Relationship

No man is an island entire of itself. We define relationship as the way in which 2 more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. The first relationship we see in the Bible is God and Adam. God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27). He gave dominion to man over the earth and God said that everything he had made was very good. God created the Garden of Eden and put man to tend and keep it. He allowed Adam to name all the living creatures in Genesis 2:19. God knew that man should not be alone and from Adam's rib he made a woman, Eve (Genesis 2:22). "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:24-25)." God gave Adam and Eve a paradise, where no sickness, no hunger, no shame, no sin, no pandemic, no fear and no death could ever enter the Garden. God gave everything that was good and nothing to harm them because of his love and made us in his image. There was only one rule in Genesis 2:17, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you she will not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Let us examine the relationship, God our Heavenly Father wants with us, which he freely gives and intended with Adam and Eve. Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” God determined the exact time of our births (Acts 17:26, Psalms 71:6). Acts 17:28, we are his offspring. He predestined us according to his purpose and chose all of us when he planned creation (Ephesian 1:11-12). We are not a mistake, for all our days are written in God’s book (Psalms 139:15-16). God offers greater gifts than our earthly father could ever offer (Matthew 7:11). God wants to bestow his love upon us simply because we are his children and he is our Father (I John 3:1). Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). He loves his children with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). 

Matthew 6:31-33, God tells us to seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall added unto you. He is our provider and will meet all everyone one of our needs. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). Philippians 2:13, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Psalms 37:4, Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Exodus 19:5, If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is mine. Deuteronomy 4:29, states you will find God if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you have this relationship with God, you are not seeking earthly treasures. Fame and fortune are not eternal but our souls are forever. He ordained all of us to be messengers of his word and to live our lives seeking him. 

God has no limits and is able to above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). He is our Great Comforter and gives us Consolation in times of sadness and loss (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God is there for the broken hearted, delivers those from affliction and redeems the souls of his servants (Psalms 34:18-22). He loves us so much that he gave is only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). For in Jesus, God’s love is revealed (John 17:26). God sent Jesus to die for our sins and to reconcile the relationship between Father and this sinful world. Jesus’s death was the ultimate expression of God’s love for us (I John 4:10). In Romans 8:31-32, God did not spare his own son, but delivered Him up for us all. He gave up everything he loved, that he may gain your love. God is waiting for us and want all of us to walk the narrow path and enter into heaven. Matthew 5:48, God is the perfect Father. 

We also see the relationship between husband and wife. Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge (Hebrew 13:4). “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.  Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband rendered to his wife the affection due to her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.  The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does.  And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.  Do not deprive one another accept consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self–control (I Corinthians 7:1-5).” Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and is being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:2). Colossians 3:18-25 explains what a Christian home should be like. Wives, submit to your own husbands and husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter/harsh toward them. Children, obey your parents and fathers, do not provoke your children, les they become discouraged. Do everything with a sincere heart and fearing God. Husbands should love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself (Ephesians 5:28). Finding a virtuous wife is more precious than jewels and the husband safely trusts her (Proverbs 31-10-31 speaks about qualities of a virtuous wife). Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord (Proverbs 19:14). 

God only created good things and is the definition of good. Lucifer wanted to be greater than God and brought sin into this world. Everything that the Bible labels as sin, God is trying to protect us from it. Sin destroys our relationship with God. God gets angry towards all sin because this behavior destroys the relationship he wants with us. The devil wants you to have a relationship with sin, because that means he becomes your Father. Lucifer wants to be God and be worshipped like God. He is jealous and hates anyone loving, praising, or worshipping God. God’s desire is for love, peace, grace, humility and harmony with Him and all of creation. God yearns to have a relationship with us, so much that he gave his only son to break the bonds of sin and death. Jesus was ridiculed, tortured, mocked and crucified for our sake and because of God’s love for us. Lucifer is trying to destroy the relationship between God and Man like he did with Adam and Eve. 

Lucifer is also trying to destroy the Family relationship between husband and wife. So many children grow up fatherless/motherless or parents are divorced/separated. God must be head of the family first and foremost. Then the father, wife and children. This is being destroyed by Lucifer currently. As per US divorce rate per 1000 married women, almost 50% of all marriages in the United States will end in divorce or separation.  41% of all first marriages ended in divorce. 60% of second marriages ended in divorce. Both marriage rates and divorce rates in the US are decreasing in 2016 but that is due to millennials choosing to wait longer to get married and staying married longer as the main driver in the decline. But that does not mean that they are not having physical/sexual relationships before getting married. As we can see pornography is up during the pandemic, dating apps like tinder and others promote sexual immorality. If there is no relationship between God and the family, then there is for sure no relationship between the husband and wife. That will lead to failure and sin every time. Apps like Tik Tok, Instagram, FB …etc take your relationship away from God and the truth. It focuses on SELF, which the devil wants us to do. When there is no relationship with God in the House, then there is no discipline, no love, no regret, no compassion, no self-control and we can lose ourselves as well as our children. 

Lucifer knows if he breaks these relationships between God, Man, Husband and Wife this is the very foundation of Christianity. Christianity is not a religion but a Relationship with God. Once that tie is severed, the devil can blind us, harden our hearts and sin will continue in our lives. Lucifer became prideful and broke his relationship with God and was cast out of heaven. He decided to focus on himself saying, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of congregation ….. I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13-14). Lucifer focused only on himself, but focus on your relationship with God and Family. While the pandemic is occurring, who did we shelter in place with during this time? It is with God and Family. God is trying to show you in times of danger and trouble the relationship that lasts the test of time is God and Family (Husband/Wife/Children). God is waiting for you to reach out and ask to have a relationship with him. He does not condemn you but wants to free you from the chains of sin. He is there to listen, care, bless, teach and guide you through your Christian journey. The Bible is accessible to all and when you decide to open that book, accept Christ and begin a relationship with him by praying, your life will change forever.