Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
Today we start a series titled “Strengthening Christian Marriage and Family Living.”
Today we are talking about Marriage, By God’s Appointment
Prayer
We are thankful for You, heavenly Father, for Your overwhelming love.
We thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ.
That you for the example of love that Jesus has expressed to the church.
You have given this to us as a type of love we are to exhibit within our homes.
May we be faithful in this endeavour.
Accept our offerings as a partial expression of that godly love.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Text
Proverbs 18:22 AMP
22 He who finds a [true and faithful] wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor and approval from the Lord.
Scripture Reading
Genesis 2:20-25 AMP
20 And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him.
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
22 And the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man He made (fashioned, formed) into a woman, and He brought her and presented her to the man.
23 Then Adam said,
“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed or embarrassed.
Proverbs 18:22 AMP
22 He who finds a [true and faithful] wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor and approval from the Lord.
Ephesians 5:30-33 AMP
30 because we are members (parts) of His body.
31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined [and be faithfully devoted] to his wife, and the two shall become [a]one flesh.
32 This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church.
33 However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].
Hebrews 13:4 AMP
4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all [that is, regarded as something of great value], and the marriage bed undefiled [by immorality or by any sexual sin]; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Introduction
All young people must make three major decisions.
They must confront the issue of who or what is to master their lives.
They must decide on their missions and or vocations.
They must consider whether they will marry and, if so, choose life long mates.
Their salvation is dependant on their decision regarding the master of their lives.
Their society is contingent on their mission and purpose.
Their personal lives are directly affected by their choice of marriage partners.
Marriage holds a vital position in the life of an individual, but it is not God’s will for every person to be married.
1 Corinthians 7 Teaches us a lot about marriage.
Each person must seek God’s will regarding this important issue.
Those who marry outside the will of God face unnecessary hardships.
In the consideration marriage from God’s perspective, let us make note of the spiritual empowering, vigour, and vitality found within the marital union.
- God’s empowering in marriage .
When it comes to God empowering a marriage, this concept deals with the beginning of the marriage, this is where it is empowered.
Blessed is the couple who allow God to initiate marriage.
- God’s purpose.
God has a plan for every person’s life.
This includes your marital status.
It is wise to seek God’s purpose and plan for your life even before you start seeking a marriage partner.
Many problems are solved before they arise if you know what you are going to do for a vocation before you consider marriage.
B. God’s person.
The heavenly Father is aware of the different personalities and needs of all humankind.
God has a profound concept of marriage.
If the Lord is allowed to have His way, each person will be lead to marry the person who is most suitable.
This is the basic key to marriage compatibility.
C. God’s procedure.
If a marriage is to be a testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ, those considering marriage should be sure that the wedding ceremony is conducted in accordance with God’s procedures.
Secret ceremonies, elopements, and shot gun weddings all cast shadows on the Christian witness.
2. God’s vigour in marriage.
The word vigour means to prosper.
God did not develop marriage as a form of punishment for wayward people.
Rather, He desires people to prosper, or to enjoy the state of matrimony.
God’s plan calls for a vigorous marriage.
Three factors are involved if a couple is to enjoy marriage.
- God’s goals in marriage.
The wise couple sets specific goals for their marriage.
It must be more than a simple hit and miss effort.
They should set goals for spiritual growth, educational advancement, financial security, and social involvement.
These goals give a sense of direction and aid the couple in finding satisfaction in their marriage.
B. Good behaviour.
The high moral code of the Bible is aimed at strengthening the soul.
When people become involved in immorality, their inner self is weakened.
They become insecure and defensive.
Their sin causes many problems to come into their lives.
C. Routine living.
Most people enjoy occasional excitement, but the happiest marriages are centred around wholesome routines of life.
There are enough unexpected events to keep the family excited, or upset, without deliberately causing them.
Though a family takes a holiday to get out of life’s ruts, security and enjoyment can be found in life’s routines.
3. God’s vitality in marriage.
Vitality means to perpetuate.
]the Scriptures discourage the breaking of the marriage contract.
A number of safeguards can bind the marital unit.
- Good habits.
As a wholesome routine offers security to the family, so good habits serve as cement for the marriage.
Regular church attendance is an essential activity for the family.
Times of worship are extremely valuable in entering a marriage on Jesus Christ.
Other habits that will help the family are tithing, serving through the local church, and being involved in community activities.
B. Godly love.
There is no substitute for godly love in a family.
An exciting, youthful love may exist between a husband and wife, but there should always be a deeper godly love between family members.
This type of love is simply a reflection of God’s love for us, and binds the family together.
C. Growth.
The family unit and every member in it should be in a continuing graph process.
Life must not become stagnant.
Growth is spiritual, physical, financial, and social matters must be part of the routine of marriage and will give a family a sense of accomplishment.
Conclusion.
God’s design for marriage is liked to Christ’s relationship to the church.
It has structure, purpose, leadership, and continuity.
It is a serious, yet enjoyable experience.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
2021 IS A YEAR OF REFORMATION
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