WHAT HAS GONE WRONG?

What's wrong? There are as many divorces in the body of Christ as in the world! What must this say to the unsaved? How could this be? Aren't WE the light of the world? Aren't WE supposed to lead those in darkness out and into the light? Where have we gone wrong? Do we even think that there is anything wrong? Why do Christians think that divorce is acceptable? Why do we hear such statements as: "DIVORCE ISN'T THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN, GOD WILL FORGIVE ME!” There is definitely something wrong because families are torn, fornication runs rampant, the “church” looks just like the world!

Throughout church history, whenever sin was allowed to flourish and even be defended, the WORD OF GOD had been abandoned or misconstrued to scratch the "itching ears" of those deceived! The FEAR OF GOD would then diminish, and the enemy was allowed in, resulting in the church believing and LIVING the lie!

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom & discipline." Proverbs 1:7

We, as Christians, have absorbed the world's philosophy of: "IF IT FEELS GOOD - DO IT; IF IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD - GET OUT!" We want cushy, cozy lives and expect God to be grateful to US for "believing" that He exists!

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shudder!" James 2:19

We know that these are strong words, and we were just as guilty of "watering down" God's Word until our valley. God used it to take the blinders off of our eyes and the cotton out of our ears. It was a very painful lesson but INVALUABLE! God is fed up with His church, His people, and His body being just like the world! He is calling His children to REPENTANCE, TRUTH and HIS STANDARD! He is calling His children to obey ALL of His Word the way HE meant it! We are lying to ourselves and actually following the father of lies when we don't accept God's Word FULLY as HE meant it, just because it seems "too hard of a word". God knows what is best and calls us to NOT think as the world does but as HE DOES! ~~~ WHEN THE WORD OF GOD HAS BEEN WATERED DOWN AND COMPROMISED INTO WHAT MAN WANTS IT TO SAY, SIN & CONFUSION COME INTO THE CHURCH AND UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WILL ABOUND!

Since our valley experience, we have been blessed by being able to share what God's Word says about marriage, divorce & "remarriage". We have been told such comments as:

"THAT'S TOO HARD OF A WORD"

 "GOD WANTS ME HAPPY"

"HE WOULDN'T HOLD ME TO THE MARRIAGE VOWS BECAUSE THE DIVORCE WASN'T MY FAULT!"

"I AM JUST AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER IN ALL THIS!"

"HE WOULDN'T WANT ME TO BE ALONE ALL MY LIFE!"

These are all statements made out of fleshly, carnal, human reasoning, and emotions. They TOTALLY disregard GOD'S WORD!!! These comments are trying to bend God to OUR ways, NOT US to GOD'S WAYS!

Matthew 19:1-12 ~ The Pharisees asked Jesus why Moses allowed a certificate of divorce. Jesus replied to them that it was not suppose to be that way because that is NOT how God ordained it from the beginning. Then He told them that it was because of their HARD HEARTS! Jesus told them that God had made them ONE FLESH and that what God joined together, man SHOULD NOT separate! The disciples were listening to all of this and were so shocked by how "hard of a word" it seemed that they actually said to Jesus: "IF THIS IS THE SITUATION BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE, IT IS BETTER NOT TO MARRY!" After they had realized how SERIOUS, LIFE-LONG, and FINAL marriage was in GOD'S EYES, the disciples even thought, WOW, This is too hard!

THIS SHOULD BE A SOBERING MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH TODAY! WE NEED TO PREACH IT, AND TEACH IT, TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO THEIR CHILDREN... THAT IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO STAY IN YOUR MARRIAGE UNTIL DEATH, THEN STAY SINGLE AND SERVE THE LORD!

The Word of God is VERY clear...line upon line...explains even to the depth of marriage between believer’s verses unbelievers BUT the church will not apply it! To them it is “too hard of a word” and the church and world are reaping the consequences of not living God’s Holy Word!

1 Corinthians 6:15-20  (KJV)

¹⁵ Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

¹⁶ What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

¹⁷ But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

¹⁸ Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

¹⁹ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

²⁰ For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

1 Corinthians Chapter  7   (KJV)

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

2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.