Men Serving on March 17, 2024
Opening Prayer – Skyler Sheldon
Scripture Reading – Garrett Gardner
Communion – Jack Burk,
Don Gardner, Larry Sherrow
Closing Prayer – Ed Goins
Our Prayer List:
- Charolette Ziebarth is waiting on the results of her chemical stress test.
- Bill Curtis' (Wes Roberts’ uncle) cancer has returned.
- Edith Sullins (Jerry Sullins wife) is in the hospital.
Jim Haden, Erva Lou Johnson, Roger Hoffman, Pat Jones, Sandy Jones, Geraldine Lench, Wanda Maples, Don & Janet Dye, Georgia Hensley, Wanda Inmon, Valerie Kehr & Donna Loftis.
Remember These Individuals in Your Prayers!
Announcements:
- The Fair Haven Pantry Items this week are disposable plates and disposable cups.
- March 31 will be our 5th Sunday Potluck Dinner after the evening service. The dinner theme is Mexican food. There will be one service in the morning.
The Lord has given one cause, and ONE CAUSE ONLY, wherein one may divorce their mate and marry again and not be guilty of adultery. The one and only exception to Luke 16:18 and Romans 7:3 is found in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9. Matthew 5:32 reads, “but I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”
This verse is as plain and simple as Luke 16:18. One who divorces their mate for any reason other than their mate’s fornication and marries someone else, commits adultery, and continues to live in adultery as long as they live with their new partner.
It is amazing that many have added other exceptions to the only one that the Lord gave. Some say you are free to remarry if your mate deserts you. Some say you can remarry if they are unable to fulfill your needs. While others say God’s law does not apply to non-Christians.
Either “except” means “except” or it doesn’t. We don’t have any problem believing it in John 3:5 where Jesus told Nicodemus “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” We understand, and rightly so, there is one exception to entrance into the Lord’s kingdom. One is “born of water and of the Spirit” or he does not become a child of God. So, why try to make the Lord’s exception in Matthew 19:9 mean only one of many exceptions? The only conceivable reason is that in John 3:5 one believes what the Lord said and in Matthew 19:9 he does not.
Those who divorce their mate for a reason other than fornication and marries again lives in a constant state of adultery. Though some say you cannot “live in adultery,” the Bible says you can. Matthew 19:9 reads, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” The word committeth is present tense which means “continuous action.” As long as one continues to be married to their new partner, they continue to commit adultery. It is a continuous relationship. The tense of “continuous action” is recognized in many other passages. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33). “Seek” means to “keep on seeking.” “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation.” (James 1:12). “Endureth” means to “keep on enduring.”
Colossians 3:5-7 gives further evidence of this. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.” Some in the church at Colosse had “lived” in the continual state of fornication before they became Christians! Living in a continual state of adultery is possible, regardless of what some may say!
Those guilty of adultery must repent just like thieves, those guilty of homosexuality, or anyone else. No such persons can enter the kingdom of heaven (Galatians 5:19- 21). When one repents, he stops the action and changes his relationship to it. He no longer continues in the state of stealing, homosexuality, adultery, etc.
To say that one can repent of the act of adultery and continue in the marriage is a false statement. When one enters an unscriptural marriage, he must not only repent of the sin of adultery but must get out of the adulterous relationship with his unlawful partner. Continuing the relationship is just as wrong as the sin of entering the relationship.
To read the passages relating to marriage, divorce and remarriage drives home the thought of just how serious God’s law is regarding marriage. Make sure you know what God’s will is and choose your lifelong companion carefully. With only one exception for divorce, there’s no second chance unless you put away (divorce) your spouse because of their fornication.
Again - God’s Law on marriage is ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN, FOR LIFE. Marriage is a very serious matter and is not a game. Marriage is not One Man, One Woman, Mom & Dad, Kids and Friends!!!! It is you and your marriage partner, only. Keep others out of your marriage!!!!
--Garland M. Robinson
Your Pet Issue
Do you have a “pet issue”? Probably, most folks do. It’s that thing that you feel particularly strong about and will mention in conversations with other folks quite often.
For example, if you talk to some church members about the worship service, it probably won’t be long before they talk about their “pet issue” - the choice of songs, the choice of men to lead in worship, the attire of those men, the length of the sermon, the thermostat, the time taken for the Lord’s Supper (too long or too short), the service times, etc. The same kind of thing happens when church members start talking about the church in general or the decisions of the elders.
I’d like to encourage some of us to go to the pet shop and get a new “pet issue.” Let’s focus more on seeing lost souls, on helping church members in need, on craving opportunities to worship God, rather than, well, focusing on personal preferences (Philippians 2:3). When I get focused on me “doing” (Galatians 6:10; Luke 6:31; 10:37; Matthew 7:21), I have less time to focus on what others are “doing” or “not doing.” I need to keep my eye on me and what I am doing/not doing. I need to work on and worry about me! I am only going to get me to heaven.
--David Sproule