These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.


I'm going to be doing the Marriage Series for the next few weeks not only for you, but mainly for myself. I realize that there is so much I need to learn before I am married and that God's not done stitching my inward attire to make me presentable to Matthew. I've been trying to stitch my inward dress myself and I've made a mess of it. I never was good at sewing. But now I'm handing the needle back to God because I know He can take my mess and turn it into something beautiful that will cause Matthew to turn cartwheels.



This devotion is part of the "Planning a Successful Marriage" series.

We're still walking down the aisle with our bride this week and this morning we're going to find out a little bit about her bridesmaids, her choice female relationships, as we look at one of the most important qualities not only a bride herself should have, but her companions as well! What qualities do your closest and dearest friends hold? How do you benefit from their character traits? You might be wondering what this might have to do with marriage, but ladies, the values our companions hold will either hurt or help our marriages and our attitudes toward our husbands in general. Is marriage sacred to the friends you fellowship with most often, spend the most time with and listen to? Let's see what there is to learn today from the Word of God concerning this very important matter as we look at more of verse 14 coupled with verse 15 of Psalm 45...

....the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.

We learn that virgins are the bride's companions, the ones who attend to her. How would you define a virgin? Webster's 1828 dictionary defines it perfectly, for it says "a woman who has had no carnal knowledge of man". Isn't that a beautiful picture? A rare one to be sure! Now let us go one step further in defining a virgin.... What does the word "carnal" mean? It is defined as "pertaining to the flesh, sensual, lustful". A virgin, therefore, is not only a woman who has not known a man through sexual intercourse, but she is also not given to fleshly, lustful appetites for things that are worldly or carnal. What could be so dangerous about having carnal companions as long as the bride does not follow what they are doing?

Romans 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

You see ladies; the Bible says in our text today that the bride's companions were brought unto the king along with her. Moreover, they are brought with gladness and rejoicing; they are companions that are happily willing to subject themselves to the law of God! They are companions that both desire and strive to please God. Whether you realize it or not, when you get married you are bringing your friends into your union with your king. Why do I say that? Well, common sense should enlighten you to the type of marital advice and attitudes companions like these are going to provide the newly wedded bride with whenever she may struggle in her married life!

Psalm 119:63
I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

Think about it for a moment.... What are your closest friends attitudes toward their husbands? Toward marriage in general? What kind of marital advice have you been heeding lately? What kind of marital advice have you been giving?? What kind of examples have your companions been for you to pattern yourself after concerning married life? Is it a pattern of faithfulness or infidelity? How have your "bridesmaids" attended to you in your marriage? What kinds of things have they been saying to you about your husband, your king? Are they planting worldly seeds of unrighteousness in your heart and mind, breaking down your reverence of your king, advising you to get a divorce, or counseling you to look to the Lord for strength to continue on in your marriage when times get tough? Would they be quicker to pray with you or quicker to help you pack your things and leave?? Women that are first friends with God are the choicest friends of a bride. We should choose our closest companions from those who respect and submit to the Word of God. If submission is what they are living, submission is what they will pass along to any married woman! Therefore, as wives we are to be virgin in our thinking, untouched and undefiled by the world's perspective and faithful to the Lord. Such purity of mind will only enhance our ability to love our husbands as God intended us to....

Song of Solomon 1:3&4
Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Therefore do the virgins love thee... Ladies, when our thinking is virgin, untarnished by a worldly attitude or even a worldly friend, we can love our husbands properly! Your husband's name is to be to you as one who is wonderful, not horrible! So wonderful is his name that you can't keep it in, you must pour it forth that all may know it's sweetness and splendor, that they may know how wonderfully you feel about your groom and your marriage. They are precious and pure thoughts that you should think of your husband; do not let anything come along and spoil your relationship!

According to Webster's dictionary, another quality about a virgin that I feel I must point out is that a virgin is not is a mother. Many wives, including Christian women, treat their husbands as if they were their children. They verbally correct them, physically punish them and constantly try to mold and shape them like children under their management. Dear wife, you are not your husband's mother so stop behaving as such! Did you bring a virgin mind into your marriage or did you bring a tainted one? What have you been dwelling on of late concerning your king - the right things or the wrong things? How many times have you withdrawn from a physically intimate relationship with your husband because of the pollution residing in your mind? The wife who is upright in heart and mind toward her groom is the wife who will be glad and rejoice in her marriage. She is free to love her husband as a virgin without a carnal mind and mothering inclinations, devoid of sinful thoughts to hold her back! All who are pure and whose affections have not been pledged elsewhere can love in a spirit of loyalty.

