This week's devotion is entitled:

A Godly Man: Relationships Part 1

This week I want to start a series about Christian relationships and working toward (or living in) a Christian marriage. The first message I want to address to the guys, but girls don't go away, because these are the qualities you should look for when searching for a Godly husband.

A Godly man should have all the qualities that Paul lays out to be a deacon or an elder:

An elder must be well thought of for his good life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who are not wild or rebellious. An elder must live a blameless life because he is God's minister. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or greedy for money. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must love all that is good. He must live wisely and be fair. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong and steadfast belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with right teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.
~Titus 1:6-9 (NLT)

An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil's trap and be disgraced. In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience.
~1 Timothy 3:6-9

They must also work for these qualities of a husband in Ephesians:

And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. And we are his body.
~Ephesians 5:25-30 (NLT)

It may not seem easy to achieve all of these things, but you can do it with God's help, guys. If you want to have a Godly relationship that leads to a succesful, Godly marriage, you need to work on these qualities. No one is perfect and everyone falls, but this is the goal to shoot for. When you are worthy to become an elder, you are spiritually ready for marriage. Next week I will talk about the kind of woman you need to look for.

Girls, this is the kind of man you want to marry: an upstanding man of God who meets all of the requirements laid out for an elder or a deacon. Next week I will talk to you about the kind of woman you need to be to be spiritually ready for marriage.