The Importance of Pre-Marital Counselling – Dr. Bill Hanshew Faulty Reasons for Getting Married Dr. Dan L. Corse
TWO HEARTS BECOME ONE JASMINE HUMPHREY
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE PASTOR SARAH E. LEWIS
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST REV LEON GOSIEWSKI
TEEN WARRIORS AND THE WHIZ KIDS
WHAT’S AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH ? BISHOP FRANK DUPREE
HOW TO RELEASE YOUR FAITH FOR A GODLY MATE REV MELISSA SHEPHERD
DESIRING GOD GENICE FULTON
THE SHOWCASE OF GOD Rev Kathy Weddle
A Note from the Editor: Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! This month ends the 2nd year of our magazine, Faith Unlimited. Next month we will begin year 3! We are very excited about the upcoming year and all the surprises God has in store for us! I pray the articles, advertisements, and previous recipes have blessed you. I am looking for a Christian Chef who would like to share some of his/her recipes in our magazine. Also, one of the new ideas we have is to screen and interview occasional writers who would like to submit an article from time to time. If you are interested in either of these, and would like this opportunity, you can contact me at: Faye.faithunlimited@gmail.com God Bless You! We appreciate any feedback you would like to share with us about anything that has blessed you.
Faye Hanshew
Articles Two Hearts Become One Just Another Day in Paradise The Importance in Pre-Marital Counseling Desiring God The Bride of Christ Faulty Reasons for Getting Married What’s an Apostolic Church? How to Release your Faith for a Godly Mate The Showcase of God
Jasmine Humphrey Pastor Sarah E. Lewis Dr. Bill Hanshew Genice Fulton Rev. Leon Gosiewski Dr. Dan L. Corse Bishop Frank Dupree Rev Melissa Shepherd Rev. Kathy Weddle
Teen Warriors What About Me?
The Girl Next Door
Grace and the Whiz Kids Homework Tips 101
Grace Martin
Books Wholeheartedly! Genice Fulton The Fig Tree Has Sprouted, Awake! Rise & Glow, and Christianity Mis-Sold Leon Gosiewski Spread a Little Love, God’s Love Quotes of Inspiration from the Heart of God Dr. Bill Hanshew Treasures of the Messiah Amos Long Where Precious Gems Hide Destined to be Loved Katie-Anne Martin Matthew 4:4 Rick McKnight The Crocked Legged Foal Danielle Norris The Power of Grace Dr. Larry Ollison Decisions, Decisions, and more Decisions Nick Schneider What About Job? Tom Tompkins
Proverbs 18:22 (NKJV) “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.” When I was a younger man, Faye and I were married when I was 18 years old. Now, I do not recommend marriage at a young age for everyone, but it can work as it has for me. However, I wanted children right away. So, I began to declare that we were going to have a daughter first and all nine months, I did not change my confession of faith. Then she was born. Then next, I began to declare that we would have a son and all of those nine months, I did not change my confessions of faith. Then he was born. Now, none of this would have been possible without meeting my wife and getting married. So, at the age of 17, I was not like many young men that I knew. I was seeking the Lord asking Him for a wife. That might seem unusual for someone my age, but I knew that God had someone for me, even then. So one day I visited a church which was quite a longs way from where I lived. But Faye also lived quite a long distance from that same church, but in the opposite direction. However, the Lord had arranged our meeting. The moment I saw her, everything else became a shadow except for Faye. Now the reason I am telling you this is because there are too many rushed marriages today. And as a minister since 17 years old until now at the age of 61, I have seen many couples get married for many of the wrong reasons. The moment my eyes feel upon Faye, I loved her. God arranged what I prayed for and asked Him for. As I husband and father, then now a grandfather; I can tell you that the journey is not always easy, but in the end, it is always worth it. Each of you reading this note must understand that children are a blessing, no matter what path they take in life. A father should be much like our Heavenly Father, in that we always want our children to serve God with their whole-heart, loving Him and living for Him. But children are a heritage FROM the Lord. Psalm 127:3 (NKJV) says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” So, I want to encourage every father to pray for your children. Pray for them as if you were bathing them in water, just like you did when they were babies. Except bathe them in prayer and with the Word of God. They may not know it, but God does. Love your children enough to declare God’s Word over them. Because there is power in the spoken Word of God, those words will have an impact on your children’s lives. I want to bless all of our father’s by saying, Happy Father’s Day to each of you. You also are a blessing from the Lord, and know this, that when you find a wife by seeking the face of God, you obtain the favor from the LORD. If you did not seek the Lord concerning a wife, know that God will still surround you with His favor in your marriage and fatherhood – as you put God first in all you do. Once again because you deserve it, Happy Father’s Day and God bless you. Dr. Bill Hanshew
TWO HEARTS BECOME ONE (From one end of the earth to the other!)
by: Jasmine Humphrey with the assistance of: Author Katie-Anne Martin
I was born and raised in the town of Durban, Kwa ZulaNatal, South Africa. Durban is known as one of the busiest ports in South Africa and is a great place for the tourists because of the beautiful beaches. My Mother and Siblings were also born there. But although there were many people in Durban, I did not have that special person in my life yet that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Being in my early 20’s, I longed and I prayed that soon I would meet that person.
