Relationships!  Marriages!  Decision or commitment!?  Why are so many marriages either on the rocks or headed for them?  Why are so many divorcing, why so many simply living together without the benefit of wedding vows; why so many 'running around' or being unfaithful in marriage.  Why so much lying, cheating, loss of respect and trust, pride, selfishness, materialism, laziness and loneliness even among those that decide to remain married?  Is marriage becoming a thing of the past?  That same couple that said 'for richer or poorer', for better or worse', 'in sickness and health', love, honor and cherish, til death do us part.  They joined hands, exchanged rings, and said I DO.  They made a decision and were pronounced man and wife.  They kissed each other, ran down the aisle, the rice was thrown and the happy couple sped away together to live ever after...but not necessarily happily and not necessarily together.  They made a decision but was there real commitment?  They said the words, went through the motions, but was there real commitment?  To commit is to turn something over to someone.  It is to yield, to surrender, to entrust and to place at the disposal of another.  So in marriage these life-partners are committing to turn themselves over to one another, to yield, to surrender totally to one another and no one else, even to the point of denying themselves, until death do they part.  If there was real commitment in marriage and not just decisions, divorce courts would not have a single case.

The world's a mess, but the sad thing is that all of this has crept into the church.  Christians and non-Christians alike are having martial problems.  What is the answer?  It is not another book on marriage, or another conference, workshop or seminar on marriage, finances or sex; it is not more counselors or another tape, but it is going back to God's original plan and design for marriage.

The Bible says...

	Marriage is honorable, the marriage bed undefiled (no sex outside of marriage)
	To avoid pre-martial sex - get married
	A man is to have his own wife
	A woman is to have her own husband
	Wives submit to your own husband
	Husbands love your own wives
	Wives have authority over their husband's body
	Husbands have authority over their wives body
	Wives respect your husband
	Husbands nourish, cherish, & honor her as a believer so your prayers will be answered

Can you have a meaningful relationship apart from knowing God?  Sure, but only to a certain extent!  Since God created the institute of marriage and family, since He created man and wrote the plan, in order for it to work the way God intended, you must follow the creator's original design.

Whether you have been married for 3 years or 30; or planning a wedding ceremony or in what appears to be a hopeless situation---you can have a right relationship--- where a woman is all God intended for her to be and a man knows how to provide for her.  When you follow the creator's design, marriage can be all God ever made it to be creating a harmonious union that fulfills every need of the human heart.

PAUSE FOR.....SOUND WORDS

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