Marriage and Family Meditations XXIV
Psalms 104:34 May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD.
Cornerstone Ministries Napa Valley 
Marriage and Sexual Intimacy 3
Hi Family and Friends,
This issue is a little longer than normal but I hope that it will be worth your time and thoughts.
Here is the 3rd meditation in the series I started on what the bible teaches about “Marriage and Sexual Intimacy”. Some of you may realize that pastor Bill is also starting a series on “Sexual Sin and Holiness” You can see his comments on His Blog at; http://www.pastorbillwalden.wordpress.com. Since the Lord has been putting this on both of our hearts it seems to me that God is truly speaking to us as a church and it is my hope that these messages will go beyond the doors of our Church, and many in the Church will be stirred in their hearts and minds to have ears to hear, and hearts to obey God’s word to us all.
I hope that you will all understand and embrace the instruction in this passage in Colossians which can so clearly transform the marriages of Christian couples, and establish them in Jesus.
In the Colossians passage below you will find every thing you need as a Christian man and woman to have a satisfying and fulfilling godly marriage, and deeply rewarding spiritual, emotional, and physical intimacy. There are many other passages in the bible that will also lead you into just such a godly marriage, but this is one of my favorites.
Not Carnality but Christ
(Carnality destroys but Jesus heals)
Colossians 3: 1 – 22 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Character of the New Man (or Woman)
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
As Christians our Marriage relationship, including our sexual intimacy in marriage is sustained and enhanced in direct proportion to our willingness to submit to God’s word, and “put off” our corrupt worldly habits of sensuality and self serving, while choosing instead to “put on” the character and nature of Christ our Lord.
Living according to our sinful nature undermines and destroys the relationships of husband and wife, parents and children and others. Sexual sin, (fornication and adultery) certainly is devastating to these relationships, but so also are the many other sins we commit against one another. These sins destroy the confidence and trust, and loving intimacy, that holds a relationship together.
God has called us out of the darkness of evil and sin that we were in and has forgiven us and freed us to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. We are able now to “put on” that very divine nature, that character of Christ, as we seek Him and follow Him and learn from Him. God’s word instructs us to adorn ourselves with tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. As God’s children we are to bear with one another, and forgive one another even as He has forgiven us. In choosing to submit to Jesus we are able to “put on love, which is the bond of perfection” By this we can be assured that the intimacy of our marriages and family will be built up and encouraged and God’s purposes will be fulfilled.
God’s word has made it clear, as Christians we have the choice to build our homes on the solid rock of Jesus Christ our Lord, by following and trusting Him, or on the sinking sand of our own sinful nature.
May God grant that we make godly choices each day, to honor our Lord Jesus.
If you would like to review some of the other posts (meditations) from the past please check my blog site at http://pastorvinceasaro.wordpress.com May the Lord bless your lives in Christ Jesus… Vince