Then one day, I was scrolling on the computer, and I first encountered Josh Humphrey while on YouTube where I was searching for a song. He was a musician and had posted a song which really
impacted me. Upon hearing it, my heart stirred as I was deeply touched by the passion expressed in his music. Instantly, I felt drawn to him, and commented upon the songs that he had posted, as I listened enthralled to each of them. I hoped that he would respond to the comments I had made as somehow I was attracted to this man whom I had never met. And then on this so very special day of the10th of March 2013, a day that I will not forget as it was on this day that I first saw this incredible musician on YouTube. I was unaware at the time that this awesome singer was the man whom I would eventually marry. Josh was in my thoughts as my attraction to and interest in him grew. Finally, I made a search for him on Facebook, as I hoped to be able to make contact with him. My search was successful and within a short amount of time he and I were corresponding frequently via Facebook. Eventually we grew to care deeply for one another, as a love relationship developed between us via the internet. It was as though God Himself had brought us together and we began to date—Still not having met in person. Of
course, how could it have been anything other than God since we were in separate continents at the time! On the 12th of July 2013, Josh told me that he loved me. I declared my love for him also and we began to plan our future. We decided that he would fly to South Africa to visit me. It was on the 25th of March 2014, that exciting day came, and we finally met face to face. The experience was somewhat surreal. As I caught sight of him walking around the corner towards me I was excited and relieved to finally be able to embrace the man whom I loved. Just days later, as Josh got down on one knee, the
adrenaline rush caused my heart to beat faster and faster, he then proposed to me! Talk about romantic! It was a very special moment, and he also approached my parents to request their permission for us to marry. My family were delighted and readily agreed. After an incredibly special three month stay, Josh needed to return home, but I will never forget the expression in his eyes as we said our goodbyes—The love mixed with pain at our parting. It was a difficult moment for both of us. However, as he boarded the plane to fly home, I was certain that this was indeed the man whom God had set aside to be mine. Without knowing exactly when we would see one another again, we were both aware that we would be together for the rest of our lives, as husband and wife. On November 7th, 2015, we were able to speak out our wedding vows, and to enter into a marriage that we knew to have been created, and ordained by the Hand of our Heavenly Father—A marriage which continues to this day, to be sustained by the God whom we both love and serve.
fif
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE
by: Sarah E. Lewis
In August 1958 I met the love of my life. I was only 15 at the time. We dated a few months and then on my birthday, in April 1959 he gave me an engagement ring! I was so excited! I had gone to church all my life, but he had not. However, I did tell him that I would not date someone who drinks or smokes, so he quit both of them! He would go to church with me every Sunday night and my Brother Joe went with us, by orders of my dad! During the time I was staying in Waynesville with my grandmother, Jimmie would come and see me. We would sit on the front porch under my Grandmother’s watchful eye! My family was not happy about our engagement, so I would wear my engagement ring only when I went out with him. At that time, when a guy gave a girl an engagement ring, they did not always sit a wedding date. But in August, 1959 Jimmie ask me to marry him. On one Saturday night my older brother, Charles, and his wife, Louise, took us to Miami, OK and we were married! We attended church and after much moving from state to
state, we settled in Rolla, MO. Jimmie worked for his dad at Lewis garage. We thought things were going really good. Our first son, Kim was born in 1960, and our second son, Jimmie was born in April, 1962. Jimmie died at 8 months old with the flu and complications. After that, we quit going to church and we blamed God and ourselves. We had taken the baby for prayer and had no doubt that he would be ok, but no one in the church tried to help us. We had two other children, another son, Mark, and a daughter, Tracy. Then things started getting worse for us. My husband began to drink and smoke again. Our marriage was in trouble and I decided I was going to end our marriage. But the same night as Jimmie was out drinking, the Lord appeared to him and he came home different. He told me that the Lord appeared to him, and he would try to change. We knelt at our bed and gave our heart to the Lord. We were baptized a month later. Then one morning Jimmie woke me up and said that the Lord said to go to New York! After much prayer, and calling for others to pray, we headed out at 10:30 PM for New York!
While in New York, we attended Pinecrest, which is a Bible Training Center on and off for two years. While we were there, we were introduced to praise and worship and the Word in a way we never dreamed. Then we moved back to Missouri and to Arkansas. We would have house meetings, staying up all night in the Word. This time was so precious! We settled in Kansas City area for the next 17 years, and then we moved back to Rolla, MO. In 1974 a brother in the gospel came by our house and gave us a prophesy that we were going to board a plane and go to Egypt! We laughed, but in 1997, along with my sister, Shirley Shannon and her husband Wes we traveled to Egypt. It
was an experience we will never forget. Since then, we have also ministered in Paris, and Kenya, and Tanzania Africa. 2001 the late Wes Shannon gave his life while in Tanzania. He was a true missionary. Since that time, Jimmie goes to Africa every other year. He also brings his spiritual
son, Enock to the USA, and sometimes Josphat. The reason we have been married 57 years is due to our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. He made our marriage strong, and is making us to live through His Life and His Word. I give Him all the Praise!
We are excited to see what God has in store for us. A vision 40 years of a place somewhat like Pinecrest is still real today. I do not know how or when, but it will happen in God’s time, for such a time as this! Esther 4:14
FAMILY LOVE
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRE-MARITAL COUNSELING
by: Dr. Bill Hanshew
1 Corinthians 7:1-3 says, “1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.” These verses speak of the Principles of Marriage and here in First Corinthians chapter 7 we find many instructions on the subject. However, Paul also gives some advice to those who are about to get married. And this is how Paul begins this chapter. But as an intro, Paul says “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me.” Paul had received letters from others, with questions about pre-marital relationships concerning sex, and he warns against it. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul writes, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” Now, this was not the only thing Paul addresses from these letters, but he certainly talks about the dangers of sex outside of
marriage, in what he calls, “sexual immorality.” Over the years I have studied Christian Phycology and Counseling so that during the time in which I was a pastor, I wanted to be more helpful to those in the congregation. And from these studies, I also developed a system for counseling young couples who desired to become husband and wife. I used Paul’s writings most of the time when I was counseling couples concerning issues that had developed in their relationships, but especially when talking to young couples pertaining to premarital counseling. Therefore, Paul says, “1 It is good for a man not to touch a 2 woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.” Here we find the greatest reason for premarital counseling, in that Paul addresses the need each person has for affection. God built a desire into every man and woman for the need and desire for affection. But how does one control this great emotion, which also reveals a
need for sexual satisfaction? The answer: Marriage. So here is what I do in premarital counseling sessions. The first thing is to ask some preliminary questions with the intent of establishing compatibility in the couple. Then as we begin to talk, I bring up several topics of discussion so that we can continue establishing compatibility and discover how this couple will deal with real life situations. We talk about this couple’s expectations of each other, husband for wife and wife for husband. We discuss what each one might expect for this brand new family. What are their hopes and dreams concerning children, their care, their schooling and correction. Each of these things must be addresses and discussed so that this couple will understand how to proceed into the married relationship, with a working
knowledge of how to deal with each of these situations. As the discussion continues, we talk about religious backgrounds to see if this couple is compatible pertaining to their individual ideas about the worship of their God. What beliefs does each one have, which often comes from their upbringing as children themselves. What if the couple is not of the same race? Does the color of their skin make this couple not compatible? Not at all. There really are things of greater importance than the prejudices that many people have today. This is a must for any couple as they are preparing for marriage. What about each person’s family? Will this new intended wife fit into the husband’s family? Will he blend into hers? Getting to know each other’s family is extremely important. It is not that this couple is marrying each other’s families, but it certainly is necessary as to gain the confidence and acceptance of the man’s family toward the woman, and the woman’s family toward the man. I often bring up physical challenges with each person. Will the wife need to spend their entire marriage
carrying for the physical needs of her new husband, along with any children they man produce, the household duties and finding a way to support this new family? Will the husband be willing to take on the care of a physically challenged wife, children, household and paying the bills? All of these things must be addressed when establishing compatibility. And of course, I always bring up money matters. In other words, who will take care of the financial responsibility of managing the budget of this marriage? Who will make sure the debts are paid and the bank book is balanced? Many times the husband goes off to work each morning and the finances become the wife’s responsibly. But this is definitely something that has to be talked about. And let’s not forget about “Conflict Resolution.” You can go to the internet and find all types of information about conflict resolution. But notice that Paul deals with this in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NKJV) says, “10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband.
