Satan tries to tear apart!
The complete verse reads:
"Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." Matt. 19:6
In this verse Jesus is addressing the question of the Pharisees about divorce (Matt 19:3).
However, marriage is not the only area where Satan tries to separate people.
"Divide and conquer" is his motto and main goal, and he uses our disobedience to get there.
Disobedience creates separation between God and men, and among men.
Adam and Eve were send away from the garden because of their disobedience, separated from God and from their first home.
Cain's disobedience led to the murder of his brother Abel. As a consequence God separated him from his family.
And so it has been ever since: our disobedience separates us from God and each other.
But God had not intended it that way. "From the beginning it was not so." (Matt 19:8)
The Son's obedience is able to undo the separations Satan is causing.
"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)
When Jesus lives in us, we are one with Him, and like Him, one with the Father.
Jesus said: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)
One day we will be joined together with God forever.
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Monday, 2 May 2011
Up on the mountain
I parked at the bottom of the trail. Today was the day of our hike. The sky offered promises of both snow and sunshine.
In the parking lot the five of us collected our water bottles, backpacks and trekking poles from the trunk of the car. Then we each ate one more home made square before shouldering our packs.
The trail led underneath the road we had come in on. The fresh snow from yesterday's snowstorm made everything look like a Winter wonderland, again! Tomorrow is May!
Yet we could tell Spring was just hiding. We heard running water, sometimes right underneath our feet. Later, we saw that on the south side the hill was getting green.
We got to the first wooden bridge, and watched the water through a hole in the ice as it hurried on down the mountain. The snow on the bridges was still almost a foot high.
Under the trees the snow was still deep. We were thankful that the trail was already broken by earlier hikers. The snow was knee deep when you stepped off the path.
It was not long before we had to take a break. Climbing made us warm, so we wanted to take off a layer or two. This was also a good opportunity to dig around in our packs for a baggie of gorp, or other snacks.
When we got to the first trail map, there was general dismay (or was it mostly me?): had we only come this far?
One foot in front of the other. The sun disappeared, and an occasional snowflake drifted down. What was that? Thunder! What a strange combination of weather conditions!
Another trail map. Now it looked a lot better! We were close to half way, and the first view point. There we undid our packs and had lunch. The one burner stove provided us with hot water for a cup of tea: a welcome addition to our cold food.
The snow came down heavier. It looked like kernels of corn, or packing pellets. I put my coat back on, and dug up my toque and mittens. Then we resumed our trek back to the parking lot.
This part of the trail faced south, so it was very muddy, but the view over the valley was beautiful. There was the cut line again that we had crossed earlier on the north loop.Slipping and sliding down the path, we stayed away from the steep embankment.
It seemed sudden when we came upon the same map from that morning: We did all that?
The last piece was level. That was good, because I was getting tired. The snow we had walked through that morning had melted. Now it was more mud. Then more snow, so our boots got clean before we got to the car.
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands have made!...
Then sings my soul , my Saviour God to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art!!
A beautiful day. Thank you, Jesus.
In the parking lot the five of us collected our water bottles, backpacks and trekking poles from the trunk of the car. Then we each ate one more home made square before shouldering our packs.
The trail led underneath the road we had come in on. The fresh snow from yesterday's snowstorm made everything look like a Winter wonderland, again! Tomorrow is May!
Yet we could tell Spring was just hiding. We heard running water, sometimes right underneath our feet. Later, we saw that on the south side the hill was getting green.
We got to the first wooden bridge, and watched the water through a hole in the ice as it hurried on down the mountain. The snow on the bridges was still almost a foot high.
Under the trees the snow was still deep. We were thankful that the trail was already broken by earlier hikers. The snow was knee deep when you stepped off the path.
It was not long before we had to take a break. Climbing made us warm, so we wanted to take off a layer or two. This was also a good opportunity to dig around in our packs for a baggie of gorp, or other snacks.
When we got to the first trail map, there was general dismay (or was it mostly me?): had we only come this far?
One foot in front of the other. The sun disappeared, and an occasional snowflake drifted down. What was that? Thunder! What a strange combination of weather conditions!
Another trail map. Now it looked a lot better! We were close to half way, and the first view point. There we undid our packs and had lunch. The one burner stove provided us with hot water for a cup of tea: a welcome addition to our cold food.
The snow came down heavier. It looked like kernels of corn, or packing pellets. I put my coat back on, and dug up my toque and mittens. Then we resumed our trek back to the parking lot.
This part of the trail faced south, so it was very muddy, but the view over the valley was beautiful. There was the cut line again that we had crossed earlier on the north loop.Slipping and sliding down the path, we stayed away from the steep embankment.
It seemed sudden when we came upon the same map from that morning: We did all that?
The last piece was level. That was good, because I was getting tired. The snow we had walked through that morning had melted. Now it was more mud. Then more snow, so our boots got clean before we got to the car.
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands have made!...
Then sings my soul , my Saviour God to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art!!
A beautiful day. Thank you, Jesus.
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