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Posts Tagged with Marriage

Help Needed

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This was just submitted to to the Twin Falls Times-News for the Faith Corner column I write for on a regular basis. Look for it on Saturday in the Times-News.

Help Needed
by Paul Thompson

Like most everywhere across the Magic Valley, there are “Help Needed” signs. They are in windows and on sidewalks. Some of the signs post the hourly wage (always above minimum wage), including benefits and starting bonuses.

This is how it is in this temporal day. Man is always in need. Just like there is no shortage of “Help Wanted” signs in the commercial sector there is no shortage of “Help Needed” signs in the inner-man. 

Man always needs help.

He needs help in his marriage. He needs help with his children. He needs help getting along with his neighbor. He needs help putting up with his coworkers. He needs help pushing his car to the gas station when he runs out of gas in the Blue Lakes and Pole Line intersection.

Man was created in such a way as to have a relationship with God and all of His creation. Yet, because of sin, he needs help with how to do so properly so as to glorify God. 

Man needs help, but this is not how it is with God. He needs no help. Ever.

From before the first pages of the Bible to beyond the close of all temporal days, God is never without resources or in need of assistance. God, as He describes Himself in the Bible, is not meeting with a therapist or seeking counsel on how to win friends or influence a generation in need of Him. He’s not needing to be coached on how to be more compassionate or more clear with His commandments. 

This is because God is not man.

Let me encourage the reader to not look for an escape from the day God has ordained but rather when we find ourselves in need of help to turn to the one who is not found lacking. 

God does not need to be reinvented for men to love him, He was not invented.

God does not need to create a new ad campaign so everyone will want to try Him again, He was not created.

God does not need a board meeting of all the brilliant economists to know how to get out of debt, He is all knowing.

God does not attend conferences to learn of new medical discoveries, He is full of wisdom.

God does not look to ally with other nations to help protect His kingdom, He is all powerful.

God does not have a weekly appointment with a therapist to learn skills in how to be more gentle. He is all together different from everything He created. 

So, as you drive around and see all the “Help Needed” signs, let that cause you to meditate on the nature of God and His eternal attributes. Be encouraged that you can trust the One who needs no help, and He is not lacking in any resources to help with all of your needs. 

There is a greater need that we are completely lacking in, bankrupt of righteousness. This is a great kindness of God that he would send His One and Only Begotten Son, Christ Jesus the Lord, to satisfy what man is most incapable of doing. The wrath of God can only be satisfied by the blood of Christ. 

Only the one who needs nothing can do this for you. Repent of your sin, believe the Gospel, be saved.

Current Idaho Marriage Code

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Idaho marriage law is very clear on what constitutes a marriage, persons who may marry, and how the law instructs the courts to treat marriages that violate this public policy.

Yet everyone believes the Supreme Court opinion in 2015. Where is a county courthouse in the state of Idaho willing to follow the law of the state of Idaho?

Where I argue that marriage is a spiritual covenant and not simply a civil contract I find it interesting that Idaho code does not recognize same-sex (perversion of) marriage contracts. In light of this the state of Idaho continues to issue marriage licenses for such perversions of marriage.

Idaho Code: This link spells out the entire code concerning “domestic relations”
https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title32/

  • 32-201. WHAT CONSTITUTES MARRIAGE Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of parties capable of making it is necessary. (more)
  • 32-202. PERSONS WHO MAY MARRY. Any unmarried male of the age of eighteen (18) years or older, and any unmarried female of the age of eighteen (18) years or older, and not otherwise disqualified, are capable of consenting to and consummating marriage. (more)
  • 32-209. RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN OR OUT-OF-STATE MARRIAGES. All marriages contracted without this state, which would be valid by the laws of the state or country in which the same were contracted, are valid in this state, unless they violate the public policy of this state. Marriages that violate the public policy of this state include, but are not limited to, same-sex marriages, and marriages entered into under the laws of another state or country with the intent to evade the prohibitions of the marriage laws of this state. (more)

My ongoing response to my homosexual neighbors; submit to God, believe in the Gospel and be saved. God’s kindness is yours today, repent of your sin and be comforted in His truth. God wants you happy, this is why He has given us commandments and precepts to direct us to joyful living. Believe Him today.

Just Because a Politician Says Something Doesn’t Make It True

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I don’t doubt the sincerity of someone like former president Jimmy Carter. His sincerity is no reliable gauge to know the difference between right and wrong.

This clip from a larger interview at Huffington Post is an example of the kind of damage that can be done by someone who has influence, claiming to be a born again Christian, and makes an opinion about serious things about God that are not based on the Bible. If we are going to make claim on what God is like or what he approves or disapproves of we have only one source of authority to make such claims, and it is not based on opinion.

