The consumption of alcohol has been a leading controversy among both Christians and non-Christians.  Over recent years, both groups have given greater embrace to drinking alcohol.  It is one of the issues that seem to be constantly overlooked, because even some of the Church’s so-called “best Christians” even have a little alcohol stuffed away for what they may call “special occasions”.  The purpose of this article is to deal with common misinterpretations about the character of Christ, expose the truth about alcohol, and offer several Bible principles that will help educate people about a substance the Devil is using to destroy the lives of people, both young and old, across this world.

It is important that we recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the plum-line.  He is our great example.  As our pattern, let us consider the character of Christ.  First of all, we notice that the scripture says the Lord is holy.  The Lord commands us in 1 Peter 1:16   “…Be ye holy, for I am holy.”  The word holy means, “set apart,” or, “different.”  Looking further into the scriptures, we find the following traits about our Lord:

•  One who knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• One in whom no fault was found (Luke 23:4, John 18:38,and John 19:4)
• One that was of innocent blood (Matthew 27:24)

Throughout our modern culture of reason and especially a time when the Bible has come under such logical and rational scrutiny, our Lord’s character has come into question.  Modern thinking has tried to create an excuse for drinking alcohol by using the phrase, “well Jesus drank wine”.  Not only do I believe this is an inaccurate interpretation of the Word of God, but I also believe that it is a direct slam on the person of God.  Now the argument of whether it was real wine that was used during the Passover will be discussed later in this article, but just looking at this statement in the form of understanding the character of Christ will reveal that Jesus would not approve of the consumption of alcohol on any level.  The purpose and consumption of alcohol of today’s standard goes completely against the character and mind of a Holy God.  Just take a moment and think about the mental association we have of wine, beer, and liquor of today in comparison of the Bible definition of the character of Christ.  It does not take long to observe the average commercial promotes alcohol as something that correlates to partying, sexual fantasies, and immoral lifestyles.  This portrayal does not align with the Lord and His character.  The teachings of the Lord say that we should “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (2 Thessalonians 5:22).  The typical liquor advertisement does not offer social drinking or moderation; it promotes the kind of events that would lead to drunken stupors.   However, while making this comparison, the alcohol commercials fail to show the young people with a hangover, the car wrapped around the tree, the venereal disease that was passed along through a one drunken night of “hooking up,” or the young people in a jail cell from public intoxication and/or drinking and driving.  I am definitely sure that this is not what the Lord had intended for people when he said in Jeremiah 29:11 that he had “thoughts of peace and not of evil…”

Then, we encounter the question, “Did not Jesus turn water into wine?”   There are two answers to this question.  Yes, the Lord turned water into wine, but, no, it was not fermented wine.  Later, we will look at the scientific argument as to why this was not fermented wine, but, for now, we will consider this point from the perspective of Christ’s character.  The thought of putting the Lord Jesus Christ in the same category as a late-night, off-the-wall bartender is absolute blasphemy!  The Lord Jesus would never go against the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, and he definitely is no hypocrite.  The Bible is clear in Habakkuk 2:15, “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also…”  Jesus would have never done anything that would go against the teachings found in His word.  Along the same line, woe unto the parents, the friends, the co-workers, the associates, the pastors, and the professing Christians that distribute, and embrace the idea that alcohol is okay.  Remember, when our actions are in correlation to someone else’s sin, then that sin will be on our hands as well.  From a brief observation of Christ and His character, it is obvious that if the Lord was on the earth today, He would not be found in a party, “kicking back a few cold ones,” nor would He be seen in a bar room with bottle lifted in one hand while grinding on some girl off the street.  Furthermore, He would definitely not be sitting on a tailgate drinking, listening to wicked music, surrounded by drunkenness, while waiting to worship one of America’s largest idols.  It just does not align to His Holy Character that we find in Scriptures.  Therefore if we desire to be like Christ and possess the character of Christ then we must abstain from the consumption of all alcohol for entertainment purposes.

When dealing with fermented wine in the Bible, we will find that it is usually mentioned in relationship with “strong drink”.  Strong drink was something that was considered extremely intoxicating, and it was made for that reason.  For instance, grape juice does not become typical strong drink on its own.   Large amounts of sugar and yeast must be added in order for fermentation to take place.  In Biblical times, common, fermented wine was much diluted; its alcoholic content was extremely low.  According to some studies, the fermented wine used during Bible days would actually be considered a non-alcoholic beverage when aligned to today’s standard.  The fact that yeast and sugar must be added to grape juice in order for fermentation to take place brings me back to the argument over whether or not Jesus drank wine during the Passover.  Considering that the Passover was a time of unleaven and that yeast is used in the leavening process, we realize that it was impossible for the Passover to be observed properly if fermented wine was used.  According to Matthew14:25 and Luke 22:18 Jesus himself called it, “fruit of the vine,” meaning it was grape juice.  The more we go into this study and learn the difference between wine and strong drink, the more we will discover the Bible calls the juice inside the grapes “wine.”  Isaiah 65:8 “…as the new wine is found in the cluster.”  Based on the wording of this verse we can also directly relate it to the New Testament where Jesus turned water into wine.  The wine he used was called “good wine”, which is basically the same interpretation as what the Old Testament considers “new wine”.  From this comparison, we conclude that the wine in which Jesus used throughout the New Testament would not have been considered fermented, but in all actuality it would be considered grape juice.  This would have been a simple and tasty alternative for that water.  The wine, or grape juice used in the New Testament by the Lord would be the same as us drinking sodas, tea, or Kool-Aid instead of  water.

Now that we have addressed the character of Christ, and looked in the context of scriptures, we must now look at the Biblical principles that are found throughout the Bible on the issue of drinking.

• Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”  From this verse, we understand that the wise person is the one that is abstinent from alcohol.
• Proverbs 23:29-31 “Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.”  There is not one person that was ever a social drinker that did not align to the effects mentioned in this text.  The Bible actually goes on to say that we should not even look at it when it becomes fermented. 
• Proverbs 31:4-5 “…it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:  Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”  These Scriptures teach that alcohol affects good judgment.  Those that cannot think correctly are not going to act correctly.
• Isaiah 5:22 “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink.”  One of the great “woes” of God is for people to partake in the consumption of alcohol.
• Isaiah 24:9 “They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.”  Well, that just busted the party and bar scene bubble.  “Shall not drink…” sounds pretty clear to me.
• Isaiah 28:7 “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.”  Here, we are taught that partakers of alcohol will have bad judgment.  It is dangerous and must be avoided. 
• Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like:  of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”  This verse offers a very convicting statement.  Those that partake in those things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Just think if Jesus was to come back in your drunken slumber.  That would not be a great way to fall in the hands of a Holy God.

I do not believe the Bible could be any clearer on the issue.  Some would argue that the Bible condemns drunkenness but not moderate drinking or social drinking.  We must come to an honest assessment of social drinking.  There may be someone out there, but I will go out on a limb and say there has been very few, if any, that have drank socially and not at one point and time become drunken.  Based on some medical research, I found that the body becomes ineffective after just one drink.  It truly is a drug that should be avoided at all cost.

Have you ever just stopped to think about the fact that nothing good has ever come out of the consumption of alcohol?  I believe that those who have partaken in alcohol would not have to look far to find that it caused them to do actions that they sorrowfully regretted.  Statistics have concluded that alcohol is our nation’s number one drug.  I believe it is America’s number one poison.  It is destroying a country, and it is definitely turning the hearts and minds of today’s generation away from the Lord.  Alcohol is the leading cause of abuse in the home; it is one of the major contributors to divorce.  Many of today’s alcoholics come from an environment in which the parents were social drinkers.  It is highly likely and almost a certainty that parents who drink will produce children that drink even more.  We cannot embrace sin and expect a good outcome.  Do you think the drunk on the bar stool that continues to embrace alcoholism as a way life and that spends almost his entire income on his addiction imagined in his childhood that he would be a drunk for the rest of his life?  If not, then where did it begin?  It began with one drink, and it created an addiction that could not be broken.

America is creating a cesspool for alcoholism across this land.  In almost every state, colleges are no longer known for their education but for their parties.  The wickedness and immorality that is taken place among the majority of our young people is at an all-time high and it stems from the pushing and promotion of alcoholism.  Colleges were created to be places of higher learning; they have become places of higher levels of immorality.  The fall season is when the immorality of alcoholism hits its highest levels.  People drive from all over the country, spend thousands of dollars, and drink themselves into oblivion, weekends at a time, all to cheer louder for their football team.  Recently, while watching a sports channel, I heard that tailgating has become America’s largest social activity.  The large amounts of alcohol that is consumed during this time would probably float a large boat.  In the name of “having a good time” America has become drunk on their own idol worship! Our modern televisions programs and the majority of commercials that air them prove the drunkenness of the United States.  The average sitcom today has at least one scene or the entire scene is oriented around a bar room or feature parents drinking alcohol.  Beer commercials have become the leading sponsors to the majority of sports programs.  We have become infested and consumed in drinking ourselves to death, all in the name of a “good time”.

How sad that many feel as though they cannot have a fun unless they are drinking.  Many think a social gathering cannot be successful without alcohol.  For others, it is the only way to have peace and fulfillment.  However, the drink is only a temporary fix for a more eternal problem.  The reason so many today have to binge themselves into temporary happiness is because it helps them forget their own sin and conviction.  It has become America’s way of “getting away”, or “calming down,” and, at the same time, it has turned Americans into belligerent drunks.  I can testify from experience that the fix I got when I got saved is a high that I have not been able to lose.  I no longer need something else in order to have a good time.  Jesus says in 1 John 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”  The key to full joy is not a bottle or a bar; it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The cure is not a twelve step program; it is a one step program.  Take a step toward Jesus through repentance and faith and allow him to give you a permanent peace that passes all understanding.  Christians, we must turn back to the scriptures and realize that we are not to embrace the philosophies of the world, but live the principles of God’s Word.  We need a revival of holiness and a revival of the Bible.  We must not buy into the Satan’s lie.  Ephesians 5:18 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”  Rather than allowing our body, mind, and spirit to be overtaken by the drug of alcohol, we must be overcome with the Holy Spirit.  May the Lord help us to realize the truth!

Psalm 36:1 “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.”

I approach this topic with great fear and trembling within my spirit.  My heart shutters at the facts that I have studied about the topic of abortion.  One of my greatest fears is that we are living in a country that is proclaiming this verse in a very loud way.  It is a very dangerous thing for any person to have no fear of a living God.  It is so important that we realize that without fear of God, then we are going to operate on a lawless basis.  Over the course of time, I have noticed that people, even so called Christians, have grown to embrace sinfulness rather than rebuke it.  I read this quote by M.R. Dehaan that said, “Has it ever struck you, as it has me, that the world has tried desperately hard to rid itself of even the very mention of the word sin? It has almost entirely disappeared from the world’s vocabulary. We can pick up our newspaper or magazine and read all the accounts of violence and atrocity and murder and dishonesty, but seldom are these things called “sin.” Writers talk about crime and violence and death and murder and immorality, but the word SIN is carefully avoided.

Now all of this becomes very significant, for we believe it to be an attempt, consciously or unconsciously, to get rid of the idea of sin.  But sin is still sin, and until there is a revival of preaching against sin in all of its awfulness, as a filthy damning rebellion against God, which it is, there cannot be a revival, but the world will continue getting worse and more rotten and more sinful than ever. By the grace of God, we, therefore, shall lift our voice against sin, not merely as a human weakness, not merely as the mistakes of a race trying to climb upward by evolutionary process, but as that vicious, selfish, filthy thing which lies at the basis and root of all man’s troubles and trials, and which is a rebellion against a thrice-holy God, which must result in the punishment of the sinner in an eternal Hell, unless it is taken care of by the blood atonement of the Son of God. That is why we preach on the subject of the blood, the only God-given remedy for sin.”  I believe this great statement really defines the reality of Psalm 36:1.  America is living without fear of God because in their eyes there is no reason to fear God.  With that being said, I believe this is directly connected to the topic of abortion.  America, as well as the rest of the world, has bought in to the Devil’s lie that abortion is not murder.  The world and Satan have created terms like “pro-choice” and “planned parenting” in order to disguise the sinful act of abortion.  Based on the scriptures and statements we are going to see in the following paragraphs, we are going to learn that abortion is more than sin or murder, but we will learn that it is a complete abomination in the eyes of God.

