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DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2006
(Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:8)
***TONIGHT!!! Liveprayer is back on the "i" Network, "live" every
Monday
thru Friday Midnight to 1:00 a.m. ET/PT (11 p.m. to Midnight CT/MT) to
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a Biblical worldview to the issues of the day and the hope and love of
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tragic example of our culture of divorce. Plus, your phone
calls!
On Tuesday, "Those who deny God, the Bible, and Jesus." The phone
calls on
Tuesday night's program will be only from those who deny the existence
of
God, reject the Bible, and don't believe in Jesus. A very special
night
Wednesday! The program will be on breaking the bondage to
smoking. Also, I
am honored to have an incredible musical guest that night (I never
have
guests on the program, but this was one of those "God things"), the
world
renown classical pianist Oksana will be playing live on the program.
She
loves the Lord and has been given an incredible gift that she shares
all
over the world. Don't miss this special night! Thursday will be
a program
all parents need to watch, "The 'gay lie' being told to your
children."
Finally, on Friday a soul-saving message, "Only one road to God!"
This is
the program you need to get every unsaved family member and friend to
watch.
A great week ahead! And don't forget, the past 5 TV programs are
available
***BE PART OF THE "LIVEPRAYER 3000" THIS MONTH! For details, go
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***TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL DEALS WITH THE CURRENT CULTURE OF DIVORCE WE
ARE
LIVING IN. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE SOME TIME TO VISIT THE
LIVEPRAYER
DAILY DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVE AND LOOK UP THE MANY PAST DEVOTIONALS I HAVE
WRITTEN ABOUT MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE BY SEARCHING THOSE TOPICS. YOU
CAN
ACCESS THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVE AT:
Britney Spears, a tragic example of our culture of divorce. I
remember
growing up in the '60s, hearing about Elizabeth Taylor being married 5
times
and the stigma that was attached to divorce. During my elementary
school
days, only one kid in my class was from a divorced home. Did people
get
divorced back then? Of course. However, divorce carried shame
and
signified failure, it was a big deal! Marriage was still honored
and
revered and understood to be God's Holy Institution. Fast forward
just 40
years and now you have people trying to redefine marriage to include a
man
and another man or a woman and another woman. God's Holy Institution
has
been reduced to little more than a legal date and we currently live in
a
culture of divorce.
Britney Spears is a classic and tragic example of this culture of
divorce.
She made a mockery of God's Institution several years ago when she
got
married to her childhood friend, only to divorce him 55 hours later.
Yes,
you heard me, FIFTY FIVE HOURS! After that "marriage," she began
living
with Kevin Federline, a man who had already fathered two children out
of
wedlock and left that live-in relationship to move in with Spears.
After
getting pregnant, Spears and Federline got married and last week,
after
two-years and a second child, Spears decided to end the marriage by
text
messaging Federline that she was getting a divorce. What a great way
to use
our 21st century technology!
I wish that it was just Britney and other famous celebrities that
lived
their lives in such a reckless and destructive way, but sadly, I deal
with
people every day here at Liveprayer who aren't famous, yet conduct
their
personal relationships in complete and utter rebellion to God and His
Word.
Even sadder, many of those people are in the church! Even though
it
shouldn't be, this culture of divorce we live in today is as prevalent
in
the church as it is out of the church. So today, I want to talk
about
divorce and the fact that it never was, nor is today, part of God's plan
for
marriage.
The most important thing to understand about divorce is that it was
never,
is not now, nor ever will be part of God's plan for marriage. God
clearly
expresses His feelings on divorce in Malachi 2:16 by simply stating that
"He
hates divorce." Divorce is a sin, period. The biggest misconception
about
divorce comes from the poor teaching that there are Biblical reasons
for
divorce. This is mainly due to a misunderstanding of the passages in
Matthew
Chapters 5 and 19 where it appears like adultery is a legitimate reason
to
get divorced.
Let me say this as clear and concise as I can. There are NO, ZERO,
NADA
reasons for divorce. Marriage is a LIFETIME commitment. I have
performed
dozens of weddings over my years in the ministry and have never yet
said,
"Till death do us part . . . unless." There are no "unlesses" in the
marriage vows you make to your spouse and to God. The exception for
adultery
is NOT from God, it is an exception from man. It comes from the Jewish
laws
of marriage and divorcement and is a MAN-MADE reason for divorce.
