FINDING A TRUE LIFE PARTNER Genesis 24:1-67

Remember To be single is a privilege Maximize your singlehood Not everybody will marry in this life e.g. Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist, Paul the Apostle, e.t.c. Marriage is a privilege also ordained by God as the first institution or ordinance Before Marriage the following are necessary: a. Physical maturity b. Mental maturity c. Spiritual maturity d. Financial maturity e. Educational maturity

You wont be young forever! The flower of your age! First miss India in 1947 NOW!

Apart from your decision to accept Christ, this is the most crucial decision of your life!

About 80% of your chance of going to heaven and of being successful in life depends on your life partner!

Most modern day marriages end in divorce!

A good marriage and a successful marriage contrasted

The mystery of the rib The rib bone is one of the few bones mentioned by name in Scripture. Genesis 2:20b–22 states, “But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.”Genesis 2:20b–22 Matthew Henry states, “That the woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.

A True Life partner  Belong to same faith: Vs 3-4 cf 2Cor. 6:14-18  There must be a finding: vs 10 cf Prov. 18:22; 31:10  Must be obtained prayerfully and meditatively: vs12, 63  Must be obtained in the way of righteousness: vs 16  Should be with parental approval: vs 3  Must be a willing partner: vs  Must be someone you truly love: vs 67

Qualities of a good suitor Maturity Love for God Love for you Love for others-be kind to all! Character(the content not the container) & Habits Diligence Vision( lack of vision leads to materialism and mundane considerations )-faith!

Knowing your true Life Partner Genesis 2:21 ¶ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh  Love(Genesis 2:24)  Intuition-”the still small voice”(1Kgs 19:11-12)  Peace(Phil. 4:6-7)  Confirmations through others(2Cor. 13:1)  Others-dreams, visions, prophecies, etc

Proposing Consult your pastor and/or an elder Be natural Be sensitive Avoid distractions Do not sound ambiguous Say exactly what you want! The worse you will get is a No! Don't assume you are in a relationship!

Responding  Prayerfully  Promptly

No perfect partner!

Courtship Different from dating A time between saying “yes” and the wedding day Things to do together-prayer, Bible study, witnessing, church, social gatherings, cell group meetings, etc Get to know each other well enough Don't pretend-a time to quarrel! Get to know each other’s families Holiness-2Tim. 2:22; 1Tim. 5:1-2-Avoid sex and its younger brothers! Forgiving the past! Everyone has a past! Don't court forever!

Make your wedding as simple as possible!

Satan has vowed to destroy Christian homes and families! Rev. 12:12 Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ

2Tim. 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away

The Christian home and family like Christ and the Church! Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

A message for Families The unsaved spouse and children The Family altar Unending love