Year 2025

Paul says it's better to be single (1 Corinthians 7:8-9) unless you’re burning for passion, then you ought to get married so as not to break that covenant you have with God. Sex before marriage is bad because it isn’t under God. He said not to do it and I trust Him because I can also look practically that sex before marriage leads to “he said she said” and heartbreak. It's lacking self-control and being selfish. You want to respect them to the utmost standard and guard their heart in the sense of it being holy and sanctified under God (Galatians 5:14). God loves that child and you ought not to do any evil towards them. This is for both men and women to be aware of but men more than women because from what I’ve seen God has raised a man to be a leader (Genesis 2:19) and He holds leaders to a higher standard (1 Timothy 3). It's a greater responsibility as well as a greater privilege. God has put me in a leadership position as well and so from the bottom of my heart, I will steward the impact I have well because I love Him. I love Him more than myself and more than others but I recognize that what He loves is me and others. I believe in God’s divine intervention, divine discernment, and freedom in walking with Him. No judgment because it is in God's hands to judge others. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the only one with the right to judge/criticize and He chooses not to. He calls the Pharisees higher because they were in a leadership position held to a higher standard but the woman being accused He had grace for because she was just trying to find her way and was being shamed by others around her and by herself. “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11) What is sin? Lust (lack of control over the mind or respect for another), gluttony (overconsumption and inconsiderate), greed (selfishness), sloth (apathy and laziness), envy (discontent and not happy for another), wrath (holding a grudge or wanting revenge), pride (mother of all vices and failure to see God as Lord); as well as rebellion, lying, idolatry, unforgiveness, and fear. These are core things we need to be aware of, but not surface-level stuff just like how the Pharisees got it wrong when they took what the Bible said too far, to an extent it wasn't meant to go. Follow the Bible with your discernment by the Holy Spirit. God trusts you just like He trusted His people time and time again in the Bible when He gave them cities and people to lead. They had big responsibilities to go to war and head through the wilderness and when they sinned like Moses they reaped consequences but we can see how God blesses them in that. Moses didn’t get to see the promised land but He got to head up to Heaven to be with God sooner than later. My car breaks down and I can see how God is blessing me in that rather than letting myself get frustrated. God is so good. I will love others and allow others to bless me as well. Sometimes we can get so caught up in being selfless that we don’t allow others to be selfless to us. If I want to give you a cookie and you want the cookie you’re not being selfless by rejecting the cookie. It's better for both parties if you accept the cookie. How is this something we struggle with? No wonder we can’t grasp the extent of God’s goodness because we struggle even to grasp the extent of a human’s goodness. Be prepared, know yourself, take ownership, and then act it out. Communication helps with all issues but if you are getting anxious trust yourself. If you are getting a pull to do something good even without an opening, don’t wait for an offer, just do.