on February 24, 2011
Genesis 1:26-28 – “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.”
This passage tells us something important about who God is. God created man to reflect His own image and likeness; and then He blesses them and directs Adam and Eve to commune with each other in their sexuality. We should not miss that God created man and woman as reflections of the eternal Trinity, and His first command was for them to embrace in sexual unity. This means that when a man and woman come together in marital sexual intimacy, somehow – mystically – they reflect the wonder, beauty, and creative power of God like no other part of creation! From their union, in fulfillment of God’s holy directive, other living souls come into being. What awe and wonder! And all the beauty, joy and responsibility of family life is created! Think about it! No other faith has such a rich and powerful view of sexuality.
God is into addition and multiplication. It was His great joy to create and He created us with that same ability to experience the rewards and joys of intimacy as we procreate! There are presently around 100 offspring resulting from the union of my grandparents. Add to that number around 45 spouses that married into the family and contributed to the increase in number, you have close to 150 descendants of my grandparents in three generations of fruitful multiplication. The Apostle Paul speaks of this “mystical union” in regard to Christ and the church (Ephesians 5). It is God’s creative purpose that, as we experience the joy of intimacy with Christ, we become fruitful and reproduce godly offspring – children born of God, who reflect His image and likeness. What awe and wonder! And all the beauty, joy and responsibility of life in the Family of God is created! Think about it!
Thursday:
- Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
- Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.
Friday:
- Ask God to increase your appreciation of what it means that you are created in His image and likeness.
- Pray for the Good News families of the week: Jacquie Compagnoni, Greg Conibear, Juan and Jennifer Davila (Ariana, Angelina, Gabriella).
Saturday:
- Praise God for the sacred and precious gift of your body. Consecrate it to His glory!
Sunday:
- Ask God to increase your understanding of this mystery and His plan for “becoming one.”
- Join in with our Sunday prayer services to pray for God’s presence and blessing.
Monday:
- Make prayer meeting, worship, fellowship, Bible study, and serving Christ a declaration of your commitment and oneness with Him.
- Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.
Tuesday:
- Pray that others will see the rich level of intimacy and commitment in your life and desire the same kind of relationship with Christ that you are enjoying.
Wednesday:
- Ask God to unite your heart, mind, body and will, more and more with His own nature!
Prayer Challenge: Recognize the sacred union you have with Christ. Cherish the gifts of prayer and sexuality, and do not let the influence of the world pervert or corrupt God’s plan and purpose in each. Recognize your place in the family of God and joyfully invest yourself in reproducing faith, hope and holy love for Christ as you unite with Him and His family!