TRUSTED TO BE ONE IN WALK WITH GOD

Amos 3:3

Objective: To help all participants to understand the need to grow and mature by walking together with God. Each
should desire to know the deep joy that comes from maturing relationship with God.

INTRODUCTION

Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” (Amos 3:3

Sa paglalapat ng tanong na iyon sa pag-aasawa, medyo naguguluhan ako. Iniisip ko noon na kapag sinabi ng ikinakasal
na, “I do,” bilang pagsang-ayon sa Diyos, na : to “love, honor, and cherish each other, forsaking all others, till death do us
part” ay done deal na. Mula sa araw na iyon ay sumang-ayon silang "lumakad nang magkasama" for the rest of their
lives.

Pero ang totoo, may mga mag-asawa na hindi palaging nagkakasundo sa isa't isa habang magkasama silang naglalakad sa
buhay. At hindi rin sila maaaring makapagpatuloy kung ang nasa isip lang nila ay mag move forward. Hindi ganoon
kadali. Tignan lang po natin ang mga paghihiwalay na nangyayari sa kapaligiran, kung hindi naghiwalay, nag titiisan na
lang or hindi na healthy yung pagsasama nila.

“For most couples, the love that they started with ay hindi po naman talaga nawala, pero natabunan na ng mga taon ng
galit, hindi pagkakaunawaan, at sama ng loob. Hinayaan na lamang nila na maghiwalay na lang at lumayo. Nawala na
yung tamis ng kanilang relasyon o yung “the magic” of love.

Ngayong umaga ay titignan natin ang ilang mga katangian ng mag-asawang lumalakad na kasama ang Dios.

1. Couples who are walking with God, has mutual Agreement- “may mabisang pagkakasundo”

Friends bring about good results in labor (Ecc. 4:9). Solomon writes, “Two are better than one because they have a
good return for their labor.”

If we want to walk together with God, we need to begin to agree with each other. Hindi po tayo pinagsama ng Dios para
maging miserable? Hindi niya tayo pinagsama para mag-away, o subukang baguhin ang isa't isa. Sinasabi ng Bibliya na
ang isang babae ay dapat masiyahan sa kanyang asawa. At gusto ng Diyos na maging masaya tayo sa isa't isa. He wants
us to have fun together. Gusto ko pong magtanong: How are you enjoying your marriage. Score of 1-10, ten is the
highest.

Ang sabi po ay Couples who are walking with God has Mutual agreement, ano po ang sinasakop ng agreement na yun?

a. We understand our differences in culture and personalities.

Ang isang problema ng di pagkakasundo ng mag-asawa ay dahil sa magkaibang personalidad at background—na hindi
magkapareho ng pag-iisip, hindi pareho ang pakiramdam sa maraming iba't ibang bagay, na hindi man lang gusto ang
parehong uri ng pagkain o paraan ng pagluluto, (example: bulanlang) ibang pamamaraan sa pag deal ng mga conflict,
magkaiba ng pakahulugan pagdating sa pag-ibig, family and relationships.

Mutual effectiveness grows when couples understand the effect of each other’s “family-of-origins”, yung
pinanggalingang pamilya at ibat ibang pagkakaiba para sa development of their relationship. (ex. gender differences,
personalities, life experiences). Nakakatulong sa ating spiritual na paglago kapag alam natin at nagkakaalaman tayo ng
ating mga kulturang minana sa ating mga magulang. For example, may asawang gustong gayahin o i-recreate yung
naranasan nila sa kanilang pamilya habang sila ay lumalaki, yung isa naman ay kabaligtaran ang gustong mangyari at
ayaw niyang maranasan ng kaniyang anak yung naranasan niya. Kapag ganito, mahalaga ang open discussion upang pag
usapan ang mga pagkakaiba at mga expectations meron ang isat-isa.

Walking together with God ay isang proseso na nangangailangan ng pagkakasundo ng mag-asawa. Madalas po ang
pinakamahabang bahagi ng proseso ay yung battle of the mind. Okay ang puso natin kaya lang marami tayong iniisip na
hindi tugma sa gusto nating mangyari. Hindi kaagad tayo magkasundo.

b. Mutual agreement means we are aware of recurring issues.

