“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” ~ Amos 3:3.
It is interesting I said, I think I’ve written a lot about relationships, I don’t think i’ll write some more. Then, the next morning, as I was having worship, some thoughts started coming to mind as I was praying and I paused and started writing, and added other thoughts later on. Which brings us to part 3 of what I had started writing awhile back about choosing.
As a young person or even old, this is something we all come at crossroads with. Even more so for men, because they make the first action towards the lady, and it is then also a huge responsibility for the lady to know if that art the man sent from God. I love what Jesus said to Philip, “no one comes to me, except the Father sends him” ~ John 6:44
May we walk so close to God and have a divine protection and that no one comes to us ladies except that the Father sends the person. I believe He can do that for us🙏
So, I have a few things that came to mind, and I hope will be a blessing to you in this pilgrim journey.
When people say I will marry in the faith. What faith is it? Is it the faith of Jesus? As it says, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus.”
When considering someone, what measures are you taking in your selection process?
Here are some that came to mind:
First and foremost, What is the person’s relationship with Jesus?
Is it the great controversy reality in the mind of the one you’re considering?
What time is it in the person’s mind? Is it time to labor, and trim our lamps in the person you’re considering as the Bible says?
Are they present and accountable to fight the good fight of faith, and apply the blessings we have through the Bible?
As a Seventh Day Adventist Christian What are their thoughts on the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy?
Are they growing in grace?
Bottom line, do they know your Lord? But if I may ask, do you know your Lord?
While pondering all this, if the answer is no, then why do you want to unite? You clearly don’t stand on similar purpose of humanity, that we’re not our own ~ 1 Cor 6:19, and how we’re to live in these last days.
Marriage unites vision. Vision can be fulfilled or carried out in different ways based on people’s personalities but for the same purpose. In this case then what is uniting you? It doesn’t make sense if you answered no to the measures listed above, rather reveals that it is therefore the flesh. The lust of the flesh. Because the flesh is blind and cannot see the future, once the blood rush of the flesh wares out you find yourself entangled in misery, especially you who knew but numbed conscious. Numbed God’s voice, because the voice of God is the conscious to our souls.
To honor God on who to marry and be joyful in waiting requires a death to self, which therefore means requires us to be born again, born of the spirit. Otherwise, we won’t have power to overcome the flesh desires on our own. A wandering mind and a lustful flesh is an intense combination. We need God every moment to keep on fighting and to fight joyfully or else one can become like a band of mourners (depression). This is serious. This warfare is on the mind, so the mind gets affected for will or for woe.
We also have to decide on who we want to serve. After that, we need to plead with God for our deliverance. He alone can keep us from yielding to the flesh, infact He can transform us that we therefore hate the things of the flesh, and love the things of the Spirit. We can love His counsel which is opposite to us, which is a miracle. As the Psalmist said, “I delight to do thy will, thy law is in my heart” ~ Psalm 40:8
To delight can mean we saw something that we were given understanding and we saw the beauty of Holiness, we saw the Kingdom of Heaven. That is a sign of life, of being born of the Spirit because otherwise it could come across as foolishness unto us. We need to continue being born of the Spirit. Do not turn head back to Sodom because we can turn to pillar of salt. Lest we die. Do not search for light in the flesh and human wisdom because there is none. If it is not wisdom from above, then what is the source of that wisdom? Jesus spoke about the devil gathering things from his own sources as he is a liar from the beginning. The Angels in heaven that trusted him it’s because I would think it appeared to be true. This is why we’re told try the spirit that is in the person and find out from what authority they speak, they might not be aware themselves. We are told “to the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this, is because there is no light in them” ~ Isaiah 8:20, also “From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” ~ Matthew 12:34-40
Therefore, if one is choosing from the dictates of the flesh knowingly or unknowingly, it is a dangerous ground. The flesh is blind and the person you choose will they be able to lead? Will they be seeking for the Truth so they can walk in the Way, and therefore have Life? Jesus said, I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Me. Thank you Holy Spirit for teaching us and leading us to where, who, and what we need- even a spouse.
This is important because from the home is what comes into society. We need the truth for this time to spread, and we can’t choose one who is opposed or doesn’t know (they can learn, but you don’t have to take it upon yourself to teach them so you can marry the person. You can teach them with disinterest love) to unite in that vision because It would be an unfair expectation. After they’re born of the Spirit then they will be able to see. To see the Kingdom, to behold Christ. All by faith🙏 “By beholding we become changed” ~ 2 Cor 3:18. Then they can be a candidate because they’ll be part of the family. They will become lawful. It is not enough that they attend the same church. In the church there’s unfortunately the lost coin, and just because a person claims something doesn’t mean they live by it. This is why we’re all told to “Examine yourself, see if you be in the faith” ~ 2 Cor 13:5, the faith of Jesus ~ Revelation 14:12. If your mind was wandering, then praise the Lord that we can bring it back by His grace (what a blessing!) and by earnest prayer and therefore abiding we can make the right choice. This is because without that we can’t, we would default to the flesh and make blind, deathlike choices. John 15:5 mentions it truly, “Without Christ we can do nothing”
Be encouraged if you were not thinking this way because then now we can. Praise the Lord if this was your thought process. God is here to bless us, may we not fight our blessing like what the children of Israel did, and did not discern the time of their visitation. We are being visited by God, may we open the door and yield to His truth, and follow Him as He is the Way, that we may live abundant lives here and after. Abundance can include persecution of highest degree, and it is coming, and some already experience it. In the meantime we still experience that by crucifying our flesh and yielding to Christ. It is a battle worth fighting. Jesus fought it all the way to the Cross, and He had sorrow for how much sin had corrupted humanity that we would crucify our Savior. The devil’s lies from Heaven had entered humanity and Jesus was seen as an enemy. May we see Him in His beauty, and discern the true enemy of our souls that lies and wants us to die even an eternal death because that is his fate for all that he has done and continues to do. The devil is also in the business of matchmaking people that aren’t meant to be. May we discern these things.
Marriage is something that will influence and affect your life both in this world and in the world to come. A sincere Christian will not advance his plans in this direction without the knowledge that God approves his course. - AH 43.3
He will not want to choose for himself, but will feel that God must choose for him. - AH 43.3
My sister, dare you disregard these plain and positive directions? As a child of God, a subject of Christ's kingdom, the purchase of His blood, how can you connect yourself with one who does not acknowledge His claims, who is not controlled by His Spirit? The commands I have quoted are not the word of man, but of God. Though the companion of your choice were in all other respects worthy (which he is not), yet he has not accepted the truth for this time; he is an unbeliever, and you are forbidden of heaven to unite yourself with him. You cannot, without peril to your soul, disregard this divine injunction. . 5T 364.1
You may say: “But I have given my promise, and shall I now retract it?” I answer: If you have made a promise contrary to the Scriptures, by all means retract it without delay, and in humility before God repent of the infatuation that led you to make so rash a pledge. Far better take back such a promise, in the fear of God, than keep it and thereby dishonor your Maker. . 5T 365.1
Remember, you have a heaven to gain, an open path to perdition to shun. God means what He says. When He prohibited our first parents from eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, their disobedience opened the floodgates of woe to the whole world. If we walk contrary to God, He will walk contrary to us. Our only safe course is to render obedience to all His requirements, at whatever cost. All are founded in infinite love and wisdom.. 5T 365.2
May we heed the command given by God to us. There is no peace or joy if we choose to rebel against Him, and the opposite is true🙏😊
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