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A Few Words About Marriage...
In a Christian marriage, the covenant between a man and a woman is instituted and ordained by God as the lifelong relationship. God sketched his original plan for marriage in Genesis 2:24 when one man Adam and one woman Eve united together to become one flesh:
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. – Genesis 2:24
Christian Marriage Honors God Above Else
As Christians, it’s important to focus on the purpose of marriage. The biblical example encourages believers to enter into marriage in a way that honors God’s covenant relationship, submits to the laws of God first and then the laws of the land, and gives a public demonstration of the holy commitment that is being made.
Maria's Book
Rejection: It’s All About Perception was written by my beautiful wife Maria. This volume will help you look at rejection from a healthy perspective. After reading this book, by faith you will be able to recognize the root of rejection in your heart, uproot it, and use it to your advantage to fulfill your purpose in life.
Some of Our Favorite Scriptures...
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
-Phillipians 4:13
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
-Hosea 4:6
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
-Ephesians 4:2-3
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
-Romans 10:17
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
-Ephesians 5:25-33
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
-Romans 12:10
He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.
-Proverbs 18:22
Let no one split apart what God has joined together.
-Mark 10:9
Do You Want to Know God?
HOW DO I ACCEPT JESUS AS MY SAVIOR?
Do you yearn to experience the Lord’s comforting presence, power, and wisdom? We hope that you said yes, because God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you forever.
The problem is . . .
. . . the one thing that separates you from a relationship with God is sin. You and I sin whenever we fail to live by the Lord’s holy standard. In fact, Romans 3:23 says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Furthermore, Romans 6:23 explains that the penalty for sin is death which is separation from God in hell forever. No matter how hard we try, we cannot save ourselves or get rid of our sins. We can’t earn our way to heaven by being good, going to church, or being baptized (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Understanding how helpless we are because of our sins, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save us.
Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 5:8). Three days later, He rose from the dead, showing that He had triumphed over sin and death once and for all.
So how can you know God?
It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection (Romans 5:10).
Romans 10:9 promises, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you loves you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. He wants you to experience the profound depth of His care.
Therefore, tell God that you are willing to trust Him for salvation. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”.
If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations!
You have received Christ as your Savior and have made the best decision you will ever make, one that will change your life forever! Please let us know your story by sending us a message here.
NOW THAT I HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST, WHAT’S NEXT?
1. Find a good church that teaches the Bible.
Don’t think of the church as a building, the church is the people. It is very important that believers in Jesus Christ fellowship with one another. That is one of the primary purposes of the church. There is something biblically powerful about gathering together with other believers to worship. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20) So He not only lives in us by His Spirit, but He is in the “midst” of us when we gather to worship Him.
2. Get baptized.
Many people have a misunderstanding of baptism. The word baptize means “to immerse in water.” Baptism is the biblical way of publicly proclaiming your new faith in Christ and your commitment to follow Him. The action of being immersed in the water illustrates being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection. Being baptized is identifying yourself with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
Baptism is not what saves you. Baptism does not wash away your sins. Baptism is simply a step of obedience, a public proclamation of your faith in Christ alone for salvation. Baptism is important because it is a step of obedience – publicly declaring faith in Christ and your commitment to Him.
3. Pray daily and read your Bible daily to build your faith.
It is very important for us to spend time each day focusing on God. Some people call this “quiet time.” Others call it “devotions,” because it is a time when we devote ourselves to God. Some prefer to set aside time in the mornings, while others prefer the evenings. It does not matter what you call this time or when you do it. What matters is that you regularly spend time with God. What events make up our time with God?
(a) Prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. Talk to God about your concerns and problems. Ask God to give you wisdom and guidance. Ask God to provide for your needs. Tell God how much you love Him and how much you appreciate all He does for you. That is what prayer is all about.
(b) Bible Reading. In addition to being taught the Bible in church, Sunday School, and/or Bible studies, you need to be reading the Bible for yourself. The Bible contains everything you need to know in order to live a successful Christian life. It contains God’s guidance for how to make wise decisions, how to know God’s will, how to minister to others, and how to grow spiritually. The Bible is God’s Word to us. The Bible is essentially God’s instruction manual for how to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him and satisfying to us.
4. Develop relationships with people who can help you spiritually.
1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” The Bible is full of warnings about the influence “bad” people can have on us. Spending time with those who engage in sinful activities will cause us to be tempted by those activities. The character of those we are around will “rub off” on us. That is why it is so important to surround ourselves with other people who love the Lord and are committed to Him.
Try to find a friend or two, perhaps from your church, who can help you and encourage you. Ask your friends to keep you accountable in regard to your quiet time, your activities, and your walk with God. Ask if you can do the same for them. This does not mean you have to give up all your friends who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Continue to be their friend and love them. Simply let them know that Jesus has changed your life and you cannot do all the same things you used to do. Ask God to give you opportunities to share Jesus with your friends.
Books We Recommend...
Kingdom MarriageBy Dr. Tony Evans
This was an excellent book. As newlyweds, this book provided us with ways to grow together as a kingdom couple to fulfill God’s design and purpose for our marriage. We highly recommend this book for any couple, whether you are newlywed or have been married for many years.
Fruitfulness 7 Secrets To Getting More Out of LifeBy Bishop Edward Smith
This book is an excellent book written by our very own Bishop Ed Smith. In this book Bishop Smith shows us how to bear fruit in everything that we do. God requires us to bear fruit, and Bishop Smith so eloquently explains each secret to obtain that goal.
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