A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do. Numbers 30:2 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
A pledge is the same thing as a contract.
A contract can be verbal as well as written.
It can be between friends, or family as well as an employer. When you make a pledge to do something or not do something you should work your hardest to fulfill that pledge to the letter.
Anything else is a lie and Jehovah detests liars. Jehovah takes your word seriously, so you better as well.
The Lord detests lying lips. Proverbs 12:22 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
A man or woman is only as good as their word. Joseph a son of Jehovah
Now if circumstances beyond your control happen and you cannot fulfill the pledge that is forgivable.
Prayer: Please Holy Spirit El Emunah (Deuteronomy 7:9 The Faithful GOD ) bless me with the wisdom of when to say yes and when to say no. Please bless me with the fortitude to let my word be law in my life. I deeply implore this of You in the name of He whose word is the supreme law, Jesus Christ. Amen
May the light of Christs love shine brightly in your heart today and every dayJoseph a son of Jehovah
This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.
For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” Matthew 19:12 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 1 Corinthians 7:32 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
I am in my early sixties as I write this and have never been married. Oh sure there are many times when I see couples or families my heart aches to enjoy such a blessing in my life as well.
That however, is not the path the Lord has chosen for me.
There is no way I could have served the Lord in the manner I have if there was a wife or family in my life. I have faith in our Jesus that He will reward me with unlimited love in His family when it is to our heavenly home He takes me.
So if you are single, do not allow family or society to push you in a direction contrary to God. It will only lead to misery.
Where I live now, when people get a certain age their relatives (mostly their mothers and grandmothers) constantly harass and nag them: “When are you going to get married, when are you going to get married?” When they get married then the nagging continues: “When are you going to give me a grandson, when are you going to give me a grandson?” (Not a grandchild, but a grandson. This is to support them in their old age and to carry on the family name. What a pity so many young people get married just to shut the nagging mothers and grandmothers up. They are not happy, indeed, most are terribly miserable.
Editors note: this article was written a few years back when I was living in China
Most married folks drift farther apart in their marriage the longer they are married until they are two strangers living in the same house. Joseph a son of Jehovah
I have seen this come true in almost every married elder couple I have met. Indeed, many times I wonder why they even got married in the first place (most times it was because the lust of the body was stronger than the willingness to obey Jehovahs choice. It ended up with a lot of shot gun marriages. Yes, even with your grandparents).
Prayer: Thank you Jehovah Yahew (God of His people) for the privilege of being a eunuch in order to better serve You. I know You shall reward me in Heaven. In the name of my adoring big brother Jesus Christ I give thanks for this blessing. Amen
Wishing you a house full of sunshine, hearts full of cheer and love that grows deeper each day of the year. Welsh blessing
“We take care of our possessions for our children. But of the children themselves we take no care at all. What an absurdity is this! Form the soul of thy son aright, and the rest will be added hereafter.” John Chrysostom
Far too often I see parents and especially grandparents spoiling their children and grandchildren with giving them everything they want. This is ham stinging them for adulthood.
Then when they become adults they are self centered, arrogant, rude and selfish and the parents and grand parents cry baby about their attitude and behavior.
I have seen it far too often.
Do not be concerned about the physical inheritance you are leaving your children but rather the moral and spiritual one which is far more important. Joseph- Anthony: Green
If you want success you have to work for it. Joseph- Anthony: Green
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 Holy Bible, New International Version
Meanwhile they spend so little time with their children doing family things like sharing chores around the house (which teaches them responsibility), sitting down and just talking with them (and yes, listening to them), having picnics with them, going for walks with them where they can bond. They lecture their children while turning around and doing the very things they lecture their children not to do.
Every parents motto is not to be ”do as I say” but rather “watch me”.Joseph- Anthony: Green What type of inheritance are you leaving?
“Train your child in the way in which you know you should have gone yourself.” Charles H. Spurgeon Prayer:
Thank you Jehovah Abba (God our Father) for being the most loving Father whose guidance and discipline has moulded me into being appreciative and respectful toward You and to cherish this gracious gift. Please bless all parents and grand parents to emulate Your wise method of being a righteous parent. I give thank and pray for these blessings in the name of my big brother Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the sunshine of Jesus’ sweet love bless you today and every day.
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 Holy Bible, New King James Version
I believe that when you break down the family, you break down society. Joseph- Anthony: Green
Now that does not mean you are to remain in an abusive relationship.
“Train your child in the way in which you know you should have gone yourself.” Charles H. Spurgeon
How many times have we reflected on our past and wish we could change it?
When you are a parent you can pass these mistakes as well as your triumphs onto your children to help guide them through life.
