Gordon Johnson

Genesis 6:8 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

Who was Noah?-

     In honoring our veterans of the faith, we definitely have to include Noah. This is part 2 of Noah. I encourage you to watch part 1, click here- https://sherylmariefranks.blogspot.com/2022/07/blog-post.html

Noah was the tenth in line behind Adam. Noah's Dad's name was "Lamech". His Dad gave him the name of Noah, saying, Genesis 5:29 says, "And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." Lamech prophesied to Noah when he gave him his name. He said This one will comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. See, when we go back ten generations to Adam, the ground was cursed because of Adam and Eve's sin. Because of the curse, a man had to work hard by the sweat on his brow. Genesis 3:17-19 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb (plants) of the field; 19. In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." 

     Working hard and toiling by the sweat of your brow was under the curse. God chose Noah to be the one to change history back then. It took a hundred years to build that ark, but on God's appointed time, it happened. God washed them all away with the flood. All who didn't heed the warnings. God started over.

Could you imagine a hundred years of building, and to see the promise of God finally fulfilled? Here I am getting upset about waiting forty-three years. Of course, they had a hundred years, because back in those days they lived for what, 500, 800 years? So, forty years is like a hundred to us. To God be all the Glory, Honor, and Praise, for it was his faithfulness that kept Noah going, and he keeps us going, as well.

"He's Faithful"

Oh!, Jesus, you're so faithful.

I have to express my gratitude.

For your promises are true.

When I think of faithfulness,

Dear Lord, I think of you.

I can't be quiet for all you've done for me.

Everyone has to know, 

and the whole world has to see.

For if it wasn't for your faithfulness,

I don't know where I would be.

I thank you for your faithfulness,

for I could never do anything,

to make you love me less.

Thank you for your faithfulness

and washing me clean,

when I simply just confess. 

      God's faithfulness kept Noah afloat before he even finished with that ark. God just raised Noah and his family to a new level when he finally completed that ark. The people in Noah's day were already drowning, and didn't even realize it.

     Another thing that kept Noah going was that he couldn't wait to finish that boat. I am sure he probably could not wait to get away from the violence and perversion, from the people causing it! I can so relate to that, because every book I write, I write in hopes that this is  "the one" that takes off. So I can move and have the freedom to serve my Lord fully without hindrances or distractions. I am about done with another, and I believe it's going to be the "one" to help me get away from sinful people around me. Father God understands! He felt the same way. The fallen angels had children with the daughters of men, producing giants in those days. That created something that God did not create. Genesis 6:3 says, "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." In verses 5,6, it says, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

     God saw that the wickedness was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts was on evil continually. 8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." In verse 13, God had had enough! " He has a little talk with Noah. See, that is what God wants with us. He wants us to "Have a Little Talk With Jesus." That is an old church song, and that is one of my favorites. Have you ever heard it? I will leave a link below. God just wants to fellowship with us and talk to us. He would have with any of those people on that day, if they had seen their sin and repented. God would have given them grace, as well. They had a hundred years to turn and be able to have that talk with him and Noah, but they mocked instead. Proverbs 28:13 says, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; But whoso confesses his sins, and forsaketh them shall have mercy." That's what God wants, but sin grieves him. God delights in mercy. "Mercy is a joy against judgment." Getting back to 6:13, "And God said unto Noah, 'The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."

     God said, 12. "The earth was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth." 

What does the word, corrupt mean? The Merriam Webster Dictionary: corrupt means: 1. to change from good to bad in morals, manners, and actions. Example: The officials were corrupted by greed. Example: was accused of corrupting the youth. 

2. Rot; Spoil

3. to subject (a person) to corruption of blood.

4. to alter from the original or correct form or version. Example- the file was corrupted.

 God says, "Give honor to whom honor is due." Noah deserves honor for his resilience, persistence, faithfulness, and long-suffering. Because of his obedience, we can endure, as well. Nothing is impossible with God.   

     

 

 

DO YOU WANT A HEAVENLY MARRIAGE?

     I must warn you that I am not writing this blog as someone who has ever experienced a heavenly marriage, because I haven't, yet. I say, yet, because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt God has the "right" one for me out there and on God's timing I will meet him and have a "Heavenly" Marriage! I want a marriage to where we have Heaven on earth and not a marriage where we have Hell on earth. I have had the latter and God has shown me what it takes to have one made in Heaven and I want to pass this onto you.

     1. Open the doors of your heart! This is first and foremost because you will never have a heavenly marriage with a closed heart! I believe God puts the desire in one's heart in the first place to want a "Heavenly" marriage and not just a dead one. In Philippians 2:13 the Word of God says, "For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

So many of you have been hurt and you have closed your heart to ever committing to someone again. You may have had a marriage that was definitely not made in Heaven! You may have had a marriage that was "arranged" by others, maybe your family, and they deceived you into thinking it was the "right" thing to do, maybe because of man-made religious traditions, I don't know, only God and you know. Some reason you may have shut your heart to ever being married again. You can't shut your heart because of the "wrong" one. God has the "right" one out there for you and that is why he removed the wrong one. There is a reason you are reading this now. Take that scripture verse above to heart. Let it in your heart again! Let true love in! Here is another verse to take to heart. David says in Psalms 24:7,8 "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. 8. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." If you want a heavenly marriage you have to be open to let Jesus in and let him who is the King of glory first place in your heart!

