Marriage

40 posts

Empty Boxes, Hurting Hearts

Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Gifts were given. Some carefully planned and thoughtful, others, not so much. The flowers are in their vases, the chocolate has been enjoyed, the calendar has a new date. But the most important question still remains. How is your relationship? Did last night help to make it stronger? Do doubts still remain? Does the new morning bring new worries? The answers to these questions are found in the relationship that matters most – your relationship with God. Knowing and loving God gives significance to all other relationships. This morning after, one thing is certain above all others, God has not changed. He is constant. This means the content of love does not change. […]

Dr. Ernie Baker – How to Choose a Spouse

Click on the link below for the interview! Whatever terms you use to describe relationships, one thing is sure: Dating is hard. Pastor and professor Dr. Ernie Baker gives us advice on what to look for in a potential spouse from his book Marry Wisely, Marry Well. Lisa also grills Dr. Baker on why he once drove 700 miles overnight (hint: a girl was involved), and what happened when his fiancee had another guy enthusiastically chasing her. Listen at www.boundless.org.    

A Man and His Dream

In 1953 Hugh Hefner published the first issue of a magazine that would become an American icon. The magazine became symbolic of a nation in pursuit of pleasure, the objectification of women, and moving beyond biblical morality. Hefner framed his views with a long-running series of articles that attempted to show the tyranny of biblical morality and historic Christian theologians like John Calvin. He wanted to see the Bible thrashed and tossed aside. Hefner’s “philosophical” views were a thin veneer that covered his own fantasy that women served no higher end than to fulfill his perverted desire. Hefner died this past Wednesday, but his dream lives on. This dream has shaped the way our culture views women and God for […]

How’s Your Relationship?

Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Gifts were given. Some carefully planned and thoughtful, others, not so much. The flowers are in their vases, the chocolate has been enjoyed, the calendar has a new date. But the most important question still remains. How is your relationship? Did last night help to make it stronger? Do doubts still remain? Did the new morning bring new worries? The answers to these questions are found in the relationship that matters most – your relationship with God. Knowing and loving God gives significance to all other relationships. This morning after, one thing is certain above all others, God has not changed. He is constant. This means the content of love does not change. […]

Valentine’s Day: An Expression Of…

Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, romantic dinners — just a few of the symbols of that are expressions of the national day of love. As enjoyable as these tokens are, unless they express God’s meaning of love, they last but for the moment. Without the substance of love rooted in the truth of the Author of love, disappointment, frustration and broken dreams can be all that remains once the calendar changes to February 15th. Being human in a fallen world is a challenge. Being in human relationships only makes the challenge greater. Being “in love” is perhaps the most demanding, exhausting, consuming challenge of all. Love fueled by the sacrifice and commitment of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift one person can […]

Do You Listen Well?

You give your wife flowers and say you love her, but she remains distant. You apologize to your teenager for being angry and tell him you love him, but the barriers are still up. You give your middle-schooler an expensive birthday present with a note that says “I love you”, yet her smile is only half-hearted. Is the answer more flowers, a bigger and better present, a more sincere apology? Probably not. However, there is one thing you can do that will demonstrate the genuineness of your love. You can listen well. When there is an argument it is all too easy to think you know what the other person is thinking even before the first word is spoken. The […]

A Better Way

Humans always seem to have a better way. If there is a law, there has to be a way around it. If there is a barrier, it must be broken. If there is a plan, an alternative must be found. This pretty much sums up human history. In the garden there were only two trees in all of creation that were off limits. So, Satan had a better way and tempted Eve with the injustice of such an unfair restriction. Abel honored God in a way than Cain did not. The obvious solution, follow Abel’s example. Cain’s solution: kill Abel. God commanded that men should spread out across the earth and have dominion over it. The folks at Babel didn’t […]

What is love?

What is love? Valentine’s Day is almost here. It is time to show your love, at least that is what the ads are proclaiming with seemingly every billboard, TV commercial, radio spot or magazine cover you see. Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, teddy bears and related items are the order of the day. But do these things really show what love means? The Holy Spirit’s gift of love will cost much more than any of the items listed above. The Holy Spirit’s idea of love will cost you your life. Here are just a few examples of what loving God’s way looks like from I Corinthians 13: Love is patient Do you listen before you speak? Are you eager to give your […]

Sex is designed by God for Marriage

“This is where you must start in teaching your children about sex. Sex is not fundamentally a biological, physiological activity. Sexuality is a necessary aspect of God’s purpose for man to occupy and control the earth for the glory of God. (Genesis 1:26-28) All of the physiological phenomena that happens to the human body while engaging in sexual activity is expressly designed by God to remind husbands and wives that they have been called to unity, intimacy and procreation in their mission to have dominion over the earth. Sexual activity is designed for a man and a woman who are obeying God in marriage in order to bring honor to his name. The idea that sexual pleasure is designed merely […]