Proverbs 23:7a
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…

Ladies, as married women you know your impure thought life will spoil your devotion and attraction to your groom! Our heart's desire should always be such that we are ready to be united with the king in his chambers, for it is where he takes only the one he has chosen in this life above all others. Does your husband have any rivals that he is unaware of today that threaten your love for him? As brides, we owe our love and allegiance to one man, our king! As brides, we should seek after the right way of thinking toward our husbands; otherwise, we are guilty of unfaithfulness to them! We are to delight in the companionship of the one to whom we have betrothed our affections and undying loyalty, we are to rejoice in our marriages, and we must keep our minds pure in order to do so! No doubt, the most sacred treasure the bride brings into her marriage, as a gift to her groom is her virginity, which has been preserved all her life. And the best companion any bride can carry along with her through married life is the companion of a virgin mind - a pure mind - for it is a mind that is subject to God and will be ready to love her husband at all times.

In closing, guard your minds and preserve them, ladies! Do not pick worldly friends; pick friends who are subject to God and who are found frequenting His house, walking in His ways and counseling you likewise! Be very sure your female companions are not going to make carnal contributions to your thought life, for your relationship with your husband and God is at stake! If you as a bride want gladness and rejoicing to be present in your marriage, if you want to banish all sorrow and sighing from the doorstep of your home, if you want to be free from strife and division and experience lifelong peace with your groom, get rid of the carnality, for carnality only brings death....

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 Cor. 3:3
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Romans 8:6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

I hope each of you will endeavor to keep the world out of your heart, out of your mind and out of your home! It is a threat to marital bliss and misery is no fit companion for a bride. Choose the attendants of your marriage wisely.

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003 Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.


I'm going to be doing the Marriage Series for the next few weeks not only for you, but mainly for myself. I realize that there is so much I need to learn before I am married and that God's not done stitching my inward attire to make me presentable to Matthew. I've been trying to stitch my inward dress myself and I've made a mess of it. I never was good at sewing. But now I'm handing the needle back to God because I know He can take my mess and turn it into something beautiful that will cause Matthew to turn cartwheels.



This devotion is part of the "Planning a Successful Marriage" series.

Picking up where we left off with Psalm 45 and the story of the royal wedding, we begin today with verse 12 by viewing the attitude of the company present at the marriage ceremony….

And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.

We find among the guests those who strictly cleave to Christ, persons who also love Him in singleness of heart are companions of the bride. They are people who partake of the very same grace, enjoy the same riches in being a child of God, and share in one common salvation. Moreover, everyone will bring sacrificial gifts on that Blessed Wedding Day to lie at the feet of our Savior…

Rather than being dreaded, wedding days are special, sacred events that we should look forward to attending, amen? All you have to do is glance at the countenance of the bride to realize this! How about the "wedding day" we Christians have ahead of us - are you making preparation for the big event, are you excited about it, or dreading the coming of the Groom?? What will your expression be O bride, when the Lord comes - one of gladness or grief? What gifts will you bring to the wedding?

2 Tim. 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Psalm 76:11
Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

Yes, a bride should love the appearing of her groom… The thought of being in her beloved's presence and spending endless moments with him should be something the bride longs for with great anticipation; otherwise, why bother getting married?! I wonder though, ladies, how many of us as wives have lost touch with this attitude toward our husbands… How many of us truly love to spend time with the man we married? When you love someone, you watch for that person in delightful anticipation. How many of us look forward to our "grooms" returning home at the end of the work day and thoughtfully prepare for their return? Certainly those of you who have been married for any length of time have learned what your husband's likes and dislikes are. How many of his preferences are you catering to these days, dear bride?? Are you watching the clock as it nears the time of his arrival? Is your home in order when the king arrives? Is it clean and neat? Is there a nice meal and happy family waiting for him, or has he given up hope of receiving such thoughtful gifts at your hand? Are the kids prepared to meet their father properly? Are their rooms picked up, their naps taken, their noses wiped and their minds directed toward their father in respect? That's your responsibility, Mom! Many children never even acknowledge their father's entrance into the home, they just continue to stare at the TV or ignore him altogether when he arrives. Children should be trained to immediately get up from what they are doing and give their father a hug, respectfully acknowledging his presence. Ladies, we need to teach our children to pay proper attention to their father, it will preserve and protect their relationship with him all through the years. It is the very foundation of their relationship with their heavenly Father as well! You see, they'll learn to treat God the very same way they treat Dad....