Kadalasang pinanggagalingan ng paulit ulit na away ay communication problem, money issues, different goals, parenting
issues, in-laws meddling, priorities, at iba’t ibang maliliit na issues. Nahihirapan tayong mag agree kasi may sari sarili na
tayong mga kultura, kaisipan, emosyon, values ayon sa ating mga kinalakihang magulang at pamilya, bukod pa doon ay
mga bagaheng dala dala natin na hindi pa lubos na naisusuko sa Panginoon.

My wife, Beth, and I have family background that are totally opposite. Mula sya sa pamilyang banal... ako ay sa
pamilyang pusakal. Noong bago pa kaming mag asawa, ayoko ng maraming tao sa bahay, youth leader pa lang po ako at
nagsisimula ng lumalim sa church ministry…

Yet, God has brought us more and more together so that we are starting to think more alike and want more of the same
things every day. Mas nagiging pusakal na siya at nagiging banal naman ako.

Tandaan natin na galing tayo sa magkaibang kultura at bitbit natin ang mga kulturang iyon sa ating pagtatayo ng
pamilya. At marami sa mga kulturang yun ay hindi pwedeng mangibabaw sa ating pagtatayo ng bagong tahanan. You
cannot build your own family sa nakasanayan mo. Kayat mahalaga na gumawa ng ilang mga hakbang para sa mas
maayos na pagtatayo ng pamilya.

Maaari kayong magpakita ng pagmamahal at pagpapatawaran sa isa't isa. Ngunit sa ngayon ang pinakamahalagang
desisyon na magagawa ninyo at ng iyong asawa sa inyong pagsasama ay ang manatiling nakatuon sa pagsunod kay Jesus
bilang mag asawa.

The Bible says, “Keep your roots deep in him, build your lives on him, and become stronger in your faith” (Colossians 2:7
GNT).

c. Mutual Agreement is when Christ is in the center of our relationship. (Walk with God as Christ-centered couple).

Marahil po, pareho kayo na mag-asawa at some point in your life ay nag commit ng inyong buhay kay Jesus, but when
we’re talking about “walking with God”, napakahalagang maunawaan natin ang pagkakaiba noong marriage that simply
involves two Christians and a genuinely Christ-centered marriage. Hindi lang parehong Kristiano, kundi parehong
nakasentro ang kanilang relasyon kay Kristo bilang mag-asawa.

Ang Christ-centered couple is all about having a strong commitment to Christ as the centerpiece of marriage (Ephesians
2:20 Nagiging matibay ang pagsasama kapag ang mag-asawa ay may parehong layunin na maging katulad ni Kristo, both
as individuals and as a couple). Parehong sinasaliksik ng mag-asawa ang isang malalim na kaugnayan kay Kristo.

At dahil sa pinag-isang pananampalataya, ang mag-asawa ay kayang humarap sa mga pagsubok dahil, ina-acknowledge
nila yung presence at yung authority ni Kristo at yung mga pagbabago na gagawin Niya sa kanilang buhay at tahanang
itinatayo. Couples who share this understanding stand the best chance of experiencing the joys of marriage at their
fullest.

Meron pong nagsabing, “Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew
married people together through the years”.

Hindi po tanikala ang nakagapos sa mag asawa, (Hindi po siya cellmate, siya po ay soulmate), ito po ay yung mga daan
daang maliliit na sinulid (karanasan) na naghabi ng kanilang pagsasama sa mahabang panahon.

2. Couples who are walking with God, encourages one another. (nagpapalakasan sa isat-isa)

Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.” Ecc. 4:9-10 (NKJV)

Bilang mag asawa, mayroon tayong malaking responsibilidad, meron din tayong privilege. Yung responsibilidad natin ay
yung makabuo tayo ng isang Godly family at ang privilege meron tayo ay gagawin natin ito katuwang ang ating asawa.
Kung gayon, ang bawat mag asawa ay nangangailangan ng encouragement o pampalakas ng loob. Kung walang
encouragement, manghihina at baka manlamig sa isat-isa.