Some Statistics

I personally believe that many people, especially Christians, are not aware of what is going on, or they have chose to close their eyes in hopes that it does not exist.  I wish it did not exist, but I am afraid it exists today in a way like never before.  Here are some statistics that I have found while doing some research.  In America, approximately 1.2 million abortions occur each year.  When that is broken down, we would learn that is approximately 3,200 per day, 137 per hour and 1 every 26 seconds.  I even read a few articles that stated in some states that more abortions occurred in one year than actual births.  Digging a little deeper I discovered that 33% of abortions were by teenagers without parental consent or knowledge.  Just think about this for a moment. Adolf Hitler brutally murdered approximately 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.  If Adolf Hitler was a tyrant and cold killer of innocent people, then what will history call Americans?  Better yet, just imagine how God views the actions and mentality of Americans today.  This is not the final statistic we will observe, but it does leave us with something to consider while reading.  I would, however, like to leave you with a profound statistic that is really heart wrenching.  While 1.2 million abortions occur annually, there are approximately 2 million couples waiting on the possibility to adopt a baby.  Wow! Kind of ironic, isn’t it?

Some Statements

            Over the years, there have been a lot of statements made about the topic of abortion.  There are those that are considered “pro-abortion” and those that are considered “anti-abortion”.  The arguments that have been discussed come down to the basis of when life starts.  The medical specialists argue that what is formed at conception is a cell, zygote, or blob.  It is real simple and it is does not take a microscope to figure it out.  When a person takes an egg, adds sperm, it will equal a baby.  When an abortion occurs, it is not destroying a cell or a zygote, but it is destroying a human being.  The reason I know this is because approximately 9 months after conception takes place a human is born.  The other argument that must be considered is the question of “if life does not begin at conception then when does it begin?”  We have to define it at some place.  Consider this:  there is nothing added to the fetus from the moment of conception expect nutrients and oxygen.  So therefore, human life started at conception because that was the only time something was added together to spring forth life.  If a human is our outcome from a birth, then a human is how it started.  I find it amazing that abortion is the only, so called, “medical procedure” that involves the termination of a life.  I also found it amazing that the word physician is defined as a person who has been trained to protect and preserve life.  Therefore, a person that conducts abortions is not a real doctor, but an evil murderer.  It is also important that we realize that when an abortion takes place that we may be killing the one person that could actually cure cancer.  I like the scenario a UCLA medical professor presented:  A woman is pregnant and suffers from tuberculosis, and the husband has syphilis.  There are already three children: one is blind, another deaf, and the other suffers from tuberculosis.  Yet another child died an infant.  Under the circumstances, most students recommended abortion.  The professor responded “Congratulations! You just killed Beethoven!”  There is no telling what can happen with an unborn baby when given a chance.  Please realize that when abortion occurs, then murder is taking place.  It blows my mind that the only thing that keeps abortion from being murder is a thin layer of skin.  While considering the previous statements, I want to leave you with some quotes that I found to be really profound.

“Abortion does not make you not pregnant, it just makes you the parent of a dead baby.”  Unknown

A pro-abortion woman asked a mother who was holding up a graphic anti-abortion sign “How can you allow your children to see these horrible pictures?”  The mother responded by saying “How can you allow your children to become those pictures?”

“Everybody that has been for abortion is already born.”  Ronald Reagan

Some Situations

There have been those that pose some interesting arguments.  They bring up some situations like rape, incest, and even the life of the mother.  The first thing I found out is that after reading several articles that less than 2% of abortions take place for this reason.  Therefore, this leaves 98% of people getting abortions simply because it is convenient.  Rape and incest are horrible crimes and should be punished.  However, my plea is that mothers would not compound one crime with that of another crime.  This is one of those scenarios that reminds us of the old saying “two wrongs don’t make a right”.  Then there is the life of the mother.  Please remember that the doctors are intelligent and very gifted, but they are not always right.  The life that is placed in God’s control is always the life that is the most protected.  I realize death can be a scary thing to embrace, but we must remember that death is inevitable and it would terrible to end one life; even before it had an opportunity to really get started.  I would also like to share some other situations.  I would encourage you to do a quick “Google” search of pictures from abortions.  What you would find would be horrifying.  Consider the situation of a baby being pulled apart piece by piece.  Consider the situation of a child having a large needle stabbed in the back of its spine while hanging partially out of its mother.  Please consider that within just 18 days the eyes of a child start to develop and most abortions occur around the 7 or 8 week period.  Finally, consider how you would feel if your parents chose to abort you.  Seems to me it would be kind of selfish for a person that has the ability to speak, take the life of someone that can’t speak for themselves.  We must let our selfish intentions dictate who gets to live and who has to die.  Don’t kill a child just because it is not convenient.  Leave the giving and taking of life, to the one that is the giver and taker of life.

Some Scriptures

It is important that we look at the scriptures and see how God views the topic of abortion.  It is vital that we look at each statistic, statement, and situation in light of the scriptures.

1.  Does the Bible mention when life begins? 

There are two clear verses that we can observe in the Bible that deal with this question.  Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”  Just looking at this verse, one would say that this is only talking about Jeremiah.  Contextually, yes it is, but practically it dealing with life in general.  Remember, God is no respecter of persons.  If God knew Jeremiah, then God knew you and I.  If I read this verse correctly, then it would tell us that, in all reality, life begins before conception.  It also lets people know that while their child may have been conceived through a sinful act, the child is not an accident.  Please realize that if God placed a child in you, then He has a purpose for both you and the child.  The other scripture we must observe is Psalm 139:13-14 “For thou has possessed my reins:  thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:  marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”  This verse always reminds me of a remark I heard just before the start of the Special Olympics.  The speaker made the statement “God don’t make no junk!”  I couldn’t help but say “AMEN!”  We must realize that while we make mistakes, God does not make any!  Every child formed in womb of its mother has a special purpose and plan by the Lord.  Don’t kill the next Billy Graham, or Charles Spurgeon.  Don’t kill God’s plan.  Leave God to His job, and remember he is a lot better at it than we are.

2. Is abortion really a sin? 

It is sad that I even have to address it, but yes it is.  As a matter of fact, it is one of the Commandments.  Exodus 20:13 “Thou shalt not kill.”  This is dealing with the area of murder.  Abortion is murder no matter how it is worded or explained.  When a person robs another person of life, then it is considered murder.  Just a reminder, the fetus is definitely a person.  Also in Proverbs 6 the Lord mentions seven different things he hates and then goes even further and calls them an abomination.  One of those abominations is found in Proverbs 6:17 “…hands that shed innocent blood.”  God considers the act of shedding innocent blood an abomination.  The word abomination is not a pretty word.  It means morally disgusting, or an extreme hatred and detestation. There is no doubt that the aborting of unborn babies in the womb of their mothers is an something that God has a extreme hatred toward.

