God has a grand design for marriage and it can be a source of great joy. Marriage is representative of Christ's love for his church. Ephesians 5 has great insight into how wives are to love their husband. What does 'submit to your husband' mean? This does not mean that you are inferior to your husband. This passage is referring to you submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ and allowing him to work through you to show your husband love and respect. Men thrive on respect. If the whole world rejects them, but their wife stands by them and respects them, then all is well. Wives, ask the Lord Jesus to show you creative ways to show respect to your husband. This is the true meaning of submission - submitting to the Lord Jesus and responding to his leading in your marriage.

Marriage is hard. Even the best of marriages have tough times. In those bad times and even in the good times, we have to deal with our own selfishness when we marry. That's why it's so important to depend on our relationship with the Lord. The Bible encourages us to be "quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger" (James 1:19). Your spouse needs you to truly listen to him/her, not to jump in with opinion or solutions. The word "hear" means to listen attentively with the idea that you will do something with what you have heard. It means that we really want to know what our mate is bringing to the table so that we can respond and act to what is truly being communicated. Remember this saying: "Listen without defending and speak without offending."

Today we look at practical application of what the Bible says. How do you love your wife as Christ loves the church? It's not about a feeling. It is about an action. 1 Corinthians 13 describes these actions. How do we act out the love of God to our mate? A woman's core need is security; for a man it is respect. Telling your wife you love her gives her security in marriage. Husbands, laser focus your attention on communicating to your wife that your marriage is secure, that she is valued and loved.

Marriage is a unique relationship between one man and one woman. Within that unique relationship we have the opportunity to serve one individual, living out the relationship we have with Christ. Husband are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and wives are to submit and respect their husbands. That doesn't define roles or hierarchy. Depend upon God and His Holy Spirit to carry out these roles. The husband and wife are to be controlled by the love of God. The result is a wonderful and satisfying relationship.

One of the guiding truths to marriage is to 'serve one another in love'. Marriage provides a unique opportunity to serve one another in love because of God's love. Jesus Christ is the center of every Christian marriage. Two believers come together as one. Within that union with Christ is unconditional love and acceptance from God. The best thing you can do for your marriage is encourage your spouse to live in dependence upon Jesus Christ.

God designed marriage. He made humans as male and female. Just as our hands are mirror images of one another so is man and woman. She is fully his equal and together they reflect the fullness of our Creator. Being joined one to the other creates a new entity. First, the man leaves his father and mother. Second, he cleaves to his wife in every way. The two become one. One in Christ. This word means that you join together and you are to stay together. God's grace within you and within your relationship will be the power that enables you to stay together.

God designed marriage. He made humans as male and female. Just as our hands are mirror images of one another so is man and woman. She is fully his equal and together they reflect the fullness of our Creator. Being joined one to the other creates a new entity. First, the man leaves his father and mother. Second, he cleaves to his wife in every way. This word means that you join together and you are to stay together. God's grace within you and within your relationship will be the power that enables you to stay together.

Sin is never OK because it carries grave consequences; certainly suicide carries the ultimate consequence. But is suicide the unpardonable sin? A listener in South Carolina asks how to forgive her son and ex-daughter in law. She is raising her granddaughter because of choices her parents have made. Join us for a trip to Israel through the lens of the New Covenant. A listener asks about praying in tongues or a private prayer language. A listener disagrees with our teaching; she believes that we can lose our salvation.

This last session of our teaching on Hebrews is an overview of the foundational truths we've explored. This whole story of the Bible is the story of Jesus. God spoke through his prophets before Jesus, and now Christ has come. Through the Holy Spirit, he is with us today. God speaks to us through him. Christ fulfilled the roles laid out before him and we are beneficiaries of his finished work.

Hebrews encourages us to offer up the continual sacrifice of praise to God. Let us do good and share what we have with others. Let's obey our leaders, those who watch over our souls and let's pray. Jesus is our great shepherd and He equips us with every good thing so that we may do his will. He works in us that which is pleasing in his sight.