“The tasks connected with the home are the fundamental tasks of humanity.” Theodore Roosevelt
For those of us that are old enough to remember do you remember those that in my opinion are destroyer of the family the (womens lib) spewing on how they were on a biological clock and wanted to get pregnant ? Because they relegated men to the trash can they wanted to get pregnant by artificial insemination because they said they did not need a father in the family. Look at the results. Could it be boys raised by feminists are confused as how to be a man because there were none in their family life? Could that be why so many males today are so feminine?
In many Asian countries the mother raises the children and could that by why there is so much homosexuality there and the men are so feminine there?
“There is only one way to bring up a child in the way he should go and that is to travel that way yourself.” Abraham Lincoln
We need to walk with our children through life not shove them off to babysitters like sports teams or other extra curricular activities. We need to spend time with them not just having fun but teaching them life lessons. Other wise, when they leave the nest they will be completely unprepared for the world out there.
The most important duty of every parent and grandparent is to teach them about Jehovah, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. To help them become adopted members of a Holy Family.
Prayer: Oh Jehovah Abba (God our Father) please bless those who were raised fatherless to be introduced unto You so that will be blessed to know what a father is. This blessing they will in turn teach their children and may it restore Godly families to our society which so desperately needs it. I humbly request this in the name of my adored bib brother Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the sunshine of Jesus’ sweet love bless you today and every day.
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7 New International Version
Is that not Jehovahs Command to us?
If we desire to be accepted by Jehovah should we not obey Him?
When we obey Him will He not shower us with abundant spiritual blessings?
Notice I said spiritual rather than material.
If God is spiritual does it not make sense that His blessings are spiritual?
I have experienced both and am more joyous when blessed with spiritual which is far superior to material blessings.
If on the other hand we refuse to obey Him not only will we not receive His blessings but we WILL receive His curse.
I have noticed over the years the slow derogation of those who willfully disobey God and it is not pretty. When young they are arrogant and think they are getting away with it. As they age they feel His hand on them but are too proud to repent and slowly spend their last years in a living hell.
Prayer: Please Jehovah El Elyon (God the most high) always bless me with a submissive and obedient heart to do Your will in every aspect of my life. I appeal to You in the name of Your most obedient son Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the sunshine of Jesus’ sweet love bless you today and every day.
We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.Hebrews 10-10 New King James Version
Sanctified: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use. Merriam- Webster Dictionary
When we accept Christ’s sacrifice of His precious blood to gain entry into Jehovahs Kingdom we become sanctified.
This means we walk away from all worldly desires such as self centeredness, selfishness, arrogance, and disrespect to name a few and dedicate ourselves to being servants of our Heavenly King Jesus Christ.
You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 New King James Version
Yes we are Christ’s servants and yes He has a specific career for each of us.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand. Ephesians 2:10 New King James Version
So before you accept Christ as your Savior you had better weigh the consequences of it.
It will mean sacrifices which are very difficult. It means you may have to walk away from family and friends (Yes most of your most strongest opposition will come from your family and friends). It may mean the sacrifice of your lifestyle. You may be called to move to another area and even another country.
Your sole devotion is to be unto our Heavenly King. He is to be above everything and everyone else.
For me it meant sacrificing relationships that I was extremely close with. We still have a close relationship but it was difficult for all involved to come to terms that Jesus came first in my life.
And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him. Luke 14:7-29 New King James Version
If you take up the offer but then realize the price is too high and decide to drop out of Christ’s kingdom you will be laughed at for sure.
There is no such thing as accepting Christ’s offer without sacrifice on your behalf.
Those who are misguided believe falsely that once they accept Jesus they just sit back and do nothing and wait for Him to take them to Heaven are in for a very shocking revelation come Judgment Day.
Prayer: Thank youJehovah Ezer (The LORD our Helper) for blessing me with Your Divine help and strength to be an obedient child of Yours when it was difficult to do so. I praise You in the name of He who preformed the most difficult taks on the cross for my sake Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the sweet sunshine of Jesus’ beautiful love bless you today and every day.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 New International Version.
The interesting thing about this story is that Jesus told a simple and easy to understand parable so everybody could understand what He was saying. At the end of it He just got up and walked away. I believe He did this to give the people time to digest what He was saying.
Now that was not the end of it though.
After His resurrection when His disciples came sharing His story the people were more receptive to accepting it.
So too it is with us
When we share the story with people of Jesus why not make it as simple as possible for them to understand the message and then just leave them alone to think about it?
Do not try to get them to accept Jesus right then and there. That is a huge mistake too many Christians make. Do not use pressure tactics. Jesus never did, why should you?
If they are receptive, the Holy Spirit will guide them to where they can learn more. Maybe it will be you, maybe someone else.
If they are not receptive to Jesus’ story they will not listen anyway and it is a waste of both your time and usually ends up with nothing but frustration on both parties’ behalf.
