The Word for Today with Ray

Saturday, February 2, 2019

Hating the Haters

Two lions lie on prairie snarling

with hate filled minds misaligned

their teeth extended with disgust

for the other who twists with animosity

Hearts filled of detesting pain

while antagonist draw lines of personal tolerance

and repulse the other's hate

who vow revenge with venomed pleas

For willful signs of enmity by images horror

and much repulsive verbosity

with fangs extended in bitter abhorrence and rancor

while demonstrating spiteful resentment of raging hatred

Loathing their abomination of aversion and frosted grievance

curling their faces with griping malevolence

while demonstrating symbol irritants of malignity

and inditing the forth-bearing spite and scorn

These lions of abhorrence display objection

while repugnant odium execrates antipathy

and finds nuisance of animus in the other

while ignoring anathema within

Thou lion who hatest hate

dost thou hate the hate that be in thee?

then circle be thy logic made

for thou art guilty of the same hostility and rankling

Who upon closer inspect found reflection of revulsion

that the two lions be the same

whose rumination bore perfect similarity

bearing soul of that tis nasty hate

Get Married and Avoid Fornication 1 Corinthians 7:2

The church members in Corinth wrote to Paul the apostle concerning different issues including how to relate to “women” as church members. Paul's answer was, “it is good for a man not to touch a woman”, and in chapter seven and verse two of First Corinthians, Paul continued to explain what this means as he told the church members how to, “avoid fornication” where we read:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife,

and let every woman have her own husband.

The verse begins, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife,...” Paul began with the word, “Nevertheless” or “the ground reason or account by which something is or is not done” “to avoid” which means “ avert, head off and keep away from,”“fornication” or “illicit sexual intercourse including adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, incest or with divorced people”, “let every man” which means “allow and permit every male human being” “have his own” or “hold, own, possess, be joined and cling to his” “wife” which means “a woman who marries”. Paul told the church members in order to “keep away” from “fornication” men should be married and have their “own wife”.

The verse continues, “... and let every woman have her own husband.” Paul added the words, “and let every woman” which means “allow and permit every female human being” “have her own” or “hold, own, possess, be joined and cling to her”“husband” which means “a man who marries”. Paul told the female church members to “keep away” from “fornication” by getting married and having their “own husbands”.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see the sensible way to keep away from “sexual immorality”. Each male and female among the church in Corinth were to “marry”. Each man was to “marry a woman”, and each woman was to “marry a man”. “Sexual immorality” was readily and easily available to the church members in Corinth, and perhaps it was part of their regular lifestyle before they received Jesus Christ as their “Savior and Lord”. Now their lives were to be “pure and holy”, and yet, they continued to have “bodily urges” and “desires”. Paul's way to satisfy those “desires” was for each man to marry “his own” woman, and each woman was to marry “her own” man. This relationship would honor not only their relationship with one another, but also their relationship with God. Jesus Christ has His “own wife” which is the church, and those who believe in Him become part of His “wife”. The husband and wife relationship becomes a model or example to the world of Christ and His church, and those who are wise will see not only the sense of Paul's instruction, but also the benefit to the world through the witness of marriage in the way he directed it.

Next time Paul instructs the married church members to, “render unto the husband and wife due benevolence”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.

Good to Not Touch a Woman 1 Corinthians 7:1

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth whether they knew their “body is the temple of the Holy Ghost” which he said “is in you”, and he emphasized they were “not” their “own”. They were “bought with a price”, Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross, and they were to “glorify God in” their “body, and in” their “spirit, which are God's”. In chapter seven and verse one of First Corinthians, Paul began to share concerning marriage where he wrote, “it is good for a man not to touch a woman” where we read:

Now concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

The verse begins, “Now concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me:” Paul began with the word, “Now” or “moreover and” “concerning the things whereof” which means “about, on account of, because of, around and near that which” “you wrote” which means “the church members expressed in written characters” “unto me” or “to Paul”. Paul began to address an issue to which the church members in Corinth were concerned.

The verse goes on to say, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” Paul continued with the words, “It is good” which means “it is beautiful to look at, shapely, genuine, approved, precious and magnificent” “for a man” or “for a male human being”“not to touch” or “not to fasten himself to, adhere to, cling to, cohabit with or have carnal intercourse with” “a woman” which refers to “a female human being”. Paul declared it was “good” for men not to have “intimate sexual relationships” with women.

When we think through these words from Paul, we may at first be alarmed at this statement. We must keep in mind the normal life of the Corinthian church members before becoming Christians. Their worship of “Aphrodite”, the goddess of love, included “sexual relationships” with “temple prostitutes” who “worshiped” “Aphrodite” by their behavior. Christians are “purchased” and “redeemed” by Jesus Christ and are to live “holy” and “pure” lives, so when the church members in Corinth desired to know how to behave in their relationships with “women”, Paul began to share how to live as representatives of Jesus Christ in the world.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Generation of the Offended

How much am I aggrieved

and angered and annoyed

my soul doth thou antagonize

disgusting disturbing ploy

To me dost thou exasperate

with all thy bitter gall

for I dictate that which offends

for yours care not at all

I quite be much the horrified

thy words they hurt my way

and irritate the thoughts be mine

my outrage don't obey

Tis trust that I require from thee

provoke me thou hast done

offending me with everything

my laws thou always shun

Your shocking photos rile me

upsetting footage bring

you sicken me with all thy rants

disgruntled fretting sting

Thy great affronts to my set rules

they nauseate and pain

disoblige thy slighted slur

distressing normal wain

Thy jarring pique has miffed my way

and nettled with my mind

repelling me thy wicked snub

repulsing unrefined

Tis thy great sin and trespass there

transgressing deep my soul

and vexing spirits everywhere

aligning with my scroll

Offending wounds that cut me deep

thy disagreeing fling

and turn me off and curse thyself

with thy obtrusive zing

Bought with a Price 1 Corinthians 6:20

Paul the apostle told the church members of Corinth to “flee fornication” because “every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that commits sin against his own body”. He asked them if they knew that their “bodies” are “the temple of the Holy Ghost which” was in them. They were God's and they were not their “own”, and in chapter six and verse eighteen of First Corinthians, Paul told the church members to, “bought with a price” where we read:

For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,

and in your spirit, which are God's.