Deut. 5:16
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee…

Now how about you, dear wife… Are you prepared to meet your husband in the best frame of mind? How would your spouse describe his "bride" when he arrives home at the end of the day - haggard and indifferent to his entrance or happy and attentive toward him? Perhaps you've become lazy in thoroughly overseeing the affairs of your home. Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference - in all areas of life! Though he may not mention it, your husband can tell the difference as to whether or not you prepared to meet him prior to his arrival. If you've deliberately prepared to meet your groom, the king, there will be an unmistakable difference to you, your children and your home. Even you yourself will sense it! No man wants to come home to a woman who has been munching on the bread of idleness all day…

Proverbs 31:27
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

So it is with the Lord, too… If we've prepared ourselves spiritually to be ready for Christ's imminent appearing, there should be a noticeable difference to our lives, our attitude, our speech, our conduct, our spirit, our countenance and outward appearance - our whole being! Why? Because we MADE ourselves ready, we worked at it and diligently tended to that which we knew would please Jesus when He arrived!! A woman who looks well to the ways of her household sees to it that all that falls under her influence is properly prepared! My guess is, ladies, that if we're not making ourselves completely ready for the men we are married to, the one our eyes CAN see, I highly doubt we are making ourselves completely ready for the One our eyes have yet to see - the Lord Jesus Christ!

Matthew 25:10-13
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. After-ward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

In closing, if we love Christ's appearing, we will live in obedience to His will, and do the work He has called us to do. Our daily good works are the presents we bring in honor of our union with the Lord. These works are not performed to gain an invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, but they are brought because we have already accepted the invitation and we want to honor the ceremony… Likewise, ladies, if you love your husband's appearing, you will live in submission to his will and happily perform the work you know he would be grateful for and that would wholly honor your union with him. It would be rude to accept a wedding invitation without any intention of bringing gifts! A devoted woman is a ready woman and a royal bride brings a giving heart to the wedding.

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003 Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.


I'm going to be doing the Marriage Series for the next few weeks not only for you, but mainly for myself. I realize that there is so much I need to learn before I am married and that God's not done stitching my inward attire to make me presentable to Matthew. I've been trying to stitch my inward dress myself and I've made a mess of it. I never was good at sewing. But now I'm handing the needle back to God because I know He can take my mess and turn it into something beautiful that will cause Matthew to turn cartwheels.



This devotion is part of the "Planning a Successful Marriage" series.

I trust you all have your Bibles opened to Psalm 45:10-11, eagerly awaiting the next set of instructions the Lord has for a bride...

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Hearken, consider and incline...three words used to get our total and undivided attention. What is the advice that the bride is to listen to, what is it she should stop and think about, what is it she should be willing to accept that the psalm writer is about to say directly to this woman who is about to embark upon married life? We find that she is told to forget her own people, and her father's house.... In other words, the bride must break off all her prior relationships, all other bonds or alliances that have formed and separate herself forever from all that she has known since birth, clinging only to her husband, the king. Does it mean she should never speak to others or never spend time with them? No, of course not! But she must readily understand that her primary focus and heart's desire is to be toward her husband. Hence, she must now put all of her efforts into building a close relationship with him - above all else - and love him with singleness of heart and mind. Her newly acquired husband is not to be added to the bottom of her personal list of special people and activities or personal goals, for the king deserves more than leftovers! He is to be placed at the TOP of his wife's list, as most important to her...

Proverbs 31:11
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Where do you have your husband placed today on your list of priorities, dear lady?? How much effort are you putting into building an intimate relationship with him? It is wise counsel that this young woman is being given, and we would all do well to take heed to its constructive encouragement! Many husbands today are tended to and loved only if there is nothing else the wife is busy with such as children, or grandchildren, a part-time job, activities with "the girls", decorating pursuits, Sunday school projects and church responsibilities, home school commitments, the computer etc. Only when the wife has accomplished all that she has wanted to do first or all that she considers top priority and has enough energy, thought, or even time left to spend on or with her husband is the king remembered, let alone reverenced. Yet these women are traumatized when their spouse ends up in an adulterous affair! Let's be honest ladies, sometimes the attitude we take toward our husbands is this - "He can wait; who does he think he is anyway, a king or something??" In fact, we're guilty often times of behaving as if our husbands were a "royal pain" rather than a king! And God says it is foolish of us....

Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Now to some of you this may sound a bit ridiculous, but as you spiritualize this piece of advice the young bride is given, you can understand the wisdom behind it. Ladies, if we sincerely desire to build into our homes spiritual blessings and a solid foundation, we must hearken to the Word of God! We must forget our carnal and sinful attachments and selfish pursuits. Likewise, we must cut off those old habits and bad attitudes; those old influences that hold power over us and inflict present injury upon our husbands. Christ must be our LORD as well as our Savior; all idols must be thrown away, that we may give Him our WHOLE heart.... Is anything hindering you from growing closer to the Lord today, from His having all of your affections? What have you placed before the King of kings that is preventing you from having a more intimate, growing relationship with Him? God greatly desires a close relationship with His people just as a groom hungers after a more intimate relationship with his bride and her fullest attentions - which she should be willing to give him! As we remember what verse 11 says, we'll see this truth pointed out....

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Take sober inventory today... Are you treating your husband and the Lord reverently, or have you neglected both of them? Trains up your young girls Mom, show them how to keep first things first. The world isn't going to show them how to be devoted to their husbands or how to worship the Lord, as God would have them to - YOU must do it! There is nothing more influential than a live example… Would your daughters say that you treat your husband, their father, like a king? Would you have a peace about your daughters treating their husbands the very same way you treat yours?? What habits, what attitudes toward marriage, men, and the Lord are they picking up from you? Would your daughters say that your relationship with the Lord has dwindled or remained strong and sacred over the years? Would you have a peace about your daughters treating the Lord the very same way you treat Him?? If not, are you willing to make the necessary changes so that your life might be an example of right priorities? You see ladies, when we cleave to Christ, we experience grace, joy and open lines of communication in prayer. When we strictly cleave to our husbands, we enjoy those same benefits as well! Holding our marriage in high regard doesn't happen by accident, it happens on purpose. What in life has your fullest attentions today?? Where do your deepest affections lie? Are you willing to put first things first if you haven't been?

Rev. 2:4
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Jeremiah 3:20
Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

Maybe you don't have daughters to teach, but you are still not excused from the responsibility of being a model wife, for the Bible says in Titus 2:4 that the older women are to teach the younger women how to LOVE their husbands, how to treat them like a king. Someone is still learning something from you! The question is WHAT are they learning?? Hopefully it is what our young bride was told to incline her ear toward today. If as a wedded woman you cleave to loyalties outside of your marriage, it will be hazardous to you treating your husband like a king! There are some things you must be willing to leave behind…

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003 Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.


I'm going to be doing the Marriage Series for the next few weeks not only for you, but mainly for myself. I realize that there is so much I need to learn before I am married and that God's not done stitching my inward attire to make me presentable to Matthew. I've been trying to stitch my inward dress myself and I've made a mess of it. I never was good at sewing. But now I'm handing the needle back to God because I know He can take my mess and turn it into something beautiful that will cause Matthew to turn cartwheels.



This devotion is part of the "Planning a Successful Marriage" series.

We will carry on in our study of Psalm 45, focusing only on verse 9 today, as we begin our look at the psalm writer's advice to the bride. Even though some of you ladies may not have been give this advice prior to your marriage, it's never too late to apply it....

Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

First of all, the best bride is a born-again bride; she is first betrothed to the Lord Jesus Christ! Mothers, be sure your boys have discerned the salvation of the women they wish to marry!! And be sure your daughters are born-again brides before you give them away. Oh, and by the way - are YOU betrothed to the Lord Jesus Christ?? Have you accepted the Lord's proposal to you as found in Romans 10:13? Did you tell Jesus "yes" or "no" when He invited you to be His bride for all of eternity?

Rev. 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Those that have accepted Christ's proposal are among the honorable women Psalm 45:9 refers to. An honorable woman will make an excellent wife, for she understands her position. As his faithful companion, she willingly stands at the king's right hand, in happy submission to the authority placed over her, just as Christ is found doing....

