This page will be our alert or call to action.                 We will exhort you to be aware of                       pertinent issues that affect our               families and communities.

The MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN CRISIS

This issue is so important we decided to revise the article and continue to publish it for a while longer.  Excellent for use in a group discussion.  Please read all Scriptures as you come to them.  

With the escalating divorce, addiction, and assault statistics, we must be willing to ask ourselves the hard questions.  You'll find solid answers to these questions in HIS word.  God has equipped our church leaders to shepherd the hurting family.  [Lev. 19: 15; Deut. 1: 16; and 18: 18; Pro. 31: 9; Is. 58: 1-12;  Ezek. 18: 8 and Mal. 2: 7-9 and 4: 5-6] Thus equipped, our church leaders can effectively address the various needs or problems in their flocks.  

Clearly, this calls for more guidance than setting a "date night." They must equip our families with issue specific wisdom. [Pro. 2: 12-16; 1Cor. 14: 20; Phil.1: 9-11; Heb. 5: 7-14] Wisdom begins with the knowledge of God, [Pr. 2: 5 and 9: 10]. Therefore, our focus must be to reexamine our faith.  Ask the questions, "Where are the idols in our marriages? Who guides our thinking, or foolishness?  What do we really believe about God?  

Healthy marriage does not begin with the couple.  It begins with our courting our first love, GOD.  Our marriages need to flow from a functioning love for God that clearly takes precedence. [Rev. 2: 2-5]  Our Faith must be much more and a socially acceptable conviction, and one that produces real fruit, rather than just hearing about it on Sunday. [Gal. 5: 19-22]. Bottom line, we have to match the relevance of God's word with raw, real life.  Without a relevant application of HIS word, we just have another religion on our hands.  If HIS word isn't relevant; HE won't be either!

Dear Reader, Healthy marriages require HIS balance of justice and mercy.  Often, we misinterpret the word, "endure" and end up "giving sin a drink and a pillow".  Therefore, replace any "endurance theology" with one that boldly confronts sin, while lovingly directs righteousness, [Lev. 19: 17-18; Ps. 19: 19; Gal. 6: 1, 1 Pet. 3: 8].  Love and respect are gender-neutral issues that must be taught and applied to every relationships.  [John 13: 34, 1Cor. 13: 1-13; Eph. 5: 21]  If, we want to achieve the goals we have set for our children and marriages, we must be willing to lay aside our foolishness and sin; taking on the breastplate of righteousness.  [Eph. 6: 14-19]  

NOTE: Protect against all forms of Violence.  Once safety is firmly in place, focus on your walk with God before you focus on your walk with your spouse.  Use HIS perspective to light up dark paths.  If you are in relational crisis, you've already seen what you can produce on your own, dear one.

Further, we must unite in our stance against all forms of oppression, injustice, and affliction with all the people saying, "Amen!"  [Deuteronomy 27: 15-26]   This is a war and one that we are duty bound to fight.  We need not fear the process more than the risks for not doing so.  [2Tim. 1: 7] Do not freeze with indecision or a lack of awareness; rather take on the challenge to change, to grow, to deliver the victim from the hand of the oppressor, and to grant justice and mercy for all.

 "End Needless Oppression! Unite God's House!"