Category: Preparation for Marriage

Many of God’s promises inspire hope and excitement in us, but there are two simply written and powerful scriptures that will help to build our faith in marriage. The first is John 10:10(NKJV). In this verse, Jesus Christ declared, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.” An abundant life would be very satisfying to most of us, but a more than abundant life is our privilege and blessing if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is possible because this is what God wants for us, and if we trust in His provision with our whole hearts, our faith in God’s Will for our lives will cause His blessings to manifest.

A more than abundant life didn’t exist before Jesus Christ came to the earth and gave his life on the cross of Calvary. Before the finished work of his sacrifice and resurrection, there were rich and wealthy people, beautiful people, intelligent people, and very talented people. However, the wisdom of God’s Word teaches us that it doesn’t matter how wealthy, beautiful, wise, and talented a person may be, if they haven’t made Jesus Christ, Lord, they will not live a more than abundant life. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings because of our union with Christ. This reveals that the boldness, strength, ability, power, authority, and love that we receive from the Holy Spirit because of the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, these are the true marks of abundance.

The declaration of Jesus Christ in John 10:10 is so awesomely important to our aspiration for marriage because it informs us of what God has already made available to the believer, yet many of pray as if He hasn’t. The blessing of unequalled abundance is contained within Christ. It is revealed as we live as Christ lived, minister as he ministered, share as he shared and love as he loves. Many single believers are praying to meet ‘the one’. They are seeking God for the blessing of crossing paths with the person that will walk with them through life. This blessing is naturally unfolded as we seek to fulfill the Will of God—as the Will of God becomes the most important pursuit of our lives.

Many women believe that having a husband is the pinnacle of a more than abundant life. This isn’t true. Loving God through Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of bounty in every way, and we simply can’t be confused about this. We’re over the moon with excitement over the prospect of getting married, but our enthusiasm for it should never exceed our excitement and joy about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 2Corinthians 3:5(NLT) tells us, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as [being] from ourselves, but our sufficiency [is] from God.” This is another promise that God has made to us. He is our sufficiency, and we cannot think that another human being can fill this position. No matter how rich, handsome, talented, and charming the man may be, he cannot make us whole.

A major shift in priorities must happen for many women that desire marriage. None of us are qualified or sufficient on our own to be wives. It’s God who qualifies us for this ministry. It’s all about our Heavenly Father and the enthusiasm and attentiveness that we demonstrate towards our relationship with Him. This must be evident in the way that we conduct ourselves as followers of Christ. Philippians 4:19(NLT) says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” He alone supplies all our needs. So, while we might feel excited and can’t wait to be married, let’s make sure that honoring God is our top priority. He is happy to bless us with marriage. It will beautifully unfold when fulfilling His purpose and following the example of Jesus Christ is the great joy and delight of our lives.■

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“I Can’t Wait to Be Married!”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

As modern Christians, we’ve received more revelation about God’s Word than perhaps any other time in human history. We’ve become sophisticated in formulating our thoughts and expressing our opinions about some aspects of His truth. It’s important we know that this can potentially cause more damage than good. Many of us have refused to allow the sovereignty of God and the order He established in the Old Testament to shape our reverence for Him under the new covenant that Christ has ushered in. Our Lord and Savior said in Matthew 5:17(NKJV), “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Jesus Christ came to do what we couldn’t do for ourselves. He restored our relationship with God, and because of this, we’ve been given the privilege to fully live and express His love and to do extraordinary works in the earth.

Jesus Christ said in John 14:12(NKJV), “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” As incredible as it may be to grasp, God has empowered us to do greater works above and beyond even those that our powerful Lord and Savior did when he carried forth his ministry on earth. Jesus Christ didn’t preach to the masses all over the world the way that we can, because the technology wasn’t available then. He couldn’t get on a plane and deliver food and support to those in other countries, but because of what God accomplished through Christ, we can do these things and so much more.

