Today all over the world the enemy is attacking the institution of marriage in a fierce and subtle ways. This is really affecting Christians and non-Christians marriages resulting in the breakdown of a significant number of marriages. We need to understand the serious nature of the conflict and reinforce our defense against the lies that Satan is spreading, standing on the truth that God has revealed in His word.
The time to prepare for marriage is not when you are just about to get married, rather it is now. Allow the Spirit of God to begin to shape your thinking on marriage because it is the second most important decision you will make in your entire life and should be considered with the utmost seriousness. If you marry "well" you will bring "heaven" down to earth. If you make a foolish choice, you may bring yourself down into the pits of a "hellish" life.
1. Practical Principles:
Set your heart on growing in intimacy with Jesus: Philippians 3 vs 10 says, "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death". NLT.
This is not to say that a love relationship with another human being is of little significance in God's eyes rather you are acknowledging God's greatest commandment to love Him first and foremost above all others with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. When you put first thing first, you are bringing order and harmony into your life rather than confusion and conflict of interests. When you set your heart and mind on knowing Christ above all others, you will discover that God blesses you in your human relationship and uses them for His glory.
2. Put Your Trust In God:
Proverbs 3 vs 5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; not depend on your own understanding. Vs 6 Seek His will in all you do and he will show you which path to take". NLT
Marriage is most important aspect of our lives which we must commit into God's loving hands. He is our loving Shepherd and wants to guide us and provide His need in our lives in the most satisfying and fulfilling way. We express our truth in God by praying to Him, asking for His help, direction and overruling in the whole matter of marriage. Exodus 15 vs 13.
3. Studying the scripture about God's will and standards concerning marriage:
2 Timothy 2 vs 15 says, "Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth". NLT
2 Timothy 3 vs 14-16 says,"But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right".NLT
We should build our life on His word and build His word into our lives. The word alone tells us how to live for Him and serve Him. We are surrounded by false teachings, therefore we must not allow our society to distort or crowd our God's eternal truth. Spend time to reflect on the foundation of our faith in God's word, the great truth that build up our lives.
Monday, 25 March 2013
Thursday, 21 March 2013
CREATION OF MAN AND WOMAN!
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings* in our image, to be like ourselves. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Genesis 2:22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
These passages explain the creation of man and woman. Genesis chapter 1 vs 26 told us that "MAN" was created in the image of God. Image here means Character or essence. It does not mean to look like but to have the same material of a thing. We have the same quality and characteristics as God the Creator. "Man" here is a neutral gender.In essence man and woman have the same spirit of God. And spirit has no gender. The word proclaims MAN, both male and female in the image and likeness of God. Man and woman were created simultaneously.
But "The Man" in Genesis chapter 2 vs 7 was formed first. Formed is different from created. Formed means developed and created means original form. The Lord God formed "the man". In this case the scripture no longer say just "MAN" but specifies "the man" referring to a particular man. The man ADAM!
* "the man" was FORMED from the ground. meaning that "the man" was never in a existence. Something formed is still lifeless until life is breath into it. It shows God was source of life for man.
* A woman was MADE from what was already in existence. Made means formed from what was already developed. Something made is formed from already living thing. A woman draws life from "the man".
Though God breathes life into the man's body, He did not breathes life into the woman's body because she came from a body that was already living. Man and woman have the same spirit in line with Genesis 1 vs 26, but gender different physically in line with Genesis 2 vs 7, 22. Life was activated in the body because of the spirit of God dwelling in it.This account dignifies woman as an important factor in the creation, equal in power and glory with the man.
Without "the man" there will not be "a woman". Likewise, without a head there will not be a body. Therefore, we can deduce that the success of a marriage lies with "the man" or the head. The functionality of a woman is to be a helper to "the man".The man is expected to treat the woman that came from him with love. He is to cherish and nourish her as his own. In the same way, a woman whom "the man" gave life to should look up to him with respect. She is to complement and complete him!
This is the foundation of marriage of which if understood and constantly keep in view, will surmount the challenges and storms of life.
Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Genesis 2:22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
These passages explain the creation of man and woman. Genesis chapter 1 vs 26 told us that "MAN" was created in the image of God. Image here means Character or essence. It does not mean to look like but to have the same material of a thing. We have the same quality and characteristics as God the Creator. "Man" here is a neutral gender.In essence man and woman have the same spirit of God. And spirit has no gender. The word proclaims MAN, both male and female in the image and likeness of God. Man and woman were created simultaneously.
But "The Man" in Genesis chapter 2 vs 7 was formed first. Formed is different from created. Formed means developed and created means original form. The Lord God formed "the man". In this case the scripture no longer say just "MAN" but specifies "the man" referring to a particular man. The man ADAM!
* "the man" was FORMED from the ground. meaning that "the man" was never in a existence. Something formed is still lifeless until life is breath into it. It shows God was source of life for man.
* A woman was MADE from what was already in existence. Made means formed from what was already developed. Something made is formed from already living thing. A woman draws life from "the man".
Though God breathes life into the man's body, He did not breathes life into the woman's body because she came from a body that was already living. Man and woman have the same spirit in line with Genesis 1 vs 26, but gender different physically in line with Genesis 2 vs 7, 22. Life was activated in the body because of the spirit of God dwelling in it.This account dignifies woman as an important factor in the creation, equal in power and glory with the man.
