Good day dear friends.
We concluded our Made to Count sermon series with a study of marriage called Making Your Marriage Count. We had taped two weeks ago, several couples and two individuals to share their secrets for long marriages. The video was shown in worship at all three worship services and everyone was blessed with the messages shown by the couples and the widow and widower.
Here is today's study guide: Genesis 2:18-25 tells us God's plan for humanity. Please read the study found there and make notes of all that happened to the first man. What was God's intention in verse 18? Why do you suppose God "toyed" with the man in the subsequent verses? What at last did the man discover? What was the man's declaration?
Here is that passage from Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
God's intention for the man was that he "should not be alone." God declares that He will bring to the man "a helper." And in a comical way God brings to the man all of the creation, animals and birds. Out of all of those, none was found to be the suitable "helper." And here we should mention that helper is more than the word represents to many, not one who walks alongside doing things that the man doesn't want to do, though that is true in some marriages; helper in the original tongue was on a more equal footing as partner/companion. And no one was found among the dogs, cats, parrots, chimps, etc. to fill that role. God then does surgery. Taking a rib from the side of the man (and yes, men and women have the same number of ribs to this day: Men do not have one less!), and from that rib created the woman. It is at this point that man becomes poetic: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." You can't see Tarzan saying as much; nor George of the Jungle. Adam felt the power of God in this new creature and recognized the purpose for the writer continues, "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Do you see the power of God in your relationships, especially your marriage, if you're married? Can you like the couple at Cana of Galilee from John 2, see that when Jesus is present, He can show His glory to your relationship and that stronger faith comes as a result? Too many problems in a marriage come when the couple do not rely on God or think God is either unable or uninterested in their wellbeing. Think again. God wants marriages to make it. Someone at the first service after my sermon told me, "Marriages are made in Heaven, but so are thunder and lightning!" I still believe marriages can be saved in Heaven, if we just ask.
PRAYER: God of marriage, come to visit all marriages today, especially mine. You know the challenges and the worries that we sometimes don't share with you, but let us share them right now. Come and show us your glory, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day, and a great and blessed marriage!
e.v.
We concluded our Made to Count sermon series with a study of marriage called Making Your Marriage Count. We had taped two weeks ago, several couples and two individuals to share their secrets for long marriages. The video was shown in worship at all three worship services and everyone was blessed with the messages shown by the couples and the widow and widower.
Here is today's study guide: Genesis 2:18-25 tells us God's plan for humanity. Please read the study found there and make notes of all that happened to the first man. What was God's intention in verse 18? Why do you suppose God "toyed" with the man in the subsequent verses? What at last did the man discover? What was the man's declaration?
Here is that passage from Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
God's intention for the man was that he "should not be alone." God declares that He will bring to the man "a helper." And in a comical way God brings to the man all of the creation, animals and birds. Out of all of those, none was found to be the suitable "helper." And here we should mention that helper is more than the word represents to many, not one who walks alongside doing things that the man doesn't want to do, though that is true in some marriages; helper in the original tongue was on a more equal footing as partner/companion. And no one was found among the dogs, cats, parrots, chimps, etc. to fill that role. God then does surgery. Taking a rib from the side of the man (and yes, men and women have the same number of ribs to this day: Men do not have one less!), and from that rib created the woman. It is at this point that man becomes poetic: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." You can't see Tarzan saying as much; nor George of the Jungle. Adam felt the power of God in this new creature and recognized the purpose for the writer continues, "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Do you see the power of God in your relationships, especially your marriage, if you're married? Can you like the couple at Cana of Galilee from John 2, see that when Jesus is present, He can show His glory to your relationship and that stronger faith comes as a result? Too many problems in a marriage come when the couple do not rely on God or think God is either unable or uninterested in their wellbeing. Think again. God wants marriages to make it. Someone at the first service after my sermon told me, "Marriages are made in Heaven, but so are thunder and lightning!" I still believe marriages can be saved in Heaven, if we just ask.
PRAYER: God of marriage, come to visit all marriages today, especially mine. You know the challenges and the worries that we sometimes don't share with you, but let us share them right now. Come and show us your glory, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day, and a great and blessed marriage!
e.v.