3.  The status of America?

The status is this:  If we don’t repent and turn toward the Lord, then He is going to completely remove His hand from us.  America is spilling the blood of innocent lives.  According to the Bible “Children are an heritage of the Lord”.  The Lord considers children, whether born or in the womb, very precious.  Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness exalteth a nation:  but sin is a reproach to any people.”  It is not that we are dabbling in sin, but America is promoting it.  We must get back to a higher standard of righteousness.  Turn from our sin and start living according the God’s Word.  We must never think that God is going to overlook such blatant acts of disobedience and defiance.  In Isaiah 14:13 the Lord says “I will punish the world for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”  God’s not going to let this slide.  He is going to punish sin.  We must seek forgiveness.  We must repent.  We must! We must!!  For the sake of our future is at stake if we continue down this spiraling path!

Final Thoughts

            The solution is profoundly simple and yet simply profound.  Jesus and the Bible are our solution.  Instead of operating on the philosophies of modern science and relative thinking, we must start operating according to the Word of God.  I will say that for those that may read this and have had an abortion, remember that God loves you just as much as He loves the baby.  There is forgiveness for that sin.  There is no sin so great that God can’t forgive.  The Blood of Jesus is sufficient in cleansing the stains of sin.  Please understand the author of the majority of the New Testament was a killer before his conversion.  If God can save the Apostle Paul, then God can and will still save you.  Just repent and believe on Jesus!  He is more than just a solution, Jesus is the solution!

Please take 33 minutes and watch this video on the subject of abortion by Ray Comfort called “180 Movie”

I also would like to allow you to see some pictures, after all they are worth 1000 words!

1 Timothy 1:8-10 “ But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

I have noticed over the past few years that there has seemed to be a new push for the promotion of homosexuality around the world.  Here recently, we have seen a tremendous controversy swell over those that advocate and those that are against it.  This controversy brings me to this study and my desire has several goals.  The first goal is to develop God’s mind and heart on this issue.  The second goal is to equip Christians to be able make a stand both practically as well as spiritually.  The third goal is that people would know the truth through the Word of God. In John 8:32, it says “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  The last goal is the one in which must be addressed first.  We must have a basis for what is “truth”.  My premise for truth is based on the Bible.  We must understand that God’s Word will direct us to the heartbeat of the Lord.  If we are going to understand and develop the heart of the Lord, then we must look to the one place where God’s heart is found.  The Bible! Some would argue that what is truth for one person may not be truth for another.  I would have to agree and therefore that is why we must place ourselves on the same common field and that is God’s Word.  Truth can’t be relative, but it can be rational.  It can’t be relative because every person has to draw their truth from some place.  Some would even argue that there is no truth.  However, that is a flawed argument because every person has knowledge of some truth.  For example, if I say that the Sun is hot and you say the Sun is cold.  Which statement is true?  Well, of course we all know the Sun is hot. Therefore, we can rule out this ideology of relativism because its premise and paradigms are flawed by a general rule.  This ideology of relativism is something that is destroying lives as we speak, especially Christianity.  Because people no longer view the Bible as sense of truth or, for that matter, desire to operate under any authority, therefore, we find ourselves living in a time where people just do what is right in their own eyes.  It is essential that we understand the fact that just because we don’t see anything wrong with something does not mean that God does not see anything wrong with.  Therefore, we will look at this study through the eyes of the Lord by observing what His Word has to say about this controversial issue.

The reason I started with this verse is because it is essential that we understand that all the scripture is profitable.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  Many of the verses that will be a spring board of this study will come from the Old Testament Law.  So before we go into this idea that the Law is no longer necessary or relevant because of the New Testament, we must look at this New Testament Principle.  The Law of God is always relevant. If is used lawfully.  Some would say that we are no longer under the Law, but we are under Grace.  I must say that until you have experienced the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ through Faith and Repentance, then any person is still under the Law of God and will be judged according the Law.  The verse in 1 Timothy says that the law was not made for righteous man.  It is very important that we understand that this is not self righteousness, but the imputed righteousness of Christ that gives each Christian a desire to pursue a life of obedience to the Lord.  Then we notice there is a long list of sins that will be judged under the Law of God.  However, the key truth that jumps out is that God will judge anyone who lives a life that is contrary to “sound doctrine”.  So before we jump on “The Law is no longer relevant” bandwagon, we must embrace the fact that God’s Word is perfect, pure, and profitable for any issue life may throw our way.

Now, we must address some Bible verses that deal with the issue.  We will start with Old Testament Law.  It says in Leviticus 18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”  The Bible also addresses the issue in Leviticus 20:13 “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”  First of all, it is clear that God is not pleased with this kind of lifestyle.  In both verses, he defines it as an abomination.  By calling the act of homosexuality an abomination means that God is more than displeased with it. It means that He is absolutely disgusted by it.  Under the Law of God, it is clear that it is something that God addresses as wrong.  However, we find that it is also addressed in the New Testament as well.  The Bible addresses this issue in Romans 1:21-27 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”  We see the Lord address the heart of the problem by declaring it a problem of the heart.  It is a matter of an unregenerate heart that would rather obey the philosophies of humanism rather than the teachings of the Christ.  It is also important that we realize that those that choose to operate by way of this path will also be susceptible to God handing you over to a reprobate mind.  The outcome of such disobedience is one that we must also note.  God deals with the issue of homosexuality in the context of this darkened heart.  We learn that this lifestyle is one that goes against the very nature of the Lord.  He defines such actions as “vile affections”.  Just by reading the verses and addressing the terminology being used in the context of the scriptures, we learn that God is highly against the act of homosexuality.  Based on the context of our scriptures, it is clear that we can call homosexuality more than just a “sin” but an “abomination” in the eyes of the Lord.