Church, read your bible when you hear claims like this and conclude your position based on what is reliable and unchanging not a sentiment of emotion that can’t be trusted.

The Ancient Paths

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(Submitted column for the Times News for Saturday, June 2, 2018)

The church is among the most unique institutions created by God.

Marriage is an ordained institution by God for procreation and the glorification of God for the proclamation of the gospel. Family is a result of this first institution where parents train and teach their children to walk in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

The church is then this blessed institution where the gathered fellowship of individuals, married couples, and families constitute the united effort of advancing the gospel of the Lord Jesus the Christ to the ends of the earth.

Often in churches there is a celebration of those who are innovative thinkers. There is much made about people who “think outside the box”, so to speak.. This doesn’t mean a church shouldn’t exercise good thinking and planning about how to get the gospel to those who don’t have it yet or express thoughts and worship with old and new songs. This does, however, mean that churches must consider what they’ve been instructed to do.

Can you imagine that a soldier is instructed to carry out a command and instead of doing it how he was instructed, he decided to do it more creatively? He would not be a soldier for very much longer. It doesn’t mean that his idea was a bad idea, it means he didn’t follow the instructions of his commanding officer.

Can you imagine if a catcher on a baseball team decided it would work better if he stood behind second base instead of the assigned place the coach put him? He wouldn’t remain in the game much longer, or his team would lose every game for the remainder of the season while this so called “creative innovator” rewrote the game.

This is similar in the church.

Sadly, many pastors and churches have bought into a new clever methodology that is secular and worldly. Pastors get recognized today for doing what no other pastor has ever decided to do, rather than being faithful to what the Bible calls the “ancient paths”.

A problem is that many think the word “ancient” means old, wore out, outdated, or old fashioned. Ancient could mean that if the previous generation introduced new innovative ideas that are now more like a clothing fashion or have treated their duties like a coat of paint on a wall that needs refreshed from generation to generation because the popular color then is now out of date.

But the institution of the church is not like this.

Maybe the church house needs a fresh update. But the core of the institution is immutable. It doesn’t need a change and should not change.
A church that strives to remain faithful to Scripture and let the Holy Spirit use this ancient Scripture to conform God’s people is met with opposition among the new “innovators”.

The Holy Bible says that the word of God is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Churches and pastors who get this may face criticism from those who think there may be a better way.

Churches and pastors must become more disciplined today to remain faithful to this eternal work.

There is nothing better than a soldier who does what he’s been trained to do. There’s no better way to guard the home plate than a catcher who endures the heat, sweat, dust, and pain of doing what the coach trained him to do. There’s no better aid to a community than for a church and her pastor to be “the pillar and buttress of truth” by returning to the ancient path of Scripture.

Bless the Lord for churches in the Magic Valley who get this and may God bless these churches with pastors who will faithfully do their duty.

Preparing for Marriage

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In a day where biblical marriage is under attack in every arena of our culture, including false churches masquerading as the church, we must give careful biblical attention to this creation of God.

I’ve just recently finished a series of messages on marriage and submit it here for consideration to strengthen your marriage and to help parents prepare your children for this sacred union of man and woman.

  • Husbands and wives, listen and discuss the content and the status of your marriage.
  • Fathers and mothers, listen to these messages with or without your children, but at least, be intentional about training your children for this moment now. Trust me, if your child is 10 to 20 years of age, marriage is likely sooner than you expect. Train them while they are still willing to listen to you about something as serious as this.

My prayer for you is that this will at least spark conversation that will lead to formal and informal moments to teach your children.

Male and Female

The Engagement

Necessary for Marriage to Exist and Remain

Needed for Marriage to Remain (pt.1)

Needed for Marriage to Remain (pt. 2)

Duties of Husbands and Wives

Sunday Nights at Eastside

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Through the remainder of 2017 I will be address biblical marriage on Sunday nights. It is my hope that you would consider attending the Sunday night gatherings of Eastside Baptist Church. This is not just a “how to improve your marriage” series, this is as much a series of messages for the youth and young adults who are not married yet to consider biblical teachings about what marriage is and why it is an important subject for all of us to give attention to it.

Join me on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Covenant Keepers for 30 Years (and counting)

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Location: First Baptist Church, Clovis, NM
Date: December 20, 1986
Occasion: Marriage of Paul Robert Thompson to Teresa Renee Culberth

This annual celebration of our marriage grows sweeter as the days fly by.

