IF a person is not learning the cross – learning to walk the crucified life – should you be entertaining marrying them?

Attempting to put a relationship together that is not absolutely ordained of God – is a death trap that will take you places you don’t want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. Years of derailment lie in such a trap and Satan is stalking and setting those traps to snare you (2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Peter 5:8). The enemy has sunk many a ship, a life this way. Beware of pushing, of propelling something that God is not in, is not clearly opening the door for you to flow into. He never sleeps, slumbers, not misses His cue (Psalms 121:4). Beware beloved of God. Your life is His and He has a plan, a direction, a person. You are HIS – purchased by His very and precious blood (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14).

SO do you actually, vainly believe God is going to trap one of His beloved children in a marriage with you – while you refuse to die the death, to be truly crucified with Christ – laying down your life to serve Him and others? Not going to happen. Such would be a sinister indictment on the Almighty. If you are going to rebel in selfishness, in cross-lessness, God is going to allow you to soak and even perish in your own corruption and misery. He’s not going to join you with one of His beloved daughters, a handmaid of His kingdom, unless you lay down your life for real and live the crucified life (Galatians 2:20). You are only kidding yourself to think such a thing.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5

UNMARRIED and praying for that godly mate? The prep is for us to come into that relationship SERVING, to serve beloved. Read that sentence again please. When God brings two of His children together, they come to humbly serve, serve, serve God and their mate. God-fearing marriage prep: Read and pray these passages each morning: Matthew 20:24-28; Philippians 2:3-5.

“No Christian should be shocked at the alarming increase in singleness. Marriage is not friend of selfishness and we are a self-serving society.” Dale P.

Get back to the cross beloved – where you are daily dead and buried and Christ is raising your life upward, resurrecting you into His perfect will and blessings.

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

Why would the LORD join one of His authentic disciples in marriage to a counterfeit? He wouldn’t.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14

Beloved of God – your choices are narrow as is the way to eternal glory wherein only a “few” walk (Matthew 7:13-14)  Right? As you step back and meditate upon these truths, the realization of what God desires for you in holy matrimony will begin to come to focus. Equally yoked is His stated will.

Though nearly never heard, the cross, the crucified life is at the center of Christ’s original Gospel message and the determining factor as to who is real and who is not (Luke 9:23-24). Today, begin hand writing and memorizing Bible verses on the cross life, the crucified life – which is the only way to walk with Jesus. Otherwise sin reigns.

The person not walking the crucified life is not following Jesus – regardless of their personal claim (Matthew 16:24-25).

Either Jesus, the cross He prescribes, will crucify sin out of your life – or, sin will crucify the holy Savior out of your life.

Read Romans 6 each morning this week. | The Cross Lifestyle

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Life truth: Your whole life is ordained by your Maker, your Redeemer – to worship and love and serve Him and to humbly serve others, with His joy and delight. Pour prayerfully over Matthew 22:37-40. If you will embrace, will choose to capture and walk out this truth, your life will be blessed by God. There are no shortcuts.

“Be someone who wants to bring added value
into the life of another, not just someone who wants to be married.
That’s what mature marriage-readiness requires.” unknown

“Esther wasn’t looking for a husband, yet, God gave her a king. Ruth wasn’t looking for a husband, yet, God gave her a redeemer. Adam wasn’t searching for a wife, yet, God gave him his helpmeet. Stop searching and allow God to give you what you need.” @dearfuturehim

“Ladies, I know we say ‘times have changed’, but never pursue a man, no matter how much you love him. Not only is it against the order of God, it violates even the laws of nature. Soil doesn’t chase seed. The seed must come to the soil. As flattering as it is for a man to be pursued by a woman, no self-respecting man derives any satisfaction from that. And, as a woman, it diminishes your stature and worth in the man’s eyes. Let him pursue you. If he doesn’t, he’s not the one. No man who wants a woman is shy. Even if he’s naturally reserved, when he find a woman he likes, he will step up to the plate. Don’t make excuses for him.” Mogotsi D Baloyi

Beloved, each and every morning as you awake, let the following divinely inspired words roll out of your heart and lips as your prayer… and declaration:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Marriage is the perfect opportunity to be crucified with Christ, fueling your life with divine grace to humbly serve your mate – daily, perpetually. Jesus-glorifying marriages are to make us holy, not necessarily always happy. Yet, to be truly happy, one must commit to the One who is “Holy, holy, holy” and commands us to “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 4:8). When we are set apart to the LORD (definition of holy). We are then and only then enjoying true happiness, joy – no matter what’s transpiring around us (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:7-8).

If you are not going to put Jesus first, you are simply choosing not to be His – you are making the decision to reject the Son of God (Matthew 6:24; 12:30).

Jesus must be first – or you are not His. Yes, it’s a salvation issue. Begin with repenting friend (Revelation 2:4-5).

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26

PRAYER of an unmarried born again disciple for a truly God fearing mate: Holy Father, break me, do Your deeper work in this vessel, all the way to the core of this being. Jesus, please bless this life to be truly, continually, daily crucified with You dear LORD. Teach me Thy ways – to love and serve You first then all others. Please make me Your authentic disciple. Let every trace of evil, of deceit, of self-idolatry, fakery, self-idolatry, of spiritual adultery be crucified in this life dear LORD. Please anoint this vessel to the death and burial of the self-life that You alone might reign and this life may be a light for Your bless-ed and eternal glory – first serving You, my mate, and others. In Jesus’ Name, amen. Father on Your earth, You have an unmarried man/woman, who is Yours and is praying, is asking You for a godly mate…. please unite us, bring us together as You did with Your beloved Isaac and Rebekah, according to Your perfect will LORD, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Read the story of God bringing together Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24.

The Cross Saturated Life – the only Victorious way to Live

Fresh Start with God | Single/Unmarried Christians | Marriage for the Glory of God | Godly Manhood | Proverbs 31 Woman Audio Series [podcast] | Encouragement for Unmarried Christians

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