GOD MADE NO PROVISIONS FOR DIVORCE! WHEN JESUS TALKS OF DIVORCE IN
MATTHEW
19, HE STARTS OUT BY SAYING, "In the beginning it was not so." That
is
referring to the FACT God made NO PROVISION for divorce. Jesus goes
on to
say, "but Moses, for the hardness of your hearts." That is the
reference to
the Mosaic laws for divorcement and remarriage. Hear me
carefully. God
made NO PROVISION FOR DIVORCE. All "reasons" for divorce are
man-made.
Once man started to create reasons for people to get divorced, he than
had
to create another whole series of rules for remarriage. NONE OF THAT
CAME
FROM GOD SINCE GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR PEOPLE TO GET DIVORCED!
One of the sad issues many men and women face in marriage is abuse.
Physical, verbal, emotional, mental, and sexual are all forms of abuse.
Let
me be clear on this. God DOES NOT expect a person to stay in a living
environment where they are being abused in any way. That is never His
plan
for people to live their lives under those conditions. I counsel
people
daily in abusive situations to leave the home and separate. Note that I
said
separate, NOT divorce. Also, I do not recommend that anyone who has had
to
separate due to abuse of any kind, goes back until their spouse has
received
professional help and is living a committed life for Christ. Unless
Jesus
transforms their life, they will never change.
I have made it so clear in past Devotionals how serious the decision to
get
married is. It is for LIFE. The vow is "for better or for worse." You
are
making a lifetime commitment to this other person and to God. That is why
I
encourage you to take it slow when you are in a relationship that may
lead
to marriage. Don't rush into anything. First of all, don't ignore
God's
warning in 2 Corinthians 6:14 by getting involved with a non Christian.
Take
the time to build a spiritual foundation to your relationship. Get to
know
the other person over TIME. So many of the problems I see each day in
marriages could have been avoided if people would have only been patient
and
taken the time to get to know their spouse BEFORE they got
married.
I am well aware that this does not insure you will have a perfect
marriage.
People make choices every day. Sadly, even people who know the Lord make
the
choice each day to live in rebellion to God. You are NOT responsible for
the
choices your spouse makes if at some point in your marriage they choose
to
rebel against God. However, you can be much more assured of who your
spouse
is if you are patient and build a spiritual foundation to your
relationship
prior to getting married.
The other issue I want to address is getting married again after you
have
been divorced. Please understand that if you are divorced, you are
single
and free to marry anyone else who is single. Again, the passage that
talks
about a person committing adultery if you get remarried after a divorce
is
tied into the Jewish laws of marriage and divorcement. The fact is, if
you
are divorced you have sinned against God since in a divorce BOTH
parties
have to bear the responsibility regardless of the circumstances. The key
is
to repent, ask God to forgive you, and stand on His promise in 1 John
1:9
that you ARE forgiven. You are then free to remarry. God is a God of
the
second chance!
The biggest mistake I see people making every day is getting divorced
and
before the ink is even dry on the divorce papers, even before in many
cases,
involved in another relationship. Please listen to me carefully. A
divorce
is no different than if someone takes a butcher knife and cuts a 12"
gash
into your chest. It is a SERIOUS wound that needs time, often lots of
time,
to heal. Getting involved in another relationship is the most foolish
thing
anyone who has just gone through the pain of a divorce can do. You are
NOT
ready for it emotionally or spiritually! Please, take time to heal and
spend
time with the Lord before you even consider getting involved in
another
relationship.
I love you and care about you so much. My heart breaks today knowing
how
many people are living each day in a difficult marriage. I will be
praying
for you. If you are having problems in your marriage, please know that
God
is your hope and strength. He is still a God that changes lives and
can
bring healing and restoration to your marriage. I will be praying today
for
those marriages that are in trouble, believing God to make your
marriage
whole. Every day we pray for marriages to be healed and restored here
at
Liveprayer, and I have thousands of praise reports of God doing just
that.
What God has done for someone else, God will do for you!!!
Also, please take a moment today and pray for Britney Spears and her
husband
as they go through the pain of divorce. Pray that through this
painful
real-life experience they are going through, they will both turn
their
hearts and lives to the Lord and find His love.
For those who have been through the pain of divorce, I will be praying
for
you as well. I went through a divorce early in my life when I was away
from
the Lord so I understand what that pain is. God loves you very much and
if
you will simply ask His forgiveness, He will forgive you for the sin
of
divorce. God still has much for you to do with the rest of your life as
well
as many blessings for you to enjoy. I will pray today that in His
perfect
timing, He will bring into your life a Godly man or woman to share the
rest
of your journey with in His Holy Institution of Marriage.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
***If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal
email
at bkeller@liveprayer.com
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