And a husband is not to divorce his wife.” Here Paul instructs couples about keeping their marriage vows with some instruction that could be construed as “marriage advice” (or counseling) on not only how to stay married, but also how to fix or repair things if and when a couple has problems in their relationship. This is the reason that I once did so much pre-marital counseling. The bottom line is this: While we will always have couples of young men and women who want to get married, they are often led by their emotions of needing or wanting affection, and clearly not understanding or considering whether they are even compatible with each other. As a minister, your first responsibility is to God. Discovering God’s Will for this couple often becomes your responsibility, especially when young couple rarely take on this responsibility. You can choose not to perform the wedding if need be. However, if you will just talk with the couple about some of these issues, you too will be able to discover compatibility and the Will of God for this couple. While First Corinthians chapter 7 is not the answer to all marriage
problems, it certainly comes in handy when addressing a great deal of issues. …Think about it! Until next time, “Let Jesus be the Lord over everything in your life today and Stay Connected to Him!” … Declaring your Breakthrough in Jesus! Dr. Bill Hanshew To subscribe to the “Staying Connected” devotions, click here. All Rights Reserved – Used by Permission
This devotion may be used for teaching purposes only, not for resale For more information about our ministry, go to www.billhanshewministries. org or write us at Bill Hanshew Ministries | PO Box 397 | Rolla, Missouri 65402 USA. Prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us or making a donation to this ministry today, click here. Bill Hanshew Ministries uses all forms of available media
to share the gospel of Jesus with all the world. These devotions are sent to you on a protected-list basis and are maintained only by this ministry and never shares your email address. All scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise indicated. [Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved] {…} Indicates writer's additions.
by: Genice Fulton
I remember the exact moment I met my husband, Mike. I found it very difficult to concentrate on what he was saying as I kept thinking, “Wow. Tall, dark, and very-very handsome.” I wasn’t sure if he would like me but I immediately knew I liked him. He was soft spoken, gentle, encouraging, hardworking, adventurous, passionate about his beliefs, had excellent leadership skills, and I wanted to be around him as much as was possible. In May of this year, we will celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary and he is still tall, dark, and very-very handsome. And, I still want to spend as much time with him as is possible. Our relationship has deepened over the past two decades as he has led our family in the way of the LORD, provided for us, protected us, and loved us. (Genesis 18:19, 1 Timothy 5:8, Ephesians 5:25) Over the years, we’ve experienced many “valleys” ranging everywhere from financial struggles, fertility battles, surgeries, health battles, as well as miscommunication, and misunderstandings. But as I look over the years, I can honestly say I still desire him in every way a wife was created to desire her husband. But there is one that I desire
even more than I desire my husband. (Matthew 6:33, Luke 10:27) It is so easy for me to love Him with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind! He has been and is so good to me! He has never failed, forsaken, or abandoned me! I yearn for and desire Him every day! (Psalm 136:1, Deu. 31:6, Psalm 63:1) He fills me up! (Romans 15:13) He arms me with strength and keeps my way secure! (Psalm, 18:32) When I call to Him, He always hears and answers! (1 John 5:14) I can always boldly approach Him! (Hebrews 10:19, Ephesians 3:12) He is always available! (Joshua 1:9) He never changes! (Malachi 3:6) He has never and will never lie to me! (Hebrews 6:18) He always cares for me! (1 Peter 5:7) When I am in trouble, He welcomes me to call out to Him, and He comes quickly to save and deliver me! (Psalm 50:15) With Him, I stay in perfect peace! (Isaiah 26:3) And, He always has a perfect plan for me! (Jeremiah 29:11) Sounds like the perfect relationship…and, it is! (Psalm 18:30) Please understand, I didn’t say my life is always perfect. But I am saying He is always perfect. (John 16:33) If you are struggling with desiring God, I suggest you read (&/or write down) the following
scriptures and meditate on them every day. As you speak God’s Word out loud every day, your heart will be transformed and you will find yourself unable to live without Him!
Matthew 6:33 Luke 10:27 Psalm 136:1 Deu. 31:6 Psalm 63:1 Romans 15:13 Psalm, 18:32 1 John 5:14 Hebrews 10:19 Ephesians 3:12 Joshua 1:9 Malachi 3:6 Hebrews 6:18 1 Peter 5:7 Psalm 50:15 Isaiah 26:3 Jeremiah 29:11
If you find the list above to be too overwhelming, I suggest you mediate on one scripture a day, or one per week. Find something that works for you and enjoy desiring Him!
Jamie Slocum June 5, 2016 6:00 PM
First Baptist Church 124 Gaskin Ave N. Douglas, Georgia
IF YOU ARE Sunday YOU WON’T
IN THE DOUGLAS, GEORGIA AREA, WANT TO MISS THIS INCREDIBLE SINGER/SONGWRITER! YOU WILL BE BLESSED!