Without "the man" there will not be "a woman". Likewise, without a head there will not be a body. Therefore, we can deduce that the success of a marriage lies with "the man" or the head. The functionality of a woman is to be a helper to "the man".The man is expected to treat the woman that came from him with love. He is to cherish and nourish her as his own. In the same way, a woman whom "the man" gave life to should look up to him with respect. She is to complement and complete him!
This is the foundation of marriage of which if understood and constantly keep in view, will surmount the challenges and storms of life.
Friday, 8 March 2013
GOD CENTERED DATING RELATIONSHIP!
Do you want to have God at the center of your dating relationship? Would you like God to influence the love you show another person? Dating is how we go about inspecting a foundation to build a successful marriage upon. It is imperative that the person 'you' choose to marry and build your life with - has a very similar belief and value system, which is exceptional - for 'you' to then give him or her - the final "pass inspection" stamp. This foundation you are inspecting is CHRIST. How is the person relationship with God like? How committed is the person with the things of God? You must, above all else - make sure that the person 'you' have chosen to build your marriage and life with - is exceptional as an individual - first. This initial step must be cleared, before you even think of building anything together - of which you expect to last. The long-term success for your marriage can only be ensured - 'if' you take the responsible position to make sure your intended marriage partner - passes the initial inspection 'while' dating! We do not and never will change another person... no matter how cute or persuasive you think you are.
Here is some advice that can help you pursue God’s will for your life and in your dating relationship.
1.Remember that God’s Love is the ultimate. Knowing the love God has for you means that you do not have to seek fulfillment in how anyone makes you feel (a weakness of human love): the most perfect love comes from God. Make sure you are strong in your loving relationship with God. This means knowing that He is always there to help you along the way. Trust Him. Make God the most important in your life. Make Him the love of your life.
2.Know the ideal match for you. Date someone that you would consider marrying. Choose a person that has a similar desire for God, one that will build you up in your faith. If you are already in a relationship, positively encourage one another in pursuing God. Help your male friend or female friend to keep God the focus.
3.Talk about God. Make an effort to bring God into your conversations. Not only will it help in keeping God on your minds, you will also find out about each others beliefs. Talking about a spiritual subject changes normal conversation into one of eternal significance. Discussing God also allows you to build up each others knowledge and confidence.
4. Be careful with physical affection. Hugs are great. God created physical affection to be good. But be careful in how much physical permission you give one another. A relationship can easily turn sinful if physical bonding occurs too quickly. Everyone is different. But if you feel guilty at all for actions, it may be good indication that you are going too far. Avoid physical actions that might cause lustful thoughts (such as sitting on lap, laying on each other or sensual kissing and massages). In this day and age of dating question like whether “premarital physical activity at some level beyond kissing is ok” sound ridiculous to the world, even in the Christian fold, however, in the eyes of single Christian men and women it remains one of many moral dilemmas faced in the dating arena. Whether dating for the first time or you are convinced this is your Christian match, Christians need to know just how far is far enough when it comes to kissing and other forms of physical intimacy. In search of answers to this question one must seek the Bible to see what God has to say about kissing. While the Bible does not specifically mention "kissing" it does make reference to various forms of physical intimacy. Whether you look at kissing from strictly a Biblical perspective or take a more physiological standpoint the conclusion one comes to is the same. Kissing is a powerful entity not to be taken lightly by the Christian single. "Charles Parles shed more light on the act of kissing from a purely physiological viewpoint. He said that kissing often leads to more problems for the single Christian desiring purity in their dating life. Both men and women have erogenous zones - meaning that these areas heightened sexual sensitivity which when touched may result in sexual excitement or stimulation. One of these erogenous zones is the mouth, specifically the lips which are filled with small nerve endings that make them more sensitive than any other part of the face. Once the lips touch in a kiss various neurotransmitters, hormones and endorphins are produced by the brain and body to include serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline. As a result our mood and feelings are affected, heart rate is increased, blood vessels dilated and hormones that help us regulate feelings of attachment, devotion and affection are released". Ephesians 5:3 tells us, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity...because these are improper for God's holy people.” Anything that even “hints” of sexual immorality is inappropriate for a Christian. The Bible does not give us a list of what qualifies as a “hint” or tell us what physical activities are approved for a couple to engage in before marriage. However, just because the Bible does not specifically address the issue does not mean God approves of “pre-sexual” activity before marriage. By essence, foreplay is designed to get one ready for sex. Logically then, foreplay should be restricted to married couples. Anything that can be considered foreplay should be avoided until marriage.
5.Cherish your own personal God time. Make sure you spend time alone with God. You need moments of reading the Bible, journaling or praying just between you and God. Since God is your ultimate love, it is good to have that time alone with Him.
Make sure your male friend or female friend and you are active in the body of Christ. You will feel good about sharing God’s love. He calls us to serve Him.Trust and know that God has your back. He wants what is best for the both of you.
Keep in mind the reality that God is real. While having a special someone can bring great happiness in this world, realizing the eternally wonderful nature of God’s love is something you do not want to miss. God is real. His love is real. God is love. Realize that God is working in your life right now.
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