In this Words From The Word devotion, Pastor Roderick Webster teaches from Ephesians 5:32-33 (KJV) and reveals the divine mystery: marriage is a picture of Christ and His church.

Paul says, "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." God designed marriage to be more than a partnership—it's a living testimony of the Bridegroom's love for His bride. Every Christian marriage has a sacred responsibility: to demonstrate Christ's sacrificial, purifying, protecting love to a watching world.

You might be asking:

How should I love my wife as Christ loves the church?

What does it mean to reverence my husband?

Why does God care so much about marriage?

How can my home be a testimony to the lost?

In this devotion you'll learn:

The mystery Paul revealed: Christ as the Bridegroom, the church as the bride

God's command to every husband: love your wife as yourself

God's command to every wife: reverence and respect your husband

How Christian marriages become examples the world needs to see

Pastor Webster reminds us: "The world is looking for examples to follow. Let's be that example that will help the world find their place... that would bring them back to the Lord."

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0:00 Opening + hymn reflection

1:04 Ephesians 5: The marriage mystery

2:06 What is a mystery?

3:04 The bride of Christ

4:19 Every husband: love like yourself

5:09 Wives: reverence your husband

7:33 Your home reflects God's church

8:56 Closing prayer

Is selfishness destroying your marriage? If you've ever thought "I'm looking out for myself," this Words From The Word devotion will show you God's warning—and His blueprint for oneness. Pastor Roderick Webster teaches from Ephesians 5:28-31 (KJV) and reveals the truth: when self is at the center of marriage, the relationship loses its purpose and heads for destruction.

Scripture paints a different picture. Husbands are called to love their wives as their own bodies, just as Christ loves and nourishes the church. When Adam saw Eve, he said, "This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh"—he understood they were one. God still expects this in marriage today.

You might be asking:

• What does "one flesh" actually mean in daily life?
• How do I love my wife the way God commands?
• What does "leaving and cleaving" look like practically?
• How do I stop selfishness from ruining my marriage?

In this devotion you'll learn:

• Why selfishness destroys what God designed for oneness (Ephesians 5)
• How Christ's love for the church is your marriage model
• What Adam understood about marriage that we must understand today
• The biblical command to leave your parents and cleave to your wife

If this devotion challenged you, like, subscribe, and share it with a married couple who needs to hear this truth today.

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00:00 Introduction and Greetings00:03 The Importance of Devotions in Marriage01:02 Biblical Foundation of Marriage01:50 The Role of Love and Submission02:14 Unity in Marriage02:35 Adam and Eve: The First Marriage03:47 Selfishness in Marriage04:25 Christ's Love for the Church07:12 The Oneness of the Body of Christ09:03 Leaving and Cleaving in Marriage10:37 Conclusion and Final Blessings

How Christ's Love for the Church Redefines Marriage | Ephesians 5

Marriage can be hard. The person you married changes. Circumstances shift. Feelings fade. And you're left asking, "How do I keep loving when I don't feel it anymore?"

Pastor Roderick Webster addresses this struggle head-on in today's Words From The Word devotion. Opening Ephesians 5:25-33 (KJV), he reveals a love that doesn't depend on feelings, attraction, or perfection—a love modeled after Christ Himself.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it."

Christ didn't love the church because she was flawless. He loved her, died for her, sanctified her, and will one day present her to Himself as a glorious bride—spotless and beautiful. That's the standard. That's the command. And that's what God calls every Christian husband to do.

WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS:

- The biblical foundation for marital love (1 John 4, Ephesians 5)

- Why love is a command, not a feeling

- Christ's sacrificial example: He gave Himself, His blood, His life

- How the church is sanctified and cleansed by the Word

- The call to love your wife as your own body

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:

Ephesians 5:25-33, 1 John 4:7-12, Matthew 20:28, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Peter 1:18-21, Revelation 1:5, Genesis 2:21-24

This isn't just theology—it's transformation. Let God's Word renew your marriage today.

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Brought to you by Good News Baptist Church | Pastor Roderick Webster

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00:00 Introduction and Opening Prayer00:23 Sweet Will of God: A Hymn Reflection01:02 Practical Christian Living: Love in the Home01:15 Biblical Command to Love: A Deeper Dive04:01 Sacrificial Love: Christ's Example08:09 Sanctification and Cleansing by the Word11:05 The Church as the Bride of Christ15:42 Husbands and Wives: One Flesh18:34 Conclusion and Blessings

Can you honestly say you love your spouse the way Christ loves the church? For most of us, the answer is no—because in our own strength, it's impossible.

In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster reveals the truth most Christians miss: God didn't command sacrificial love and then leave you to figure it out alone. Romans 5:5 says He already put His love in your heart by the Holy Spirit.

The world's love is conditional—based on attractiveness, success, personality. When those fade, the love dies. But God's love is different. He loves because it's His nature, and because you need to be loved—not because you deserve it.

Pastor Webster opens Ephesians 5 and Romans 5 to show God's supernatural provision: the capacity to love sacrificially is already in you. Now you just have to choose it.

✓ How can I love my spouse when I don't feel it anymore?
✓ What's the difference between the world's love and God's love?
✓ Can God really change my capacity to love?
✓ Is sacrificial love actually possible for ordinary Christians?
✓ Why are Christian marriages failing at the same rate as the world?

🔹 The Church Is Following the World
Christian divorce rates mirror secular rates—not something to brag about. The problem? We've adopted the world's conditional love instead of God's sacrificial love.