Paano natin i-encourage ang ating asawa?

a. Understand the Power of your Words

The Bible tells us that there is life or death in the power of our tongue. Words can build up, or they can destroy.

Proverbs 11:9 “Evil words destroy one's friends; wise discernment rescues the godly. (Pinapatay ng masama ng kaniyang
bibig ang kaniyang kapuwa: nguni't sa kaalaman ay maliligtas ang matuwid).
Proverbs 15:4 “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 12:18 “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”.
(May nagsasalitang madalas na parang saliwan ng tabak: nguni't ang dila ng pantas ay kagalingan).

Nagiging normal na minsan sa mag asawa yung magsabi ng negative sa isa’t-isa sa harapan ng ibang mga tao. Pero if we
positively affirm our spouse, nagpapatibay po ito ng relasyon, nagaalis ng tampuhan and it sets a good example for
others.

Ang mga sinasabi natin ay maaaring makapinsala, maaari ring magpalakas sa isa't isa. Mayroon tayong malaking
responsibilidad na gamitin ang ating mga salita nang maingat at may konsiderasyon.

b. Look To The Positive

Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if
there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.”

We have to look to the positive in life. Itinuturo sa atin ng Bibliya na dapat nating isipin ang mga bagay na dalisay, at
kaibig-ibig. Palaging may mga negatibong bagay sa mundong ito, ngunit ang positibong pananaw ay may malaking
pagbabago sa iyong pagsasama, pati na rin sa iyong buhay.

Look to the positive qualities of your spouse, and focus on those. Mas maganda pong tumingin doon sa magagandang
katangian mayroon ang iyong asawa, …Beauty fades, ang kaseksihan niya ay nababawasan, pero yun lang ba ang dahilan
kung bakit mo siya pinakasalan? how about her /his kindness, yung kanyang kasipagan, maalalahanin, yung devotion nya
kay Lord, yung pagka maawain niya, the beauty inside, yung kanyang mapag alaga sa iyo at sa iyong mga anak, at yung
kanyang walang maliw na pag ibig sa iyo, kahit ikaw man ay tumataba na, nauubos ang buhok etc.
Napapanahon sa mag asawa na iwasan ang magpintasan, at makikita mo na there are a lot more good qualities about
him/her than you originally thought. Encouraging one another starts by looking for the good in one another, and
believing the best about your spouse.

Hindi po ito pambobola at dapat na totoo sa puso natin ang sinasabi natin sa isat-isa. Magandang modelo po ito sa
paggamit ng ating mga dila ayon sa nilalayon ng Dios: to build up, not to tear down; to bless, not to curse; to give life,
not to destroy.

c. Pray For and with each Other

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of
a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Prayer is the most important tool in your marriage. The Bible tells us that the persistent prayer of a righteous man avails
much. Binabago ng Dios ang ating buhay dahil sa ating pananalangin. Build each other up by praying for each other.

d. Say Thank You

I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly
remember you in my prayers. 2 Timothy 1:3

Show appreciation. Say thank you for something your spouse does every day. Saying thank you is such a little thing, but
it shows gratitude to the other person. I make supper every day for my family, and I appreciate it when I get a thank you.
Salamat sa masarap na luto, sa pag aasikaso sa bahay, o pag rerepair, o pagtatanggol niya sa iyo sa sinasabi ng iba at
marami pa.

e. Do not deprive one another:

1 Corinthians 7: 5 - Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy
for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so
that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Huwag mong babale walain ang asawa mo sa pangangailangan. Tahasang sinabi ni Paul na mali ang ideang ang sexual
abstinence (pag-iwas sa pakikipagtalik) ay mas nakakabanal. (baka nakakabanas) In fact, harm can come when they
deprive one another, nagbubukas ka ng dahilan para ma tempt ang mister mo o misis mo sa ibang tao.

