Being married does not stop you from dating each other!
Dating your spouse will help to enrich your marriage and make it stronger.
Easter And Marriage
A marriage where the husband and wife are totally devoted to each other, communicate well with each other, and have good conflict resolution skills is likely to survive. However, to move to a growing, healthy, and flourishing marriage, the husband and wife need the message of Easter.
All around us we see examples of good and bad in communication, conflict resolution, and how to accept the differences of others. What is around us can influence us, but we in the Church know that in many marriages the greatest influencer is missing and that is Jesus and the standards set in His word “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
God’s plan for marriage is to mirror His image (Genesis 1:26-27) so that it glorifies Him. For marriage to show the relationship of Jesus to the church and the fullness of who He is in a
Much is written these days about sustainability, usually in terms of the environment. For us, this should be a natural part of good stewardship and the dominion which we were given (Gen. 1:26-28), which, although lost through Adam’s sin, was restored to us through Christ.
Marriage between a man and a woman, as designed by God, should be the image of sustainability. Marriage is a covenant relationship for life, no matter what lies before us – God is always with us (Psa 23; Heb 13:5-8).
There are two foundational ways in which we can equip those who are married and also those who will be married in the future:
- Speaking out the Word (2 Tim 3:16), whether through a sermon message or other meetings. The Word that speaks of the design and purpose of marriage, the roles of husband/wife and father/mother. The Word on how we should forgive, communicate, etc., is all-important for our life ministry.
a. Encouraging married couples/families to invite Christ to become their centre and foundation, praying together and for each other.
b. Ask the church, prayer and home groups regularly to pray for the marriages within the church.
2. Teaching through
Across the nation, some churches are experiencing a revival as well-known prophets foretold. Whilst this is happening, some churches are face declining numbers. Facing the ongoing spiritual attack, the challenge of the “world” is a universal experience, irrespective of whether your church is experiencing revival, decline, or simply remaining unchanged.
From the census data, Christianity dropped from 67.3% to 43.9% between census years, while other religions like Buddhism (1.9% to 2.4%), Hinduism (0.5% to 2.7%), and Islam (1.5% to 3.2%) increased. Most of the growth is due to immigration intake.
We are all engaged in a major continuing challenge the undermining of marriage and family. Sadly, the ABS discontinued the publication of some statistics in their annual national marriage and divorce report. The last figure published for co-habitation before marriage was at 81.3% in 2021 against 72% in 2000. Annual birth statistics reveal a rise in non-marital births, increasing from 29.2% in 2000 to 39.9% in 2023 (286,998 total births).
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
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