Our Heavenly Father tells us in Ephesians 1:3 that He’s blessed us with all spiritual blessings because of our union with Christ. It is His expectation that we will use the power, intelligence, and other spiritual blessings that He has provided. He expects us to step outside our comfort zones and be a blessing to others to our fullest potential. This is His Will, and we must remember continually that when it comes to our existences on earth, it isn’t our agenda we’re pursuing, it’s His.

Sadly, this memory about why we’re here gets a little foggy for many of us. We forget that we must seek God’s Will in all that we attempt to do, and that we must follow His Word to remain activated in the faith of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Deuteronomy 11:26-28(NLT), God told His people living in Old Testament times, “26 “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. 28 But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the LORD your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.” This standard of trusting God preeminently and following His Word faithfully has not changed. The blessing is contained in His Word, and it is unveiled in our lives as we walk upon His Word.

For some women, the approach to their quest for marriage is a concoction of socially accepted norms with little sprinkles of God’s standard here and there. When this is our approach, the results we receive will equal our lack of commitment to honor what God says. People whose hearts are not fully anchored in God have their treasures here on earth. Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 6:19 that those will decay, be corrupted or stolen. That’s not where we want to be.

Our Lord and Master commands in Matthew 6:20(NLT), “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.” When our treasures are in heaven, the home of our all-powerful, glorious God, our hearts will be there too. We will shift our approach to the one that Jesus Christ requires in Matthew 6:33(NLT), which is to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Now is not the time to feign allegiance to God’s Word and seek other avenues to the path of His blessings. That will get us nowhere. God is looking at whether and how you truly honor and love Him with your full commitment and heart. Being fully persuaded and sold out to Him through obedience and faith is the posture that releases the provisions of everything we need, including the support and care of the one God sends to walk with us through life.

The prophet said in Isaiah 48:17 (NLT) “This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” We must read and study God’s Word and follow His path to marriage. The attitude of “I didn’t know” is not a valid excuse for skipping over the confessions, behaviors, thoughts, actions, and feelings that please God. His Word is too accessible for that to work. If our approach is to deny what God says, it will not lead us to marriage. The wisdom of Proverbs 21:2(NLT) says, “People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.” We must have a heart that pleases the Father, and when we’re doing everything within our power to make this our reality, He will bless us with a marriage that is everything He desires it to be.■

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Why Your Current Approach Isn’t Leading You to Marriage”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Proverbs 27:19 (MSG)
“Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart.”

A while ago, I met up with two friends and both were having issues in their relationships. One was struggling with whether to remain in his marriage, and the other was frustrated because her significant other was reluctant to get married after being together three years.  Neither of my friends were happy and their faces told the whole story.

Proverbs 27:19 tells us that just as water will reflect our face, our faces will reflect what is in our hearts. Sometimes what is in our hearts is a lot of hurt and confusion about the relationships that mean the most to us. We want them to last, but the other person isn’t who we hoped they’d be, and we don’t know what to do with the disappointment. Should we stay and try to make things work, or should we cut our losses and hope for a better future with someone else?

Society’s proverbial wisdom says, “Do what is in your heart.” We hear things like, “Let your heart be your guide.” This isn’t the wisdom that God teaches in His Word. Jeremiah 17:9(NLT) tells us, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” So, letting our hearts govern our decisions is never a wise choice. In fact, it can lead to very unsatisfactory results. Our Heavenly Father tells us in Proverbs 3:5-6 to trust in Him with all our hearts. He tells us not to lean on our own understanding but seek His Will in all that we do. When this is our practice, He promises to direct and show us which path to choose.

The heart that God speaks about in Jeremiah 17:9 isn’t referring to the one that pumps blood throughout our physical bodies. He’s informing us about the heart that is the seat of our being. It’s the one that we can’t hold in our hands, but our hearts are so essential to our relationship with God that He tells us every ounce of it must be dedicated to loving and trusting Him. 2Timothy 2:22(NLT) tells us, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” Purity of heart leads to happiness and having this kind of heart should be our greatest ambition because it pleases God.

