If you don’t know how to share content on Facebook, here’s a quick lesson. When LifeHouse posts something you like, you’ll see three buttons underneath the post — Like, Comment and Share.
While many understand what the first and the second do, fewer understand or use the third button — Share.
So on the Facebook page today there was a post that said: Read More
When you tied the knot, was it a figure of eight or a slipknot?
You either tie yourself into a for-good marriage (recommended) or you loosely shape some semblance of knot opting for the ‘light’ version of marriage (not recommended).
We may go into wedded bliss with the best of intentions, but reality bites folks… and so does your spouse – as do you (me too).
If it weren’t for pre-marital counselling, I know I would have been running with scissors into a marital Romantic Comedy. To be blunt, I thought marriage meant my guy had to make me happy and keep me happy. Not right? Ugh – the truth bites too!
Another thing that bites is that the devil (yes I wrote the devil on this page – it felt weird for me too for a moment) knows that marriage is the earthly representation of Jesus and the Bride He is coming back for. So naturally we have targets on our foreheads and when things go awry – as they do (and especially so when you’re getting ready for church or for life group, etc) – we stare bewildered at our partner’s impertinence, caught in the headlights of abundance-free life.
Here’s what we promised:
“I, John take you, Mary to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, and this is my solemn vow.”
And then we placed rings on each other’s fingers:
“I give you this ring as a sign of my undying love for you. I will honour you with my body and be faithful to you all my life.”
But when sickness comes, fear creeps in that our better-halves will lessen themselves and not want to stay around until death. Or the fear gets fulfilled by the reality that they do make a run for it.
So how can we scotch-guard our unions? There’s no Verimark product for this I’m afraid (but if there were they’d make millions). We do have prayer and a God, whose Son won the greatest victory for us. So that should perk you up. But it doesn’t end there. We have to work at our marriages. We made the vows and that is what they are – promises. < – there’s the full-stop.
Marriage Matters is a weekly marriage course that LifeHouse Church is holding in February and again in March. So if you want to spray something on your marriage spray this…
Listen to the first preach in our Love Intervention series, Death by Love, by Gary Bradshaw.
*LifeHouse Church meets at The Arena Royale, at the Broadacres Shopping Centre in Chartwell, north of Fourways, Johannesburg.
Love intervention
By Grant Morgan
We’ve lost what love is
We’ve made it something else
It’s not a Cupid’s arrow
It’s not a lemon meringue pie
Or my favorite toy
Love starts with God
God is love
Jesus on the cross
True picture of love
God loves us first
We were dead
We were unlovely
We were His enemy
But God…he loves me first
Love takes my failure
Builds me up
Encourages me
Gives me security
Corrects my wrongs
Leads me to forgiveness
Brings me to redemption
Takes me to obedience
I am His poem
He is writing on me
His grace He shows me
By faith…your grace is mine
Your vast grace is mine
More than just my weaknesses
Faith and Grace, Your way to live
By faith…I pull your grace into this world
I can change the atmosphere
Because of You
It is not just for me
But as You love me first
I love others
The following video has caused much of a stir in Christian world as it hits hard at religious legalism.
The criticism of the video can be read at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really/
The unfortunate thing is that the criticism levied at the video reinforces its message! The point of the video is about legalism and the damage it causes – its not a doctrinal discourse! I know the critical response is a humble one but I think misses the proverbial forest from the trees! Part of legalism is that it knit picks and looks for detail and Misses the heart! The problem is that the response is focusing on empowering grace while the video is focusing on acceptance grace. When we confuse methods and principles the gospel is dismantled. Of course there is much work to be done. Of course we obey! But, we do it from an assurance of our identity as sons of God and in the power of the Spirit and not in our own strength!
Mark Driscoll address religious legalism as only he can! Enjoy the clip!
Here is a great video on marriage!
If marriage is the ultimate picture on earth of Jesus and His Bride – the church, then Marriage Matters! When I look at the world today I see so few marriages that reflect this shadow. The biggest problem in marriage is the selfishness that we bring into it and the lack of understanding The Gospel.
It cost Jesus everything:
Ephesians 2:4: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved.
God’s intervention on project planet earth was fully motivated by His love for us. This love was freely given but cost Jesus everything! Without this love intervention we would remain forever dead and separated from the eternal source of life!
This love is the very nature of God - 1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. God is the origin and the source of love. He does not give love as a gift – he is love. Jesus is love incarnate, the Holy Spirit is the manifestation of love.
Love …
Grant Morgan conducted two financial stewardship workshops as part of LifeHouse Church’s series on Stewardship towards the end of 2011.
The two workshops were incredibly insightful, but also highlighted how much there is to cover in being diligent around the management of finances, as well as putting things in place for spouses and the next generation in the event of your death. Read More
Video content from the preaching series on Stewardship
We will be doing a short series on Stewardship in the month of November – with specific reference to Time, Talents and our Treasures. It is a challenge to talk about stewarding in a world that is so focused on privatization of faith, ownership and control… where we spend our time, what we do with our talents and where we expend our treasures, this tells us a great deal of what is important to us. See the video intro to the series!
It is interesting that when a Christian gets baptized they take off their watch (time), take out their car keys (talents used to purchase) and they take out their wallets (treasures). This simply highlights the mindsets of many Christians – Lord you can have everything except my time, talents and treasures. Those are mine to do as I please!
A steward is defined as someone who looks after the possessions of another! David understood this when he thanked God for the provision given by the people of Israel for the building of the temple.
1 Chron 29:12-14 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. 14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
What are you doing with your time, talents and treasures? I trust that they are being used to ‘build’ the temple – the kingdom of God. Its amazing that throughout scripture when the people of God give generously – the presence of God comes! This is clearly seen when Moses built the tabernacle with the treasures Israel had plundered from the Egyptians and when Solomon completed the temple:
2 Chron 5:13-14 …the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
My heart is that we will again consider what we are doing with all God has given us. I know that when we give of our Time, Talents and Treasures to what God is doing, we draw God’s manifest presence!
2 Corinthians 8:7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace (freely giving) also.
Lifehouse Church has had a couple of words coming through about the Lion of Judah roaring. When Gary shared it at home group, I was reminded about the documentary eternal enemies which are about a fight between Lions and Hyenas. I shared it with him and he showed the below two Sunday’s ago.
