Watch the Wedding!!

This was such an amazing day. 

Looking at the video it almost seems like a dream. We were nervous and so busy the day of the wedding that we missed out on so much of the details. 

It's really hard to explain how your mind is really only focused on your soon to be spouse. You tend to zone out on everything else.

For me I was nervous about standing up there so long and kept thinking, "make sure you dont mess up on your vows, or forget a part of the ceremony", but I was very glad to know that everyone was going to hear the plan of salvation and hear of Divine Betrothal. 

For Samantha, this day was a dream come true. Years and years of waiting and now it was here! Talk about emotional! Happiness, Sadness, Excitement, Nervousness, and everything in between!

But being able to watch it was a great blessing to both of our hearts. Thank you to all who attended, and to those who wished you could.

It has been our desire that each one watching our wedding would, first fall in love with God, then if your single you would fall in love with the belief that God has the one for you, and will bring that person to you in His perfect time. If your married, that you would fall in love all over again with your spouse.

Continue to pray for us and we start our life together. As we desire to do things God's way.

Adam and Samantha

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2 Corinthians 9:15

Three!

Its amazing how much has happend in just a few months. I can remember way back in November thinking "March 19th is so far away." I can remember thinking "well now its December, we have our engagement pictures, but I dont want to give away to much of my heart too soon." I can remember January, thinking "we still have a long time till we are married." I can remember February, and people telling me its just around the corner, and in my heart I would think "it still seems far away". I have spent all these months guiding my heart and Samantha's. Setting a pace to make sure our hearts stayed emotionally and physically pure. I remember having a wonderful Valentines day, but still thinking "keep protecting her heart and yours. Not to much to soon."

Again the goal is to slowly give your heart so that the peak of giving the heart will be on the wedding day (NOT the peak of romance...thats just begun!), to much to soon will create a case for defrauding, to little, to slowly will create a cold legalistic feeling. It's a balance. 

And now I look at the calendar and see that in three days, I will for the first time ever give 100% of heart to one and only one person, my bride Samantha. This is a choice that I made before I asked Samantha to marry me. I purposed in my heart that I was going save my heart for my bride and no one else. Some have said "but your engaged already so its ok to give all your heart." But as I have told them, I tell you, if someone said, "your engaged already so that means you can be immoral with each other." You would say NO YOU CANT! And very much the same way with the heart, once the heart is given it wont be long before the body, thats the way God designed it. 

For a long time God has been working in my heart in many areas especially that of marriage and the home. Through this process God has molded and changed some of my convictions and has helped me to have made the decision that I was going to make 'purity a priority' this time in my life, no matter how strange it seemed to others. I decided to give this gift to Samantha, not just the gift of physical purity, but emotional purity. 

Samantha and I can both tell you, it has not been easy to lead your heart, but it has been worth it.  Throughout out this post are the rest of the pictures from our engagement session with Bro Estevan Montoya.

http://www.estevanmontoya.com/

I have heard people say that Christian engagement pictures always look so awkward because you cant touch. But I have looked at them as both a Christian and a Photographer, and I have learned that Purity is BEAUTIFUL. Yes its true, if you "feel" you cant touch then it will be awkward, but if you have made the choice "I want to wait to touch" it will give your heart a peace. I know it did for me. Yes it was strange to be in a photo-shoot, but we were at peace knowing that we were following our God given convictions.

 We as Christians ought to be excited to show the world through our pictures (life), "hey we are doing something different over here!" To show the world that there is a biblical way of doing things. God has dealt in my heart and said 'Adam if you can do things pure, what a wonderful chance your wedding will be to present the plan of salvation to your lost family and friends.' If just one person could be saved at our wedding what an amazing blessing that will be to an already sacred day.

Before I finish, lest anyone think I am being prideful, I must say I havent always done things this way so I am so grateful that God has given me a chance to do things right. Only a wonderful Saviour could do that. I still feel unworthy to be in the position I am, and yet at the same time so grateful. I know from whence I came. And I am grateful for everyone who has invested in my life and Samantha's life to get us to where we are now.

"Stick with me!"

Expect Attacks

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1 Peter 4:12

I find it only fitting to write about the attacks of Satan. Any time you decide you are going to step out and do something for God you can sure expect him to fight you.

He sends his attacks in a host of ways, but most often he attacks in the mind. He shoots his flaming darts of anger, hurt, insecurity, jealousy, lust, frustration, ect. into our hearts in hopes that one of those will get our eyes off the Lord and on to a problem.

