Author: instructionstoayounglife.com

When I was younger I read in the Bible that the Lord came to give me an abundant life and also that if I would trust Him then I would never be disappointed. These were incredible promises and so I decided to see if they were true. That was almost fifty years ago. What I have written are the truths that the Lord has taught me through His Word and I found them to be true every time. The Bible is the lecture and life is the lab. If a truth does not hold up in the lab then it can not be counted on. Every one was true and I have sought to build my life on these truths. We have a family business and four adult children. I wish that I could give my life to everyone but since I can't, I can share the truths that kept me from needless stress and pain. My marriage is the closest thing to heaven on earth. We are more "in love" than ever before and our children bring us great joy. I realize that not everyone will agree with everything that is written. I did not always agree either until I put it to the test. The Bible says that "wisdom will be vindicated by her deeds". The fruit from these truths have been sweet for me. May you be richly blessed as I have been. If you are struggling with life or with finding and keeping love in your life then please consider reading these posts. They have been tested and are true. If you are not happy and satisfied with life or what you have been doing has not been "working" then please consider what is written in these blogs. https://www.instructionstoayounglife.com is about how to live a life full of meaning, purpose, happiness with peace, quietness and confidence. https://www.howtofindandkeeplove.com is about the greatest love story in history. If you are looking for love and wanting to keep love in your life then please read this blog. These truths and this same love is offered to any who are willing to listen and learn. https://www.adviceforwomenaboutmen.com or https://www.adviceforgirlsaboutboys.com is practical advice on how a girl is to relate to a young man and how a woman is to relate to a man. It is a blog on how to keep from getting hurt and how to have a great love life. If you have any questions then please email me at fafeja@yahoo.com

A Life Free of Fear

Life is much sweeter when we are free of fear. Fear can control and fear can destroy. Fear can cause a person to make unwise decisions and cause one to be controlled by others. The Lord did not come for us to live a fearful life. He came to set us free from fears.

I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

When you live in the love of Jesus Christ then you will not live in fear. His love casts out all fear. He forgives your sins so that you do not need to fear punishment for your mistakes, sins, ignorance and guilt. He gives forgiveness to those who come to Him and receive His gift of eternal life.

I John 5:18-20 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

When you come into a relationship with Jesus Christ then the evil one, or Satan, can not touch you. Jesus Christ keeps you safe from the power of the evil one. You do not have to sin or believe his lies. The evil one wants to bring you pain and grief and he will do it through lies which lead to fears.

Psalm 121:7 The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.

The Lord will also protect you from all the evil that others would like to do to you. You do not need to fear other people. In fact, when you fear people then it brings a snare but if you will trust in the Lord then you will be lifted up.

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

You do not need to fear evil tidings. The world is not coming to an end through climate change or anything else that others may say. The world is not coming to an end until Jesus Christ returns for those who have put their trust in Him.

Psalm 112:1-7 Praise the Lord!
How blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.
His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
Light arises in the darkness for the upright;
He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
It is well with the man who is gracious and lends;
He will maintain his cause in judgment.
For he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be remembered forever.

He will not fear evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Do you struggle with fears? Are you afraid that something “bad” might happen? Are you afraid of what others might do to you? Are you afraid of the future? Are you afraid of what others think of you?

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Jesus Christ does not want your heart to be troubled or fearful. He came to bring you peace. The world does not give you His peace and the world can not take it away. If you do not yet know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then come to Him and keep praying and seeking Him until He has come into your life. Surrender your life and will to Him. If you know Him and are His child then the only thing that can take the peace away that He gives is when you get your eyes off of Him and onto circumstances. Put your eyes back on the One who is all powerful and who loves you. Give Him your struggles and troubles. Ask Him for help and He will help you trust Him again. You will see His peace return.

Philippians 4:6,7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As you learn to live and walk as Jesus lived then you will see that the God of peace will always be with you and His peace will never leave you.

Philippians 4:8,9 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

A Life Understanding Great Relationships

Understanding What Characterizes Great Relationships

Your happiness in life is directly proportional to the greatness of your relationships. There are four things that will characterize your life when you are satisfied and in right relationships. These four things are joy, gladness, thanksgiving and you will want to express the happiness in your heart through song. We all have different degrees of intimacy in our relationships which is according to the relationship. However, love and peace are what will characterize all of your relationships when they are right.

