a selected few who are blessed with the ability to exude this beauty in paintings.

The Watch and the Watch Maker
William Paley makes an intelligible comparison by stating that if we found a watch on the ground in the middle of nowhere we would not assume that it came into existence out of nothing (Paley, 54). We would assume that a hiker had been crossing that path; furthermore, possibly assuming that something unfortunate might have happened to the individual who lost the watch. A watch is designed so intelligently and cannot exist without every part working together to serve its created purpose, likewise, the creation of man works together in a similar way (Ibid). However, when we are out in nature and we see a rock on the ground we do not wonder how the rock came into existence, instead, we assume that the rock always has been in existence and fail to consider that the rock was designed by an intelligent designer (Paley, 55).
If mankind can create machines with such great intelligent design, how then can there not exist and intelligent designer for humanity? A designer understands that the creation cannot come into existence unless all parts exist together. You cannot remove the foundation of a skyscraper and expect it to remain standing; therefore, all of the parts must work together in order to existence. In the same way, the intelligence of mankind cannot come into existence by chance, but instead has an intelligent designer who created our biology to function without foolishness and unnecessary parts. The cells in the nervous system function with such perfection by neurons, glial cells, neurotransmitters, axons, dendrites and the synapse sending and receiving messages is just one of thousands of examples for the theological argument where parts are arranged to serve a certain purpose.

The Problems with the Evolutionary Theory
William Dembski states in the Defense for Intelligent Design that there are imperfections in the scientific theory of evolution and thus none of which can be proved or supported by science. One example given by Dembski is Charles Darwin’s theory that the DNA of humanity has evolved over time and our creation has fine tuned itself. It is frustrating how the theory of evolution is taught in our public schools without a fair and balanced teaching on the creation of the universe by God. Children should have the right to be educated in both possibilities in order to level the field for learning and allowing children to choose which theory they believe is true.

Secular humanism has taken over our television and school system and it is the responsibility of the Christian Leaders in the world to stand up and preach the word of God. We are responsible for the great commission to spread truth and save the lost from the lies of this world and the depths of hell in the afterlife. The Theory of Evolution has gaps in its foundation, but secularists avoid these instabilities and teach them to our children which has removed Christ from being the root of our growing children. The ramifications of removing God from our society are seen through global financial hardships and the disobedience of our youth. Teaching the theory of evolution is not the problem, but removing other possible reasons for the existence of the universe is depriving children the freedom of choosing to follow a faithful God.

Conclusion
Based on the study of each of these arguments I believe the best way to prove the existence of God is to combine the philosophy of each argument as follows. Since the universe must have a beginning and that beginning must have a first cause, the first cause must be an independent being and if God exists in my understanding, then he may exist in reality and if an independent being must exist, then God must be an independent being and must be that than which nothing is greater, therefore, God is the explanation of the existence of the universe and the first cause that always existed independently and that which cannot be moved.

The basis of every argument is whether or not the premise is true. If the premise of the argument is not true then the conclusion must be false, but if the premise of the argument is true then the conclusion is possibly a true conclusion. Although all arguments has a counter argument criticizing differences in beliefs they are nonetheless intriguing and helpful when we attempt to prove or disprove the existence of God. Atheists who attempt to disprove the existence of God, such as Antony Flew, sometimes discover great truth in the existence of God and embark on a new journey, Theism, because the evidence of God is so sound. The arguments for the existence of God may not prove His existence, but it does allow us to substantiate the possibility of God’s existence.

Anselm’s Ontological Argument
If God exists in my understanding then God might have existed in reality and if something can exist in my understanding and might have existed in reality, then it might have been greater than it is (Rowe, 41). Anselm’s Ontological Argument must be my favorite argument, whether accurate or not, it is by far one of my favorites.

This ingenious argument provides ground for an argument that God’s existence is possible. Gaunilo’s criticism of the island which none can be greater is an attempt to make Anselm’s argument an absurdity, but Anselm’s argument does not apply to things that cannot exist such as a married bachelor. A married bachelor is a contradiction, and therefore, cannot exist. Anselm’s rejoinder to Gaunilo’s argument explains that for something to be that than which nothing can be greater it must be something that can exist (Pojman, Anselm, 5).

This is a brilliant argument because it shows that anything that can exist in my understanding may exist in reality and then may be greater than I believe it to be as long as it is something possible to exist. Anselm’s argument does not prove the existence of God as stated by Kant , but it does prove that God is a possibility. If I understand the existence of the Fountain of Youth then it may have existed in reality and may be greater than that which it is in my understanding. The Fountain of Youth does not exist as far as we know, but it is possible that it may have existed in reality since it can exist in my understanding which speaks numbers for the argument of a Creator and ultimate mover being God as something than that which may be greater than it is.

