Sunday's message at CCMB - Pastor Nate

Rethinking Marriage - 1 Corinthians 7:1-9

My brothers I want to share a great message that was delivered during Sunday service at Calvary Chapel Monterey. We tackled upon scriptures in the bible of what most believers say are the toughest to face because it refers to sexual purity and immorality as a single person or married couple.

Below is a summarization of Pastor Nate's message:

"It appears that the marriage bed to be a microcosm of the entire marriage relationship. It is there that certain character traits are fostered. Here are a few:

- Servanthood

- Communication/Honesty

- Love- Respect

- Mutual Submission

I would encourage all married couples to study Paul's words carefully. There is the world's view of sex and then there is God's view of sex. Obviously, as the church, we want to view it in the pure and holy light of God's word, not the dim and defiled darkness of this world. What God has created to be beautiful, loving, safe, and a joy, man has twisted to be painful, selfish, and destructive.Many of us are like the Corinthians. We have been raised in a pagan world and a pagan culture. We wonder aloud how we are to live this life. The Corinthians had been trained by their friends and culture to view sexuality in a twisted and distorted way, so when they came to Christ their minds were in need of serious renewal. So many of us are right there, our minds need to be renewed. We need to see many issues, including sexuality, in the light that God intended.My hope is that we can look the Scriptures square in the eye, find their direct meaning and teaching, and thereby know the very heart of God on the issues we face constantly. After all, that's what it's all about. God proved His love for us on that cross, we know that He cares deeply about us. So, by knowing His heart, we are also knowing His best for mankind."

I hope this message encourage you as it did for me. Your brother in Christ, Jason

Dear Heavenly Father,

We are faced with terrible decisions based upon the world's view of marriage every single day. In today’s radio and media campaigns there are little if any encouragement of building and sustaining a healthy Christian marriage. Shows such as desperate housewives are tuning our people into the world's frequency. The world's views tend to rub off in our faith at times but I thank you for keeping us grounded in your ways and truth. Father God I thank you for your encouragement and the hope that you have provided for us through the recent movie Fireproof and upcoming Family Life Weekend to Remember Marriage Retreats. I ask for your continued protection in all marriages and your favor in today’s voting for YES on Proposition 8 honoring the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. I pray that the purposes of all marriages are “to mirror your image, multiply a godly heritage, manage God’s realm, mutually complete one another, and to model Christ’s relationship to the church.

In Jesus precious name,
Amen