Marriage …
Marriage is Important
The Importance of Marriage – primarily from the perspective of Scripture.
God’s Creation
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NKJV)
Right from the start God made men and women equal, in “the image of God” but with complementary differences as men and women.
On the creation of man God placed him in the garden and gave him His vision for life in the world that He, God had created. God then saw that something was incomplete and said “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (Genesis 2:18 NLT). God had seen that it was not good for the first man, and for most of us, to be left by himself.
God then created/crafted woman out of the rib of that first man ( Genesis 2:21-22). Then, God presented and entrusted this remarkable gift to the man.
What we know as marriage had been instituted by God. A man and a woman becoming one new entity and, as we are told later being “one flesh”. That entity of one man and one woman being the fundamental human relationship in God’s created world. This human relationship being the basis for family — a relationship that is there ahead of the parent-child relationship.
Genesis 2:24 tells us
Prayers for Marriages ~ February
Prayers for Marriages Within the Church
The Word of God is not ‘old-fashioned’, as some would have us believe, but continues to be 100% relevant in modern-day lives. This should be reflected by the church living in fear of the Lord, adhering solely to ‘love’ as defined in the scriptures, and modelling it. Pray for the church and all who are in positions of leadership in it that they would know and understand the Word of God and its infallibility. Pray that all might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord. (Col 1:9-10). That churches would teach the Word of the Lord boldly & plainly, loving their hearers, yet not condoning any sin. That their messages would not be compromised by worldly doctrines or political correctness. ‘Fornication’ is sin in God’s eyes (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Please
On Earth Peace and Goodwill Toward Men
With Christmas approaching, it brings a mix of joy, anxiety, fear, stress and, to some, depression. Shops are filling with Christmas items—food, gifts, decorations, etc and the occasional shop, though getting rarer these days, playing Christmas carols.
As we get closer to the 25th, the hearts of some become increasingly heavy. This may be because of the thoughts of the preparation, the possible ramifications of a great family meeting/lunch/BBQ and its complications or spending a Christmas alone having lost a loved one.
How can we help others and maybe ourselves have joy throughout the season? We need to move the focal point from the “world” to what the season is about — the birth of Christ, with the sufficiency of scripture being our guide.
I. The Birth of Christ—the Reason
Some forces appear to be trying