There have been many people that have declared homosexuality to be okay and acceptable. There are even those that proclaim to be Christians that profess at the same time to be homosexuals.  It is clear by the context of the scriptures we just read that homosexuality is something that is definitely against the teachings of the Word of God as well as the Will of God.   I want to start out by saying that we have become prone to picking and choosing our sins in which we attack and those in which we embrace.  However, we must understand and embrace the truth that God hates all sin.  We see it is clear that God does not align to those that embrace homosexuality; however, we must realize that God does not embrace those that steal, kill, find pleasure in sexual sins, and even those that are drunkards.  Over the years, I have noticed that Christians and Non-Christians want to pick and choose which sins they want to attack.  According to the Bible, the Lord hates all sin.  Based on our scriptures, I believe it would be easy to connect homosexuality with many of those other sinful acts.  First of all, the Bible is clear that we are to save sex for marriage.  It does not take long in-depth studies to realize that homosexual relationships are based on feelings of lust rather than those of love.  I would not argue that two consenting homosexuals do love one another, however, I would declare that their relationship was initiated out lust which most likely led to fornication.  I would also say that few homosexuals that are actually living this kind of lifestyles are saving themselves for marriage.  So, it is clear that we see that not only is homosexuality is a sin, but it is a lifestyle in which people disregard the teachings of God’s Word and walk in complete disobedience to the Will of God.  This brings me to a very pivotal verse found in 1 John 5:18 that says “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”  This verse has been a lingering factor that explains the fact that homosexuals cannot be Christian.  It is important that we address the text.  The word “sinneth” means a continual course of sin.  It does not mean that Christians will not sin.  It does mean that Christians will have a desire not to sin.  There is never any Christian throughout God’s Word that was never saddened by sin.  We see that homosexuality is not a one-time sin, but it is a lifestyle of sin.  Someone that is truly saved may struggle with sin, but they will never be willing to embrace their sin.  In modern Christian culture, we have embraced this mentality that sin is okay because we all just sinners saved by grace.  Sin is not okay and in Romans 6:1-2 Paul declares that Christians should no longer continue in sin.  God demands that His children pursue holiness in all areas.  While on this topic, I think it would also be necessary to let people know that it is not just homosexuality that the Bible is addressing, but it is all the other ones too.  Those that are not convicted over their sin, are ones that probably not indwelt by Christ.  By this, we can conclude through the context of God’s Word that homosexuality is a sin. It is a lifestyle of sin and therefore those that continue in a course of sinful activity without conviction or sadness over it are not “born of God”.

This brief study was not done in order to bash homosexuals.  Please realize that I do not hate those that are homosexuals and it is also even more important that we realize that God does not hate homosexuals.  Based on the teachings of God’s Word and the Heart of the Lord, I have learned that God does despise homosexuality.  God hates sin on all levels. Therefore, we must not embrace, promote, or endorse sinful activity. God loves the sinner, but at the same time He cannot stand the sin.  We must learn to stand against sin on all levels.  We can no longer accept it as a way of life.  It is not necessarily a matter of tolerance, but it that of principle.  We must look to the Lord.  God has the answer.  Furthermore, God is the answer. God loves world, but he does not love the world’s system or its philosophies.  As Christians, we are losing ground because we are not making a stand on Biblical Principles.  We are allowing our children to be indoctrinated with the teachings of humanism, rationalism, and relativism.  Sin is being promoted on all corners.  We are seeing it in our schools, through politicians, and especially through television broadcast.  We are definitely living in perilous times, but not hopeless times.  We must stand for the Bible.  I pray God uses this to educate, encourage, equip, as well as evangelize.  I am not trying to be judgmental, as a matter of fact, the judgment has been the Lord’s.  I pray that those that read this will listen and head to the teachings of scripture.

Ever tried to put something together that comes in many different pieces?  I can remember right now many Christmas Eve hours putting together large toys that were purchased in small boxes.  Thankfully I am not one of the fathers that feel as though they can do it better without the directions.  There is nothing more frustrating than trying to put things together without the instructions.  My Father always used the comment “When all else fails, use the directions!” I am afraid that many families are trying to operate the same way they put stuff together.  They fly in and start putting pieces together out of order, use nuts and bolts in the wrong places, and they have a something in the end that looks nothing like the model.  In fact many quit and give up.  When it comes to the marriage and the home we have thrown away the directions and decided that we can do it better than the designer.  In the case of the home, and the marriage the designer is the Lord and the instruction manual is the Bible.  I propose we use my Dad’s philosophy “When all else fails read the instructions!”  Realize that God is the designer and creator of the marriage.  I honestly believe that we can look at the first marriage and draw some principles out of Genesis 2:18-25 that will help us create a very effective marriage.  However; I must warn you that there has to be some reprogramming of the mind that must take place.  Our thinking is going to have to change from the logical to the scriptural.  The first thing that must change is that we must quit relying on the culture of this world as the model for marriage.  Where we have failed as parents and church leaders in America is that we have allowed the television to influence and set the town for our families.  The sitcoms and soap operas of Hollywood have become the model for our marriage.  The divorce for Hollywood stars is up near the 80% range.  No wonder our divorce rate in America is over 50% now.  We have swallowed a false reality and a flawed model of the marriage.  The second thing must do is be willing to adjust, align, and accept God’s design rather than the design of else.  Remember Jesus is the model and not other people.  The third thing we must do is be willing to be different.  Our marriages are not supposed to mirror the culture, but they are supposed to mirror Christ.  We must realize that we are supposed to look weird and act weird to the world.  We must embrace the idea that we do not want to be politically correct, but we want to be Biblically correct.  Now that you embrace this mindset it will make it easier to look at the designer and instruction manual for the marriage. By looking at the first marriage we can get a good idea of the way God designed the marriage.

Genesis 2:18-25 (KJV)

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;  And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

God Designed the Marriage to be a Partnership

By looking in verse 18 we can clearly see that God wanted to create a divine partnership.  He used the phrase “…it is not good that man should be alone: I will make him an help meet…” God did not design us for live alone, but he designed the marriage so it would be a partnership.  Many Christians have thrown out God’s design because they feel as though it is not a partnership but a dictatorship.  Read your Bible and understand that God did not create the woman from the head or feet because the marriage was not designed for the woman to be on top of the man or so that the man should stand on top of the woman.  He created the woman from the rib so that there would be a divine partnership in which they walked beside one another.  God wanted to give man an earthly companion.  However; many spouses walk into their marriages thinking that their spouse is suppose to complete one another.  Not true at all!  God wanted to complement one another and wanted to create a companionship, but our completion should always be in Christ.  Marriages fail when they lose sight of their personal relationship with Christ and focus too much on their relationship with one another.  You partner may challenge you and even cause conflict with you, but that is God’s design.  Some may get to the point where their spouse is driving them crazy, or the spouse may hurt their feelings by telling the truth.  It is the design of your spouse to help enhance you gifts and complement your weakness so that you may become more like Christ.  This is a very important realization for many couples.  God designed spouses to be a companion, to complement one another, but never to complete one another.  Always remember that your earthly partnership can never take to place of your heavenly partnership with Christ.  No marriage can be effective when Christ is not the center piece.  The reason many marriages are failing today is they are thinking that their partner was designed to fulfill some empty void that was originally designed for the Christ to fill.  Listen; if you are not spiritual before you get married then “tying the knot” is not going to make you more spiritual. Getting married is not necessarily going to change your relationship with the Lord.  Many times it can hinder your relationship with the Lord.  That is why it is so important that the couples make it clear what the expectations are in this partnership before they get married.  When businesses bring on partners or merge leadership they always make the expectations and guidelines of the partnership clear because they know if the partnership is not clear then it will result in ultimate devastation latter on.  It is so vital that we realize the partnership that the Bible clearly designed through  marriage is for God to get maximum glory!

