The Family That Prays and Preys

Relationships

• Definition: the way people or things are connected or interact; includes family, friendships, work, church, and how we relate to ourselves.

• Range: from casual acquaintances to deep emotional bonds.

• Importance: fundamental to human experience; impacts well-being and growth.

Types of Relationships

• Interpersonal: bonds between people; can be healthy or unhealthy.

• Romantic: love, attraction, and intimacy (Marriage, Dating).

• Family: kinship (parent-child, siblings).

• Friendships: shared interests, support, respect, companionship (chosen).

• Church/Faith: connections within a faith community.

• Professional: work or academic connections (mutual respect, shared interests).

Characteristics of Relationships

• Connection / Emotional Intimacy: being linked; sharing feelings, thoughts, vulnerabilities.

• Communication / Behavior: active listening, expressing feelings, resolving conflicts.

• Trust / Attachment: reliability and loyalty.

• Respect / Boundaries: honoring needs, opinions, individuality.

• Influence / Impact: how participants affect each other.

• Shared Purpose / Values: alignment in goals and beliefs.

• Support: emotional and practical help in good and bad times.

Biblical Basis for Relationships

• God Designed Us for Connection: Gen $2:18$

• Relationships Reflect God’s Character: 1 John $4:7-8$

• Support, Accountability, and Growth: Ecclesiastes $4:9-10$

Spiritual and Emotional Health

• Iron sharpens iron: Proverbs $27:17$

• Foundation for Marriage and Family: Ephesians $5:25-33$

Biblical Importance of Relationships (Summary)

• Relationships reflect God’s design and character; healthy relationships foster growth, accountability, and maturity.

Common Issues in Relationships

• Poor Communication: Proverbs $18:13$

• Lack of Trust / Dishonesty: Proverbs $12:22$

• Selfishness / Pride: Philippians $2:3-4$

Unhealthy Boundaries, Conflict, and Spiritual/Value Disconnect

• Unhealthy Boundaries: Galatians $6:5$

• Conflict & Unresolved Issues: Matthew $18:15-16$

• Spiritual/Value Disconnect: 2 Corinthians $6:14$

Prays vs Preys

PRAYS

• God’s design for relationships.

• Invites God into decisions.

• Covers one another in love and grace.

• Builds unity through forgiveness and humility.

• Pursues healing and growth through God’s Word.

• Seeks God’s presence to strengthen relationships.

• PRAYS = God’s Design for Relationships

PREYS

• World’s counterfeit of One Flesh; leading to brokenness.

• Exploit weaknesses; tear down with words, neglect, or actions.

• Selfishness, jealousy, and bitterness dominate.

• Relationships become unsafe instead of nurturing.

• Sin, selfishness, and division devour God’s design for love and unity.

Genesis: The Creation of the First Family

• God creates Man: Gen $1:26-27$; Gen $2:7$

• Man formed from dust; breath of life.

• It is not good that the man should be alone: Gen $2:18$; purpose of companionship.

• God creates Woman: Gen $2:22-23$; rib taken from man.

• Eve as Help Meet: strong, complementary, supportive; Ezer Kenegdo.

• God commands Adam: Gen $2:16-17$; do not eat from the tree of knowledge.

• Leave & Cleave: Gen $2:24$; two shall become one flesh.

• One Flesh: Gen $2:24-25$; physical, emotional, and spiritual unity; new family unit.

• Naked & Not Ashamed: Gen $2:25$; transparency within covenant.

Why the First Family Was Not Designed for Isolation

• We are designed for relationship with God, self, and others.

• Relationships involve God, Others, and Self (GOD / OTHERS / SELF).

God Makes Woman and the Marriage Covenant

• God’s design for marriage: Gen $2:21-25$; leave, cleave, become one flesh.

• Leave & Cleave: detach from prior allegiances to prioritize spouse.

• One Flesh: physical union, emotional/relational unity, spiritual partnership, and family kinship.

• Naked & Not Ashamed: vulnerability within trust and commitment.

Help Meet (Eve’s Role)

• Help Meet = Suitable Helper / Ezer Kenegdo

• Purpose: support God-given mission; companionship; reflect God’s image together.

God’s Design for Marriage vs World’s Counterfeit

• God’s Design (One Flesh in Marriage): wholeness, covenant, true intimacy, protection.

• World’s Counterfeit: reduces intimacy to physical; emotional/spiritual voids; exploits love.

• Key references: Gen $2:24$; Eph $5:31-32$; Prov $18:22$; Mark $10:9$; Prov $31:11-12$; Col $3:18$.

Leave & Cleave and One Flesh Deep Dive

• Leave: detach from prior allegiances to prioritize spouse. $Genesis\ 2:24$

• Cleave: cling to spouse; lifelong commitment. $Genesis\ 2:24$

• One Flesh: physical, emotional, spiritual unity; new family unit. $Genesis\ 2:24-25$

Naked & Not Ashamed (Marriage Vulnerability)

• Indicates transparency in marital relationship; protected by commitment and trust. $Genesis\ 2:25$

PRAYS - God’s Way vs PREYS - World’s Way (One Flesh in Marriage)

• PRAYS: wholeness, covenant, true intimacy; rooted in God’s command. $Genesis\ 2:24$; Eph $5:31-32$.

• PREYS: counterfeit; brokenness and harm; reduces love to lust. $1 Thess$4:3$; 1 Cor$6:18.

• One Flesh Bond: PRAYS vs PREYS comparison.

Genesis: Communication & The Blame Game

• Communication is essential for relationship health.

• The Serpent’s Strategy in Genesis 3: deception and miscommunication.

• What Did God Say? God’s Word protects from deception. (Gen 2:16-17$; Psalm$119:11$)</p></li><li><p>The Blame Game: Gen$3:11-13$; Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent; accountability needed.</p></li></ul><h3 id="ec617755-3c6d-4c97-916d-f8ee1866687e" data-toc-id="ec617755-3c6d-4c97-916d-f8ee1866687e" collapsed="false" seolevelmigrated="true">The Blame Game and Accountability</h3><ul><li><p>PRAYS: accountability, humility, confession restore relationships (1 John$1:9$).</p></li><li><p>PREYS: pride, excuses, blame-shifting deepen dysfunction.</p></li></ul><h3 id="a993cc9a-ed68-4d45-8ad8-bc5eae77c0e8" data-toc-id="a993cc9a-ed68-4d45-8ad8-bc5eae77c0e8" collapsed="false" seolevelmigrated="true">The Effects of Sin</h3><ul><li><p>Scriptural basis: Gen$3:14-24$</p></li><li><p>Ripple effects:</p><ul><li><p>Spiritual: separation from God.</p></li><li><p>Relational: broken human relationships.</p></li><li><p>Physical: pain, toil, sickness, death.</p></li><li><p>Cosmic: creation under curse (Romans$8:20-22$).</p></li></ul></li></ul><h3 id="b71a164e-eafd-4284-beec-3e1406003b10" data-toc-id="b71a164e-eafd-4284-beec-3e1406003b10" collapsed="false" seolevelmigrated="true">Genesis: Cain, Abel, and Seth</h3><ul><li><p>Gen$4:1-16,25-26$$: The first births and offerings; The first murder; Punishment of Cain; The hope of a new line.

• Significance:

  • Worship matters: heart behind offerings.

  • Sin escalates without repentance.

  • Accountability: "Am I my brother’s keeper?" resonates today.

  • God’s justice and mercy: judgment with protection for Cain.

  • Hope continues: a line that calls on God’s name.

Next Time

• Faith in a Corrupt World: Noah & His Family