Are You Happy With Your Spouse? by John M. Duvall
Reprinted from the Truth Factor, http://www.geocities.com/~truthfactor/
Prov. 5:15-20 - Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? Let them be only your own, And not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress? (NKJV)
The wise king Solomon taught his son to rejoice with the wife
of his youth. Solomon knew that he had a responsibility to teach
his son this principle while his son could still learn and apply.
Every parent should teach their children this same principle.
Parents should be teaching their children to plan to rejoice with
the spouse of their youth. Sadly, not enough parents are teaching
this godly principle to their children, and even fewer are practicing
it. Solomon wanted his son to be content with his wife. It is
just as important for husbands and wives to be content with one
another as it was in Solomon's day.
In verses 15-17, Solomon stresses the importance of finding satisfaction
only within his wife. Too often, husbands and wives have become
"thirsty" and have gone to "other wells" to
quench their thirst. Solomon is advocating "drinking"
only from your "well." To put it simply, both the husband
and the wife should find complete satisfaction and contentment
within each other. They should let their "thirst" be
satisfied by their own spouse.
The key to finding contentment with the person you marry is this: You must want to and desire to be content with your spouse. The reason some families divorce lies in the fact that either one or both partners become discontent with their spouse. In these cases, the husband and wife have stopped loving and rejoicing with the spouse of their youth.
It is the husband's responsibility to find contentment within
his wife. The husband should be content both emotionally and physically
with his wife. According to King Solomon, you are to find "the
quench" for your thirst in your own wife. As the husband,
you are to find satisfaction within the company of your wife.
Her body should satisfy your "thirst" for sexual companionship.
The love of your wife should enrapture or intoxicate you. Husbands,
finding contentment within your wife for the duration of your
life requires a great commitment on your part. You must want this
level of contentment.
Remember that this relationship is a two-way street. Wives, if
you want your husband to be content with you, then you need to
do your best to keep him content. Be the type of wife whose love
would intoxicate your husband. In this area, you do not want him
to be sober.
Although King Solomon was giving these instructions to his son,
the principle would also apply to the wives. Wives have an equal
responsibility to be content with their husbands. Wives must commit
themselves to the being content with their own husbands. The husband
should be the only source to whom his wife turns to quench her
"thirst." The wife must not look elsewhere for love,
nourishment, and emotional support. Husbands must do their best
to keep their wives content.
In order for contentment to be found within the husband and wife
relationship, each must be willing to shed the "chains"
of selfishness. Each spouse must be committed to putting their
spouse first and to finding contentment only in their spouse.
Are you rejoicing with the spouse of your youth?
Copyright 1999, John M. Duvall, Truth Factor.
This article may be redistributed in whole by non-profit publications.
All editorial rights belong to the author and Truth Factor Web-zine.
MODERN CULTS AND THE LORD'S CHURCH by David Brown
(http://web.dbtech.net/~ttt/B-cult.htm)
With the recent carnage of over 50 people in three diverse places on two continents, the power of cult leaders has once again reared its ugly head. Jim Jones and David Koresh are gone, but their spiritual clones are alive and active today in all too many religious organizations.
What our society generally labels as "cults" will define the use of the word cult in this article. Even a casual understanding of the bible shows that, by this definition, cults are as far from the pattern of the New Testament church as any organization can get. To review these differences, consider the following:
1. Cults depend upon a following developed by a single human charismatic leader. Other than Jesus, there was no single predominant leader in the first century. Jesus had ascended into heaven before the church was established (Acts 1, 2). The apostles and prophets each "knew in part" (1 Cor. 13: 9), and none of them had preeminence.
2. Cults use deception in not revealing to their recruits the full and true nature of their beliefs. (In advertising this is called "bait and switch.") Such tactics were absolutely never used in the first century; and today the bible stands open to all as the only doctrine worthy of being taught and practiced (2 Tim. 3: 16-17).
3. Cults use mind control based upon the isolation of the individual from his/her family and peer group, often depriving the individual of sleep, and making them totally dependent upon the cult leader for all physical and emotional needs. Never do we read of any such methods for converting or retaining disciples in the New Testament.
4. The principle tool of the cults for forcing compliance is fear. The bible teaches a proper fear and respect of God (Eccl. 12:13; Phil. 2: 12, etc., etc.). However, the fear instilled by the cults is not a fear of God; it is a fear of disobedience to the cult leader. Our allegiance is to God and His commands as given in His word; we are to fear no man and no organization of man (Rom. 3: 4; 8: 38-39).
5. Cults violate the free will of their recruits. Jesus said, "Whosoever will may come" (Rev. 22: 17). There is no room for coercion, harassment or intimidation (either physical or mental) in the call of the Lord. Jesus did not use these tactics, and neither should we.
It is the preaching of the whole truth and that alone which saves (Jn. 8: 32). God's way cannot be improved. Let us be zealous in doing the work that God has given us to do (Mt. 28: 19-20), but let us do it in His way (Rom. 3: 7-8).
A Prayer Given Before the Kansas State Senate (contributed by S. Tegg)
A prayer for the Senate - Let us get religion back into our lives.... When minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual politically correct general prayer, but what they heard instead was a stirring prayer, passionately calling our country to repentance and righteousness. The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, the Central Christian Church had logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of the prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired the prayer on, "The Rest of the Story", on the radio and received a larger response to this program than any other he ever aired!!
Here is the Prayer: A MESSAGE TO GOD:
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness
and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says,
"Woe those who call evil good," but that's exactly what
we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed
our values. We confess that: We have ridiculed the absolute truth
of Your Word and called it pluralism. We have worshiped other
gods and called it multiculturalism. We have exploited the poor
and called it the lottery. We have neglected the needy and called
it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it
welfare. We have killed our unborn children and called it a choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected
to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy. We have coveted
our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted
the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of
expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers
and called it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts
today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and Bless
these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center
of Your will. I ask in the name of Your Son, The Living Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
PARTING THOUGHT
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising
every time we fall. --Oliver Goldsmith