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST
By Rev Leon Gosiewski t
by: Rev Leon Gosiewski
Marriage is about making a major transition and transformation in one’s life. It is a step of mixed emotions and feelings as one’s ‘I and me’ old way of life now takes on a new ‘we and you’ life and lifestyle. At its God-given and intended best, marriage is a special, loving and sacred union between a man and woman who are committing themselves to each other. In fact, for the Christian believer marriage is a precious lifetime, loving and sacrificial covenant vow, made freely and willingly at the foot of the mercy-seat of God. By entering into marriage based on a covenant vow, a wonderfully sanctified and binding union brings God into the heart of the Christian relationship and home. This separates it from worldly marriages based on a custom or institution contract, made in front of a licensed officer or approved minister where God is not at its centre and the marriage, torn by disunity is all too often broken and annulled. Being, what the Bible calls ‘unevenly yoked’ or joined together (see 2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 18) will always bring with it difficulties and
disunity. Many can sadly testify, that they thought their pre-marriage love for one another would cover the variances in their attitudes, belief and standing with God, but the outcome is often very different and can lead to painful marital dysfunction. It is important that Christian male and female marriage partners are unified in their walk with God. Those that truly commit to a covenant marriage, enter a unique relationship where the highest and deepest qualities of bonding and oneness are intimately and respectfully expressed, shared and woven. Marriage, as I am describing it here, is like giving our allegiance to God. In fact, the parallels between marriage and commitment to God not surprisingly feature in both Old and New Testament Scriptures where, marriage metaphors and similes are often used to describe God’s relationship with us; and our relationship with Him. For example, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah says, ‘For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called’ (Isaiah 54: 5). And in the New Testament John writes, ‘The one who has the
bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete’ (John 3: 29). Few Christian believers fully understand this fact, that entering into a covenant marriage is akin to truly becoming a born again believer. It is tragically not taught, but becoming a true Christian is about entering into a sacred bond with God. This bond is sacrificial and Paul beautifully captures this in these words, ‘I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2: 20). The beautifully descriptive term, ‘the bride of Christ’ can be interpreted and studied in
three different but linked ways. It can either be understood as referring to all true followers of Christ, ‘the bride (the bridal church, male and female of true believers), the wife of the Lamb (Jesus)’ (Revelation 21: 9). Or the bride of Christ; referring to the Christ-like training of young women in Christian families ‘to love their husbands and children, to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited’ (Titus 2: 4). Of course, in case of any misunderstanding, there are many obligations that the husband must fulfil and these are perfectly summarized as follows: ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her’ (Ephesians 5:25). The third way of looking at the ‘bride of Christ’ fittingly combines (as I am doing for the purpose of this article) the two interpretations so that there is first a marriage of our hearts and souls to the Lord and that, in taking a
husband or wife both are foremost the biblical ‘Bride of Christ’, and these same devoted principles are then lived-out in the marriage relationship. In this respect marriage is one of the most important, life-changing steps that we can take in our lives. It is a step that should always be taken, fully understanding what we are committing ourselves to, and doing it in the right way; so let’s take a closer look at what this really means. We rarely hear the true, undiluted Gospel message, and what being a follower of Christ requires. But when we think about what being the Bride of Christ really means we begin to see that the true Christians’ life is lovingly based on a close relational lifestyle, one that is firmly built on the strong foundation of covenant love and purity. The Christian believer becomes a part of God’s family; the Bride of Christ who lovingly sacrificed everything for His Bride.
This is why we read these words: ‘Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish’ (Ephesians 5: 25 – 27). The outer beauty and radiance of the bride, in glowing white on her wedding day should match her inner beauty and radiance; ‘holy and without blemish’. It is not always adequately taught, but it is worth reemphasizing that when we truly commit our lives to the Lord, we do so in a covenant bond of love, faithful dedication, holy honour and sacrifice. These are life-long steps of allegiance that Christian believers wishing to take a husband or wife should fulfil first, in their spiritual life with God, and then live the same in their marriage, one to another.
FAULTY REASONS FOR GETTING MARRIED
by: Dr. Dan L. Corse
Recently, my wife and I decided to eat at an Asian restaurant. Awaiting our orders, we began discussing the temporary placemats on our table. The placemats, based on the year we are born, labeled us as Rabbits, Dragons, Snakes, Horses, Sheep, Monkeys, Rats, etc. And not only did they label us (thankful to discover I was not a Rat, lol), but, based on the labels they assigned us, also gave us directions on who we should or should not marry. As a Dragon, I was told to marry a Monkey or Rat (can’t get away from those pesky critters) late in life. Obviously, since my wife and I do not ascribe validity to the Chinese Zodiac, we did not consider the placemats as sound indicators of marital bliss. Hopefully, none have made marital choices based on such foolishness. However, unbiased observations reveal to us that Christians, though they may not base their marital decisions on the Chinese Zodiac or other manners of soothsaying (something the Bible instructs us not to do), often marry for other faulty reasons. That stated, let’s look at some of those faulty reasons: 1. being fully compatible; 2. yielding to sexual temptations; and 3.
