A Spiritual Marriage Verses A Secular Relationship

Letter from the Authors This book is one that is a good idea to read before and during marriage! Willie and I noticed in today's society that most single people, whom we come in contact with, would like to get married. Could the reason be the way it sounds, "Mr. & Mrs. Xyz?"What it represents: "ownership?" Most people who talk about getting married do not understand that marriage is a "MINISTRY." When we take a look at marriage the way God sees it, it is a "Ministry." Is your marriage a ministry? We were fifteen years into our marriage before we understood marriage is a "ministry," simply because it's spiritual. Some of you might ask, "What does it mean to have your marriage as your ministry?" The meaning of "ministry" in its simplistic form - find a need and fill it. Make your responsibility in your marriage an act of praise by doing it with reverence to God. Honor God with the quality of your work and the attitude of service you bring to your marriage. This means to come out of self to meet the need of your spouse, keeping God as the focal point. The spouse can't help but reap the benefits. Take a moment and review your wedding vows. We wrote this book to remind us, after saying "I do," our first obligation is to each other as husband and wife to minister to one another. Ephesians says: Wives, submit to your husband as to the Lord for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. The husband has certain needs only God and the wife can fulfill, and the wife has certain needs only God and the husband can fulfill. Both have all needs only God can fulfill, "if" they choose for Him to. ALL else is secondary. On these pages, think of two couples who were trying to hang on to their marriage in their own strength, and strength from friends. To no avail, they stayed married for a short period of time. There are some couples who remained married for a long time, but were not mentally or spiritually there. You will also think about those of us who realized we were headed down the wrong path and allowed God to lead us in our marriages. Because of that decision, we are joyfully married for 30 + years. I am sure you would agree, within those 30 + years we gained lumps and bumps, but through it all, God has sustained the marriages.A spiritual marriage is one where the couple knows without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus MUST be the LEADER in order for the marriage to work. They are not unequally yoked. Every step of the way, they are praying together about the relationship, the wedding preparation, as well as their day-to-day involvement; "until death do us part." A physical marriage is one that is unequally yoked; the two were attracted by the flesh. They married for physical reasons; what they could see, touch and smell. Both are selfish, but had enough feelings for each other to take the relationship to the next level, marriage. There was a conversation going on in the back of their mind like this, "I am going to change him once we get married; then he will be the perfect mate." As you continue to read, you will understand the difference in a secular relationship and a spiritual marriage. Willie and I started off with a physical relationship, but since have learned the joys of having a "Spiritual" marriage.

Author: Willie Jones, Althea Jones

Publisher: Independently Published

Publication Date: Jul 30, 2019

Number of Pages: 107 pages

Language: English

Binding: Paperback

ISBN-10: 1086059980

ISBN-13: 9781086059984