When we deny physical affection and sexual intimacy to our spouse, we are cheating them. May mga lalaki ngayon na
nag-eenjoy sa pornographic materials? Bad po iyan, that is the same as cheating them.

The principle in this passage is important. God makes it clear that there is nothing wrong, and everything is right, about
sex in marriage. Ang sex ay nagiging marumi lamang outside of marriage. Satan's great strategy, when it comes to sex, is
to do everything he can to encourage sex outside of marriage, and to discourage sex within marriage. (A-s-a-w-a)

Proverbs 5: 18 – 19 - Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 She is a loving
deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.

Pag babae mainit ulo…kulang sa pera yan…pero pag lalaki mainit ulo kulang sa sex yan!

Malaki po ang pagkakaiba sa pagitan ng sexual love in marriage at sensual lust in adultery. Yung ikinasal ang sexual love
ay panghabambuhay, yung nakiapid ay panandalian at napapawi at puro nakaw na sandali. Sa mag asawa hindi po
sandalian lang, pinagpalang oras po. Tandaan po natin that, God instituted marriage between a man and a woman as a
lifelong, loving partnership. Sa sandaling sinira ito dahil sa pangangalunya, sakit at pagsisisi ang pupuno sa kanyang
puso.

Ang kagandahan ng pamumuhay bilang mag-asawa ay yung makapagbigay ng pagmamahal sa isat isa. At kung nais
mong manatiling mainit, kailangan mong magkaroon ng isang kaibigan na makakasama. Hindi lang physical but
someone who will warm your heart also. Someone who will walk with you in your walk with God at walang iba kundi ang
iyong sariling asawa.

CONCLUSION.

Ang three-strand cord (tatlong hiblang tinirintas) ay isang larawan ng kapangyarihang nagaganap kapag ang dalawang
tao ay nagkasundo sa isang bagay na naaayon sa kalooban ng Diyos para sa kanila. Habang ang dalawang tao ay
nagkakasundo sa isa't isa, mayroong kapangyarihang gumagawa na galing sa Dios na kanilang pinagkakatiwalaan sa
kanilang relasyon.

Any ropemaker will tell you that the strongest rope is a threefold rope. The largest number of strands (ang
pinakamalaking bilang ng hibla) that can all touch one another is three. (Tinirintas) If you take away one and leave only
two, obviously the rope (lubid) will be weakened. But if you add an extra strand and make four, you do not add to the
strength of the rope because the strands no longer touch one another. Ibig lang sabihin, the only third person in your life
is God, wala ng dagdag pa. If you have a rope of three strands, one even two of the strands may be under pressure and
start to fray or (maghimulmol because of constant rub) as long as the third strand holds, the rope will not break.

Itirintas po ninyo ang hawak ninyong tali at itago o ilagay sa isang lugar na magpapa alala lagi sa inyo na without God
anything you build is in vain. But with God, you can rest in His blessing because all that we need comes from Him. It
doesn’t depend on you. It never did, and it never will. Working hard is good but not always the answer, To be one with
God is the answer.

Moment of Reflection

1. Anong mga bagay o pag-uugali ang gusto kong alisin na humahadlang sa pagtatayo ng aming matibay na relasyon.

2. Anong mga bagay o pag uugali ang gusto kong mapanatili na tumutulong sa aming pagmamahalan.

3. Anong mga bagay o pag uugali ang gusto kong palakasin upang maabot namin ang aming ninanais bilang ma g asawa
ayon sa layunin ng Dios.
Why should this be so? And what are some things you can do to shore up the spiritual foundations of your
marriage? Answers to these questions fall into the following four categories:

The miracle of marriage

Male and female. Two in one. This, according to Scripture, is what marriage is all about. The union represented
here may be one of the greatest miracles in all of creation. But it’s also something more. For in addition to
everything else marriage means for a man and a woman, it has a deep spiritual significance – an eternal and
cosmic significance, if you will. At the very highest level, it functions as an unparalleled working image of the
seeking and saving Love of our Creator and Savior – the Love that compels Him to unite Himself to His people
in a mystical bond of eternal fellowship and never-ending interpersonal give and take.