Our Fight Is Not With Each Other

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]

Ephesians 6:12

Betrothal and getting to the marriage altar pure, are very high on the devils radar. Why? because he knows that all the problems in society are a result of the home.If we raise kids right then they will become productive in society, God honoring in every area of life. If the devil can get us fighting with each other, then our eyes are off God, and we are also blinded to the fact that its the devil causing these conflicts. This is true for every area of our lives, at home, at church and at work.

What was society like when TV had good wholesome shows, where families where families? Now we have a wicked society raised by wicked entertainment. Just about everything in entertainment is designed to destroy God's pattern of the home and allow wicked influences in, all under the disguise of entertainment. Parents (especially Fathers) are usually portrayed as the silly old folks who dont know anything and who are out of touch with reality. Kid's are being taught to rebell against Biblical authority. Media can be a great tool, but at the same time it can be a great danger.

If you desire to live a pure life, and you desire to step out for God in any area, then you can expect attacks. It really dosent matter what the commitment is, expect attacks, be ready for them so when they do come they will not catch you off guard. Expect them to come right away. 

In most of my experiences, the greatest attacks come, just after a great victory. After a great church service or a great time soul winning,  Many of the greatest attacks are after a great time of serving the Lord. Many a Pastor will say the greater the Sunday, the harder the Monday.

You Cant Win...
Alone!

So many people will say, "Ok so i have to be ready, I will be ready, I will make sure I am  doing the things that I need to do, so I will be ready."

You cant do it. Only Christ through you. You cant win, but Christ can, and he will, but you have to let his power flow through you.

In fact the only way to win is for you to say, "God I cant do it, you know I cant, I know I can't, but you can do it through me."

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13 

In fact God takes it a step further, he says, that without Him you cant even WANT to do good, for it is Him that gives you the desire and the ability to do his good pleasure, and then it is only by His strength that we will accomplish, His will for our lives. If we try to do it in our own strength, then we will fail, and this is what is ment by the term "we fail of the grace of God"

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled

Hebrews 12:15

In other words we fail because we, fail to access God grace to overcome the trails. 

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 4:4

So yes, we need to be read for the trails that will come, we need to realize that we cant overcome, it is all of Christ, and if we will learn to trust Him to overcome trails and not ourselves, we will not fail of the Grace of God, but instead will be able to truly do all things through Christ, and he will strengthen us. 

But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:57

This will ensure you keep your sweet fellowship with your Lord, and with those you love.

He loves me, He loves me not

Love is not about cards, or candy or flowers, but about two people who God has brought together for the purpose of marriage. Love is not about a holiday. Its not about cupid, with his little tranquilizer darts. It is an expression of the deep feelings that cannot br expressed with words. It's about Christ and his love for us. It is only by Christ's love in us that we are able to love others.

The words "I love you" are key words of commitment to a person, especially to a lady. They are the words that she has longed to hear all her life from the one who will love her with all his heart. The words "I Love You" open up a door to the heart that once set in motion can be almost impossible to stop. To a lady the words "I love you" are associated with the words "forever" and "you are my one and only". That produce a emotional permanence in her heart. Almost like an emotional wedding ring around her heart. 

You see it almost everywhere, people saying "I love you", with very little thought, emotion, or even purpose. It is almost as if it has become a habit. A routine.

In many cases people say the word "love" in relation to an object. We hear people say "oh I love that movie, or I love that candy" We ought to never let our words of deep affection become a mere habit or formality. Instead we ought to cherish those words, protect those words and only use those words when they are 100% from the heart.

At the same time we ought to never use those words as a tool to get what we want.

Enter Samson and Delilah

And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

We read of the sad account in the book of Judges of Samson and Delilah. At this point in Samson's life he has made some pretty bad choices. And along the pathway of wrong choices he comes across a woman named Delilah.

And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.

Judges 16:15

Delilah, tells Samson "How can you say you love me, if you dont tell me your secret. If you really loved me you would tell me". Today we have young people (especially boys telling this same line to young girls) telling this to each other out of wicked, lustful motives. Much the same way Delilah told this to Samson. A young person will say "If you really loved me you would let me kiss you, or let me touch you." Using "love" as a tool for lust. How wicked is that?