God Designed the Marriage to be Permanent

God’s intention for the marriage is for better, for worse, and especially until death do you part.  There should be no back doors in the marriage.  Divorce happens, I realize that, but it was never God’s intention for your marriage to end in divorce.  Also, in defense of the people that have experienced divorce, it was not ultimately their intentions for their marriage to fail.  I hope our Church Leaders grasp this!  I have never met a couple that  made the marriage vows with the intention that this relationship would end one day.  The woman didn’t walk the isle saying “well I can’t wait to do this and then get a divorce”.  At the same time we also need to look at principles that the Bible teaches us in Genesis 2 that will help create a permanence in our marriages:  “…This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh…”  From these two verses there are four principles that must be embraced that will create permanence in the marriage.

1. We must Learn to Accept our Spouse:  The Bible is clear that Adam accepted the way God designed Eve.  He said “…this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh…”  It reiterates the partnership principle but it also clearly tells us that we must learn to accept our spouses the way that God designed them.  This is where real love separates itself from that of lust.  Lust only accepts what it likes but love accepts some things that it dislikes.  Love will looks beyond faults and failures and accepts them just the way they are.  Sounds a lot like Jesus doesn’t it?  I also want to point out that accepting them means you are not going to change.  Many marriages fail because the spouse thinks getting marriage is going make a difference in the life of the one they marry.  What a person is before marriage will be what a person is after marriage.  Even if they changed for you they would be doing it for the wrong reasons, and it would last.   Remember if you truly love someone then the dislikes will be overlooked because you are willing to accept them just the way God designed them.  If you are not willing to accept that person the way they are then marriage is not the solution to changing them.
2. We must Learn to Forsake All Others:  The Bible makes it clear that after marriage man was to leave the father and mother and cleave to his wife.  Learn this principle quickly if you are ever going have a successful marriage.  When you say yes to your spouse you will be saying no to every other person of the opposite sex.  In other words, when a man says yes to one woman, he will be saying to no to all the other women out there.  Same goes for the wife.  While it is important that a couple honors their parents, they must learn that they have started their own family and the responsibility is belongs to them.  Too many couples are still run by in-laws instead of being run by Biblical Principles.  Listen and listen well to the following statement:  If you are not willing to detach yourself from your parents then you do not need to attach yourself to a spouse in marriage.
3. We must Learn to Cleave to One Another:  It so important that the concept of being stuck together like glue is embraced at the time of marriage.  In other words, if you would rather hang out with your friends than hang out with your spouse you are not going to have a very successful marriage.  At least not a Biblical one anyway!  There are going to times when you go do stuff without one another.  However; if the times you spend away from each outnumber the time you spend together then there is a serious “cleaving problems” within the confines of your relationship.
4. We must Learn to Weave together:  This means they become one flesh.  The relationship grows to the point of not being able to live without one another.  A marriage was designed and created for the husband and wife to function together and not separately.  It is so important that we grasp this principle.  This means couples should weave together spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  The couple needs to be able to read their Bible together and have devotion time together.  The couple can never grow together emotionally if they are constantly away from each other.  Also the physical togetherness is important, but I think too much emphasis has been placed on this.  We must realize that the same God that created the marriage is the one that created sex.  We live in a sex-craved society that has placed way too much emphasis on that part of the relationship.  I want to make a statement to couples today:  If you are spiritually and emotionally weaving yourself together as couple then physical part will come. 

Take these principles and apply them in your marriage, then watch permanence manifest itself in your marriage.  Utilizing these principles will eliminate the word “divorce” from your relationship.

God Designed Marriage to be Pure

The last verse in this chapter really took me for a loop.  It says “and they were both naked, and the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”  When thinking about the purity in marriage then we must think about the openness in marriage.  What I take from this verse is that God designed the marriage to be completely and totally open.  There were no secrets, no hidden agendas, no hidden problems, and definitely no skeletons in the closet.  It is absolutely essential that a couple comes clean about everything before they ever get married.  A relationship built on lies will crumble to the ground.  I highly recommend that couples share their stories, their failures, and their experiences with one another.  A person’s personal background and spiritual background will allow couples to determine if they need to pursue the relationship further before marriage ever occurs.  Openness involves acceptance, but it also involves admission and appreciation.  Learn that honesty is always the best policy.  It is better to tell the truth now because lies do not stand alone.  If you tell one lie then you have to tell more to back up the original lie. Keep your marriage pure.  Don’t allow sin to creep it way into your home.  Don’t let competition, selfishness, insecurity and unmet needs close the doors of your relationship with your spouse!

by Pastor Dan Boatman

It is important that when it comes to healing hurt inside the home that we really assess the cause of that hurt.  We must realize that we can’t stop the bleeding until we figure out where the wound is located.  It is vital that we look at the cause, because when we figure out the cause it will help us find the cure.  When it comes to the hurting home, I have found we are looking at the effects and forgetting to diagnose the cause.  There are all kinds of indicators that allow you to realize your home is wounded and needs the touch of the Great Physician.  However; instead of looking at the indicators, I would like to give a general cause that produce these indicators.