Joy and gladness will be found in her,
Thanksgiving and sound of a melody. Isaiah 51:3b

Understanding the Levels of Great Relationships

Relationships are privileges that are given to us. The first relationship that needs to be in order is a person’s relationship with God. Jesus Christ came to bring love and peace on earth to those who are in a right relationship with God. Relationships go from greater to lesser degrees of intimacy. God knows everything and is intimately acquainted with all of our ways. Nothing is hidden from Him. The next relationship, if you are married, is your relationship with your spouse. Our spouse is the next level and our spouse knows us (or should know us) better than any other human. The greatest level of love and trust should be with a spouse and it is the only relationship where you are one in body, soul and spirit, or at least should be. The next level is family relationships. The next level is friendships. The next level is neighbors and acquaintances. The last level of relationships is enemies.When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7 If you want to have a great marriage and if you do, life is amazingly wonderful with a great marriage. A great marriage is a taste of heaven on earth and truly the most satisfying of all relationships. However, when you get married then you take all of your other relationships into that marriage. You take all of your baggage from past relationships with you. Oftentimes we do not realize all of the baggage that we have from our past relationships until it starts to make itself known in our marriage. The best thing you can do to have a great marriage is to be restored, if possible, and healed from past relationships. Relationships are difficult because they can cause hurts. When we are young we do not choose who most of our relationships are with and have no control over the hurt that happens. However, we may not be able to control what happens to us but we can control our responses. It is not what happens to us but our response to what happens that determines the destruction in our lives. Being hurt from people can bring anger or bitterness. If we are not healed then the anger or bitterness will come out in our relationships with others. Jesus Christ is the Great Healer. If you will go to Him then He can and wants to heal you. Spiritually and emotionally healthy people have healthy relationships. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; Hebrews 12:14,15

A Life that Is Sweet

There is really no other way to describe life when one is a child of God than to say that life is sweet and filled to overflowing with joy and peace. If you have never experienced this then you have only existed in life and never really lived.

John 10:10b I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

When you know the Lord and have fellowship with Him then you hear His voice. He walks with you and He talks with you and He tells you every day how much He loves you. It is even better than being “in love with someone” because the Lord never changes, He will never leave you and His love for you is unconditional and enduring.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Once Jesus Christ comes to live within you then He will never leave you. There is not anything that you can do to cause Him to leave you. Even if you were to neglect your relationship with Him, He never neglects His relationship with you. You are now “in Christ” and “Christ is in you”.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The free gift is eternal life that you receive when you receive Christ and He comes to live in you. Jesus Christ came to give you life. This life is free of guilt, regret, bitterness, unforgiveness, hate, doubt, fear and every other “negative” experience that you can think of or have experienced. Jesus Christ came to set you free so that you might have a sweet life. Taste and see that what He has to offer is good.

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Are you disappointed? Are you lonely? Have others let you down? Come to Him and see for yourself that He is good. He will never disappoint you or let you down. There is no one else in this world that can offer that to you, but Jesus Christ can and does.

Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

You must come to Him and trust Him. If you will do this then you will live and not only live in this life but for all eternity.

Psalm 22:5 To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed.

Trust is putting your faith in One who lived and died and rose again. He lives today and will come again to those who have trusted in Him. He promises to love you and does not lie. His love is as high as the heavens are above the earth. There is no limit to His love for you. You can never exhaust it and it never runs out. Come to Him and live.

Psalm 103:8-14 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.

Are you tired of trying to find fulfillment in life? Are you weary of being disappointed? Do you ever feel that you can not ever trust anyone again? Have you been hurt deeply by those who were supposed to help you? Do you believe that love is elusive? Is happiness only in fairy tales and storybooks? Jesus Christ promises all of these things if you will come to Him. Sometimes we have to become weary of trying before we will surrender control to Him.

Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

He is faithful and He will give you rest. It is impossible for Him to lie. If He said that He would do these things then He will do it. He is gentle and He is humble and He is waiting for you to come to Him. Let go of what you have been holding onto and let Him do what only God can do and that is, He will bring salvation to you and give you life.

