Struggling with laziness or endless procrastination? You’re not alone — but you don’t have to stay stuck. In this video, we’ll walk through a powerful, practical BIBLICAL guide to overcome laziness, build discipline, and live with purpose.
LAZYNESS & PROCRASTINATION Read More »
GOD’S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE: DECLARED ONE – BECOMING ONE
“A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh…What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
–Matthew 19:5–6, ESV
Declared One—Becoming One
There are two questions every man must settle in life: Who will you worship? and Who will you marry? These two decisions shape everything—your faith, your future, your family, your legacy. Get either one wrong, and the consequences ripple for decades. Get them right, and your life becomes a testimony of God’s goodness.
At Awakening Church, I’ve unofficially become the “marriage pastor.” If you’ve been married through us, chances are we’ve had a conversation—about God’s purpose for marriage, about how to build a healthy foundation, about why divorce isn’t the easy out the world pretends it is. We take marriage seriously because God takes marriage seriously.
God’s Design: From Two to One
Jesus quotes Genesis when He says, “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh…What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:5–6, ESV). Marriage is about oneness. On your wedding day, that oneness is declared. But every day after that, you fight to protect and nurture it.
That’s why the wedding day matters. It’s not just a photo op—it’s a holy declaration. When the bride enters, everyone stands. Not because it’s tradition, but because something significant is happening. Just like when the president enters the room or a judge enters the chambers, the room knows that something noteworthy is happening. This isn’t a contract; it’s a covenant. Two families, once separate, are now united. The couple turns to face the pastor to recognize that God is at the center of this new union.
A Covenant, Not a Contract
Our culture treats vows lightly. Jesus warned against careless promises, but in marriage, the vows matter. They’re not just between two people—they include God as a witness. “As God is my witness…” That’s no throwaway line. Heaven records every vow you make to your wife.
And the rings? They’re not made of paper or wood. They’re forged from metal because they’re meant to last. Your marriage should endure fire, friction, and time.
Oneness Is a Process
Just as salvation is a moment followed by a lifetime of sanctification, your wedding declares you are one—but you spend the rest of your life becoming one. Through joy and pain, laughter and tears, you grow in unity. You learn to forgive, to serve, to lead with love. That’s why weddings often end with communion. Because just like your walk with Jesus, marriage requires grace.
Some traditions illustrate this beautifully: Celtic handfasting, Filipino lasso ceremonies, the bride taking the husband’s name—all echo the deeper spiritual reality: two have become one. Legally, spiritually, and physically, God has joined you together.
And yes, some of you may have gotten the order wrong. Maybe you lived together before the vows. There’s grace for that. But now is the time to set things in order—because God blesses what He builds.
The Work Begins Now
The honeymoon is your first adventure. But the real journey is learning how to walk in unity, day by day. You were declared one. Now, by God’s grace, become one.
Applications:
GOD’S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE Read More »
This video explores how true character is measured not in comfort but in conflict—and why maintaining your principles in difficult environments is a mark of real strength.
DON’T CHANGE YOUR CHARACTER Read More »
Is your marriage stuck in survival mode? Here’s how surrender and selflessness can turn it into a relationship full of joy and strength.
NEW WRITING: THOUGHTS OF A MARRIED MAN Read More »
THOUGHTS OF A MARRIED MAN
Have you ever thought about a couple that’s been happily married for a really long time, and wondered “How?!” Maybe it’s a couple you’ve known your whole life from church, or family friends you see at parties occasionally. Maybe it’s your aunt and uncle, or if you’re one of the lucky ones like me, your own parents. I think this reaction of shock and awe comes from statistics we learn young that “50% of marriages end in divorce,” and 50/50’s not exactly great odds in most situations.
While this statistic is daunting, it should cause us to reflect on what the institution of marriage is meant to be in the first place, in contrast to how so many people have defined it. In Matthew 19:5, when Jesus was asked about divorce, he replies with Genesis 2:24, quoting, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ Then He expounds, “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
This new “person” made of “one flesh” now has its own identity, needs, and purpose.
Marriages falter and fail, when one-half of this ‘whole’ spends more time focusing on their own desires, needs or impulses, rather than the needs of their marriage. These indulgences might range from uncompromising perspectives to personal ambitions to selfish habits and addictions. While we are born inherently selfish, if we enter into marriage with our selfish ambitions left unchecked and unsurrendered, we will find ourselves struggling to have a healthy, sustainable marriage.
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
– Ephesians 5:25
Christ Loved…and Gave Himself Up for HER. This is the ultimate call to selflessness. Marriage comes with a command to serve our wives and our families. As we learn to humble ourselves as men and surrender our personal ambitions to God’s will, He will grant us the grace to lead our wives and families in love and humility.
Throughout my marriage, I have learned that self-serving pursuits, outside of God’s plan and timing, will never benefit my marriage in the long run. To be clear, I’m not talking about getting golf lessons to improve my handicap, or getting into a hobby with my bros- Please men: Get a hobby, and get some Bros! But I am talking about playing video games until 2am, because you’ve got to defeat the final boss…or an old habit that’s quickly becoming an addiction, because you can’t seem to stop scrolling, or drinking, or gambling.
Wherever you’re at, and whatever situation you find yourself in today, pause.
Allow the Lord to help you evaluate the state of your heart. We can pray this prayer like David prayed in the Psalms, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” – Psalm 139:23-24.
As we pursue holiness, with a greater passion than we ever have before, God will transform us into incredible men of strength, honor, and integrity, and we will watch our marriages grow into happy, fun, fulfilling relationships.
Life Applications:
THOUGHTS OF A MARRIED MAN Read More »
