WEDNESDAY WISDOM RETURNS JUNE 3 WITH INSPIRING NEW MESSAGES!

REPOST:

THE MINISTRY OF MARRIAGE pt. 2
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 NIV

We have seen the world's distorted view of marriage…soap operas, romantic comedies, celebrity pairings, bride-zillas  and a multi-billion dollar wedding industry has force fed us a warped, unrealistic view of marital bliss. But once the party is over and all the guests are gone, who are that husband and wife to each other and what is the game plan for a fulfilling life together? 
Unfortunately many couples do not plan past the wedding day and are left to blindly navigate their way through a path that often leads to resentment, contention and ultimately divorce. So how can a marriage last beyond the final payment on the loan that financed the wedding? By realizing that marriage is a ministry and a partnership, and is more about what is given than what is received.

Accepting marriage as a ministry is not for the selfish or faint of heart. In our society, it does not take much to get married…a trip to the courthouse will do. But to have a satisfying marriage that brings fulfillment to both husband and wife requires strength, patience, will power and a heart for giving. And forget about that 50/50 thing; at some point it may be 77/23, 60/40, or 5/95. Someone will always give more in one area than another, so stop keeping score! The Bible says that love does not boast and keeps no record of wrong doing (see 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5).

The Bible also says that love is not self seeking. So if the purpose of marriage is a pretty wedding day, to have guilt free sex, a way to prevent loneliness or to not be the last one left in the singles ministry, then it is time to re-think some priorities. Marriage is a partnership that is upheld by God (see Matthew 19:6); so it is no longer about “me, me, me” or individual desires. Marriage is about “we,” which means putting self on the back burner and faithfully being of service to the union. A couple that serves God, and honors one another is an example of what it means to minister; and this builds a foundation for their children (see Proverbs 22:6). People, we must renew our minds about what it means to be married; it is not to be taken lightly.Our children are watching and learning.

As complex as marriage can be, navigating through the path with a friend makes it easier and more fulfilling. Consider where you work. Is it the dream job or just a means to an end? A dream job is enjoyed; it produces excitement and a willingness to put in the time and energy. A job that is a means to an end is often approached with no passion and only the time required is given. The same thing applies to marriage…Spouses that genuinely enjoy each other are more likely to be of service to one another, and will work on sustaining their marriage. If marrying someone is a means to an end, then the marriage will begin to deteriorate with no one passionate enough to fight for it.

A fulfilling and lasting marriage is hard work and will involve many things on the part of both husband and wife. He must lead in love and she must submit to his leadership (see Ephesians 5:22, 25). Also the couple must assist each other, offer encouragement, have some appreciation and compassion, pay attention/listen, communicate openly, invest time, be sensitive to each other’s needs, embrace forgiveness, pray for each other...serve and above all…seek God in all things!

When we view marriage as a ministry it is more than the garden variety, boy meets girl, Hollywood-manufactured fairy tale. The intricacies of a Godly marriage run deeper than the debt of a wedding, and the intimacy surpasses mere sexual gratification. Marriage is a covenant relationship between husband, wife and God; and it should be something that the couple enjoys, not endures. There is no pre-cast molding for marriage; each one is as vastly different as the people in it. But there is one thing about marriage that is constant and unchanging; and that is the power of God and His word! 

Prayer: Father God, open the hearts and minds of those that have been deceived by the enemy. Show us what it means to come before you in marriage. Help us to understand the service and selflessness required in marriage. Many have fallen short and need to be lifted by your word and your blessings, so please meet them at their need. We thank you for the loving unions that are an example of what you intended marriage to be and we pray that you will sustain those couples. We praise you for being merciful, and we call upon you as Counselor, Redeemer, and Savior of our marriages now and forever more. In Jesus’ name, Amen! 

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to understand love and read Ephesians 5:21-33 to better understand marital roles.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM RETURNS JUNE 3 WITH INSPIRING NEW MESSAGES!

<sup>REPOST:

THE MINISTRY OF MARRIAGE pt.1</sup>

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… Ephesians 5:21-22, 25 NIV

People spend billions of dollars per year to get married and have a splendid wedding but will not invest a plug nickel on their marriage, not in time or resources. And we wonder why the divorce rate is so high. Well it is because people do not understand marriage at all. More often than not people get married for all the wrong reasons, failing to realize that marriage is a ministry and it serves a purpose.

To fully understand the concept of marriage as a ministry we must first understand what marriage is and what ministry entails. Marriage is a commitment between two people to a covenant relationship with God (see Malachi 2:14); it is the cornerstone for building strong, God-fearing families. Ministry is interpersonal (see Romans 1:12) and its purpose is to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Simply put, marriage is the ministry that mirrors the relationship between Christ and mankind; and until people start to recognize the correlation, marriage is doomed to fail.

Though the enemy will convince us otherwise, the Bible clearly states the objectives of a sound marriage. In the book of Ephesians, the roles are clearly defined: Husbands love… and wives are to submit. When a man commits to marriage, he accepts a position of authority ordained by God. He is solely responsible for the family that he creates. When told to love “as Christ loved the church…” it means to sacrifice for the benefit of his household (body). No matter what else is going on in the world, man is called to sacrifice himself for those he loves, just as Christ did. Despite all that Christ suffered at the hands of man, He still prayed for man. He did not seek vengeance against man, and He fulfilled His purpose by dying on the cross. Christ submitted to the authority of God; and His sacrifice saved man from eternal death. So it is when a man marries, he positions himself to be the savior of his household. This does not mean he has to die on a cross, but he may have to bear a few for the sake of a peaceful and loving household.   