2Corinthians 9:8 teaches us that God is our sufficiency. He knows everything, and rather than trying to figure out things on our own, He tells us to seek Him with all our hearts. We need to do this even when we’re disappointed or betrayed by someone we trusted to be in our corners. Sometimes, it isn’t all about what they’ve done, but how we’ve responded to what they’ve done. Just as our hearts are reflected on our faces, our significant others are a mirror for us as well. They reflect that we need to renew our minds and put on more of God’s love. We need to be the change we want to see.

To tell someone to let go of a relationship when they’re not ready is almost always a useless exercise. Likewise, to convince someone they are ending a relationship unwisely and without the counsel of God is also sometimes just as futile. People have their own way of thinking and processing emotions, but if they are not motivated out of a heart that is full of the love of Christ, they can set themselves back big time. God’s Word tells us in Ephesians 4:32(NLT),“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” This is God standard, and it must govern the way we treat all our brothers and sisters in Christ, including those that have disappointed us.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Your Face Mirrors Your Heart”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

“Are you happy?” Jordan’s husband texted her while he was at work one evening. She’d been telling him for weeks how unappreciated she felt in their marriage, and he had taken her out for dinner the night before in hopes of beginning to turn things around. But truthfully, he wasn’t feeling great about things either. For a while, he had complained that she was always very snippy with him and has a short fuse. Jordan didn’t used to be this way, but the last year has been really tough. He’s afraid their marriage may not rebound because of her temperament and all the stress it continues to cause.

Disappointments, residual emotions from childhood trauma, and just being unhappy with life can cause irritability and anger. We can spiral in this condition, and we may not notice how much it is impacting those closest to us. Proverbs 21:9(NLT) says, “It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.” This wisdom in God’s Word has been relevant for thousands of years, and it shows us that God is very aware of the emotional issues that can harm a marriage. In general, life can be very stressful at times, and a wife can become quarrelsome for different reasons, especially if she feels she’s not being heard, but all is not lost. She can turn this around through her faith in God.

All kinds of things can set us off, trust issues, finances, problems with intimacy, poor communication, personality differences, behavioral issues with the kids; these and more can trigger us, making us feel that our needs are not being met. But we must know that none of these things make anger or quarreling a viable solution. Pulling back the layers usually reveals that we need to place greater focus and faith in our relationship with God through the example of Jesus Christ.

For some women, gloom hits them as soon as they open their eyes each morning, and marriage begins to feel like an additional weight. We can become frustrated before we brush our teeth, thinking about all the ways our yesterdays were miserable, and expecting the day in front of us to be much of the same. Many singles feel this way now, even without the husband, and if we don’t begin to use the tools and materials God has provided to work our way out of this, we will bring quarreling and anger into our future marriages.

Some of us don’t yell or scream but have mastered nice-nasty and have learned to sweetly manipulate, or to withdraw and withhold emotions as a way of punishing and getting our way. Things like this will lead us away from a happy marriage instead of closer to it. There’s a vulnerability to Christ that our hearts must yield to. We must be malleable to God as He works in us through His Holy Spirit. And we must be willing to let the Spirit open our hearts as we continually and genuinely pray for spiritual maturity and growth in Christ.

God expects us to respond to every aspect of life with the biblical practices Jesus Christ has taught us. Jesus tells us in John 14:6(NLT), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Jesus Christ is the way! He is the way to victory, love, unity, peace, understanding, compassion, patience, and every other good thing we can demonstrate and receive. We are never alone in our efforts to navigate singlehood, parenthood, or marriage. Jesus Christ has made the Holy Spirit available to us, and his power will work in our hearts and minds if we will let it.