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

Judges 16:16

But it didn't stop there, Delilah continued to pressure him and use what ever means necessary to try to get him to give in to her evil request.  Even emotional manipulation.


We see this very thing happening with young people. They will press and press, and pressure and pressure to get the other to give in. And then after weeks and weeks (maybe less) of pressure and deceptive words like "if you really loved you would..." The young person gives in and gives away their purity. The sad thing is many young people really believe this is love.

At the same time we have Samson, who makes the mistake of telling all his heart.

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Judges 16:17

This is most commonly seen in ladies. Ladies are primary emotional led. But in this case it's Samson who is giving away the deep secrets of his heart. For ladies this is dangerous because once the heart is opened emotionally, it will not be long before the body is given away. (This is not wrong, actually this is God plan. During your betrothal period if you desire to be emotionally and physically pure, then you will have guards up on your heart. The idea is to slowly let them down the closer you get to the wedding date, so that way the heart first then the bodies can be connected and united, at the marriage alter, all in perfect purity.)

Ladies beware with how much you share with any guy, you will become attached and not even know it. Your heart will trick you into thinking you are just friends. Remember this saying, "Be friendly to all but special to none, so that way God can lead you to the one."

What will happen if I gave my heart away too soon? It will start the process and because it cannot be righteously fulfilled, it will turn into emotional defrauding and later become immorality. Young lady if you desire to guard your heart in the area of purity, you must understand this principle:

Before the body is ever given away, almost always the heart has been given away first.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

The word keep means:

We are to keep... (1) to guard, watch, watch over, keep

a) (Qal)

1) to watch, guard, keep

2) to preserve, guard from dangers

3) to keep, observe, guard with fidelity

4) to guard, keep secret

5) to be kept close, be blockaded

          6) watchman (participle)

...our heart with all diligence so we will be protecting ourself from going down the road of defrauding.

We have all heard the saying, "You never forget your first love." The reason that is so is because, God never desired your heart to love another, just one (the love we are talking about here is the love between a man and woman).

God preprogrammed the heart to love one person and to love them for life. Each time you get close to someone and begin to like them "as more then a friend", you give a piece of your heart to them. This is the start of the bonding process that was designed only for marriage. Each piece of your heart you give away to someone that you will not marry, is one less piece that you will have for your spouse.

Brother Adam, why are you so against dating? Because it is a clear violation of this principle. It plays games with the heart, and is based on selfish motives. Dating brings a person way to close to this line, then expects them to turn off their heart (emotions) if it doesn't work out. But God has placed in you and me the desire to never stop loving our spouse, no matter how tough things get. God created us to bond with our spouses, so much so that God says we become one. Because of this oneness, we bond quick and permanently. Now in some cases its more extreme then others. And the more times you get your heart broken it makes it harder for your heart to trust. Over time when you do meet the one you will marry, you will take lots of emotional baggage into your marriage relationship. Things like jealousy, lust, anger, distrust, comparison ect.

So as the result of the boyfriend/girlfriend game we have all of these people struggling with broken hearts. What we have is a bunch of young people (and old alike) getting emotionally attached to the wrong person, giving their hearts and when the inevitable comes, they break up, and experience the excruciating pain of a broken heart. When they find out they dont like this person anymore, or this person doest make me happy, or someone better comes along, they break up. This creates a pattern that doesn't not end in marriage. Once they do decide to get married, and things dont go the way they planned, or the other person doesn't make them happy anymore, they break up, only this time they call the break up divorce.

If you have had a broken heart, or are struggling with a broken heart, may I suggest a book for you, that Samantha and I both 100% endorse. 

The Book is called Healing Words for Hurting People, By Dr. James Wilkins.

www.JamesWilkins.org

http://www.jameswilkins.org/products-page/books/healing-words-for-hurting-people/

Young person leave the choice up to God, avoid the pain of a broken heart, do it God's way. Take it from someone who knows. You will never regret it!

Let me finish with this truth, it wasn't until about a month to go before the wedding that I told Samantha the words she longed to hear. Why? Because I wanted to protect her heart and keep it on proper pace for the wedding. If I would of told her too soon, it would of emotionally defrauded her. The truth is this, I love Samantha, and have loved her for a long time, but in not telling her I loved her proved just how much I love her.  I am so grateful for her patient and understand heart. She didn't quite understand why, but she trusted me enough to follow my lead. I am so grateful for that.

Love is caring more about what someone else needs, then what you want.

He loves ME!