Romans 8:34b
....It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Yes, the daughters of the king were in attendance of nobility, they were among the respectable women and they dressed accordingly. As the king looked over at his queen, he was able to view her attire and find it most beautiful as well as proper and appropriate for her role as his bride. The Bible says she was adorned with the gold of Ophir, which was the most precious gold available to the Israelite kingdom. Spiritually speaking, every born-again believer is a member of the royal family of heaven! I'll ask you again - ARE you a member of the royal family today; ARE you really one of the King's daughters?? Knowing the Lord as your personal Savior is the most important foundation a bride could ever set up prior to her wedding day! And if you are a daughter of the King of Kings, your choice of attire should confirm it...

Jeremiah 2:32
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

After your inward wardrobe has been taken care of and you are covered with the garments of salvation, be sure that your outward wardrobe is also that which belongs to an honorable woman. Pick out your clothing with careful and holy consideration as a queen would. This is a lady who wears exceptional garments that stand out above all typical apparel and is worthy of her calling. That "gold of Ophir" mentioned was very costly and Christian lady, it will cost you quite a bit to dress in godly fashion as well! I'm not referring to financial cost as much as I am trying to convey that it will cost you giving up what you might PREFER to wear for what you SHOULD wear! But ladies, isn't it a sacrifice we should willingly make, knowing the sacrifice Christ made for us, knowing what it cost Him to pay for our sins?? "You mean to dress like the King's daughter is going to cost me my favorite jeans?? You CAN'T mean it's going to cost me my favorite black dress with the slit up the side that I KNOW I look so good in?! I can't give these beloved items up!"

Esther 5:1
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house…

The grieving truth is, many Christian women and girls aren't willing to make the sacrifice to dress like royal family and as a substitute dress in a manner that is contrary to noble character by putting on whatever the world dictates, or whatever "self" prefers to wear. Many array themselves in clothing that is either seductive or sloppy and not at all becoming to the King they are allegedly betrothed to!!! Ladies, remember WHO you are when you dress - do you look like an honorable daughter of the King or a harlot; royalty or ragamuffin?? Step back and consider the way your daughters are dressed, along with the clothing choices the women and girls in your church make. Certainly the church body should be honorably attired! Have the standards been lowered? Do they need to be raised? Are there any at all? Would we still make the same choices in clothing if you and I were to walk arm in arm down the aisle with Christ while wearing it?? Would He, as your King, be able to look over at you and consider you appropriately attired as His bride?? Ladies, ALL of your person, your whole self, your inward and outward adornment should glorify God....

1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:19&20
What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's.

If your soul has been united to Christ through faith, then it should be clearly evident by way of your body and your spirit; both should be cheerfully employed to honor your God! Of course, the Holy Spirit in us would persuade us to make a commitment to holiness. (Unless you are ignoring Him!) Actually, now that you are a Christian you have no right to dress like your body is your own because the Bible says it's not - it belongs to God and He will one day hold us accountable for the way we clothed what He bought with His own blood! Many of us spent quite a bit of time selecting the wedding dresses we wore down the aisle, didn't we? And what a pleasure it was! I went from store to store with my mother on many occasions, and with my girlfriends on other occasions searching for hours for THE perfect wedding dress. Oh, the chatter, the excitement, the "ooohs" and "aaahs" we uttered as we excitedly pawed through the racks looking for the perfect gown! As his bride, I wanted to please my groom with the beauty of my attire! Should I give God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, any less consideration?

1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Ladies, we should put as much thought and effort into the way we dress AFTER we are betrothed, not just on the day we were married! Incidentally, now that you are married, how do you dress? Likewise, since you've been born-again into the family of God, how do you look?? Still wearing the same old things you wore before salvation? Some of us adorn our "wedding dress look" only on Sundays when we go to church to worship the Lord and then we dress like the world the rest of the week! Jesus still walks beside us in our homes, in public places, and everywhere we go. Remember that the next time you pick out something to wear, for we walk arm in arm with the King of Kings everyday! Is He glorified with your style of dress or dishonored? Clothe yourself with thought for the Lord - and your husband - make them both pleased and honored to have you by their side. If we were truly looking forward to the Lord's return, we would adorn ourselves in bridal attire…

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.


I'm going to be doing the Marriage Series for the next few weeks not only for you, but mainly for myself. I realize that there is so much I need to learn before I am married and that God's not done stitching my inward attire to make me presentable to Matthew. I've been trying to stitch my inward dress myself and I've made a mess of it. I never was good at sewing. But now I'm handing the needle back to God because I know He can take my mess and turn it into something beautiful that will cause Matthew to turn cartwheels.



This devotion is part of the "Planning a Successful Marriage" series.