A Life Understanding a Man’s Greatest Need

A man’s greatest need is to get rid of his guilt. We all come into the world innocent but the guilt quickly starts to build up because we all mess up. However, guilt makes a man’s life crooked and then that leads to more guilt. Guilt will torment the soul of a man and if he doesn’t get rid of his guilt then he will do stupid things to try to forget or escape from the guilt. Again, those things don’t work but just piles on more guilt. Guilt will destroy a man because when a man feels guilty then he will also believe other people are guilty, when they are not but his guilt is such a reality to him that it distorts his true sense of reality. Even more important, when a man is guilty then he starts to have a twisted view of God. This is why he needs to rid himself of his guilt because all of us respond to our view of God. If we believe that God is loving and cares about us then we will go to Him. If we believe that God is distant or “the old man upstairs” then we will not go to Him. We need God and God loves us, no matter how big of a mess we have gotten ourselves in. Man needs to always be able to go to God for help for He says that “He is a present help in time of trouble”.

The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright. Proverbs 21:8

Understanding the Provision for Man’s Greatest Need

The Lord says that if we will come to Him and confess our sin then He will cleanse our conscience and heart. It is just like in the old days of basketball, when a player would foul, then he would raise his hand, acknowledging that he fouled. Basically, that is what confession is, it is acknowledging that we have messed up and it is our fault. The greatest need of a man is to have a pure heart. When a man has a pure heart then he will see life clearly. He will also see God for who He really is and that is, that God is a loving and merciful God. He will also be able to love others with a pure heart and will not want to blame others.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

There is only One who can take away sin and guilt. The only One who can forgive is the One who paid for the sins of the world. He can cleanse the heart and make anyone pure no matter what they have done. However, the person who wants to be cleansed and forgiven must come to Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive them. If he means it then he will turn from his sin to the Lord. Either we are going in the direction of our sin or we are going in the direction of the Lord.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” John8:3-11

When a person repents (turns from his sin to the Lord) and confesses and has been forgiven then they are set free from the guilt and sin. Then a person can see the Lord for who He really is, that He is kind. Until a person is forgiven then they will see the Lord as twisted and will view others as twisted (and the troubles in life as everyone else’s fault). Many men who are unfaithful to their wives will accuse their wife of unfaithfulness because of their own guilt. Until a man is restored to a right relationship with God and has been forgiven and cleansed from their sin and guilt then do not get into a relationship with him. Your life will become tormented through him as he is a tormented man.

With the kind You show Yourself kind;
With the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
With the pure You show Yourself pure,
And with the crooked You show Yourself twisted. Psalm 18:25,26

A Life of Making Disciples

If you are a Christian then the Lord has called you and given you a commandment to make disciples. This is an incredible privilege and joy. Jesus Christ went before us and showed us how.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and earth. He will be exalted whether you or I exalt Him or not because He is God. The amazing thing is that He has called us to be a part of what He is doing in history. Since history is really “His story” it makes since that it is all about Him. He alone is worthy of all honor and glory and power. He promises to be with us even to the end of the age. His kingdom came down to earth when He came the first time.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

His kingdom is coming again when He comes to rule. He is our King and we are His people. He wants us to pray that His kingdom will come and to look for the coming of His kingdom.

Matthew 6:9,10 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.

He wants us to seek first His kingdom.

Matthew 6:33a But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,

The way we learn to be obedient to Him and build His kingdom is first learning to walk with Him and follow Him. We can not lead others if we are not being led. Jesus Christ chose His disciples first to be with Him and then to do ministry.

Mark 3:14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach,

The way we make disciples is first by learning what it means to be a disciple.

John 8:31,32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

You must first believe in Jesus to be His disciple and then if you continue in believing in His Word then you are truly His disciples. As you continue in His Word then you will experience true freedom that begins on the inside. He came to set us free. Once free then you can share with others how they too, can be free. A disciple of Jesus Christ leads others to Jesus Christ.

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Others will know that you are His disciple if you have love for others.

John 15:8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

When you bear much fruit then that is the proof that you are His disciple.

Acts 6:7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

As the Word of God spreads then so will the number of His disciples. The Lord has called us to make disciples by sowing the seed of the Word of God, loving others and teaching them to obey our Lord Jesus Christ in all that He has taught us to do. Those who are found faithful will have no regrets when they see the Lord.

Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Do you ever hear the voice of the Lord? He says that those who belong to Him will hear Him talking to them. He has something for all of us to do. When we are all faithful in whatever it is that He has called each one of us to do then His kingdom will be built. May we all be found faithful.

Revelation 3:20,21 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

A Life that Understands How Love Can Not Be Found

Understand How Love Can Be Lost

A common mistake that is made concerning love is that people look for love in the wrong places. God’s design for love between a man and a woman is in marriage. Marriage protects the love and gives it satisfaction. When someone opens the gift of God’s love for marriage before the time then it will bring a moment of pleasure as if you were to open a Christmas gift before Christmas and wrap it back up for Christmas day. There would not be the anticipation as God designed nor the pleasure and satisfaction that is promised when done right. Love can only be found when done God’s way and when love is done God’s way it is very satisfying.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6

Understand What Happens When a Person Does Wrong

When a person does what is wrong then because of guilt he tries to close off a part of his soul to do the wrong and the very part of his soul that he closes off is the very part of him that allows him to experience the enjoyment and satisfaction of the pleasure. There will be a moment of pleasure but no lasting satisfaction so he is left feeling empty. There is a law of diminishing returns. He must do more and more to try to find the same pleasure and he must close off his conscience even more. He will find himself doing things that earlier his conscience would not have done. Men often do not realize that they are bringing destruction to themselves by their immorality and destroying their ability to love and have a satisfying relationship with a woman. When they close off their conscience to what they are doing then they close off their ability to find love. They start seeing women as objects to be used and since a person can not live with guilt they will often use alcohol or drugs to escape their guilt. After a while, if he continues then he will find himself among the walking dead. He will eat and breathe but his life will not have much meaning.

For the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23a

Understand the destruction that will come to you with an immoral man. The same will happen to you if you are immoral. Your life will become empty and you will become bitter toward men. A girl will sometimes think that if she gives sex then she will find love but the very opposite happens. Love will not be found but rather disrespect and abuse. A man will not use and abuse a girl who is moral. If he won’t date you if you don’t sleep with him then do not date him nor have anything to do with him. He does not even have the capacity at this point to love.

For her house sinks down to death
And her tracks lead to the dead;
None who go to her return again,
Nor do they reach the paths of life. Proverbs 2:18,19

A man who has been immoral with a woman must cry out to God for mercy and must turn to God with all of his heart. The Bible calls him naive and foolish for he thinks that he is getting something but in the end it will cost him his life. A woman who has been immoral must also cry out to God for help and mercy and turn from her way. The Lord will hear men and women who cry out to Him. He is the only hope for all have sinned and fallen short of God’s design. He is able to forgive, cleanse and bring healing and restoration.

A Life Understanding the Mystery of Love in a Man

The Bible says that one of the things that no one understands is the way of a man with a woman when he is “in love” with her. Men will often do things when they are in love with a woman, that they would not do in any other situation. The Bible says that when a man meets the woman for him that she will be his desire and the delight of his eyes. She will also be his pride and his crown when he wins her heart and hand in marriage. Love is a mystery and it is one of the most powerful influences on earth. Love is intoxicating and satisfying when it is done God’s way. Love sweetens the blows of disappointment, gives comfort, fills the emptiness of loneliness and brings joy to the journey in life. Love energizes and motivates to higher goals and all of mankind longs for love. Love is far more than sexual and when someone is in love then it invades their spirit, soul and body and reaches to the very core of a person. It is pleasant and there is nothing that compares to it. Love is worth more than anything money can buy and without love a person’s life is meaningless. The way of a man with a woman is a mystery and a man is never the same again once he is in love with a woman.

