Family Life Studies
Family Life Studies on Important Topics for Bible Believers:
Be Careful With Words and Your Anger
Matthew 5:21-22 advises us, "Don't be angry without a cause, nor belittle your brother." This commands us to control our natural inclination to anger. In other words, stop getting upset over minor inconveniences or impositions. Hold back the harsh words, names and thoughts that can cause conflict. Verbal scorning, belittling or insulting others isn't the way of Yahushuah's disciples. Let our words bless, rather than curse, and build-up a person's reputation, rather than defame them. (James 4:11) "Speak not evil one of another, brethren." Here is wise advice on how to implement these instructions in our own lives and families.(Shofar Vol. 605)
Be Careful with Words and AngerMarriage Rites and Rules
With divorce rates for Millennials nearing fifty percent, including for Christian couples, the question of how to choose a marriage partner is an important one. We take a look at both Scriptural admonition and the advice of marriage experts to give you a helpful guide in making the correct decision on a life partner. Too often, people marry for the wrong reasons, or choose their particular lifetime partner for the wrong reasons. Following the advice in this helpful guide will increase your chances of marital happiness.
Marriage Rites and RulesA Message To Husbands
Husbands, be loving your wives according as Yahushuah also loves the ecclesia, and gives Himself up for its sake, that He should be hallowing it, cleansing it in the bath of the water (with His declaration), that He should be presenting to Himself a glorious ecclesia, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it may be holy and flawless." Thus, the husbands also ought to be loving their own wives as their own bodies. He who is loving his own wife is loving himself." For no one at any time hates his own flesh, but is nurturing and cherishing it, according as Yahushuah also the ecclesia, for we are members of His body." (Ephesians 5:25-30, CLV) Here is an important study for believing husbands to reaad and implement in their lives and marriages. Want to have a happy, successful marriage? Then follow the guidance presented here from Scripture.
Message to HusbandsThe Sin Against Nature
The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the issue of homosexual marriage rights in the near future, and this issue has been much in the news. The American media has unfortunately caused considerable confusion on this issue, with statements that the Bible does not oppose homosexuality, or that the Bible is contradictory on the subject. What is the truth about the Bible's teaching on this subject? What should be the position of believers regarding it? We take an in-depth look at Elohim's Word and give a Biblical platform upon which to take a moral position.
Sin Against NatureDo Not Divorce Except For Fornication
Matthew 5:31-32 says, "Don't divorce, except for fornication." This command gives only one option for leaving a marriage. In scripture, fornication is Torah prohibited sexual relationships. (see Leviticus 18) Marriage is a blessing that shows Yah's favor, and He requires faithfulness and purity within it. Elohim's righteous standards preserve the sanctity of sex, which can be broken physically and spiritually. For example, if a brother separated at birth from a sister later unknowingly married her, that incestuous relationship is physical fornication, and grounds for a divorce as they never should have married in the first place according to YAH's Word. Spiritual fornication speaks to worshiping other gods. Being an unbeliever isn't necessarily equal to worshiping other gods. Thus, if your spouse professes Yahushuah as their Adonai and Savior, regardless of how they choose to believe, and regardless of whether you agree or not with how they choose to believe (be it right or wrong), if they don't profess to worship other gods, there's no cause for divorce as there's no spiritual fornication. Likewise, these often cited grounds for divorce do not fall within the exception clause: being unequally yoked (different beliefs), insecurities (lack of money), lack of trust, jealousies, adultery, or lack of appreciation. YAH established marriage between a man and a woman to be one flesh, for procreation, mutual love and a life-long commitment to be dissolved only by death. (Shofar Vol. 610)
Do Not DivorceIn-Training (Raising Children)
Raising children is an important responsibility for Christian parents. In this short article, the Apostle Peter's experience in Matthew chapter fourteen provides food for thought in our experiences in modern families and our child training issues.
In-TrainingComforting Those Who Mourn
Webster’s New College Dictionary defines “mourn” as “to feel or express sorrow, lament, grieve”; and “comforted” as “soothed in distress or sorrow, eased of misery or grief, brought consolation or hope”. In Strong’s Concordance, “mourn” is translated from a Greek word “pentheo (G3996)” meaning “to act or feel grief, wail, bewail”, and “comforted” is translated from the Greek “parakaleo (G3870)” meaning “to be called near, invoked, implored, exhorted, consoled, desired, entreated, beseeched” Yahshuah probably taught His disciples about mourning and comforting with the words sapad (H5594) and natham (H5162). These primitive Hebrew root words mean “to tear the hair and beat the breasts as in grief” and “to sigh, breathe strongly, to pity, console, comfort, etc.)” Yah gave us an example of these words in Torah. Jacob rent his clothes, put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him. But he refused to be comforted and said, “For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. (Genesis 37:34-35) Here is some Scriptural advice and encouragement for those who are mourning a loved one.
Comforting Those Who MournThe Scriptures On Funeral Arrangements
Most of us have a sense of how we want our body handled upon death. Those with foresight and financial means dictate their body’s disposal through a will or last testament. Others may specify if their body is to be used for eye, skin and organ transplants, or medical research. Surprised at cremation numbers provided by the Perry Funeral Home, I did my own research and found a survey from the Cremation Association of North America that said 45% of deaths will end in cremation. In the metropolitan Detroit area, cremation is estimated to be 25%, while Florida and California are estimated at 50%. Cost is the biggest reason identified for cremation. Here is what the Bible has to say concerning the subject of Death, burial, and cremation.
The Perseverance To Persevere
During a recent Assembly fellowship meal, a kind woman sat next to me. She politely asked, “Would you like to hear a word that Yah sent me during services? It’s a word meant for you.” I was exhausted that evening. It was a particularly trying week. I’m still adjusting to home chores after a decade of condo living. I had finished editing the Shofar in the wee hours of the night before. My four-year-old daughter, Eliana, had just recovered earlier in the week from a stomach virus. I felt tired. The last thing that I was ready for was a word from Yah. Nonetheless, I said, “Sure.” She said, “The word is perseverance.” I felt my spirit quicken. I thought, wow someone noticed I was tired. If Yah truly sent that message, He had noticed me, too. I appreciated her obedience to Yah in sharing that word. Then a few days later, I received my second witness. “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3 New American Bible, NAB) Hearing and reading the word perseverance convinced me to seek the message Yah was sending through it. Did you note that I didn’t read the word perseverance in a King James Version (KJV) of the Bible? Perseverance is translated as “patience” from the Greek word “hypomone” (G5281) in the KJV. It means “cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy” per Strong’s Concordance. To receive Yah’s message, I had to dig deeper for the word’s meaning.
Perseverance