due to sexual sin, there is a pregnancy. Faulty Reason #1 we shall call “We are Fully Compatible.” With that said, some of you may be questioning, “Are you implying married couples should be incompatible?” To allay your concerns, let us quickly respond to such a question, “No, that is not what we are saying.” What we are saying is that many times the indicators of compatibility we use to determine marital success are not fully valid. For example, my wife likes knitting, but I don’t. My wife is quiet, and I am not (yes, the assertion presented by many that women are always more verbal than men is not always true either). I like riding motorcycles, but my wife does not. However, we do share other common interests and enjoy each other’s company. We like traveling together and take pleasure in visiting scenic and historical places together. More importantly, we share a biblical worldview. Based on that view, we are very committed to God and family, both of us enjoying the time we spend with other family members. So, the point we are making is not that we should be
incompatible, but that being compatible does not have to exist on all levels. However, for Christians it does mean we need to be compatible about matters of the faith (which does not mean we have to agree on every jot and tittle of scripture). We need to be compatible in our commitment to God in a manner that enhances each of our personal walks with Christ and allows for each spouse to fulfill the plans and purposes that God has created him or her for. Moving now to Faulty Reason #2: “We Mistakenly Yielded to Sexual Temptations, so Now We Must Get Married.” Obviously, we would like to say that Christians never yield to temptations to sin, including sexual ones. However, all of us, if we don’t know it by now, will discover such is not the case. That is not to say that, having sinned, we want to make it a lifestyle. A significant part of
Christian maturation is to embrace a holy lifestyle, which means that we learn to put off sins that in the past have beset us. Specifically, sexual sins often find their origins in a less than sound individual outlook, a naïveté related to the power of sexual urges, and/or a faulty perspective of sin. Recognizing that we have fallen prey to sexual sin based on any number of factors is not a viable reason for getting married. It is, however, a valid reason for determining how it is that we can successfully flee sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18). Successfully learning how to flee from it never involves spending more time in isolated places alone with the one with whom we yielded to sexual immorality. And, for Christians, it certainly should not include moving in together, sadly, something too many Christians find acceptable today. Successfully freeing ourselves from further sexual sin, we, by relying on sound and wise counsel from mature believers, can then prayerfully determine where the future with this person goes. If the path leads at some time to a God-ordained marriage, fine. If not, understanding that removing
oneself from emotional and physical entanglements is usually difficult and generally requires support, not to mention prayer, from others, then that is the choice we must make. However, falling prey to sexual sin should never be a reason for picking a spouse. Which brings us to Faulty Reason #3, which stems from Faulty Reason #2, “We Had Sex, and Now She is Pregnant.” Obviously, when one has fallen prey to sexual sin and a pregnancy has resulted from that involvement, significant challenges exist which do not for couples who yielded to sexual sin, but a pregnancy did not result. Facing such challenges, it is imperative that the couple seek godly counsel related to them. Many questions need to be answered like: Are we compatible in matters of the faith (never possible if one partner is a Christian and one is not)? Having determined that we are compatible in matters of the faith, have we through godly counsel and prayer determined that it is God’s will for us to marry? Having determined that it is indeed God’s will for us to marry, then let us do so. However, if we have determined that it is not His
will, there are other factors to consider, some of them involving legal questions, like: When the child is born (abortion should never be viewed as a viable option by a Christian), who will have the primary responsibility of caring for the child? What visitation rights will the other parent have? How will financial responsibilities for the child be shared? If one partner is a Christian and one is not, how will issues related to the child’s faith be decided? If the partner who is pregnant is not a Christian or is a Christian and insists that abortion is a viable option, how will that matter be resolved, being abortion should never be a viable option for Christians? Such challenges will involve not only spiritual counsel but legal counsel as well. However, the fact that a pregnancy has resulted from sexual sin does not mean marriage is the only option, especially when one of the partners is not a Christian. Nor does it not mean that marriage may never be an option, as in the case of one partner being a Christian and the other not, if the one who was not a Christian at a later time embraces Christ as Savior, and, after a significant period of time, reveals himself or herself to be a
spiritually partner.
compatible
Obviously, in the space allowed, we could not consider every faulty reason Christians use for marrying. Hopefully, if you or someone you love is considering marriage and there is a great lack of scriptural and inner peace about going forward with the marriage (Col. 3:15), you or the person you love
will be stimulated to action resulting in your determining the reason for that lack of peace. Furthermore, after determining the reason for it, if marriage is clearly not the right choice, then please do not proceed with such a marriage. Marriage based on God’s standards is a blessed experience, but marriage based on other factors results in unnecessarily taxing events. In closing, let us also
emphasize that the point of our discussion was to inform or stimulate thinking about faulty reasons for marrying so such reasons will never serve as the basis for our marriages. However, it was not in any way aimed at being a treatise on reasons for ending a marriage, a topic not in any way covered by this discussion.
WHAT’S AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH?
by: Bishop Frank Dupree
YOU ALL KNOW THE GREAT COMMISSION MATT 28:18-20
territory that conquered.
And Jesus came and said to His Apostles; ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost and Teaching them to observe all those things that I have commanded you: and, behold, I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’
Pontius Pilate was the General/Apostle over Judea and he was the supreme ruler there in Caesar’s stead. Only he had the power to condemn Jesus.
But did you ever think about why Jesus called them Apostles? One thousand years before the Greeks used the word Apostle the Syro-Phonecians who led ships into battle were called Admirals and that word became the word Apostle. To the Greeks an Apostle was also an Ambassador; one who was sent by a Ruler or a God. The Apostle was therefore the “personification” or “voice” of that Ruler or God. To the Romans an Apostle was a General who led troops into battle. These Greek and Roman Apostles or Generals had proven themselves in battle. And those Apostles were Generals who were actually “adopted” by Caesar as his “sons” to rule over a
Rome
had
And before Jesus used this word, the Greeks and Romans had used it to describe special envoys that were sent out for the purpose of expanding the dominion of their empires. Now, Jesus could have called his Leaders Prophets, Rabbi’s, Teachers, Shepherds, etc. Jesus called them Apostles because people understood what an Apostle was… So, in reality what Jesus was saying was: “You men are my Admiral, my Ambassadors, and my Generals. You will lead my troops into battle and take the Gospel to the whole world.” These “sent ones” went out to advance and establish the Greek or Roman culture in the regions they were sent to. They were also responsible for teaching and training the new subjects in the laws and culture of the kingdom. Those who were “commissioned” as Apostles and so they were authorized, appointed, empowered, dispatched and entrusted with
a mission. Apostles not only had the authority but they were given the power to accomplish their assignments in the Cities, Regions and Nations they were “Sent to.” As their counterparts in the “natural,” Jesus commissioned His Apostles to advance and establish His Kingdom. They were sent to subdue and conquer in His Name! They established the Kingdom of God by making Disciples, making them good “citizens” of the Kingdom of God. That’s why when Jesus called them “Apostles” those men knew exactly what Jesus was doing… He was “Declaring War” on the kingdom of darkness and through them He was going to Advance and Establish His Kingdom throughout the whole earth! LET’S BREAK THIS DOWN FOR US TODAY
The Mission of an Apostle and, by extension, an Apostolic Church is Fourfold: 1. To Advance the Kingdom of God: To conquer and subdue cities, regions and nations placing them under the feet of Jesus. The 1st Century Apostles were successful because they had a militant mentality… They believed that they had a Mandate for Global Dominion; a continuation of the Genesis Mandate!’ They were “Kingdom Minded” and had a grasp of “Sentness”. They realized that they are “commissioned” and they had a sense of purpose and destiny! 2. To Establish the Church: The Early Church was “Kingdom Minded” and had a militant mindset to “fight the good fight” and “run the race with patience”. They knew that God would “work all things for their good” as they continually trusted and praised Him. They were an Equipping Church. They instructed & trained the new
converts in the culture of the Kingdom of God by making Disciples. They trained and raised up Fivefold Ministers and Deacons The equipped all the Saints for the work of the ministry in their daily life 3. To Set up the Governmental System of the Church Titus 1:5 says: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee…” This ensures the continuing witness of the Kingdom of God in the Local Church and the area it resides in. 4. To “Increase and Multiply” The Early Church did not “forsake the assembling of the saints”. We must also be careful to be active members in the Church or we will never walk in the anointing Jesus died to give us and our lives and our families lives will all be negatively affected if we do. The Early Church was not “Passive” about sharing their faith!
