This message focuses on the biblical principle of “leaving and cleaving” as a key part of a covenant marriage. It emphasizes that marriage requires a shift in priority, where spouses form a new, primary bond with each other above all previous relationships, including parents and family of origin. This transition is not about abandoning family, but about establishing a new, independent, and God-centered household.

The teaching highlights the importance of building a marriage rooted in unity, where decisions, challenges, and growth are handled together rather than relying on outside influences that may not align with biblical values. It also warns against allowing external voices—friends, family, or culture—to shape the direction of a marriage in ways that conflict with God’s design.

Ultimately, this lesson reinforces that a healthy covenant relationship requires intentional separation, new alignment, and spiritual maturity. By honoring God’s order, couples can create a strong, unified foundation that reflects His design for marriage while still maintaining love and respect for their families.

This episode continues the series on covenant relationships by focusing on the importance of receiving your spouse with all their imperfections. It emphasizes that no one is perfect, and a healthy marriage requires unconditional love, humility, forgiveness, and patience.

The discussion highlights how people often present their best selves during dating, but true character is revealed over time. Because of this, couples are encouraged to enter marriage with realistic expectations and a commitment to grow together rather than trying to “fix” one another.

Key biblical principles are explored, including allowing love to cover faults, practicing forgiveness as Christ forgave, focusing on personal growth instead of criticizing a spouse, and showing consistent grace. The episode also stresses the importance of giving each other space to grow, avoiding unrealistic expectations, and choosing compassion over criticism.

Ultimately, the message reinforces that strong marriages are built on grace, mutual support, and a willingness to extend the same mercy to a spouse that we desire for ourselves.

In this teaching, Stan and Cynthia Shelby continue their discussion on covenant relationships by focusing on the importance of believing together for God’s purpose in marriage. They explain that a covenant marriage is designed by God to reflect His love, create unity, and serve a greater purpose beyond the couple themselves.

Drawing from their own journey, they share how many couples begin marriage without fully understanding their purpose, but as they grow in faith and continue saying “yes” to God, He reveals direction over time. Marriage becomes a partnership not only for companionship, but for ministry, growth, and impact.

The message highlights several key purposes of a covenant marriage:

They emphasize that marriage is not about competition or keeping score, but about mutual service, unconditional love, and commitment. When both spouses focus on giving their best and following God’s design, the relationship becomes stronger and more aligned with His purpose.

Overall, this teaching encourages couples to seek God’s plan for their marriage, trust His timing, and remain committed to growing together in faith and love.

In this teaching, Stan and Cynthia Shelby introduce the concept of covenant relationships, contrasting them with the contract-based relationships discussed previously. While contracts are often conditional and based on mutual benefit, a covenant relationship is a sacred, lifelong commitment rooted in unconditional love, sacrifice, and faithfulness.

A covenant marriage is designed to reflect God’s relationship with His people—steadfast, unbreakable, and centered on spiritual unity. It is not something to be taken lightly, but a promise made not only to a spouse, but ultimately before God.

Key characteristics of a covenant relationship include:

Ultimately, while a contract focuses on what one receives, a covenant focuses on what one gives. This mindset builds trust, security, and a deeper connection that reflects God’s design for marriage.

This message serves as an introduction to a broader exploration of covenant relationships, encouraging couples to evaluate their own relationships and align them with a more enduring, faith-based foundation.

This Good Friday message reflects on the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the hope found in His resurrection. While honoring the significance of the cross, the teaching also continues the series on contract relationships, focusing on how intimacy can be misunderstood and misused in marriage.

The discussion highlights the dangers of treating physical intimacy as a transaction—something to be earned, withheld, or used as leverage. When intimacy becomes conditional, it can lead to resentment, emotional distance, and a breakdown in genuine connection. Instead, healthy intimacy is presented as a natural expression of love that grows out of emotional, spiritual, and relational unity.

The message emphasizes the importance of balance, communication, and mutual care in marriage. True connection isn’t built on feelings alone or performance-based expectations, but through consistent commitment, selflessness, and a desire to strengthen the bond between spouses.

Ultimately, the teaching encourages couples to view intimacy as a way to deepen unity rather than control one another—reflecting a Christ-centered relationship built on love, sacrifice, and grace.

This message continues the discussion on contract relationships, focusing on “cleave” and the need to feel love.

They explain that relying on feelings to sustain a marriage is dangerous because feelings are temporary and can change quickly. When a relationship is built only on emotions, it becomes unstable and vulnerable during conflict or difficult seasons.

Several key dangers are highlighted:

They also explain the meaning of “cleave”—to remain joined, committed, and closely connected. This requires intentional effort, not just emotional connection.

An example is shared about balancing personal interests within marriage, emphasizing that each spouse should be allowed to maintain their identity, while also keeping healthy balance and not neglecting the relationship.

The core message:

This message continues the discussion on contract relationships, focusing specifically on the danger of conditional love—where love is given or withheld based on performance, expectations, or behavior.

They explain that conditional love creates a toxic foundation in marriage, leading to fear, insecurity, resentment, and emotional instability. Unlike God’s love, which is freely given, conditional love operates like a transaction—“I’ll love you if you meet my expectations.”

Several key dangers are highlighted:

A major point emphasized is that time does not heal wounds—healing requires forgiveness and intentional work. Without healing, emotional baggage carries into future relationships and causes harm.

They also stress the importance of premarital counseling as prevention, not just repair—encouraging couples to seek guidance before engagement to uncover compatibility, expectations, and personal healing needs.

Ultimately, the message contrasts conditional love with unconditional, Christ-like love, where:

The core takeaway:
Healthy marriages are built on unconditional love, healing, and intentional growth—not performance, pressure, or conditions.

This message continues the discussion on contract relationships, focusing on the common belief that marriage exists primarily to make each other happy—and why that mindset can be harmful.

The teaching explains that while happiness is good, it is temporary and based on circumstances, whereas joy comes from God and remains steady regardless of situations. Expecting a spouse to provide constant happiness places unrealistic pressure on the relationship and often leads to disappointment.

Several dangers of this mindset are highlighted:

The message emphasizes that marriage is not about constant happiness but about growth, commitment, and spiritual maturity. A strong relationship requires balance, honest communication, personal responsibility, and reliance on God as the true source of joy.

Ultimately, marriage should not be centered on “making me happy,” but on growing together, serving one another, and becoming more Christ-like.

This week begins a new focus on relationships, starting with the idea of a contract relationship and how it impacts marriage.

A contract-based relationship treats love like a transaction—“if you do this, I’ll do that.” While it may seem structured, it often leads to unhealthy patterns.

Key characteristics include:

Instead of fostering closeness, this approach can create pressure, resentment, and instability. It sets unrealistic expectations and makes it difficult to handle mistakes in a healthy way.

The reminder:
Healthy relationships aren’t built on conditions and scorekeeping. They require grace, forgiveness, and a heart that values connection over control.

Today’s message wraps up the week by focusing on how to stay free from offense and avoid developing a hardened heart.

A key reminder: you can’t just deal with issues on the surface—you have to go after the root. Like pulling weeds, if the root isn’t removed, the problem will keep coming back.

Jesus teaches that offense is unavoidable, but holding onto it is a choice. Instead of taking the bait of offense, we’re called to:

The example of Joseph powerfully illustrates this. Despite betrayal, abandonment, and injustice, he chose forgiveness over bitterness. When given the chance for revenge, he responded with grace—showing that a softened heart is possible, even after deep hurt.

The bottom line:
Offense will come, but you don’t have to live in it. When you release it to God, you stay free, protect your heart, and walk in the kind of love Jesus modeled.