         Colossians 2:10 says, "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all 'principality and power (rule and authority)."

     This is God's plan for marriage. Jesus is the head. When the "man" looks up to Jesus and knows he is complete in Jesus and the "woman" looks up to Jesus and knows she is complete in Jesus, then they both come together as one! Just like this triangle. There are too many marriages when neither one is looking to Jesus. Notice how wide the space is between the man and to the woman when neither is looking up to Jesus. There is a long lonely space in between isn't there? When both the man and woman are looking at each other instead of Jesus individually to meet all their needs that is when they are unfulfilled and unsatisfied. The marriage is in trouble! 

     Look at the above picture one more time, when people ignore Jesus as the head there is a wide space for many things to come in between each other. Such as money, other people, maybe family, work, members of the opposite sex, friends, religious traditions, many things can come in between. There will be a lot of "self-centeredness" in both parties when neither look to Jesus. I have had it both ways. When Neither I nor my spouse was looking to Jesus, and I had it half a triangle, when I was looking up to Jesus to meet all of my needs, but my husband wasn't. That does not work either way! God created both the man and woman to be whole in him first, then come together as one. That was God's plan in the beginning, and still is. He has not changed his plan concerning marriage, and never will. So we have to line up with God. The Word of God says in Amos, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" See, if we want a Heavenly Marriage, we must each be in agreement with God individually first, and come together as one in him. Otherwise it is going to be like you are two people locking arms with each other, one is going one way, and one is going the other way, and that is causing you both to go in circles. Do you know what that is causing over your household until you both are walking in agreement straight ahead with God? It is causing one huge whirlwind or tornado. The bible says, "He that is cruel troubles his own household." That could mean either the man or woman, or both parties are troubling their own household. God wants marriages to be fruitful, and productive. He isn't just talking about having babies. He is talking about spiritually as well. 

2. Purpose- Realize that marriage is a covenant with God and he has a purpose in your marriage when he gives you your spouse. God has a purpose for your marriage in the Kingdom of God. Marriage isn't just about having sex all of the time! Be open and willing to keep yourself pure before you get married and even before you meet your future spouse. You alone have to purpose it in your heart before you meet your future spouse while you are still single to not defile yourself before God. Daniel 1:8 "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the 'portion (ration) of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." Daniel purposed it in his heart that he would not defile himself. Daniel was committed to keeping his heart pure before God. 

 

2. The Right Foundation-  

If you want to build a happy marriage you can't just start a relationship on the wrong foundation to start with. You may ask, What do I mean by the "wrong" foundation? Too many people rush right into building a marriage before even planning how they want it built. People get in a hurry and confuse "lust" for "love" and some do not wait for the marriage covenant before they give their whole self to someone they are dating. Most of the time they get three months down the road, into the relationship, and things go down hill. They both realize they don't even "know" each other. Now, they or maybe one of them are started to regret marrying the other. They think, What have I done? This is not the person I married. You think they have turned into a whole different person. No. they just took off the mask, and can no longer pretend.

     Jesus says in Luke 6:46 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47. Whosoever comes to me, that hears my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: 48. He is like a man which built his house; and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose; the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49. But he that hears; and doeth not; is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."

    You may be dating someone, and you know now after reading this, you are starting off on the wrong foundation already. You can repent, and invite Jesus in to your life, and ask him to forgive you of your sins. You can make it right with Jesus right now. The Word of God says, "If we cover our sins we shall not prosper; but if we confess our sins, and forsake them we shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13. You know if you marry that one without getting the foundation right, (without being on the rock Christ Jesus), it will be sinking sand. It won't last. You can give your life, and heart to Jesus first, let him have control, and be the Lord of your life, he will give you a heavenly marriage, that is his plan for marriage. So, I encourage you to remember the wise man who dug deep, and built his house on a rock. Before you think of getting married, I encourage you, if you are dating someone. I encourage you to get a King James Version Bible (while you can), and "dig deep" into the Word of God. Really, get to know Jesus, by getting deep into your bible, and your relationship with him. Jesus is that bible. Jesus is the Living Word of God. That bible is the only book ever written where the author is ever-present!  I encourage you to discuss this with them, and be bold, and tell them of your change. You will know if that one is for you or against you, unless they already know Jesus, they will listen to you, and agree with you. If they do not agree with you on putting Jesus first, as the foundation of your home, before you even marry, then God is sparing you much pain, confusion, heartache, and setbacks. Who knows maybe the one you are dating is the "right" one, and they agree with you, and want to dig deep in the Word of God along with you. If not, God will give you "red flags." All it matters is, you both have to put in the hard work, and determination first, in digging deeper into building the right foundation for your home, or you will be hindered, it will be built with cracks in it, which over time, will destroy your home. 

I encourage you to dig deep and build the foundation of your house on the Rock Jesus Christ, (the Word of God), and you will have a Heavenly Marriage, with the Presence, and Glory of God in Your Home, while we are waiting on our Lord's soon return! There will most likely a part 2 to go more in-depth with this. God Bless You!

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