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The
Wedding of the Lamb |
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"I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you
as a pure virgin to Him." 2 Corinthians
11:2b |
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"Husbands,
love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for
her." Ephesians 5:25 |
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"Let
us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has
come, and His bride has made herself ready." Revelation 19:7 |
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How can our infinitely
compassionate Creator possibly get across to a fallen, limited, and sinful
people the depth of His love and the intimacy of His heart? What possible
words are adequate for us to understand the richness of relationship He
yearns to have with us? Truth be known, there are none. Instead, our Heavenly
Father uses the analogy of something we can appreciate--the warmth, trust,
vulnerability, realness, and joy of a healthy marriage relationship! And
while the blessing of betrothal can't fully compare with the "wedding of
the Lamb", it non-the-less provides a window into which we glimpse His
passion for relational and spiritual oneness. Over and over the inspired Word
uses the healthy relationship between a husband and a wife as a picture of
His love and commitment, and the intimacy we can have with the Lord. |
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So what does all this have to
do with stewardship you ask? Well, if we hold to the Biblical principle that
stewardship, at its spiritual core, is really about investing everything God
has provided us to produce a spiritual return, we begin see that our
marriages can become a rich stewardship opportunity! The way you and your
spouse steward this important and intimate relationship significantly
influences: |
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·
personal joy and oneness between the
two of you. |
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the health and stability of your
family, especially any children. |
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your depth of relationally experiencing
Jesus' heart for you. |
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With so much hanging in the
balance, is it any wonder marriage comes under vigilant attack by forces of
darkness manifested in our culture and in temptation? Our enemy tries to
hinder and compromise the depth of our love, steal the joy of our trust, and
destroy our grasp of God's personal love and closeness. Ephesians 6:12
explains, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against...the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms." |
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Please join me in praying for an awareness of the enemy's insidious schemes, and for investing daily into our marriages as unto the Lord. He promises a rich return both relationally and spiritually! |
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The Stewardship Commission |
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