There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
The way of an eagle in the sky,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid. Proverbs 30:18,19

Understand the Gift of a Man’s Love

When a man marries a woman then he gives her his heart, soul and body. When a man truly loves a woman there is nothing good that he will withhold from her. He longs for a wife that he can trust and that will do him good all of the days of her life. A man wants a wife who will be faithful to him through good times and bad times. When he believes that he has found this woman then he will give his all to her. A man is usually much more nervous on his wedding day because he is much more aware of the cost of his commitment and he is willing to commit himself completely and totally to her. He is taking responsibility for her and is willing to sacrifice his life, if necessary for her. A woman, on the other hand, is receiving the gift of his love on her wedding day. She loves him but he loves her more. She is waiting to see if his commitment and love is true. She believes he loves her but she still wants to see it, feel it and hear it over and over again. For this reason, it is not enough for the woman to hear on her wedding day, “I love you” and not ever hear it again. She will never get tired of hearing it nor will she tire of any sincere attempts at love. He will learn to love her and wise is the wife who receives her husband’s love with much gratitude.

and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; I Timothy 4:4b

A husband needs to feel that his wife appreciates him. Being married and loving his wife is a new experience for him and he wants to do it right. You have been blessed when you get married and a man gives his heart to you. Cherish this gift and never take it for granted. You will not ceased to be blessed when you marry a man who loves you. He will want to change where he needs to change and he will mature in his love and in his character. He will be a good husband and a good father and you will be blessed all of the days of your life.

A Life that Understands the Three M’s in a Man’s Life

When God created man the Lord also gave man three M’s that needed to be fulfilled. These three M’s also need to be fulfilled in a certain order, if they are not fulfilled in the right order then frustration and depression can come to the man. First man must choose who His Master will be. Love always is a choice. Man must choose whether he will love the Lord God, and loving the Lord means that man will submit to God as Lord and Master of his life and obey His commandments. Having the Lord as his Master means that man will follow the Lord and live according to His ways. The Lord loves man perfectly and He will be not only his Lord but He will be His Savior (save him (be there for him) in this life and save him in the life to come). He will be his Shepherd and comfort and guide him to the end and be with him in death. He will protect him and provide for him, as man learns to call on the Lord. The Lord created Adam and as his Creator the rightful place in Adam’s life was that the Lord would be Adam’s Master.

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

Next, man must choose his mission in life. The Lord has given each man a job to do and man must find out what the Lord has for him. When a man chooses the Lord to be his Master then the Lord will direct his steps in choosing his mission. The Lord gave Adam the job of tending the Garden of Eden and naming the animals. It is best for the man to know his mission before his next M, which is, he must choose his mate. Not all women are suitable for every mission and it is best for the man to know where he is going before he asks another to follow him. God initiates toward man and man must choose to respond to the invitation to follow God and then man initiates toward a woman and she must decide if this is the man that she is to follow. The three M’s in a man’s life are Master, Mission and Mate.

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. Genesis 2:19-22

Understand that a girl must choose who her Master will be and trust Him to choose what her mission will be and who her mate will be. For a female, her mission will be, to be a helpmate to her husband. This does not mean that she can’t have a job or a career but it is best for her to see what the mission of her future husband will be and see if their paths will go together. However, after she is married then she must give to the Lord all of her plans and allow the Lord to direct her through her husband. When she gets married, her husband becomes her head and he is the head of their home, so her plans must be in accordance with what he wants her to do. Many marriages fail because the two people go in different directions and their lives drift apart. Two people in a marriage must walk together and be united. If you can not give up your career and your dreams to marry a man then don’t marry him. You don’t have to get married. You can not serve two masters, for you will love the one and hate the other, and a home can not have two heads. One of the frustrations for married women who work is the conflict of pleasing their boss and their husband. You will eventually have to choose. Maybe your husband will want you to work and will understand your work situation but you don’t know. It is best to give your expectations to the Lord, and let the Lord give back to you what His will is for you, rather than cling to what you desire and end up frustrated and resentful. Being a wife and a mother is one of the highest callings in life and a woman who puts her heart into it and who does it well will have a very fulfilling life and great joy.

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, Ephesians 5:22,23a

A woman changes as she goes through life. When she is young she might think that she might want a career and travel and see the world. Nothing is wrong with that but sometimes she makes these plans “in case” no one comes along. When she meets the man she wants to marry then sometimes she still thinks about a particular career. As long as there are no conflicts after they get married and her husband is totally for it, then it is no problem for her to work. However, the Lord made women to have children and to make a home for her family. A mother’s heart is with her children. A female changes after she gets married and then she changes again after she has children. She is not aware of how strong the mother instinct is until she looks at her newborn baby. Most mothers will die for their children. Her heart is no longer in her job as it was before. Life becomes different and it helps to be aware of the changes that will come with motherhood.

Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
“Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:28-30

How blessed and happy is the husband and how blessed and happy are the children who have a wife and mother who fears the Lord and loves her family. How blessed is the nation which has godly women for wives and mothers. A woman who fears the Lord will please the Lord, love and satisfy her husband and she will love and teach her children the right way to live. She will be that support for her husband that he needs and she will set her children up for success. There will be great peace, great joy and much love in that home.

A Life that Knows the Good Life

Everyone wants to live a good life, that is, a life that is pleasant, enjoyable, peaceful, meaningful and fulfilling. The good life is a sweet and satisfying life and it is a life that makes one excited about living. One who has a good life looks forward to each day and when night comes their sleep is sweet. Each day builds on the ones beforehand and when the end comes they have few regrets and much gratitude. Their life was sweet and not bitter and full and not empty or futile. The one who lived a good life has also learned that such a life is not only possible but is available to any who desires it. The good life is not dependent on wealth, beauty or charm but only on the person who seeks it.

Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good? Psalm 34:12

Many years ago there was a rich young ruler who came and asked the question as to how to have life. This man had known wealth and had access to many of the pleasures of life. He probably could have had a beautiful wife and whatever else his heart desired. However, he was most fortunate to have come to the realization that none of those “things” give life. Often, those who have never known wealth or beauty will think that “if only I had these then I would really know what it means to live a good life”. So, this man was blessed to have realized as a young man that these “things” are only temporal and will never satisfy.

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Matthew 19: 16-20

This young man came to Jesus asking about eternal life but, as is often the case, he was asking one question but wanted another question answered. There was not any “good thing” that the young man could do to obtain eternal life. Eternal life is a gift that God gives to those who believe in Jesus Christ, that is, those who believe in Him not merely as a teacher, but believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

The young man desired a good life in this present life and so that is the question that Jesus answered. Jesus knew what Scripture said about anyone who desired life and so He explained the answer that was given when the question was asked in the Psalms.

Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good? Psalm 34:12

Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34: 13,14

Do you want to live a long good life? The Lord says that if you do, then you must keep your tongue from evil. The Lord gave His commandments to show men and women how to live a good life. Jesus was explaining to the young man what it means to keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. He said, “You shall not bear false witness”. This means that we are not to lie. There is no “good” that can justify “evil” and telling lies is deceitful and evil. If a person can keep their tongue from evil then they will save themselves much grief and pain in life. Often what people regret most are the words that they have spoken. Every wrong that people have ever done is because they have believed a lie. If you respond to a lie then your response will be wrong every time. If you sow lies then you will be deceived and believe lies.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6: 7

Jesus also explains what it means to depart from evil. When the other commandments mentioned are not kept then evil has been done to another and these are “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal;”. The Bible says that if you hate someone then you have committed murder in your heart. If you lust after a woman then you have committed adultery in your heart. Nearly all of these commands deal with stealing, for if you murder then you have taken someone else’s life. If you have sex outside of marriage then you have committed adultery and stolen something that is not yours. If you have cheated or gotten anything dishonestly then you have stolen. Each of these commands is doing evil towards someone else. However, at the end of the day, you have not only done evil but you have robbed yourself of life. Evil will only destroy a person if they do it.

To do good involves keeping the other two commandments Jesus mentions and that is to “Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The Lord places so much importance on honoring your father and mother that He offers a promise with it and says that if you will keep that commandment then you will live a long life. Many a life has been shortened because a son or daughter did not honor their parents. If you find yourself saying to yourself, “This is not what my mother or father would want me to do” then don’t do it.

Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Ephesians 6: 2,3

The last requirement of living a good life is to seek peace and pursue it. The Bible says that when a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord that He makes even His enemies be at peace with him.

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7

When a person lives according to God’s ways then they will be doing what is right towards others. Another word for doing what is right is righteousness. Righteousness will work for us and will bring peace with others and it will also give you quietness and confidence.

And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17

These laws still stand today because they are good and right. However, all of these laws that the Lord has mentioned in this conversation with the rich young man only have to do with his relationship with others. There is no mention of the first commandments that have to do with a person’s relationship with God. It is impossible to know a good life apart from the only One who is good and that is God Himself. Jesus Christ kept all of the commandments. When a person comes into a relationship with God then the Lord comes and lives within that one through His Holy Spirit (the Helper) and will help the one keep His commandments.

Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly. He is the only One who can satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. He invites all who desires life to come to Him. He will only do good towards you and He will do good towards others through you as you learn to live according to His ways. The verses that precede the ones about the person who desires life are an invitation to come to Him and taste of His goodness. When you see that the Lord is good and taste of His goodness then you will be blessed. He will teach you His ways and you will not lack any good thing.

O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psalm 34:8-11

Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:12-14

A Life that Understands the Three M’s in a Man’s Life

When God created man the Lord also gave man three M’s that needed to be fulfilled. These three M’s also need to be fulfilled in a certain order, if they are not fulfilled in the right order then frustration and depression can come to the man. First man must choose who His Master will be. Love always is a choice. Man must choose whether he will love the Lord God, and loving the Lord means that man will submit to God as Lord and Master of his life and obey His commandments. Having the Lord as his Master means that man will follow the Lord and live according to His ways. The Lord loves man perfectly and He will be not only his Lord but He will be His Savior (save him (be there for him) in this life and save him in the life to come). He will be his Shepherd and comfort and guide him to the end and be with him in death. He will protect him and provide for him, as man learns to call on the Lord. The Lord created Adam and as his Creator the rightful place in Adam’s life was that the Lord would be Adam’s Master.

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

Next, man must choose his mission in life. The Lord has given each man a job to do and man must find out what the Lord has for him. When a man chooses the Lord to be his Master then the Lord will direct his steps in choosing his mission. The Lord gave Adam the job of tending the Garden of Eden and naming the animals. It is best for the man to know his mission before his next M, which is, he must choose his mate. Not all women are suitable for every mission and it is best for the man to know where he is going before he asks another to follow him. God initiates toward man and man must choose to respond to the invitation to follow God and then man initiates toward a woman and she must decide if this is the man that she is to follow. The three M’s in a man’s life are Master, Mission and Mate.

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. Genesis 2:19-22

Understand that a girl must choose who her Master will be and trust Him to choose what her mission will be and who her mate will be. For a female, her mission will be, to be a helpmate to her husband. This does not mean that she can’t have a job or a career but it is best for her to see what the mission of her future husband will be and see if their paths will go together. However, after she is married then she must give to the Lord all of her plans and allow the Lord to direct her through her husband. When she gets married, her husband becomes her head and he is the head of their home, so her plans must be in accordance with what he wants her to do. Many marriages fail because the two people go in different directions and their lives drift apart. Two people in a marriage must walk together and be united. If you can not give up your career and your dreams to marry a man then don’t marry him. You don’t have to get married. You can not serve two masters, for you will love the one and hate the other, and a home can not have two heads. One of the frustrations for married women who work is the conflict of pleasing their boss and their husband. You will eventually have to choose. Maybe your husband will want you to work and will understand your work situation but you don’t know. It is best to give your expectations to the Lord, and let the Lord give back to you what His will is for you, rather than cling to what you desire and end up frustrated and resentful. Being a wife and a mother is one of the highest callings in life and a woman who puts her heart into it and who does it well will have a very fulfilling life and great joy.

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, Ephesians 5:22,23a

A woman changes as she goes through life. When she is young she might think that she might want a career and travel and see the world. Nothing is wrong with that but sometimes she makes these plans “in case” no one comes along. When she meets the man she wants to marry then sometimes she still thinks about a particular career. As long as there are no conflicts after they get married and her husband is totally for it, then it is no problem for her to work. However, the Lord made women to have children and to make a home for her family. A mother’s heart is with her children. A female changes after she gets married and then she changes again after she has children. She is not aware of how strong the mother instinct is until she looks at her newborn baby. Most mothers will die for their children. Her heart is no longer in her job as it was before. Life becomes different and it helps to be aware of the changes that will come with motherhood.

Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
“Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:28-30

How blessed and happy is the husband and how blessed and happy are the children who have a wife and mother who fears the Lord and loves her family. How blessed is the nation which has godly women for wives and mothers. A woman who fears the Lord will please the Lord, love and satisfy her husband and she will love and teach her children the right way to live. She will be that support for her husband that he needs and she will set her children up for success. There will be great peace, great joy and much love in that home.