FROM THE BEGINNING

      Before we do a one-and-a-half into today’s thrilling episode, I’d like to bring up this matter of what has been described as “Traditional Wives.” Sadly, a “Trad Wife” without Christ in her heart is little more than Jezebel in a plain brown wrapper. A “Free Range” child without Christ in their hearts, and godly parents in the home are little more than Al Capone in cargo pants. Furthermore, no matter WHAT you may call yourself based upon how you are displayed in public is a joke without that change from the inside out and being made new by Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:17 KJV). There is a heaven to gain, and a hell to shun by doing marriage God’s way.

     Without God, a house is not a home, and a marriage is not the joy God intended it to be.

     Oh yes, least I forget. To those men who have websites and video clips to respond to how bad women have become in our modern society, I’ve got a tip for you. Many of you have left God out of the equation of building better men. Many of these brotherly sages deal with men from their emotions NOT their character; from what women have done ‘to’ them, not how God—through Jesus Christ—can work THROUGH them, rebuild them, restore them, and put them on the right track to becoming better men, and getting a second chance at marriage God’s way.

     But I digress.

     Many are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. NOT “Adam and Steve.” NOT “Eve and Sally.” Adam and Eve—the first man and woman in the Garden. No matter how much men and women in our ‘modern era’ have turned their backs on God, it does NOT change the fact that God IS and will always be. God created two institutions in the garden. The first one was marriage between a man and a woman. The second was the home with the husband as the head, the woman as the helpmeet, and the children as the fruitful vines and future generations, to be taught the ways of God by their OWN parents.

     The creation of the church was further down the road. However, the church NEVER was intended to replace the husband as THE authority of the home.

     I’m going to spend more time focusing on Adam in this month’s written adventure.

     In the garden, back at the beginning, before woman arrived, Adam had a godly mission. God had Adam to dress the garden, name ALL the animals and such in the garden, and carry out the other tasks God had in mind. Thus, man was productive without a woman being present. Woman was created OUT of man to be his helper—NOT his boss or ruler. Thus, my young friend, IF you are considering marriage, MAKE SURE that your future wife is IN Christ FIRST! NOT just “going to church.” NOT just “singing in the choir.” NOT just quoting a few scriptures from memory, but walks the walk, as well as talks the talk. Check. Her. Character. First!

     Let’s review for those who tuned in late. In the garden:

•             Adam had a firm relationship with God.
•             Adam was under submission to God.
•             Adam listened to God.
•             Adam had his character built and tuned TO God.
•             Adam had a firm sense of who he was thanks TO God.
•             Adam had a job and was secure in his task.
•             Adam had a mission designed by God.

            Lastly, Adam was trained by God to accomplish his tasks.

     Marriage is for prepared men. Before marriage though, manhood requires preparation as well as training. Note these items. If you are not prepared to follow God through Jesus Christ, listen to God by his Holy Spirit, be trained by God, have your character built by God’s Word and be employable and productive, how can you have the audacity to think that you can enter into marriage the way God intended? IF you don’t know who you are and are relying on a wife or your children to tell you who you are, you skipped a step in your manhood development and are landing in the danger zone, pure and simple.

     But wait…there’s more.

     This may shock many on social media, but NOT every man (or woman) is destined to be married. Some men and women are destined to remain single to the glory of God. Thus, sexual purity is a BIG thing with God and fornication (sex outside of marriage) is something that He frowned on in BOTH the Old Testament AND New Testament.

     We live in New Testament times, but the proviso against fornication is STILL in place.

     Further, since the nineties, America has become a feminized nation traceable to one of God’s judgments on this country. We—as a nation—didn’t listen to God. His judgment continues to fall in stages. Thus, more of our political leaders became weak morally. More of our leadership ranks—from the pulpit to the Halls of Congress have become filled with women and young people (check out the first six chapters of The Book of Isaiah for more, KJV). Yes, we still have SOME men at the leavers of power…but many of them have a form of godliness but have denied the power thereof.

     Again, I’m going to risk getting many of the ‘new sages’ on the Internet and social media podcasts and clips upset, but that has never stopped me before. Eve listened to Satan in the garden and caused Adam and herself to be corrupted. This point was made in The Book of Genesis as well as I Timothy 2:9-15 (KJV). Thus, when the Devil attacks the marriage relationship, he’s gonna go after the weakest link—and this is USUALLY the woman. Sin corrupts…but Christ can redeem.

     A woman does NOT ask a man to marry her, my little video relationship experts. It is up to the man to propose as HE has the responsibility to LEAD and provide in the home, period. Further, without God in the leading of the man and woman, you have a shell of a marriage…which will soon turn into a hell-bred marriage. Amen?

      More to come.

     Mike Ramey is a Retired Gospel Minister, KJV Bible Teacher, syndicated columnist and Bible Prophecy Specialist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a Circuit rider of the Funky Electronic Frontier. “Ramey’s Encouragements On Marriage” is one of a variety of his columns appearing and abounding in print and cyberspace, written from a biblical, business, and common-sense perspective since 1996. Catch Mike Ramey’s columns on X (Twitter), Substack, Faithwriters.com, LinkedIn and in fine publications like this one! To drop him a line—or a whine—the address is still the same: mgmikeramey@yahoo.com. ©2025 Barnstorm Communications International.