The psalmist prayed in Psalm 51:10(KJV), “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” As singles, if we are in any way heading down a path that will lead us to be quarrelsome wives, the priority of our prayers should be that God will reveal this to us and help us to be renewed in our minds and hearts. We should pray that he will reveal any other behavior, attitude, or action we’re practicing that is keeping us from being the wife He wants us to be. As we spiritually prepare for marriage, we must remember that we shouldn’t depend on a man to make us happy. We’re setting the marriage up for failure when we do this. When we’re happy in Christ within ourselves, we have built the proper foundation and the husband will add to it. If we do the work of having an unshakable faith and joy in Christ, quarreling will take a back seat as we make a home of sweetness and peace.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“The Heart of a Quarrelsome Wife”,, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

What does a born-again man that has never been married and doesn’t have children look for in a woman? You’ll have to ask someone like this. I did, and to my surprise, his answer was quite simple. “I don’t need much, and many of the decisions I make in the future will be up to whomever I marry.” Notably, this man likes to keep most things about his life as simple as possible, and this is actually a blessing, because Jesus Christ kept things simple when he walked upon the earth. Many women would ask, “Where can I find a man like this?” We may not know the answer to this question, but God certainly does.

A man that has given some thought to marriage and would answer a question about it by saying “It’s up to the woman I marry…” is someone that is willing to be flexible. He’s probably going to place the needs of his wife above his own, and he’s confident that whatever those needs are, they can work together to take care of them. Not everyone is generous and thoughtful enough to place another’s needs above their own. So, it’s quite obvious to those of us that know a little bit about God’s Word that in order to meet someone like this, we would have to be match this wonderful quality ourselves. We’d have to possess a peace, humility, love, and strength that is only developed by knowing the scriptures.

2Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) tells us, “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” Many of us have sought a bevy of resources in order to prepare ourselves for marriage. We’ve read books, gone to seminars, and tried all sorts of techniques to help us attract the right man. However, God makes it very clear in 2Timothy 3:16-17 that He uses His Word to prepare and equip us for good work and the ministry of marriage.

Jesus Christ commands us in Mark 12:30(NLT), “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” When the Word of God is firmly anchored in our hearts and minds, we can’t help but love God this way. This is what He requires from all His children, because loving God with all that we are distinguishes those whose faith is sold out on Him and those who deny His love and power. Choosing to love the Lord God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength means that we will always choose to put Him first in our lives because are committed to honor and obey His Word.

Ephesians 5:25-26(NLT) says, “25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.” When a man says, “It’s up to the woman I marry…” and his intention is to truly partner with his wife to make important decisions and choices that impact and benefit them both, he has a mind and heart that seeks to love her as Christ loves the church. This isn’t because he’s so good, it’s because God is so good, and He has led this man to a place that makes him prepared to partner in a loving and generous way. We must discipline ourselves to obey and honor God’s Word so that we allow our Heavenly Father to do this work in us as well. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“It’s Up to the Woman I Marry”,written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Mark 10:6-9 (NLT)
“But God made them male and female from the beginning of creation. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.  Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

From the very beginning, our God was not alone. He had our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit with Him. They are One, and because of the work that God sent Christ to do for us, we are One with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In his prayer to God for the disciples, Jesus Christ prayed in John 17:20-21(NKJV), “20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, [are] in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” We are a part of God’s family, adopted in by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through marriage, God teaches us the treasure, honor, and responsibility of uniting in oneness with another, so that we treasure, honor, and understand the oneness we share with Him.

Marriage and family are so important because God established them as a way of achieving His purpose within the earth. He teaches us a little bit about this in Malachi 2:15(NLT). This Word from the Lord came to men who were not treating their wives well. They’d marry them in their youth, and once they grew older, they’d put these older wives aside for younger brides. Heartbroken, the wives would cry out to Heavenly Father. God didn’t like this situation and did not condone it. In this verse, He said to them, “Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.”

In body and spirit, we belong to God. Every inch of us belongs to Him. He tells us in 1Corinthians 6:19 that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was given to us by God, and he, the Spirit, lives in us. In Galatians 5:25(NLT), Heavenly Father commands, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” This means that we should let the Holy Spirit guide everything that we do, but many of us don’t do this. We get ahead of God and choose to be in relationships with men that may start out with good intentions but end up breaking our hearts. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t want this. He wants us to stop leaning on our own understanding and allow Him to direct our paths through His precious Holy Spirit.

