Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength (Vol. 1) - #
267
Michael’s book is
available through:
ABIDING LIFE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
Littleton, Colorado
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Leave
it to Michael to address one of the least addressed truths of Scripture. And he points us to God to see how this truth
is manifested…
DAY 198
Marriage Spiral
For this reason a man will leave his father
and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. --Genesis 2:24
One of the sure signs of oneness in
marriage is our ability to make our mates miserable. When we think about other couples, their misery is not ours. That
is, their mates do not make us unhappy. How could they? We are not one with
them! Oneness is an interesting term in the Bible used to explain the
body of Christ, our relationship with Jesus, His relationship with the Father,
and, of course, marriage. The best illustration for oneness is found in
a mixing bowl. When we place flour and sugar in the bowl and turn on the mixer,
the flour and sugar become one. At that point it is impossible to separate the
two. If we try to add food coloring only to the flour, we will find it quite
impossible, for it has also united with the sugar. When we marry, God turns on the divine mixer and
blends the couple together. Marriage is not an attempt by two individuals to
live together; on the contrary, it is the death of individuality. As the
beaters turn, either one throwing dirt at the other will find himself dirty as
well. Even Satan recognizes this oneness, for he appeared before God requesting
to destroy Job. God allowed Satan to proceed with the one condition that he could
not take him. Satan subsequently took Job's flocks, children, servants, crops,
wealth, and even his health. There was one thing that Satan did not take: his
wife! Why not? Because even Satan knows that a man's wife is his very life, and
he had been commanded not to take the life of Job. The wife was safe.
Many believers have
marriages that suffer from what I call marriage spirals that occur when the
conduct of one creates in the mate an abhorred behavior. For example, a
husband is made to feel that he is a failure at home. This causes him to spend
longer hours at work where he is appreciated, which causes him to be a greater
failure at home, which in turn drives him feverishly into his work. To come out of the spiral, both
must begin to relate to their mate differently, not on the basis of
unconstructive behavior but on the basis of heart’s desire.
Do you know your
mate's deepest heart desire? Ask him or her. You will be surprised. The believer's
desire will be to be a blessing as a mate, to be a godly mate and parent, and
even to make you happy.
The purpose of marriage is not to have
someone to do for you; rather, it is so you have someone to do for. Happiness will only come as you love and do for others. Leave it to God to do for you.
When asked to list the
characteristics of a perfect spouse, most often people will list things only
God can provide: love, listening, help, and patience. Notice that the feet
needed to fill those shoes belong to Jesus. If you want a happy mate, then you must point your
mate to Christ, who alone can meet those needs.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Perhaps “oneness in marriage” is one of the least addressed, studied,
and understood key truths of God’s plan for husbands & wives. Goodness, this is huge!
From a chronological standpoint, God’s declaration of “they will become
one flesh” is only 55 VERSES into the Bible!
And God gives His “indissoluble union” idea of marriage…that is
“oneness” to the “n”th degree.
Woman is absolutely essential to God’s plan.
Woman was made from man.
Man is responsible for the marriage and its oneness.
These are some of the most essential premises of God’s law for marriage
that we glean from Genesis ch’s 1 & 2.
This “oneness” yields the needs of the husband and wife being met…when
Christ is the source to meet the needs.
Michael speaks to a huge truth pertinent to this “oneness”: “only God
can provide…Christ, who alone can meet those needs.” (in case you ‘need’ a
reminder: God and Christ are One). Husbands
and wives make a grave mistake trying create “oneness” and meet the needs of
their spouses that only God/Christ can meet.
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NOTICE: another blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. You can access by logging onto
www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
(blog)
www.leemccmviews.blogspot.com
P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches,
TX 75963 936-559-5696
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