24 year old man from Norway, suffering from leprosy.

Naaman was a captain in the army of Aram the King of Syria. He had won many battles for his king, but he was also afflicted with leprosy. There was a young Jewish maiden who had been taken captive and now served as a handmaid to Naaman’s wife. “O, that Naaman was in Samaria, for there is a prophet there who could heal him,” she told Naaman’s wife. The wife then went to the King and told him what the maiden had said.

The king then sent Naaman with gold and silver and many articles of clothing to the King of Israel along with a message that all this treasure was his if he would heal Naaman of his leprosy. Israel’s King was upset. He knew he had no power to heal. He suspected that King Aram was just trying to provoke a war. Elisha, the prophet, heard about this request and he told the King to send Naaman to him in order that he might know that there was a prophet of God in Israel.

When Naaman arrived at the place where the prophet was, Elisha did not go out to greet him, instead he sent a servant out with the message that Naaman was to go down to the Jordan River and dip himself seven times. Naaman was furious that the prophet had not greeted him personally. Besides, there were rivers in Syria that were much cleaner than old muddy Jordan. But a servant of Naaman convinced him that just because of what seemed to be a simple task was no reason not to give it a try. So Naaman went down to the Jordan and ducked under the water seven times. On the seventh time as he arose out of the water his leprosy was gone.

He hurried back to the prophet’s house and tried to persuade him to receive some kind of reward, but Elisha refused saying the miracle was God’s and not his. Naaman became a worshiper of the God of Israel. He left Elisha and started back to Syria.

Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, saw an opportunity to increase his own wealth. (He sowed to the flesh.) He hurried after Naaman and when he had caught up to him he told him that Elisha suddenly had a need of a talent of silver and two changes of garments. Naaman gave Gehazi twice as much as he had asked for. Gehazi took it home and hid in his house.

He then went in to Elisha. “Where have you been?” Elisha asked him. “Thy servant went nowhere.” Gehazi answered. Elisha looked at him and said, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back with his chariot? Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants.”

Gal. 6:7 says; “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows,that he will also reap.”

WHAT ARE YOU SOWING?

Photo from Wikimedia

The Adam's Yacht, the "Quest"

Most of you have probably heard about the American yacht, called Quest, that was hijacked by Somali (terrorist) pirates who then killed the four people on board. There was brief mentioned, by the Associated Press, that these individuals where carrying Bibles, but little info was given beyond that.  Therefore, I want to take a moment to give you few more details about the now deceased owners of that yacht.

Aboard the Quest were a couple from California, Jean and Scott Adam, who has been sailing since 2004 on a mission to distribute Bibles around the world. According to the Adam’s website they had been distributing Bibles to schools and churches in the Fiji Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central America, and French Polynesia. The ill fated voyage was taking them from India to the Mediterranean by way of the Arabian and Red Seas. It was their hoped to reach the island of Crete by April, and then sail to Istanbul.  However, they never made it to Crete, as the Somali (terrorist) pirates hijacked the ship, took control of it and began to make its way toward the Somali coast. A U.S. Navy ship and helicopters tracked it with the goal of preventing the pirates from making it to shore, where both the pirates and their hostages would likely disappear.

Like many others, I had hoped the couple would be fine. Father Lloyd Torgerson, Adam’s pastor, had stated, “That’s our hope, that these great people who are taking this Holy Word and giving it to so many people across this world, that they will somehow return and find safety and come back home.” Yet as we now know, the couple will not be returning back to America alive.

I pray for the family and friends who lost loved ones yesterday. This is a very sad and tragic event, but I also want to take a moment to commend the men and women in our world who take God’s word all across the world in hopes of reaching those who don’t know Christ. Today the Adam’s are standing before Christ and it is my hunch that they are hearing, “Well done good and faithful servant.” It is my desire to hear those same words someday as I stand in the presence of the Lord. While I may never travel the seas to spread God’s love, I will spread his love in my family, my neighborhood and in my community. They too need to hear about God’s love. What about you? Are you communicating the Love of God to those you come in contact with?

Marriage is not a contract between two people, it is a covenant relationship sealed by God.