This is why the apostle Paul says that the mystery of marriage is, at its core, a picture of the relationship
between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:32). As we’ve seen elsewhere, the writers of Scripture from
Genesis to Revelation consistently refer to the husband-wife relationship when they want to help us understand
the dealings of God with man. Couples who grasp this idea and really believe it are able to approach their
marriages from an entirely new perspective. They learn to view their relationship as a total partnership – a one-
flesh union within which spouses cultivate intimacy and interpersonal communication at every level.

Note that this does not mean that “secular” or “spiritually mixed” marriages are “second-rate” in any way.
Marriage is God’s gift to all mankind. Accordingly, a Buddhist or Muslim marriage is every bit as valid as a
marriage between two Christians. Nevertheless, we are convinced that it is only “in Christ” that marriage can
reach its full potential. What’s more, we would suggest that in a purely practical sense, marriages lacking this
shared spiritual foundation are at a serious disadvantage. The absence of a common faith represents a serious
gap in any couple’s relationship.

Spiritual discipline

Just as it can be a struggle to build physical, emotional and relational intimacy in your marriage, many couples
discover that it’s tough to be spiritually intimate with each other. The reasons for this are similar to the reasons
why it’s difficult to build intimacy in other areas: limited time, a too-busy lifestyle, the demands of childrearing,
career, and yes, even church. It’s hard to find just a few minutes for personal prayer and Bible reading on a
regular basis, let alone take time to pray or study Scripture with your spouse!

The bottom line is that, just like cultivating romance with your beloved, fostering spiritual growth — both
individually and in your marriage — takes discipline and intentionality. It won’t just “happen” automatically.
This is what Paul had in mind when he urged Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved of God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly diving the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), and when he told
the Thessalonians to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
It may sound daunting, but in the final analysis it’s simply a question of inviting God into your everyday
routine. As Brother Lawrence put it, “Our sanctification depends not on changing our works, but in doing that
for Jesus’ sake that which commonly we do for our own” (The Practice of the Presence of God).

Diversity in unity

As we’ve been saying, marriage is about something more than two people living and getting along under the
same roof. It’s supposed to be a reflection of the Love that guides and directs the motion of the entire universe –
the Love of Christ, who came to “serve and give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Couples who share
this understanding stand the best chance of experiencing the joys of marriage at their fullest.

This doesn’t mean, of course, that your spiritual journey has to be exactly the same as your spouse’s. Nor does
it imply that the two of you will always prefer the same styles of worship or derive the same degree of benefit
from different types of study or different forms of prayer. God has given to each individual a unique spiritual
temperament, and we can’t hope to serve Him with integrity if we don’t remain true to ourselves. A healthy
marriage is one in which spouses are free to affirm these differences and to learn from each other as they grow
together towards the common goal of becoming more like Jesus. It’s a matter of learning to become one in
Christ alone; “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of
separation” (Ephesians 2:14).

“Christian” vs. “Christ-centered”

This leads to one last thought. When we’re talking about rooted couples, it’s crucial to make a distinction
between a marriage that simply involves two Christians and a genuinely Christ-centered marriage. A Christ-
centered marriage is a marriage in which both partners actively acknowledge the presence and the authority of
Christ, and where Jesus makes an observable difference in their lives. It’s a three-cornered relationship that
places God at the apex of the triangle. When this perspective isn’t present—when couples don’t express their
shared faith in practical terms by praying together, studying Scripture together, worshiping together, and
reaching out to others together in Jesus’ name—there can be no real intersection of two lives at the deepest level
of the heart. Therefore, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

Questions for Discussion

What are some practical steps we can take to cultivate spiritual intimacy at the heart of our marriage?

Who is the one person in your life who has been most influential in shaping your view of God?

What have you been learning during your times of personal prayer and Scripture reading? What have been some
recent sermons that impacted you at church?

How can I pray for you?