December 20, 2016 makes December 20, 1986 seem like decades ago (3 to be exact). I am pleased that God would give me this kind of grace in my life.

Following is an attempt to express myself with rhyming words…

paulrenee
(engagement photo)

Of all the sons of men, how could I be him?
Look! is what I do when she walks in!

Neither of us would have mapped out this path like ours.
But how could this journey be better than ours?

My pulse races when she looks at me.
How can this still be?

A third decade of wedded years.
I can hardly write a poem without tears.

Do you see me with that grin?
I would do it all again and again!

paulrenee01

Imitating Marriage

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As the hearing began today at the highest court level I see again that people want to claim what is not theirs by force and by imitating the original. Only what is real and has value is ever imitated. Cheap knock offs are never imitated.

Marriage between one man and one woman is ordained by God and given value by His blessing it and warning no man to ever attempt to destroy or tear it apart.

There are many people expressing their opinions about this significant hearing. The result of this hearing will effect our nation, regardless of the outcome.

As for me, I’m pleased to express and plead to God for the preservation of marriage as defined by Him in the Bible. Even if the law of the land changes the meaning of the word marriage I must speak of it and defend that which God ordained and blessed with great value. This idea of marriage should not be worshiped, but surely defended as its meaning and value are being stripped, changed, weakened and devalued.

How do I show this to my church and community?

  • give intentional attention to my marriage.
  • speak in favor of the historic definition of marriage.
  • press my local legislators to give the church freedom to conduct marriages without the mandate of a state issued marriage license.
  • speak with clarity to the young in our church of what is God ordained and pleasing biblical marriage.
  • remind all biblically married people that their marriage is not stripped of value if the law of the land cheapens marriage by redefining it.
  • pray to God for my marriage.
  • pray to God for the integrity of marriage in the land.
  • ask God to restore marriages that are broken or on the verge of disaster.

 

A Sacred Occasion

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This afternoon Eastside Baptist Church adopted new policy, based on Scripture, to help wedding parties understand with clarity that Eastside Baptist Church does not approve, condone, participate in or in any way recognize any marriage that is not between one man and one woman.

The full policy is posted at www.esbcTwinFalls.com 

Eastside Southern Baptist Church
Wedding and Marriage Policy

Wedding and Marriage Policy for Eastside Southern Baptist Church:
All weddings that are requested to take place on Eastside Southern Baptist Church (ESBC) property or parties requesting a minister of ESBC to officiate a wedding ceremony must be scheduled through a pastor. All pastors of ESBC are required to follow the guidelines of this policy.

This marriage and wedding policy was established by Eastside Southern Baptist Church to express our belief and to help you in your planning. ESBC holds that the marriage ceremony is a sacred occasion and should be performed with high honor to the glory of God. We believe that marriage is established by God and should be done with care and respect to biblical authority.

It is not required that you believe all that is stated in this policy, but if use of ESBC property or requesting an ESBC pastor to officiate your wedding you will be required to submit to the following policy. With respect to you and the law of our land, others in the region are able to perform ceremonies that don’t meet the standard set forth in this policy.

Please note: ESBC does not approve, condone, participate in or in any way recognize any marriage that is not between one man and one woman. Same-sex “marriages” will not be performed at ESBC and the pastors of ESBC are not permitted to officiate same-sex “marriages.” Nor will ESBC and the pastors of ESBC approve, condone, and participate in any marriage ceremony that is opposed to Holy Scripture.

Definition of Marriage:
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. (Baptist Faith and Message 2000)

Non-Eastside Southern Baptist Pastors:
We do allow non-ESBC pastors to officiate the ceremony and/or premarital counseling. In the event that an ESBC pastor is not performing the ceremony or participating in it, you must choose an ESBC pastor as a sponsor to oversee the process. All requirements of this policy must be followed for non-ESBC pastors/ministers.

Premarital Counseling:
ESBC requires 5-6 hours of premarital counseling. The premarital counseling may be conducted by a non-ESBC pastor, approved by an ESBC pastor.

Other:
• A church wedding is a service of ESBC and the music should honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to assure appropriate music is used, the final approval of any musician and all music used in the ceremony and reception rests with an ESBC pastor. Use of any sound equipment will need to be coordinated with a pastor and qualified technician.
• No alcohol (exception of wine for communion with bride and groom) or smoking is permitted anywhere on church property.
• Any damage done to the building or property related to the wedding party will be the responsibility of the wedding party.
• It is the responsibility of the wedding party to clean ESBC rooms used during the rehearsal and wedding ceremony after use of the building.

December, 2014

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