The other day I read an article that stated, “The U.S. Census Bureau shows the percentage of married couples in the U.S. has dropped steadily from 72 percent in 1970 to just 54 percent last year.” It seems that young adults and even adults in their twenties and thirties have ceased to see the importance of marriage. A few years ago I had a friend tell me that marriage was simply a contract between two people and he did not need a marriage contract to keep his agreement with the woman he was living with. (He has since gotten married) If marriage was simply a contract between two people I would agree with him, but marriage is so much more than a contract; it is a covenant.

1. Marriage is not a paper contract
Genesis 2:24 tells us “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” However, to truly become “one flesh” the marriage needs to be built on more than a piece of paper with some signatures. It needs to be built on a relational covenant between the couple and God. This is more than just a casual relationship, and rather is a deep strong commitment built on God’s strength to keep the married couple together.

2. Marriage is the union of two into one
Too often we over look two important words in Genesis 2:24, “one flesh.” God is not saying that the two people are going to make s mutually beneficial relationship to live together, rather God says the two people being joined are two people becoming one! This is a bond that is only supposed to be broken by death, yet we live in an imperfect world with imperfect people and sometimes married couples don’t stay married. Married couples become “one flesh” and are no longer two completely separate individuals, so It breaks my heart to see married couples be being torn apart in divorce. Often times the end result is messy, leaving behind heart break, broken dreams and emotional scars. This does not mean that divorce is the unpardonable sin, but it will leave tremendous wounds to all whom are affected.

It is important that we recognize that marriage is supposed to be so much more than just a paper contract that can be burnt in a fire. Through God, It is the union of two people into one. If you have not done so already, invite God into your relationship, because “a threefold cord is not quickly broken”( Ecclesiastes 4:12b).  May God bless your marriage and your life here on Earth!

FYI: My wife is incredibly hot and now that we are one flesh,that would make me…

What is life without love?

Without love, every word is wasted
Without love, the future does not matter
Without love, faith is academic
Without love, feeding the poor does not pay
Without love, great sacrifices is great foolishness
Without love, marriage is a negotiation
Without love, parenting is child care
Without love, work is merely work
Without love, time is only money
Without love, fear remains
Without love, God is not
Without love, I will serves myself with all my heart, soul and mind

What is true Biblical love?

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

This posted is inspired by a video by Shift Worship

A lot of people like to think that their life is all about them. One of the most popular songs played today at funerals is, ‘I Did It My Way.’ In James 4:14; he asks the question; “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” The Bible tells us that one day we will all stand before God and give an accounting of our life. Will you tell Him your life has been dedicated to God? Consider the following story by Lois Cheney in her book called “God Is No Fool.”

There was a man who decided he would dedicate his life to God. So, he began to search to see what things were worthy to fill his life with.

First he saw people love each other, friends loving friends, mothers loving children, husbands loving wives, and he saw that love was noble and good. But, as he continued to observe, he saw that loving made strenuous demands upon all those who loved. He saw love required sacrifice and self-denial, produced arguments and anguish, and brought disappointment and pain and even death. And he decided that the cost was too great and that he would not diminish this dedicated-to-God life with love.

Next, he saw people pursuing distant and hazy goals. He saw men striving for success, women striving for high ideals, young people striving for attainment, and he saw that striving for goals with dedication and commitment and self-discipline was good.

But, he also saw that this striving was frequently mixed with disappointment. He saw strong men fail, maimed, and even killed. He saw striving force people into pettiness and they became grasping, clutching, and sometimes hypocritical individuals. And those that succeeded were not always those who had earned success. So, he decided the risk was too great. He would not soil his dedicated-to-God life with the pursuit of goals.

Finally, he saw people serving others. He saw men give money to the poor and helpless. He saw whole groups work together to build, to cleanse and to heal others. And he thought at last, here is something to fill my life with.

But, he also noted, that the more one served, the greater the need grew. He saw money given to help the poor wind up in the pockets of the rich. He saw newly built schools filled with uncaring teachers. He saw ungrateful receivers turn on those who served them and he decided that he would not mar this dedicated- to-God life with serving.

By and by, when the man died, he walked up to God and he presented Him with his life, undiminished, unsoiled, and unmarred. His dedicated-to-God life was clean and free from the pollution of the world. He presented it proudly to God saying, “This is my life.”

AND GOD SAID, “WHAT LIFE?”

Photo Taken by  cm_apollinaire