I recently read a quote by Gary Smalley that really reiterated what I had already perceived to be a major contributor to the cause of the hurting home.  The quote said “Men and women enter marriage with storybook expectations and limited training.”  As soon as I read this quote I said “AMEN!”  It all goes back to principle that we forgotten the importance of discipleship.  I believe that many churches, many Christians, and many pastors have dropped the ball in the area of educating and equipping young Christians in the area of Biblical Principles.  Listen, we can complain all day about the divorce rate being out the roof, but complaining about it is not going to stop the bleeding.  We need to start teaching people how to keep from getting wounded.  Sometimes wounds happen, but a soldier is a lot less likely to get injured or killed in warfare with proper training.  Hosea 4:6 says “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge:  because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:  seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”  Every time I read this verse I cringe because I can’t think of a better way of describing our modern American Christian culture.  Over the past several decades we have allowed performances and programs to take the place of Biblical Precepts and Biblical Principles.  Christians have allowed themselves to be influenced more by their culture than the authority of God’s Holy Word.  We can no longer allow ourselves to swallow the philosophies and psychology of Hollywood.  I am broken over the fact that we value the advice of talk show host over that of God’s Word and Godly Counsel.  The reason the blessing of God may have been removed from your life and the life of your family is because you are no longer aligning to that of Psalm 1:1 “Blessed are those that walk not in the counsel of the ungodly…”  This is what I believe to be the major cause of wounded and broken homes.  People have walked into their marriages, thinking it is going to resemble the love story they read in romance novel, or they have walked into their marriage expecting the “happily ever after” ending that they saw on a movie or television show.  Please realize that watch you see and read is not reality.  Couples get their expectations because they have seen it on television and then they don’t realize how different they really are from one another.  Don’t get me wrong, marriages and homes can be have happy endings, but you can’t expect a happy ending without knowing how to produce a happy ending.  The key is that we need to turn off the television, we need to close the romance novels, we need to get off the internet, and we need to open our Bibles and learn what the Scriptures say about producing happy homes and story book endings.  Christians need to stop listening to psychologist and get in a Bible Believing Church that preaches and teaches the Bible on a relevant and practical level.  Go back to the Hosea 4:6 and realize what the Bible is telling us.  The ignorance of one generation is being passed along to future generations.  We desperately need a revival of the Bible.  The Bible is our only map to gaining true knowledge and gaining the wisdom that will heal the hurt, mend the damage, and stop the bleeding within the heart of every home.  The Bible is not out-dated, or out of touch with reality.  The Bible is the most up-to-date piece of wisdom we can possibly possess.  It is the most relevant and practical instructional manual a person will ever read.  If we as Christians are going to start calling ourselves “people of the Book”, then we need to start living out what “the Book” says.  The only way we can ever know anything about the Lord, is to dive in and start dissecting the scriptures.  God will give you the instructions, He will give you the way, but it is up to us to seek it out.  Remember Matthew 7:7 “…seek and ye shall find”. 

It is vital that we realize that the reason we lack stability in the home and in just about every other area in our life is because we are operating without the knowledge of the God.  Without knowing anything about the Lord we have a problem fearing the Lord.  We no longer operate under his authority, which brings me to another description of modern American Christianity:  Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”  This is where we need to really need to understand the application of how important it is that we operate under the authority of the Lord.  We live in a day where people despise authority.  So therefore; we go through life doing what we feel is right in our own eyes.  I dare you to do a quick test by writing down just ten things you believe and then defend those beliefs using scriptures.  The reason many can’t do this is because they are doing what they feel is right in their own eyes.  It is very dangerous to trust our own opinions and our own flesh to lead us to righteousness.  We live in a society that teaches us to just try what feels good and let the chips fall where they may.  Society and modern psychology teaches that people are ultimately “good” and that they will eventually find the best path.  That is like play Russian roulette with a loaded gun.  The Bible teaches us completely opposite principle.  Man is not good, we are all born sinners and people will always follow the path of least resistance.  It is human nature to do what is easiest rather than doing what is right.  The right way may not always be the easiest way. You might start asking yourself at this what this has to do with my home becoming healed.  Well, quit doing it your way. Submit to the will of God and submit the authority of the Lord.  Just because it seems right in our eyes does not mean it is right in the eyes of God.  Remember, just because your parents did it, or your grandparents did it does not mean it was done God’s Way.  Don’t trust your opinions when it comes to creating a happy home.  Trust the Lord.  Submit and surrender to the Lord and His authority.  Decide that you are going to do it God’s Way.  Don’t forget that God’s way is more than just a good way, or the best way, but it is the only way!

Repairing, Reconstruction, or Renovating

When looking at the modern homes of today, we do not have to look very far to find that homes are hurting more than ever.  It seems that the tactics of the Satan have been more directed toward the home today than ever before.  While attacking the home it has caused an indirect attack on the Church.  After all, the Church and the home are almost identical types of each other.  While destroying the homes, Satan has discovered that he can start tearing down the Church.  I want to begin laying a framework that will help us start to repair the damage done by the wicked tactics of Satan.  Understand that when a structure is damaged, then in order to repair the entire structure we must remove the damage or wreckage so that we can start the repairing and/or the rebuilding process.  In other words, we must have to tear down in order to rebuild.  With that being said, lets begin to reprogram the mind and heart so that we can start the healing process.  I want to point a few concepts that must be embraced in order to begin healing the hurt inside the home.