God doesn’t steer us into relationships that leave us depleted emotionally, mentally, or physically. He blesses our lives with relationships that help us fulfill His purpose. Many women of God do not approach marriage from this point of view. While the goodness and perfection of God may lead us to think that He has tailored made a man specifically for us, God’s purpose is the driving force behind every union that is ordained by Him. It would not be wise to think that a man’s purpose is to be your spouse or that he was placed on this earth specifically for you. A man’s purpose is to please and honor God. When we make this our purpose as well, movement towards marriage begins to beautifully unfold.

Hebrews 13:8(NLT) tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Billions of years have passed, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have not changed, and neither has God’s Word. We are the ones who must change in order to please God and fulfill His purpose. We must be guided in life by what God says. When we pray and ask Him for the opportunity to love and to be loved, we’re essentially telling Him that we’re ready for increase. God knows when we are, and only He know the path of increase that is specifically for you. If you trust Him to show you the way to it, you’ll never be disappointed. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Specifically for You”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

When we’re dating someone new, we hear this question all the time, “Is he marriage material?” Although this might not be the most considerate question to ask, if you’ve been praying to God to be a wife, analyzing whether a man is even comfortable with the idea of marriage is not a bad idea. As a woman of God that is potentially making decisions and choices that will change your life forever, you need to always give yourself the courtesy of taking a step back. You need to ask, “What is this we’re doing? Are we dating with a goal or dating to be dating?”

Sometimes we’re so excited by the prospect of spending time with someone compatible, that we lose sight of what’s important. We forget the missteps we’ve made in the past and the heartbreak they caused. We forget all the times we prayed and promised to wait on God’s green light before we made any assumptions about what we’re working with. And we forget how willing we were in the past to go full on into relationship mode just because he texts, calls, and takes us out for dinner.

The Bible doesn’t specifically mention dating, but that doesn’t mean that God has nothing to say about it. Psalm 147:5(ESV) says, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”  Revelation 22:13(NLT) tells us that He’s “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” There isn’t anything that our God doesn’t know. He knows the end at the beginning and the beginning at the end. So, He knew dating would be a thing in our modern times. His expectation is that we will handle it like we do any other activity, which is with Godliness, honesty, respect, and self-control.

2Timothy 1:7(NLT) declares, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” God has given us spiritual blessings so that we will be strong and stand in faith. We are to uphold His standard, so we can’t put the wealth of all He’s provided on the backburner just because we’ve met someone new. It’s important for us to have our eyes open with God’s wisdom so that we don’t treat dating someone the same as we would marrying the person that God has ordained to walk with us through life.

The old school definition of ‘husband material’ is a man that has all the characteristics of being responsible, dependable, honorable, and loyal, and you like him well enough to see yourself marrying him. That’s a pretty good definition, but we ought to taper it with the truth that just because we think he’s marriage material, it doesn’t mean that he is. Sometimes, the man does very little to suggest that he’s ready for something real, and we convince ourselves otherwise simply because we want a man. That can lead us down a disappointing path. We need to let our opinions and assumptions take a back seat, and we need to give ourselves time to hear from God about what we’re working with.

The bottom line is that we need to establish boundaries around dating, and those boundaries should help us to preserve our stand so that we don’t make the mistake of partnering with the wrong guy. We don’t have to kiss dating good-bye, but we must be careful that it isn’t detrimental to our spiritual walks in Christ. If marrying the man that God has for you is truly your heart’s desire, don’t forfeit it or allow the wrong person to set you back. Stay on the path to marriage by being committed to God’s standard, and don’t be deterred. If your faith is in the right place, the Father will confirm what marriage material is for you, then you can be sure that he’s the one for you, and you’re the one for him as well.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Is He Marriage Material?”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.