Marriage

This a post for believers who are married, in a relationship, or seeking a relationship -

Have you ever sat down and truly thought what God's word says about relationships, sex, or His design for marriage? Have you ever sat down with your significant other and discussed the Lord's plans for your relationship? Have you thought about the beautiful creation of marriage?

God intentionally created man and woman to be one, to love, and to glorify the Lord with their hearts. As believers, we have seen what a marriage is not. We have seen the severity of a relationship that is not focused on God. We have seen the depravity in divorce, in adultery, in sin, in emptiness. Many of you may have parents or family members who have suffered in a marriage that failed. You may have seen, first hand, the result of an empty marriage. I know, in my own life, I have seen the repercussion of an ungodly relationship, and it is not pretty. I have seen the pain in adultery. It breaks my heart to see people work on a relationship that really has no foundation on the Lord's intentions for marriage.

By no means do I know how to be married. For one thing, I'm not even married. But I do know what the word of God says about marriage. I know what He intended for marriage to look like. He created the unbreakable covenant between man and woman. He created passionate, spiritual sex for one man and one women to interact in, so they can be in unity with God.

Ask yourself, "How do I understand sex?" "How do I understand marriage in it's full form, intentionally made by God?" It breaks my heart to see a failed marriage; to see people dismiss the Creator's beauty of marriage. One thing we can all work towards, married or not, is to completely understand the true design of marriage. Not what you've been taught or what society has made up, but what God's image of marriage is. My pastor, Jason, did a wonderful message on marriage this past Sunday. It was completely powerful, no matter if you're married or not. He discussed the Lord's beautiful intentions. Take a listen to this podcast, "Hebrews 13:4 // Marriage.Honor.Submit.Gentle", here in either audio or video.

Understanding marriage and constantly learning about it, is essential to any flourishing marriage, especially a Godly one. How can you simply understand your spouse, if you don't even understand the true nature of marriage? 


P.s. Don't forget to enter the giveaway with Tally Groves here!

"Church.Devoted.Together.Added."

My church, Church Project, has a podcast that is posted after every sermon. Because of our trip and us being away from our church family this past week, we decided to listen to an old podcast back from 2011 titled Acts 2:42-47 // Church.Devoted.Together.Added. (which you can listen to here.) Church Project is only three years old, and we started attending this past August. From the beginning of my experience with this group of devoted believers, I knew there was something so beautiful about what they called "church." The way the taught, worshiped, lived in community with each other, and so on was simple, unique, and so much different from any church I had seen before. 

After attending for almost a year, I have realized why I have always felt a strong, passionate, love for this place; they are a focused, biblical church that focuses on the Gospel and true intimacy with one another. Whether that intimacy be through worshiping together, learning together, doing ministry, or spending time with our house churches, it has been an intimacy that is so honest, true, and passionate. In just a short time being with this wonderful group of believers, I have seen a glimpse of what Jesus intended the church to be. I have seen what it means to devote yourself to the Lord, to be filled with His presence, all while being together in fellowship with people who love Him. 

This podcast I listened to tonight was a glimpse from the start of this place in 2011, which I have not seen before. It was a glimpse of the hopes and desires of a church body that truly wanted to be like the church in Acts 2:42-47. (Quoted above) It was a church that at one point, did not see it just yet, but not is relishing in the beauty of a body of believers working together for the Gospel. It was amazing hearing the beginning of their hopes for a church that is biblical. And it is now even more amazing to know that I am a part of believers who are growing together, learning together, and truly living our lives together while walking with the Lord.

There is something so much more beautiful than attending church every Sunday, when you are actually living your lives together and centering it around the One, True, King. I pray that churches around the world can focus on something much more important than just 'church,' but the actual engagement of the Lord. The Church was made for something so much more powerful than where it stands today. It's only up to us as believers to remake the Church, and bring it up to what Jesus has truly intended it to be.