The verse begins, “For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,” Paul began with the word, “For” or “even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “you are bought” which means “purchased and redeemed” “with a price” which refers to “with honor, dignity and a precious value”: “therefore” which means “now, verily, in truth, really, surely and certainly” “glorify” or “praise, extol, magnify, celebrate and honor” “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “in your body” or “in the church members' living corpse”. When Jesus died for the “sins” of the church members in Corinth, he paid the “price” for the redemption of them, and their response was to be “glorifying” and giving “honor” to “God” with their “bodies”.

The verse continues, “... and in your spirit, which are God's.” Paul added the word, “and” which means “also, even, both and likewise” “in your spirit” or “in the church members vital principal by which the body is animated ”, “which are God's” which means “the body and the spirit belong to God”. Paul told the church members their “spirits” are owned by God when they submit their lives to Jesus.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we understand how the church members in Corinth had been “purchased” by Jesus Christ's blood sacrifice on the cross. He, in effect, “bought them”, and now they were to “glorify” them with their bodies instead of committing any manner of “sexual immorality”. People who have received Jesus as their “Savior and Lord” have been “redeemed” or “bought back” from the penalty of sin. Now, both their “bodies” and their “spirits” are owned by God, and they should live in a manner that is pleasing to Him. May all who read these words take heed.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Paul begin to share about marriage, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Your Body the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Corinthians 6:19

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth if they knew their “bodies are members of Christ?”, and he questioned rhetorically, “shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of an harlot”? Paul answered, “God forbid”, and in chapter six and verse nineteen of First Corinthians, Paul told the church members their “bodies” are, “the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you” where we read:

What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,

which you have of God, and you are not your own?

The verse begins, “What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,...” Paul began with the question, “What” or “either, save and except”?“Know you not” which means “do the church members not perceive with the eyes or senses, notice, discern, discover, pay attention to or observe”“that your body” which refers to “the church members' living corpse” “is the temple” which means “the shrine and sacred place” “of the Holy Ghost” or “the most sacred, pure, morally blameless and ceremonially consecrated third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit who is coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Son” “which is in you” which means “that is within the church members”. Paul questioned whether the church members realized their “bodies” were the “temple” of God's Spirit who resided within them.

The verse continues, “... which you have of God, and you are not your own?” Paul added the words, “which you have” which means “that the church members hold, own, possess and cling to” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “and you” which means “the church members” “are not your own” which means “the church members were possessed and in effect owned by God”. The church members in Corinth as Christians were no longer “lorded over” or controlled by themselves but rather by the Holy Spirit of God.

When we consider these words from Paul, we understand how the church members in Corinth gave themselves over to the “Lordship” of God Almighty and His Holy Spirit when they received Jesus as their Savior. They became in effect, God's temple, and His Holy Spirit resided in them. Paul meant to insure the Corinthians knew their position in relationship to God which should keep them from intermingling the “temple of the Holy Spirit” with “sexual immorality”. When Jesus comes into our lives, He is to be “master” and “Lord” over us and as we become His “sacred dwelling place”, we must not enjoin Him to any activity that is not according to His Holiness.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “you are bought with a price”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Flee Fornication 1 Corinthians 6:18

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth if they knew their “bodies are members of Christ?”, and he questioned rhetorically, “shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of an harlot”? Paul answered, “God forbid”, and in chapter six and verse eighteen of First Corinthians, Paul told the church members to, “flee fornication” where we read:

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body;

but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.

The verse begins, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body;” Paul began with the word, “Flee” or “seek safety and shun or avoid by flight” “fornication” which means “illicit sexual intercourse such as adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality or with close relatives”.“Every sin” which refers to “each, any, all, the whole and everyone of the evil deeds” “that a man does” which means “which a human being whether male or female makes, produces, constructs, causes, bears or acquires” “is without” or “is outside, beyond and toward the exterior” “the body” which refers to “the living corpse”. Basically, Paul told the church members to “run” from “sexual immorality” because “sin” committed by people is outside of their own bodies.

The verse continues, “ but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.” Paul added the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjugation that means what is about to be written take precedence over what was just stated “” “he that commits fornication” or “makes or commits illicit sexual intercourse such as adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality or with close relatives” “sins against” which means “misses the mark, errs, mistakes and wanders from the law of God toward and unto” “his own body” or “belonging to one's own living corpse”. The difference between “fornication” and other “sin” is that “sexual immorality” causes a person to “sin” against themselves.

When we think through these words from Paul, we discover how to respond to “sexual immorality” - “run”. When people commit “fornication”, in whichever expression relates to its definition, they “sin against” themselves, and that should be enough motivation to keep away from it. Damage to our own “souls” and the forsaking of our connection to Jesus Christ is the affect of participating in “fornication”, and those who are Christians should never let it be once named among us.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.