Cosomological Argument
The Cosmological Argument has two parts which I will state the first and the latter. Every being that exists or ever did exist is either a dependant being or is a self-existent being, but not every being can be a dependant being, therefore, there exists a self existent being (Rowe, 21). Secondly, there must be a first being to start any causal series. If every being were dependent, there would be no first being to start the causal series; therefore, not every being can be a dependant being (Rowe, 24).

Criticism based on this Cosmological argument is on premise three that there cannot be an infinite regress of cause (Pojman, 10). The reason for this criticism is that there are infinite numbers, but numbers are not concrete they are abstract entities (Ibid). The Cosmological argument applies to those that need to be brought into existence such a temporal entities; persons and events (Pojman, 11). Samuel Clark, an eighteen century philosopher, explains the reason and need for the existence of God based on his argument of contingency (Ibid). The contingency argument states every being that exists is either contingent or necessary and not every being can be contingent so there exists a necessary being upon which the contingent beings depend. Therefore, a necessary being on which all contingent beings exist is what we mean by God so God exists (Ibid).

Both independent beings and dependant being must coexist based on the Cosmological Argument. If every being were independent then every being could exist in and of itself, but humanity, for example, cannot exists in and of itself. Humanity must rely on external sources to maintain existence i.e. food and water. Moreover, human beings cannot come into existence in and of themselves; they must rely on someone to cause them to come into existence such as the fertility of a fetus in their mother’s womb and her existence from her mother’s womb etc. Furthermore, humanity deteriorates and death is a certainty, therefore, we are mortal beings unable to exist in and of ourselves. Although, humanity is dependant beings this is not proof that every being is dependant either. If everything that exists was a dependant being than the dependence of existence becomes infinite which means there never existed a first being causing an infinite dependency consistently relying on something else to exist. If everything was dependant the first dependent would inevitably be required to be an independent being in order to start the casual series. Thus, every person cannot be dependant and therefore, both dependant and independent beings must coexist. An addition to this argument is found in Kalam’s Cosmological Argument.

Kalam’s Cosmological Argument
If our universe never had a beginning, an actual infinite series of past events has occurred and an actual series of events in time is impossible, therefore, our universe has a beginning (Rowe, 33). Whatever begins to exist has a cause, the universe began to exist, and therefore, the universe has a cause (Craig, 36). The Kalam’s Cosmological Argument seeks to demonstrate the existence of a Sufficient Reason or First Cause (Craig, 33).

Kalam’s Cosmological Argument is also a solid argument because if the universe never had a beginning and an infinite series of past events has occurred, therefore, the series of event is infinite, but that does not make sense because it is impossible. Since every event must lead to a beginning, the possibility that the universe always existed and did not have a creator is absurd. By understanding the previous argument between dependant and independent beings is helpful at this point because one might argument that if everything has a beginning then God cannot be an infinite being because Kalam’s Cosmological Argument states that an infinite series is impossible, however, God does not apply to this because he is an independent being that exist in and of himself and does not need or rely on anything else to exist. Therefore, Kalam’s Cosmological Argument applies to those dependent beings such as a universe that must rely on a series of events to exist; therefore, an infinite series of events is impossible thus proving that the universe must have a beginning. This argument does not prove that God is the Creator of the universe, but it does prove that the universe must have a beginning.

Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas provides an excellent explanation about the first mover. Aquinas states that it is impossible for something to be the mover and moved in the same and with respect to the same thing; therefore, something cannot move itself causing everything that is moved to be moved by another (Aquinas, 12-13). However, as Aquinas acknowledges, there cannot be an infinite mover causing those that exist to be moved. Otherwise, the dependence of a mover would be endless causing again impossibility.

Newton’s law of motion states that anything in motion must be set into motion and is put into motion by something else. However, this theory would eliminate the existence of God because there is something that had to set him into motion. An infinite series of motion would mean there was always something before the motion and something before that motion to set it into motion. Logically, there must be a stopping point of motion being set into motion; therefore, God is exempt from Newton’s law. God is exempt because he is not a dependent being, but an independent being which means God does not contradict the law of motion because there must be a first mover and the first mover is God.

Since God always was and always has been and does not need anything to exist and did not need anything to ‘come into existence’ concludes that everything excluding God is subject to the law of motion described by Newton. Moreover, thus allowing Aquinas’ first mover theory to support the existence of God because God is not moved by anything therefore does not contradict the theory (Aquinas, 13). Since every being is either a dependent being or a self existing being, but not every being can be a dependent being, therefore, there exists a self existent being (Rowe, 21).