When a woman commits to marriage, she accepts her husband’s position of authority ordained by God. Yes, she should submit to him and it is because God said so, not man! If a woman is not willing to submit to her husband, she should not be eager to get to the altar with him. What many women fail to realize is that wives are called to submit “as the church submits to Christ…” because her behavior can win over her husband (see 1 Peter 3:1). This holds true, especially when a husband is not being Christ-like. Submission is the key to captivating him and drawing him nearer to his purpose; it is also a sign of trust in his position as leader. So pray for him, have some compassion, respect his position as “head of household,” support him, and encourage him in his endeavors. Let him be the man that God has ordained him to be in marriage. A wife should be a refuge to her husband, not his nemesis.

Remember, marriage is the foundation of a sound family and it is a joint effort. Although two people are joined together as one, there has to be compromise and sacrifice on both parts. It will not always be easy for husbands to lead, and often it will be difficult for wives to submit. That is where God comes in…call on Him, and seek His presence within the marriage at all times. After all, marriage was God’s idea in the first place (see Genesis 2:18), so turn it over to Him and He will bless it as only He can!

Prayer: Father God, we call on you asking that you will bless the marriages of those around us. The enemy has us so twisted that we are forsaking a covenant that was meant to glorify you, and our families are suffering because of it. Please Father; forgive us for taking this sacred covenant so lightly. Help those couples that are struggling to define their purpose in marriage. Help them to understand what marriage really means so that they can be wise in their choices. Open their hearts so that men can freely love their wives, and soften their resolve so that women can willfully submit to their husbands. We need you Lord, because our children are falling by the wayside. We thank you for your grace and mercy, and praise you for who you are and all that you are! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read 1 Corinthians13:4-7 to understand what love means and read Ephesians 5:21-33 to better understand submission.

HAPPY IS THE JOURNEY

Why do we insist on putting our happiness on hold? Waiting for some future occurrence to deliver us the satisfaction we seek, we persevere and proclaim: 
I'll be happy when I get that promotion.
I’ll be happy when the kids are grown and gone.
I’ll be happy when I lose twenty more pounds.
I’ll be happy when my spouse stops drinking so much.
I’ll be happy when… The list could go on and on, and we find that our happiness is dependent on our happenings.
But once that thing happens, we start all over again…searching, seeking that ever elusive butterfly… chasing that superficial emotion called happy.  We go wrong by thinking of happiness as the destination that we must arrive at, instead of the decision we embrace during the journey.  If we choose to be happy no matter what is happening, we begin to experience true joy.  God, in His infinite wisdom created us in such a way that we will never experience true joy until we are united with Him in obedience to His will and His Word! How awesome is that?
Consider this:  After returning, and rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the Israelites still lacked a connection with God; they needed to hear His Word and obey it.  So as they listened to the law and began to understand it, the people were convicted and began to repent…Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength (see Nehemiah 8:9-10). Our happiness is connected to our relationship with God, not with situations and circumstances.
So be happy right now that you have a job, be happy right now that the children are growing into productive young adults. Be happy right now that there are twenty pounds to lose and not two hundred… Be happy right now that there are programs to help families with alcoholism and addiction.  If we are happy by default, we witness to the world true joy in action!

Prayer: Thank you God for giving us a direct connection with you, for giving us joy in the form of Christ Jesus.  Forgive us for trying to fill that void with sinful and worldly things.  Help us to see that happiness is a choice that we can make each day, and help us to choose wisely. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Remember that the book of Psalms is filled with joyful praise. Check out a few: 19:8, 20:5, 27:6, 30:5 30:11, 45:7

WALK IN CHRIST NOT CRISIS!

After spending thirty years on death row in an Alabama penitentiary, Ray Hinton was recently exonerated and released from prison. His response to the injustice he endured for decades was “they took my 30s, 40s, my 50s, but what they couldn’t take was my joy… Bitterness kills the soul, I cannot hate because my Bible teaches me not to hate.” WOW!!! This man held on to hope under conditions that most of us will never have to endure, yet we carry our hardships like a badge of honor, and we wear our sufferings like a suit of armor.  This speaks volumes to the condition of our hearts as followers of Christ.
We all fall short of perfection and each of us face challenges in our lives but no matter what the circumstance, whether miserable in marriage, bothered by bills, shamed by sin, injured or ill; Christ is the Redeemer and our joy and strength can be found in Him! We are supposed to be witnesses of Christ’s redemption; we are the face of His salvation. How are we to do that if our living does not coincide with what the Bible says about Christ? If the condition of our flesh controls us, we cannot exemplify the spirit of God within us.
The Bible teaches us to walk by the Spirit of God and not give in to the flesh (see Galatians 5:16) What we must do is to slay the sin that so easily ensnares us and fight against things that God hates (see Proverbs 6:16-19). When we fully embrace the Spirit of God, His presence is evident in our walk. We are not true witnesses if we gripe and complain all week and then show up on Sunday to sing His praises. His grace and mercy should shine through our circumstances every day.
God uses people and circumstances to speak to us, to uplift us and to purpose us. Take time out today to evaluate what God can do through you. Are you a walking example of Christ’s redemption or are you a victim of sin and circumstance? As a follower of Christ, can anyone bear witness through you? Ask yourself, are you walking in Christ or crisis?

Prayer: Thank you Father God for all of our circumstances, both good and bad; and for giving us joy in the form of Christ Jesus. Forgive us for embracing sinful and worldly things and attempting to fulfill our flesh and not our spirit.  Help us to embrace the Holy Spirit each day in our walk with Christ, and shed away all things that is not of your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read Galatians 5:13-26 to embrace the power of God’s Spirit within us.