As we continue on with our study of Psalm 45 and the subject of marriage, let's begin today with verses 3-5, where we listen in on the advice the king was given by the psalm writer. Such is the advice every king or every man is given in order to secure his bride....

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.

The King is instructed to array himself in the majesty of a warrior prepared for battle. After all, what bride would feel safe with a man who is not equipped to adequately fend off all enemies? As is the case with Christ, the sword is a crucial part of the King's formal attire. What a picture this text is of Jesus coming for His bride! The Bible says He rides with the virtues of truth, meekness and righteousness - three very essential and striking qualities in a groom! His quiver is also full of the arrows of conviction, which will protect his home from the dangers of compromise. Ladies, we must equally instruct our daughters to both recognize and choose to marry a man with Christ like qualities, instilling in them a desire to wait for such an excellent mate. A woman's heart should be won by a man's sword, not by a man's charm.

Actually, all the way down to verse 9 in Psalm 45, we find that words of advice are spoken to the king, the groom. And then in the remainder of the psalm we find that words of advice are addressed to the royal bride. Verses 6-8 listed below provide us with a picture of how the king is to reign, how he is to live and what kinds of choices he is to make, and the fruit of those choices....

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

First of all, there is to be a deep-rooted respect for God's throne, a reverent attitude toward the Lord that should reign supreme in the groom's life. It should be a pattern that can be clearly observed in each step he takes, without a shadow of a doubt accompanying his testimony. Wise is the mother who will teach her daughter to closely observe the habits of the gentleman she is interested in - for an extended period of time! How does this young man feel about the Lord? Does he take God's business seriously? Would he do right if your daughter were not around or is his walk with God just a show for her benefit? Does he love what God loves and hate what God hates? How is he expressing his convictions, if at all?

Next you'll notice within our text that the king has hold of a RIGHT scepter... Did you know that the scepter was an even higher sign of royalty than the crown? It was usually only held by the king on solemn occasions.... Contrary to popular belief, marriage IS a solemn occasion! Young people should take matrimony seriously, and they'll need the help of the Holy Spirit to do so. You see, ladies; the Holy Spirit is to govern a Christian young person's life. The Spirit of God would lead Christians to look to the cross, discouraging them from sin while at the same time giving them a strong affection for the beauty of holiness. Teach your daughters to seek after a man who highly respects the throne of God and the institution of marriage - a king who has tight hold of the RIGHT sceptre!

As a single woman, I fell for a man who was not mindful of the things of the Lord, and united myself to someone who wasn't very sober minded about marriage either. He was a charming, good-looking guy who had hold of the wrong scepter, and it grew to be a very stressful season in my life as a newly married young woman. Needless to say, our home was not governed by righteousness because sin reigned in my husband's life and prevailed in our relationship. We literally opposed one another continually. It was a time of mourning rather than marital bliss, just as the Bible said it would be...

Proverbs 29:2
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Ladies, if married couples would be anointed with the oil of gladness, then the king must uphold the right scepter. Yes, the one that should govern the home must have a tight hold of godly principles. There is nothing sweeter to a bride than the loving leadership of a faithful man who treats his marriage and wife with honor. These are the characteristics of a just governor and one who loves righteousness. And there is nothing more pleasurable to a righteous king than a servant that submits sweetly to his authority. By the way, dear wife, what will it mean for you to act in behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness at home?

Mothers, in preparation for married life, see to it your sons learn to respect God and put Him first in their lives, at all cost. Then teach them to select the RIGHT sceptre and keep tight hold of it, never letting go of truth for one second of compromise! To uphold righteousness is to attract the right kind of wife… In addition, please do everything you can to ensure your daughters end up with a man who has been trained to do the same, otherwise your children will be miserable for the rest of their lives and their marriages will not succeed! We want God's anointing on their wedding day, amen? We want to see the oil of gladness upon both bride and groom. The only way any of us can achieve marital bliss is to put God in His rightful place in our individual lives - that being on the throne of our hearts! Then it is that husband and wife are both conformed to the image of Christ when they are properly united to their Savior. Ladies, this is what sets certain marriages above others as they stand as examples of right living, sent out of the ivory palaces and into a world that chooses to ignore the Lord and His counsel. Not only can our marriages be an avenue of God's blessings upon our lives, but they can also be a testimony to those who need to know there is a RIGHT way for two people to build a home - and it must be God's way!

Hebrews 1:9
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003 Meet Ms. Pam

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