I think it is important to recognize that God is infinite and his attributes are different from that of humanity. Humanity is bound by limitations in every aspect ranging from our finite existence to personal wisdom. God, however, is bound only by one limitation and that is the fact that he is unable to perform anything that contradicts his attributes. God is timeless, always existed and always will exist. He is an interactive God and his divine providence is among us.

I believe we have to understand this before we can understand the omniscience of God and human free will. Suppose it is 2:00pm and I have class at 2:30pm, however, I have an option of going to class or going to the movie as portrayed in the text. At 2:00pm I have a decision to make that I can either go to class or I can go to the movie. There is nothing holding back my decision because it is a decision based on my own free will. We know that it is a decision based on free will because I could have chosen to go to the movies; however, let’s assume that I chose to go to class. Once I am in class at 2:30pm, I cannot change the fact that at 2:00pm I chose to come to class and have now missed the movie at 230pm. Understandably, I cannot change the past because it is in the past, but that does not remove that fact that at 2:00pm I had the free will to chose to attend class or the movie. The past is not in our power, but the past was in our power when it was the past was present. When the past was the present I had an opportunity to choose something else and when you have the opportunity to make a different choice that provides support for free will. Controversially, some may say that God knew that I was going to choose to go to class instead of attending the movie which removes my ability for free will since it was already predestined or ordained that I would attend class, but choosing to attend class just as God thought that I would does not remove the fact that I did in fact have an ability to choose something different. God knew my choice, not that he forced the decision upon me.

God is an omniscient God. While humanity cannot be omniscient, God has that ability because he has different attributes. Having an omniscient God does not remove our gift of free will instead it embraces our ability for free will because of his omniscience for which the gift of free will is for the greater good of humanity. It was better to create humanity with free will than to restrict them with from the ability to choose. God knows what we will do before we are ever born, but it does not mean that we are ordained to do whatever God wants us to do without the ability of free will. If God has ordained each one of us and therefore some of us are called to serve and some of us are damned to hell this contradicts a wholly good God. Instead, while God knows exactly how our life will be before we are ever born because of his omniscience, it is not by force that our lives are this way, but by our choices and He, knowing all, knows our choices. He knows who will have a heart for him and who he will call. He knows who will embrace the Holy Spirit and evangelize for his glory. We are not damned because God chose not to choose us, but because we failed to choose him and because of his omniscience he know what decisions we will make, who will endure the walk down his narrow road and who will embrace the darkness and avoid his call.

There is not a contradiction between God’s omniscience and the free will of humanity, but there is a misunderstanding in humanity of the gift of free will and God’s attributes. We must understand the difference between God’s creation (humanity) and God himself. We must understand that God is not bound by time and therefore does not age, expire or have a point in which he does not exist. We must comprehend, to a certain degree, his purpose, his attributes and how they differ from mankind. It is impossible to look at general providence and not see the hand of God. While general providence is not at hand in this conversation, I believe it is hard to understand philosophical arguments for the existence of God without being able to evaluate and understand different aspects that support that fact that he does exist.

If it is in our power to do otherwise, then there is free will
If there is free will, then God knows that having free will is for the greater good of humanity
If God knows the greater good of humanity before it ever occurs, then God is omniscient
If God is omniscient then he knows everything we will do before we are born, hence His foreknowledge
If free will exists because God knows the good that comes from having free will
Therefore, free will and foreknowledge coexist
–Neisha Potter

Rowe. William. Philosophy of Religion.Thomson Wadsworth: Belmont, CA, 2007

Husbands were created to be the headship of the home; the godly leader. Women often believe since woman was taken out of the rib of man, not the head and not the foot that we are equal, but by the inspired Word of God that is not so. We are equal in worth, but not equal in headship. The bible says that man is to rule over woman as part of her punishment for the fall, but man was always meant to be the headship regardless of sin. The woman was created as a help mate for the man not as the leader.

A marriage can fall apart easily without the man fulfilling his role as the headship. Marriage is a huge responsibility for both man and woman, but most of the responsibility due to this leadership lies with the man. If a husband fails to fulfill his role in a marriage the marriage is more than likely doomed.

This headship does not mean that the husband is to control the wife; it means that he is to lead, provide and serve for his family. Furthermore, this headship does not mean that the husband should not consider the wife’s opinion in the marriage or in the decisions they make as a family, but it does mean that the husband is the ultimate decision maker while respecting his wife and considering her feelings and opinions.