They wanted to reach lost souls and save them from an eternity of hell! With the Governmental Structure of the Churches “set in order” the Churches were positioned to “Increase and Multiply” or “Reproduce” After the early apostles died, the commission was passed on to the next generation of Apostles. It has yet to be totally fulfilled and will remain in force until the day it is fulfilled. I believe that the Commission and Mandate are still God's Will today so, we must pattern our Church after the structure of the Early Church. THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH IS A WARRING CHURCH When Jesus commissioned the first apostles he was in effect declaring war on the kingdoms of this world. They went out to conquer and subdue cities, regions and nations. They were Advancing and Establishing the Kingdom of God and they made Disciples by instructing, educating and training their members. And they raised up Elders and set up the Governmental System of the Churches as a living witness. They wanted to set up an organization that was
like an organism… always ready to multiply itself and continue to have dominion in the earth. So we can see that the Apostles did for the Kingdom of God exactly what Greece and Rome’s Admirals and Generals did for them! AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH IS PROPERLY ALIGNED It was the Apostles who brought that mindset to the Body of Christ. When Teachers emerged to instruct the believers they were Apostolic Teachers. When Prophets emerged to bring direction to the Churches they were Apostolic Prophets. And so on for Pastors and for Evangelists. Why? Because the Apostles birthed the other Ministries and influenced them to be of “One Mind and One Accord”. They promoted the Vision of The Apostolic Church. The Structure of the Early Church was properly Aligned… All the Ministries had one purpose… To keep the Church Apostolic following the “Way of Jesus
and the Apostles” They were all Minded!
Kingdom
But due to the persecution of Rome and the “Politicizing” of the Church leaders that Rome approved; The Church got “Out of Alignment” If the tires on your car are out of alignment the car will not perform correctly and stresses will be produced that will wear the tires out and ruin other parts of the car. As the Church became more and more out of “Alignment” it began to fall apart. Most of the Church today is no longer Apostolic. It is fragmented into denominations and independents and it is largely ineffective. Its power is in manipulation and fear. Love no longer motivates it! But thank God that He is ReAligning His Church today with the Restoration of the Apostolic Movement! He is “connecting” Apostolic Leaders and they are completing the re-alignment of their Churches.
SO, WHAT MAKES CHURCH APOSTOLIC?
A
When an Apostle leads it and they have a Kingdom Agenda! And a Church is Apostolic when… All the resources, manpower, structure and procedures in the church are focused on shaping society and changing our culture by Advancing and Establishing the Kingdom of God in everything we touch. And an Apostolic Church is an EMPOWERED Church! It was Pentecost Sunday when Jesus EMPOWERED the Church with The Baptism of The Holy Spirit! Let’s ask The Lord for a Fresh Anointing of The Holy Spirit to: Advance the Kingdom through this Church Establish the Kingdom through this Church Set in Order the Government of this Church And Increase and Multiply this Church
Hey there my Teen Warriors! In life, all teens have a lot to go through, but everyone's situation is different. You probably won’t find someone who understands everything you’ve been through. Something quite a few teens go through is confidence. There’s always girls who look stunning, right? Or the guys who might have the perfect build? Can I tell you a secret? You are perfect the way you are! I know, I know. Not much of a secret. How about this for a secret? I have confidence issues too. I bet that’s something quite a few never would’ve thought. Before you continue, I want you to go to the nearest mirror and tell yourself that you look great. That you are totally awesome! Oh, you’re back! How’d that feel? Did you start believing it? Or did your thoughts change? I know that as a teenager it can be tough to have confidence. Especially in school with all the pretty girls and good looking guys. There will always be judgmental people and there will always be those to boost you up. And there will always be God, the creator of all. He even created you! He created you to be the perfect looking you! A lot of people say “Only God can judge me!” because they might not like what others are saying. Those people that say that are completely right! Only God can judge you because He created you,
He sees you, He hears you! He knows what you’re going through and I’m positive He understands! As a matter of fact, there are verses on confidence! 1 John 4:17 says: “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement: In this world we are like Jesus.” Let’s read that again: “In this world we are like Jesus.” We are like Jesus! The One who wore a crown of thorns for us! The One who put nails in his body for us! We look like the beautiful being that helped others regardless of put down! We look like Him! Can you honestly think that? We have beauty, not only on the inside, but we have it on the outside too! Ephesians 3:12 says: “In Him and through faith in Him may we approach God with freedom and confidence.” We can approach Him with freedom and confidence. You have the right to be confident! You have the right to be free! Whatever is holding you back, just let it go! Let it go into God’s hands! Let’s take a look at one more. And this time, I would like you to read it over and over until you really feel it! Philippians 4:13 says: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” You can do all things through Him who gives you strength. You can. You just have to put your trust in God. Trust that He will give you the confidence you need in anything! Trust that He will give you the confidence to stand up to those who put you down! Trust that He will help you get back up when you are down! Trust Him!
You deserve confidence. You deserve it. Deep down you have it. You know it, I know it, God definitely knows it. This month’s challenge: Sit in front of the mirror for five minutes every day telling yourself positive things! Only positives! I want you guys to comment and tell me what you like most about yourself! I like my eyes! And you can’t put “nothing” or “what’s to like?” or anything like that! And if you haven’t already, I would love it if you would check out the rest of the magazine and tell what message really touched you! I wish you guys a fantastic and blessed June! -The Girl Next Door-
DO YOU KNOW YOUR VALUE AND WORTH? LEARN TO SEE YOURSELF…
…AS GOD SEES YOU!
