Ephesians 5:25

"Relative Purpose"

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."  The Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for the church, for all mankind who would join Him in holiness, purity and love.  This is how a man should love his wife, even as he loves his own body, feeds and cares for it; he should be willing to sacrifice everything for her.  Marriage, husbands, wives, and families are why Christ died; He intended, from the Garden of Eden, to fill the earth with families, loving one another and living in Holy bliss for all of their days  ...  it was a "Relative Purpose."

"And live a life of love, just as Christ loved us

and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering

and sacrifice to God."

(Ephesians 5:2)

What must the eternal God think when He looks upon the world today?  The Eden existence of husbands, wives, and families is in need of dire help.  That's where the Church of the living God comes in.  How can we hear without a preacher?  It is God's order of things; an anointed one is sent to restore "relative purpose," or 'Love' back to families, in holiness, purity, Godly instruction, and adherence to the Word of Almighty God.  

"Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty

in your heart to utter anything before God.  God is

in heaven, and you are on earth, so let your words

be few."  (Ecclesiastes 5:2)

Marriage is not a "drive thru" situation; although, in this age of "quick" everything, there evidently are "drive thru" wedding chapels.  Who knows if those are good or bad, but it's the "vow" that seems to be "drive thru" these days.  Pastor Kenneth Phillips says something very wise about marriage, "Five things should be left unsaid every day."  It's those things said in "haste" that get us into trouble, and many marriages are killed because of pride and the deference to two little words, "I'm sorry."  That's very very sad, don't you think?  Families are split up, children are scattered, hearts are crushed, vows are broken, and the beautiful "Eden" existence God intended is no where in sight.  Herein, arrives the Church!  A marriage and family "with God" has an undergirding of strength, love and power that far exceeds any union without Him.  

"For three things the earth is disquieted, and four which it

cannot bear:  For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he

is filled with meat; For an odious woman when she is married; and

an handmaid when she is heir to her mistress."

(Proverbs 30:21-23)

Matthew Henry's commentary describes it like this: "Four sorts of people are very troublesome.  Men of low origin and base spirit, who, getting authority, become tyrants.  Foolish and violent men endulging in excesses.  A woman of a contentious spirit and vicious habits.  A servant who has obtained undue influence."  If we combine all of these in a family, we have a problem!  We are all capable of these behaviors; we were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity.  But, the Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, and His Church, take all of these four types of people and makes them new by the infilling of His Spirit.  The tyrant becomes a loving, protecting, patient, God-led leader and husband of his family; the imbibing, drug overdosed self-indulgent one becomes self-controlled, orderly, and regimented by faith and love; the woman who rages, has malicious and vindictive motives becomes the Proverbs 31 woman who does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life; she is a woman of virtue; strength and honor are her clothing; she opens her mouth with wisdom; and her tongue is the law of kindness.  Imagine a family like this!  All families have their troubles, hardships and woes, but they can endure with love and respect for one another through it all if God lives in them  ...  it's husband, wife, children  ... with the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone and the Spirit within.  

God Bless the marriages and families all over the world!  May the love of Jesus Christ bless you, give you faith to endure, keep you together and give you peace!

Run the race "till death do us part," husbands and wives, but make sure the Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, and His Church are right in the middle and the center of your focus, because it's God's "Relative Purpose!"

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)