Many men take this headship out of context and they literally rule over and beat their wives. This is not the godly headship God is speaking about. This is sinful and unacceptable. Your wife is your glory and the reflection of your leadership. A bruised face and a broken arm is not good leadership, duh! You wife is your prize, worth far more than rubies and gold. The Lord says a good wife is hard to find, but when she is found she is priceless (Proverbs 31:9-31).

It is ultimately the man’s responsibility to lead his family in a godly manner and to discipline his children. If his children are disrespectful it is a reflection of the man, likewise, if the man’s wife is out of sorts. Therefore, men lead your family out of love for Christ and love for your family (Ephesians 5:25).

This headship also means that the man is the breadwinner and when the needs of the family are not met the pressure should be felt by the man. (Piper, Recovering. P. 43.)

The bible elucidates the role of men and woman and if you endeavor to learn with an open heart the Word of God and truly seek a successful marriage you will see that your role in the bible is irrefragable. I pray that each of you seek God’s Word and His truth in understanding your role in your marriage. I pray that your heart become humbled and you fulfill the role you were created to be great in. Let God’s Word penetrate your heart and mold you in your marital role for a successful marriage.

I received a few questions regarding the post last week so we will spend another week talking about being submissive to your husband so that we can clarify this act of obedience.

Being submissive to your husband does not mean that you are disobedient to God. If your husband requests something of you that is against God’s Commandments, sinful or something that arises true conviction in your heart you are not to be submissive. If your husband requests that you discontinue attending church you are not to be obedient. Your number one commitment is to God. When your spouse tries to remove Christ you always remain faithful to the one who saves.

With that being said, there are several different scenarios we could use in order to understand when to be obedient. However, if you are a woman of God and following His Word – you know what is considered obedience and when you are being asked to be disobedient to God. Micah 6:8, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

In a marriage we are to lift one another up and guide each other toward the greater good (Hebrews 10:24). We are to make each other better for Christ and bring the voice of reason to the surface when the other has temporarily lost their way.

You may not withhold sex from your husband; your body does not belong to you, but to your husband (1 Corinthians 7:4). If your husband wants to engage in adulterous behavior, your commitment is to God and not your husband’s sexual fantasy (Deuteronomy 5:18). God has given you permission to sever ties with an adulterous husband (Matthew 19:9).

If you honor your husband and treat him in a God loving way; he will return that respect and honor. It takes a lot of energy and hard work to be shroud with someone who is being obedient and enjoyable. Your obedience to God is seen in your obedience to your husband as long as your obedience to each other is not against God (Ephesians 5:21).

Matthew 5:32, “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”

Under Holy Matrimony we are to honor God and remain faithful to the vows we spoke in His Name. It is difficult as a strong woman to submit to others and unfortunately your husband is not always an exception to that challenge. However, it is your responsibility as a wife to honor your husband and submit to Him (Ephesians 5:22) and your husband is to love you as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Your husband is created to be the leader of the house (Genesis 3:16) and you are to be the helper, nurturer and caregiver. So, why are you ruling your house, wives? Whenever times are challenging in a marriage we should turn to God’s revealed Word and prayer will guide your circumstance. If your husband is not being the leader he was designed to become then together you need to figure out a way for him to fulfill his destiny.

There is no argument worth laying your head down in anger (Ephesians 4:26-27). If today was your last day to live, would this disagreement be worth the time it consumed? Furthermore, ladies, when you refuse to submit yourself to your husband, even sexually, you are being disobedient (1 Corinthians 7:4). There is no sex in heaven; no marriage (Matthew 22:30) and so today could be the last day you have the blessing of an intimate relationship with your husband. Try to engage in love and intimacy with your spouse as often as possible even if you are not in the mood because today could be the last time to embrace his love.

I often observe wives publicly dishonoring their husbands by talking down to them or speaking negatively about them to others instead of building them up. You are polluting your marriage when you act this way and let’s remember that at one point you loved them enough to vow before God to love them ‘until death do us part.’ Even if you do not feel your marriage is healthy and strong at this time then hold your tongue (Proverbs 21:23). Remember the old saying, if you do not have anything good to say then say nothing at all?

If you need guidance you should seek advice from your Pastor’s wife or a Christian with a good marriage. Do not seek marriage advise from your Christian girl friend who has been married three times – obviously, she is not the best person to give you advice on marriage, but if you are seeking a divorce then she might be the correct source. If you are compassionate about the possibility of saving your marriage, then seek advice from a Christian whose marriage is successful and after difficult times has established a stronger marriage and a closer relationship with God.

Some days will be more difficult than others, but God always keeps His promises and if you are obedient to His Word; He has incredible blessings for you and your marriage.

Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage be kept pure” (NIV).