HOW TO RELEASE YOUR FAITH FOR A GODLY MATE
By Rev. Melissa Smith-Shepherd
When I began to seek God about a Godly husband, I wanted to make sure that my desires, attitudes, and expectations for a spouse lined up with God’s plans. I began to search my heart and the Word for wisdom and understanding. As I continued in this process, I asked God to help me and show me His plan and His desires for me. I decided to make a list of the many things in a husband that were important to me. I asked God to help me understand myself and what is important to me as I wrote my list. This list contained important spiritual requirements like, “he must know the Word of God very well and be able to quote chapter and verse,” “he must love the Lord more than I do” (if that is even possible!), and “he must be a believer in Jesus and filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.” My list contained 25 specific items about physical appearance, even specific states in the U.S. of where he must be born and raised. All of the items on the list were for a reason that was important to me, spiritually, culturally, physically, etc. There were also some unspoken and unwritten items that were also in my heart that I put before the Lord. When my list was completed, I presented it before the Lord and asked Him to bring this person into my life and create all of the
circumstances necessary for our paths to cross so that His will could be accomplished in my life and in his life. A few days after I completed my list, I decided to calculate the statistical probability of actually locating a person with every item on my list. As I waded through the complex formula for statistical probability theory, it came down to 1 person out of 7.23 billion people. I realized that only God could bring this person across my path, and so I made a verbal decree that I would trust God to bring Him to me and would not accept anything less than His perfect plan!
not matter, I kept letting God lead me and comfort me and went about my own business of finishing my MBA, Master’s Business Administration and working for the U.S. Department of Defense.
In the weeks ahead, every time I thought about it, I would say “thank you Lord for bringing me your plan.” God began doing a work in my heart also and prompted me to begin to pray for my husband, for his needs, for safety, for health and provision, to guard him from the evil one and keep him on God’s path. It was strange at first to pray for someone I did not know. But God knew him and that was enough. As God would lay him on my heart, He would show me what to pray for him day by day. I would allow the Holy Spirit to intercede for him through me as well. I did not know if it would be days, weeks, months or years until I met him in person, but it did
The next few months were quite challenging emotionally and spiritually. Many people were trying to pressure me to do this or that, live here or there, work here, move there, date this person, marry that person, and even people trying to pressure me to go to singles places and worldly clubs, all because I was single and everyone thought they knew what I needed to do with my life. Seriously, people that I hadn’t seen in years started coming out of everywhere trying to get me to go places with them to set me up with their friends. Christians were coming up to me telling me that God told them I was the one for them, that God told them I was their wife, many of them. I
politely told them that if that were true then He would tell me too! Each time I sought the Lord about them, I received the same answer, “He’s not the one.” I knew the voice of the Holy Spirit who had been with me for years, leading me, loving me, teaching me, and helping me and I trusted Him. This went on for months. I was getting a bit weary of all of the people pressuring me. It seemed like when I decided to only settle for God’s best plan that the enemy really started using other people to try to tempt me to get off of the path. One particular weekend, even though I had tried to literally pull away from everything and everyone for a season of peace, I was bombarded with phone calls and visits of people trying to influence me and my choices. I was also emotionally feeling pressure in the spiritual realm. It was so intense. I had to cry out to the Lord for help and grace to withstand the spiritual attack launched against me. After this weekend, as I was driving to work, I prayed to the Lord and said, “I am ready Lord, I am ready to receive my Holy covering, my husband, I do not want to continue like this with all of these people pushing me and pressuring me. I am ready to receive him TODAY! I ask that you cause something to happen to bring him across my path
TODAY! You put this desire in me, and I ask you, and ask means demand, so I demand you provide this to me TODAY! Thank you for your promises. Thank you for your faithfulness! Amen.” I continued on to work as usual, had an average day. Then after work, at 4:45 pm when I stopped by to visit my mom, I was put on the phone with a supplier for their business. My mom had asked me to speak to him to get her some help in replacing some equipment in their business. I had worked at this business with them for on and off for almost 20 years. I tried to get the information she needed and politely told him thanks. No big deal. Then, he said, “God bless you.” I said, “God bless you.” I was happy to hear of a business person glorify the name of Jesus. Then the supplier said, “Have you ever heard of prophecy.” I said, “Yes.” Inside I was thinking RED ALERT, watch out, sometimes weirdos try to prophesy and it is NOT from God. I was skeptical. So, as the supplier began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on me and I began to weep, the power of God was all over me, over the phone, with a stranger! God showed him my exact prayer that morning, and confirmed that God heard me and was sending the desire of my heart to me. I was appreciative and thankful. I knew that this was
a real believer, and that God was working to bring to pass His promises to me. Just as I was getting ready to end the call, he said, “Let’s pray in the Spirit.” I said, “OK.” As I began to pray in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to me and said, “He is your husband.” I stopped talking, I couldn’t speak, I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t want to be one of those Christians who told me God told them I was supposed to marry them, so I stayed silent. He finished praying and we said our goodbyes and that it might be nice to talk again sometime, and he gave me his cell phone number. That night when I got home, the Lord began to deal with me. I was telling the Lord that I did not even know this person so how could this be the one. We talked on the phone again a few times. Each time, when I finished talking to him, same thing, the Lord would say, “He is your husband.” So, I prayed and said, “Lord if this is the one, thank you, but I am not going to tell him this, and I have never even seen him, so this is very strange.” Finally, we agreed to meet for dinner and fellowship and our whole time together was ministry and studying the Word. It was powerful. We took communion and the Holy Spirit was just all over us and around us. Still I said
nothing about what the Lord had spoken to me. A few days later, he invited me to go to prayer cabins to seek the Lord about our relationship. We each had a cabin and would meet for major meals and Bible Study. It was a powerful, Holy, three-day weekend. On the third day, he asked me if I believed God was leading this relationship. I said, “Yes.” He told me that he believed so also, and then God showed him how He was going to blend our giftings and that we would do great things for His Kingdom together. Pretty awesome time, and so very anointed. God was with us in a powerful way. A week later, he formally proposed to me at the Rhema gardens, and though I did not know the future, I said yes because I know the one who does know the future, so I said yes by
FAITH! I stepped far out of my comfort zone and into the realm of faith. In the past I was very slow and careful about every decision, every detail of my life, and planned everything down to the smallest item. Even though it had only been two weeks since we had met, my spirit was in absolute peace, there was no pressure, there was just a rest, a trust in God. I did want to have God in every part of our relationship so I asked him to pray about a date for our wedding, and told him I would pray too. If it is the same date then we have another confirmation that we are both hearing God and are moving in His timing. I was very, very protective of myself so I refused to tell him my date first. We wrote them down. When I saw that they were the exact same date, I was surprised, but very happy that we both heard the plan of the Lord. We were married two months after we met by my uncle at Western Hills Resort and it was so lovely. We have been
married for over 10 years and it amazes me daily how much I love him and how much he loves me. We have really grown together and enjoy each other’s company so much. Oh, and remember the list? Well, he had every single thing on that list, and so much more, even the unspoken things in my heart, God heard those too. Be ready to receive what God has for you. Be ready to recognize it when He is creating the details to bring you to your Holy marriage. God wants the ultimate best for you and your spouse so you can trust Him to bring you to the exact person He wants you with for life. Begin to ask the Lord to intercede for your spouse through you by the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to prepare you for your marriage. God wants you to be so blessed in your marriage and He can build it perfectly! Trust Him! Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart! Psalm 37:4
Introducing‌. Grace and the Whiz Kids! If you are somewhere around 8-12 years old, check out these tips. I’m sure you will enjoy this page and these tips will help you with your studying! Be sure and check out Grace and the Whiz Kids every month for a new tip of some kind! If you would like a tip on something special, send Grace a note to and tell her what you need. Grace will respond to you with what she comes up with!