1. Don’t feel as though because you haven’t done right in the past that God can’t fix the future.  Remember that we serve a miracle working God.  We are serving a God that specializes in impossibilities.  Don’t ever put God in the backdrop of any problem and say that it is hopeless.  Look at what the Bible says.  Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”  or look at Mark 9:23 “…If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”  Don’t give up hope.  The damage may be great, the wounds may be deep, but praise the Lord we serve a miracle working God that specializes in fixes broken pieces.  Just remember that Jesus did grow up in the home of a carpenter, so I am sure he has done some construction work before.   If God is present then He is in your Future, so therefore your future is looking really bright.
2. Realize that you are not perfect, your spouse is not perfect, your children are not perfect so therefore your home is not perfect.  There are two battles we face when dealing with this principle.  It is actually two extremes.  One is that there are those that are in such denial that they think everything is perfect, when in all reality things are terrible.  Then there are those that have embraced this to the extent that they settle for less when they could experience so much more.  I remember being talking to a parent about her child getting saved.  I was super excited, and encouraged but the mother was actually upset about it.  She spent an hour or better telling me how that her child had just made some bad decision and that nobody is perfect.  The truth is, that the child needed to get saved and it would probably would not have hurt that the mother get a good dose of it as well.  You realize that she was using the “nobody’s perfect” mentality as an excuse for sinfulness.  On the opposite side of this is another extreme that believes that they have the perfect home, when the reality is that they have a terrible home.  For example, when having a conversation with a parent about their children and it does not take long to realize that the child has never made a mistake and even if they did it would not have ever been their fault.  If this is your mentality then please realize that your child, and your spouse are capable of doing some very sinful things.  Realize that you did not raise little angels.  Now before you get on the defense about this realize the Bible supports this.  Jeremiah 17:9 says “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”  Don’t ever say the words “I would never…” or “they would never…”.  You or they may not ever, but that does not mean that the potential is not there.  That is why the Bible teaches us that we must guard our heart with tremendous vigilance.  John 8:44 says “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is not truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:  for he is a liar, and the father of it.”   You see, you did not birth little angles, but actually little devils.  So realize that your home is not perfect and there will always be room for improvements.  Trying to ignore the damage never repairs the damage, and patching the holes is only a temporary fix.
3. Realize that iniquity does not have to continue.  You may not have a goodly heritage, you may have a terrible personal background. However; that does not mean you can not establish good one.  It is so important that parents realize that while they may not have had a good Godly upbringing does not mean they can not establish one themselves.  Parents, it is vital that we make a decision that iniquity stops with us.  Start fighting battles in your life so that your children will never have to experience.  It is time parents start passing on lifestyles of holiness rather than passing one lifestyles of sinfulness.  You may battle with alcoholism, drug addictions, or even struggle with pornography.  Battle it now, so your children will never have to battle it.  Some would argue that we are all born sinners so we are passing it on anyway.  That is not my context.  Yes, we are all born sinners however there are some strongholds in your life that do not have to be strong holds in the lives of your children.
4. Just because you made mistakes and come out okay does not mean that your children can make the same mistakes and end up the same way.  When parents see children make the same mistakes they made, they often excuse it because they did it growing up and therefore it is just a part of growing.  People handle things differently.  Just because you tried alcohol a little and never became an alcoholic does not mean that your children will try it and come out okay.  Just because you smoked a little dope in your day, and now are not a drug addict does not mean it would end the same for your children.  Remember, that when you give sin an inch it will take a mile.  Quit thinking, it is just a phase, and they will be fine.  Sin never leaves trail of “fine”.  He takes us further than we want to go, makes us spend more than we want to spend, and keeps us a lot longer than we want stay.  Which leads me to a thought, what makes your think that you are all that okay?  If you were to really assess your life, you may find that you are bigger mess than you perceive.
5. The mistakes of your parents should not give you an excuse to hold them over their heads.  If they have been forgiven by God then they should be forgiven by you.  Remember the sins you and I commit are not because of our parents, but because we made the choice to commit them.  We live in a world of where people never want to take responsibility for their own actions.  It boils down to this, you are who you are today because of the choices we made yesterday.  You can’t blame your parent’s failures yesterday for your mistake today.  I am sure that there are things that your parents did that have influenced your decision both good and bad.  However; the decisions have been yours to make.  You must learn to accept responsibility for your own actions.

I am sure there are more than just these, but these are the ones I encounter more often than any other.  I believe these concepts if embraced and applied will help you, your spouse, as well as your family begin to rebuild the damage that is found within the home.  Begin allowing the Lord to take the construction tools of glory and start repairing the damage.  Don’t argue with His techniques, and definitely don’t argue with what He removes.  Allow him complete access to the home.  After all, you see where your ideas and philosophies have landed you.  If we will realize that God’s way is the only way then we are well on the way to having happy home rather than a hurting home.

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

In recent years, man has done its best to complicate the Lord’s Plan of Salvation. When examining and digesting this verse, we can see God’s Plan of Salvation is both simple and sufficient to save sinful man. The Lord has drawn a clear and concise map, so that anyone can come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Every person can be saved to the uttermost by embracing the following truths out of this verse:

First, we must look at The Scope of Salvation. The verse was clear when it said “Whosoever…” This word ignores social status, religious standings, and even self righteous works. It means exactly what it says. The Lord does not look at a person’s financial records or social influence before He decides to save them. He does not consider the color of one’s skin or from what part of the world they reside. The Lord does not look at a person’s past record of sin and thinks they have gone too far to be saved by the Royal Righteous Blood of Jesus Christ. “Whosoever” simply means anyone and everyone that would be willing to come through Jesus Christ can be saved. John 6:37 “…and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” That means the murderer on death row, the rapist in the jail cell, the thief in the state prison, and even the self righteous religious person on the church pew can be saved by accepting Jesus as Savior of their life.
Next, we must embrace The Simplicity of Salvation. The next two words give us a simple, but sufficient process to making sure one’s name can be recorded in Heaven’s Roll. The words “…shall call upon the name…” tells what must be done on our part in order to have the Blood of Jesus applied to our lives. This is exactly where man has started complicating matters. He did not say we need to clean our lives up or “turn over a new leaf.” The only thing he requires us to do is call on him. After all, he did promise us to ask and it shall be given. It is not about church attendance, it is not about a tithing record, and it is definitely not about a Baptism. It is simple and profound! Ask him and he will do it. Simply call on the Lord and you will be saved. We have tried to put into prayers and processes, but all a sinner has to do is simply call on the name of Jesus and he or she will be saved!!!
The third truth we must examine is The Source of Salvation. It is very necessary that we realize the importance of who we must call upon. The source is “…the Lord…” It is never going to be about what we can do, but it is about what Jesus has already done. The source does not come from a church membership, nor will it come from being dunked into tap water. The source of our salvation is found in the Lord Jesus. There is no other way nor is there another source by which a person can be saved. It is necessary that we do not rely on our self, but we rely completely and totally on the Finished Work of the Lord Jesus. Jesus is the only one that has the ability to save those which is lost. The Bible is clear in its teaching that we must trust in the Lord and we must not lean upon our own understanding. Salvation comes from the Lord and No One Else!!!
The Final truth that must be embraced is The Surety of Salvation. The final words of this verse “…shall be saved” is what brings each Christian the peace of knowing that God does not turn back on His promise. Knowing that the Lord keeps his promises and then also follows through with His promises brings us tremendous comfort and joy. We must not question but completely rely on his ability to do and perform that which he has promised. It is all a matter of faith. We must believe that the Lord is capable of doing what he said he would in his Word. He saves, he seals, and he secures us when we do it His way and not man’s way!
Through this lesson, we must realize that a person has nothing to bring to the Lord except himself or herself. Once a person approaches the Lord while embracing and believing these truths, the Lord will do the rest. We must rejoice over the fact that the Lord will save that soul that approaches him with a heart that realizes who they are and what He can do for them. We have a magnificent God that can lay out his plan for the entire world in just thirteen words.