Peeling away the outer layers of almost any subject, it is most likely you will discover the motive or the reason. Within this thought resides “The Heart of the Matter” or The Core.
Ishmael was born because of Abraham’s root problem of patience and trust. David’s issue came about through lust and displacement; Saul fell through pride. All were exposed when they dismissed their Core Principles and God’s directives.
The healing of the nation comes about through a return to the Law of the Lord. Psalms 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” The world looks to governments or prominent leaders. Celebrities of all kinds join the ranks of misguided voices. These groups are in constant pursuit of influence and power.
Yet, the Core lies within the family and the Church. At the center of both of those God-given institutions is the relationship of husband and wife; parents and children. “These Two” constitute the family, which is the basic building block of all societies. When the family is disjointed or emotionally unhealthy, all other aspects are the same. If the family is spiritually weak, the Church is spiritually weak. Ultimately, the nation is a reflection of the condition of “These Two.”
If you will notice the ‘spirit of the age’ you will see an attack against the home and the marriage. Definitions are being rewritten; roles of fathers, mothers, and children are being redefined; and image has usurped substance. Of the myriad of deficits lies disrespect which is derived from improper boundaries and the absence of limitations.
We begin today in the Garden of Eden which was God’s original design. Within the framework of God’s first order lies the answers, though not complex, for our lives. Our continual issues and subsequent answers can all be found in the scripture.
Paul said that 2 Timothy 3:15 “…the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 10:11-13 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole