July, 16th, 2006                                 Leakey church of Christ                                         Weekly Bulletin

    In America, our civil judges grant over 4,500 divorces per day. The breakup of the family by divorce has easily become the number one moral problem of our generation ~ both as a country and in the church of our Lord. Every moral problem that we see in our country can be traced back to the deterioration of the home. Even among God’s people, the sin of divorce has led some to compromise with the world both in their practice and in their preaching.
    Why are there so many divorces? The main reason is many have lost sight of what God wants the home to be. We need to go back to the Biblical model of marriage. Marriage, as God designed it, is the most intimate relationship that two people can share. When God is allowed to rule in our lives, marriage is the most fulfilling relationship two people can experience this side of heaven. As we look for God’s design for marriage ~ there is no better place to begin than “in the beginning” with Adam and Eve, the very first married couple (Gen. 2:18-25).
    The Almighty said, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18a). Everything that God had made He declared to be “good” until He got to the man alone. Thus, the Lord declared, I will make him a help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18b). Marriage was designed to solve the very first problem of the human race ~ the need for a companion. Before God made Eve, He showed man the beasts of the field and allowed him to name them as if to point out to man that he was alone (Gen. 2:19-20).
    Adam’s companion was to be a “help meet for him.” A “helper” is an ally, a friend, or a companion. It does not imply that the woman is a second-class citizen. That she was “meet,” or suitable to man indicates that she was to be perfectly compatible to him. A woman uniquely fills that role and provides for her husband that which he doesn’t have in himself. God could have made woman from the dust of the ground in the same way He had formed man. He chose instead to begin with a rib from Adam’s side to show the unique closeness of this relationship.
    Marriage was intended to bring happiness ~ not misery. “And the man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh…” (Gen. 2:23). Adam is saying, “At last, I have someone corresponding to me, bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!” imagine Adam’s emotion as he stands before what had to be the most beautiful of all God’s creation. That was the way marriage was designed to be in the beginning ~ a happy, caring, content, secure, and loving relationship.
    Marriage was planned by God to be an exclusive relationship. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). By design, God intended for all other human relationships to be secondary to this one. Your mate and his/her needs must come before your family, friends, business, and even the kids!
    Marriage requires a “cleaving” of husbands and wife for life (Gen. 2:24). It’s not enough just to “leave” father and mother ~ you must “cleave” to each other. The Hebrew word “cleave” means “to cling to or adhere to, to abide fast, follow close or hard after, be joined together, keep fast, overtake, pursue hard, stick to, take, catch by pursuit.” Cleaving to your mate requires a wholehearted commitment ~ first spiritually, then intellectually, emotionally, and physically. The husband is given the primary responsibility to do everything possible to be all he should be in order to form ties with his wife that will make them inseparable. And the wife must respond in like manner.
    Husbands and wife must become one flesh (Gen. 2:24-25). God’s design for marriage is that two people become so close that they feel as one. It is a monogamous relationship (Proverbs 6:32). Though it goes far deeper, it includes the intimate physical union; and that without shame (Hebrews 13:4). Being “one flesh” includes both and intimate physical knowledge and a tender, intimate, personal knowledge of one’s spouse. It is knowledge so intimate and so deep that two individuals merge into one ~ one in mind, heart, body, and spirit.
    God’s original blueprint for marriage is still valid (Matt. 19:3-6). You can have a healthy, happy, fulfilling marriage if you are willing to commit your life to following the principles God has outlined for this relationship.
Tom Moore

Weekly Events
In June:
Bible Study @7pm:
Suspended until the fall.

Bible Reading
 &
Discussion @7pm:
1st Samuel
Thursday’s
6th, 13th, 20th

Men’s Meeting:
Sunday the 30th
After PM service

Special Note : There will be an area wide singing July 27th at the Utopia church of Christ @ 7:00PM

Singing in Utopia:
Utopia church of Christ will be having a singing on July, 27th @ 7:00pm