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Spiritual Intimacy Marriage in the new millennium can be a difficult partnership. In the last decade, media programming was anti-family and pro self-indulgence. Now media programming has become more family oriented with actors and comedians showing the strategy to make a family work. They generally show the weak man giving in to the intelligent woman’s wishes and desires. The image being given is, “Give a woman what she wants and everyone is happy.” This of course comes from a carnal view- point. It may seem to be easier this way, but what does God’s word say? Eph. 5:21 (KJV) says “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” This is how Paul begins his discourse on the structure of the home, man and woman giving what is in the best interest of the other. Why? Because they fear God. Giving is the checks and balances of the marriage. Neither person’s life is his or her own, but to the discretion of the other. After this, Paul begins to compare the natural home to that of the church and Christ. He explains how each should give to the other. In these scriptures, the woman represents the church and the man represents Christ. Eph. 5:21 24 (KJV) “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” Wives should think of themselves as a church and consider: How should the church show appreciation to God? Serve God? Love God? Talk to God? Live for God? Eph. 5:25-31 (KJV) “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Husbands should think of themselves as compared to Christ, husbands should consider: How does Christ show His appreciation to the church? Bless the church? Love the Church? Talk to the church? Give to the church? Husbands and wives can learn from these scriptures that true love is overcoming together. In a marriage there are so many obstacles. It is very hard for any two people to come to agreement anywhere, and the home is no different. If we add children to the equation, difficulty is exponential. But if both will step back from their circumstances and see how they are portraying the church or Christ in the home, it brings humility and repentance. Each then has a greater desire to meet the needs of the others and lets go of personal agendas. Many ask, “What is true love?” True love is laying down one’s own desires for the desires of another. Jesus says it best: John 15:13 (KJV) “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” When true love is operating in the home, all worries of success and ambition are crushed. When either spouse is self-serving, true love is not shown in the home. Young people have pre-marital sex, babies and STD’s at age fifteen because they are not shown true love in the home. Without true love, the family is forced on a journey to find it. They seek a fantasy of how marriage and family is supposed to be. They have vain imagination. The bottom line in life is that people are people and the only thing that changes people is the mercy of God. Eph. 5:32-33 (KJV) “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” This Christmas, God is pouring out mercy to the humble. Who will receive it? Let’s choose to give life to one another in the home. Showing one another true love is much greater than anything we can buy. -S. Chad Ross December Newsletter 2002 | Presents or Presence | Spiritual Intimacy Pastor's Journal December 2001 | Christmas Lights | Destined to Become part 3 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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