I have met too many people that just at the mention of Jesus’ name it is an instant turn off because of the pressure tactics that was tried on them previously.
Not only that but maybe they are not ready to accept Jesus just then.
Prayer: Please Jesus Pryyand (Jesus my friend) guide me on how to share you with others and the best time to just walk away. I sincerely ask this in Your loving name. Amen
May the sweet sunshine of Jesus’ precious love bless you today and every day.
I believe there are two different types of forgiveness.
One is for yourself, the other is in relationships.
The one is for yourself.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:11 New King James Version
If someone does you wrong, you are to forgive them for yourself.
If you do not forgive them you will become angry, bitter and full of self pity. That causes all kinds of physical and spiritual sickness. And, worst of all, if you refuse to repent it will badly affect your relationship with Jehovah. You will end up all alone and bitter. Each day will seem like a living Hell. I have seen a lot of that in seniors homes and i n the lives of many I knew as a child that are now adults.
The other is relationship.
Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17 New King James Version
Now in the time that Jesus said that Jews were forbidden from having anything to do with a heathen or tax collector.
If someone is abusive to you are refuses to repent (repent means to admit what you did, admit it was wrong, to say you are sorry, and to stop committing the abuse. Many times that will mean going in for Christian counselling) do not continue in the relationship. If a spouse gets drunk and beats up the other spouse (and yes, women do it to men almost as much as men do it to women) and refuses to stop do you really believe Jesus wants you at continue on in that relationship? Not the Jesus I know and love.
The reason you take two or more witnesses is so the offender cannot say you did not try to reconcile with them or that it never happened (I have personally experienced a lot of that one).
Now many of us do not attend churches but we can go to Christian councilors and if available in your area go to group sessions. If the offender refuses it is because they know they are wrong but the relationship is not important enough for them to reconcile. If it is not important enough for them then why should it be important to you?
May I suggest, if you live in North America, to look up Focus on the Family for help and online resources. RBC.org (go to topics and you will find many exhalent booklets to help you) as is acts.org.
Prayer: Please Jehovah Kal El (voice of God) bless me with discernment to know when and how to forgive others as You do. I humbly request this in the name of our Supreme Judge Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the sunshine of Jesus’ sweet love bless you today and every day.
Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. Exodus 18:20 New International Version.
Too many times I have seen Christians attempt to lead nonbelievers to Jesus. I have seen it when people invite others to church, to Christian music concerts and other methods. This is all fine and dandy but then what?
If the unbelievers decide to give their life to Jesus there is a praise Hallelujah and then my job is done.
No it is not.
That is like telling someone how great hockey is and convince them to go with you to watch a game. After the game they decide they like it and want to play. You slap them on the back and congratulate them and walk away. How are they going to learn the game if you do not teach them?
So too it is with Christianity.
If you want to lead someone to Christ you had better be prepared to guide them not only to Christ but to teach them about Him, how to have a relationship with Him and how to live according to His standards. Otherwise, the people will not only lose interest in Christ but will mock Christians. It will take commitment on your behalf and may take years.
You can begin by being an example of what a Christian looks like.
From my experience it took six months of patient guidance before they would even accept Christ.
Now sometimes you are the sower and sometimes you are the reaper.
My experience has been that I am the one who sows the Word and then another teacher comes along and takes over from there. That is the way God has planned it not me.
So, just as John’s disciples left him to follow Jesus, if God has chosen another to be their teacher after you guide them to Christ, be humble, step back and with grace surrender your students to the other.
Prayer: Please bless me Jesus Rabbi (Jesus our teacher) with the wisdom, patience and skill like you had to teach others the marvelous things You have done in my life. In Your brilliant name I humbly ask. Amen
May you be blessed with Gods divine love, peace and joy.
This article is originally from another website I used to write on under the name http://teacherjoe52.hubpages.com
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you Matthew 5:23 New King James Version
Do you notice that Jesus mentions that if your brother has a grievance with you, you are to make your peace with him?
He does not say that if you have a grievance against your brother.
Too many Christians believe that they must forgive their brothers when they do bad things to them before their offering can be acceptable to God.
So let us say a brother has cheated you out of a lot of money, do you seriously believe that God wants you to forgive him his dept to you if he has the means to repay you before your offering will be acceptable to God?
To me that is a very dangerous and misguided theology.
Prayer: Please Jehovah grant me the wisdom to discern how to handle a problem between a brother or sister who is indebted to me but refuses to pay his obligations even though they have the means to do so. I sincerely beseech this request in the name of He who taught Nichodemous to repay those to whom he was indebted to Jesus Christ. Amen
May the sunshine of Jesus’ sweet love bless you today and every day.
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
