Bible in One Year: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 (Jer 49 - Jer 52) Memorise: "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom 14:23) Read: 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. "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" (Eph 5:31). One major reason for marriage as designed by the Creator is for couples to be one. This is not as easy as it sounds. The day a couple is married, the journey into oneness commences. God's best for a couple can be realized when they arrive at this destination. The challenge for every home is how to get there. There are several factors that facilitate the trip into oneness. The first one is sexual intimacy. 1 Corinthians 7:2 says, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband". The One who created man and woman put certain bodily desires into them and created marriage as the platform under which such desires can be met. Premarital or extramarital sex is an abuse of God's original design. No wonder anyone who engages in either, must come under God's judgement. "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" (Heb 13:4). It is a sin to engage in sex before marriage. It is also a sin to have sex with another person outside of your spouse after you have married. Marriage is an honourable thing. Sex within the bounds of marriage is clean, decent, honourable and God glorifying. "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom 14:23). As ordinary as eating and drinking is, you could offend God if you eat without faith - trust in God. In the same way, you could please God or displease Him in the way you make love to your spouse. For instance, a believer must not engage in oral or anal sex. They violate God's design for man-woman copulation. Even when you meet with your spouse, it should be in faith. Do it with thanksgiving. Appreciate God for your spouse and the opportunity to come together. Do you know God is aware of your love making challenges? If you can acknowledge Him in it, He will show you the way out. One reason love-making has not yielded the fruit of the womb for some couples is because they never do it with thanksgiving. They involve God in everything else but love making. From today, as a couple, never leave God out of your love making. He is interested and wants you to have the best. To what extent do you involve the Lord in your home? ACTION POINT: Demonstrate your faith as you relate intimately with your spouse from today.