Homework Tips 101
Grace and The Whiz Kids
Hey there Whiz Kids!
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VISION FOR THE CHILDREN
VISION SANTE - Haiti
Contact Information: Address : Carrefour, Mon-Repos, 44, # 779
Dr. Andrezil Nickenson
Tel : 4738-9978 / 38679345
Email : visionforthechildrenforane
Projects: Vision For Children is a Mission Organization that was started in 2009. With the help of one doctor and one nurse, this volunteer program works with poor people at all levels: social, heath, educational. It will focus on the children.
This Christmas, help us to establish a stable clinic where hospitals are not available so we can bring help and hope to the children in Haiti.
The Showcase of God
By: Rev. Kathy Weddle
When I was a little girl, I played Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, Baseball, Army, you name it; tomboy stuff. There was a TV show at that time called “Riverboat”, so my best friend Marsha and I pretended her front porch was our Riverboat. It was painted white with a gray floor and sat up high over the garage, so it was really easy to imagine we were churning down the river. Of course, tomboy that I was, I had to be the Captain; the one who ran everything and kept every one safe from river pirates and Injuns and such. As I got older, I played tomboy games less and less and began getting interested in other things. I started looking into my future to see what might be there. I began thinking of marriage and children and white picket fences; you know, grown up things. Unfortunately, I jumped the gun and, against my parents’ wishes, married a boy who had provided me with an oh-so-tragic romance, complete with all the drama you could ask for. Of course, the marriage was nothing as it should have been. He became abusive, and life was miserable. It ended after several years with much
damage to everyone involved, even my parents. In the process of recovering, I began thinking of where I had missed it. Aside from the obvious rebellion against the Lord and my folks, I started looking for specifics. I realized that all those times as a younger child when we played make believe and I insisted on being the “man in charge,” I was emulating my father. He was kind and gentle and quiet spoken, with a dry wit and a deep abiding love for God, my mother, and me, in that order. I began looking into my parent’s marriage. Mom and Dad were the quintessential Christian couple; they didn’t smoke, drink, cuss, run around, fight, nothing. They were at church every time the doors were opened, studied their Sunday School lessons on Saturday nights, prayed every morning, had devotions with me every night; Perfect…anyway, as perfect as it seems possible. They loved each other deeply. They served each other. Their treatment of each other was the embodiment of Phil 2:3 “……..in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” They lived out the passages in
Ephesians and Galatians more nearly than any couple I’ve ever seen. They set the example. They followed the instructions in Ephesians: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. The first phrase in this passage is the key: The way a man behaves toward his bride is the catalyst to cause
her to trust him as the head of the house. The heart of the passage, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” is a mystery many overlook and it’s this: Marriage on this earth is symbolic of our ultimate relationship with the Son of God. As believers, we are the Bride of Christ. When a husband has that revelation and lives it out, the witness is powerful to anyone within range of that relationship. The passage goes on to describe a deep affection and care for his wife.
By the same token, Ephesians 5:22-24 says this: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” Yes, in our culture the word “submit” is an unpopular word. However, let me suggest this to you; a woman who is treated in the manner the Apostle instructed
husbands to treat their wives will not have a great difficulty with her part in this great drama. Our culture has done great damage to the roles of both male and female, and one of the ways to restore balance is for the world to see marriage as God truly intended. Taking it all into perspective, the relationship between husband and wife touches and deepens every sense physical, emotional, and spiritual, while at the same time presenting a witness of the Creator’s plan for the most miraculous
relationship with the Father eternal. Even the marriage act is symbolic of the depth of oneness between Jesus Christ and His Glorious Bride. As for me? God is so gracious. He is the God of restoration and deliverance, the God of new beginnings and second chances. The bad marriage
ended in adultery on his part. After healing my emotions of the heart ache of a failed marriage, Our wonderful Father brought the very man into my life I feel would have been my husband in the first place, if I’d just listened. I had decided I would not marry again; I was just going to serve God the rest of my life. Then a mutual friend
introduced us, and God spoke to each of us about the other. You see, He knew we’d both been broken by walking outside His will, and He was going to bless us with a new beginning. Over 26 years later, I’m more blessed than when we first married. I’m blessed to say I can relate this article to you because I’m living it. Thank you, Jesus!
always Miracle complete
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you have to do is repent of your sins and invite Jesus into your heart. Say the prayer below, and mean it from your heart. If you decide to make Jesus Lord of your life, we would LOVE to hear from you. Please go to: https://www.facebook.com/faithunlimitedemagazine and leave us a note. God Bless you for this life changing decision!
Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I thank you for dying on the cross for me. I confess with my mouth. I believe in my heart that you are the Son of God. I believe you are the Lord and that God raised you from the dead. Please, forgive me of my sins. Wash my heart clean. Come live in my life. Be the Lord of my life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Teach me to walk with you and live for you the rest of my life. Thank you for saving me and for giving me the gift of eternal life in Heaven with you. Amen.