🔹 World's Love vs. God's Love
The world loves people because they're attractive, successful, or have great personalities. God loves because it's His nature—and because we need to be loved, not because we deserve it.

🔹 God Made Provision: Romans 5:5
"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." God didn't leave sacrificial love up to you—He already put His love in your heart. You just have to choose to activate it.

🔹 God Personally Teaches You to Love
First Thessalonians 4:9 says God Himself teaches us to love one another—not preachers, not parents, not feelings. This is divine instruction.

🔹 Love Is a Choice, Not a Feeling
Sacrificial love must be a matter of choice (James 2, 1 John 3:16). When feelings fade, the choice to love remains because God's love doesn't depend on worthiness.

• Ephesians 5:25-33 — Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church; intimate, sacrificial love
• Romans 5:5 — The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9 — You are taught of God to love one another
• James 2 — The royal law: love your neighbor as yourself
• 1 John 3:7, 16-18, 23 — Hereby perceive we the love of God; lay down our lives for the brethren

00:00 Introduction and Gratitude00:34 Song Reflection: Sweet Will of God01:17 God's Order in the Home03:06 Husbands, Love Your Wives05:25 The Nature of God's Love08:19 Commanded Love and Final Thoughts

"No sinful human being has the capacity to love with divine fullness and perfection which Christ loves the church. However, God has made provision for the husband to love his wife with the measure of Christ's love."

"The world's love is always object-oriented. God's love is different—He loves because it is His nature to love, and because the object of His love needs to be loved."

"God took care of it Himself. God taught us how to love one another. This commanding love must be a matter of choice."

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Words From The Word is a daily Bible devotion podcast hosted by Pastor Roderick Webster of Good News Baptist Church. Teaching you can trust. Truth you can live.

🎙️ Produced by Good News Baptist Church | All Scripture references KJV

In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster reveals a sobering truth: The problem isn't God's design. It's what we've twisted from Eden to now.

God gave husbands two things: headship and the duty to love. When a man takes headship but refuses to love like Christ, he becomes abusive. When he honors both? You get a happy, functioning family.

Pastor Webster takes us back to Genesis 2—before sin entered the world—to show what marriage looked like in its perfect state: Adam and Eve in complete harmony, no shame, consuming love for each other. Then he explains what went wrong and why we're struggling today.

✓ Why do Christian marriages fail at rates similar to secular marriages?
✓ What does "weaker vessel" really mean—and is it sexist?
✓ What was marriage like in Eden before sin corrupted it?
✓ How can I tell if someone will abuse "headship" before I marry them?
✓ What's the difference between biblical headship and controlling behavior?

🔹 The Two-Part Design: Headship + Duty
God didn't just give husbands authority—He gave them responsibility. If a husband accepts headship but rejects the duty to love sacrificially, he becomes abusive and the marriage fails.

🔹 When Prayers Are Hindered
First Peter 3:7 warns that husbands who don't honor their wives as the weaker vessel will have their prayers hindered. This is serious—God stops listening when husbands fail to love well.

🔹 Marriage Before The Fall
In Genesis 2, Adam saw Eve and said, "Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh." There was no criticism, no shame, no evil thoughts. His headship was a manifestation of consuming love. Her submission was her response of consuming love. Perfect harmony.

🔹 The Pre-Marriage Character Test
Want to know if someone will honor biblical roles? Watch how they submit to authority now—to parents, employers, church leadership. If they can't respect authority before marriage, they won't suddenly change after the wedding.

🔹 What Went Wrong From Eden to Now
Both men and women have twisted God's plan. The next episode will unpack exactly what we corrupted and how to restore God's design in our marriages today.

• Ephesians 5:24-25 — Wives subject to husbands; husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church
• Genesis 1:26-28 — God's blessing on marriage; dominion given to man and woman together
• Genesis 2:23-25 — Adam and Eve's perfect union before sin; bone of my bone, no shame
• 1 Peter 3:7 — Husbands honor your wife as the weaker vessel, or prayers are hindered
• Genesis 3 — The fall and entrance of sin (referenced as the turning point)

00:00 Introduction and Greetings01:02 Opening Prayer01:46 Ephesians 5:24 - Wives and Husbands03:07 God's Plan for Marriage03:52 Husbands' Role and Responsibilities06:13 Adam and Eve: The Perfect Companions08:57 God's Blessing and Dominion10:14 Modern Marriage Challenges10:43 Conclusion and Final Prayer

In the next episode, Pastor Webster will reveal exactly what we twisted from Eden to now—and give practical steps to restore God's design in your marriage. Don't miss it.

If this episode helped you understand God's design for marriage, subscribe to Words From The Word so you never miss a devotion.

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🎙️ Produced by Good News Baptist Church
All Scripture references are from the King James Version (KJV)

Does Ephesians 5:22 mean wives are somehow less valuable than their husbands? Or is there something deeper we're missing?

In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster tackles one of the most misunderstood—and culturally controversial—passages in Scripture: wives submitting to their husbands.

Culture says submission equals oppression. Some churches say "just obey without question." But what does God actually say?

You'll discover that submission isn't about value or inequality—it's about God's beautiful design for order in marriage that reflects Christ and the Church.

✓ Does submission mean I'm less valuable than my husband?
✓ How can I submit "as unto the Lord" when my husband doesn't act like the Lord?
✓ Didn't Christ submit to the Father—yet they're equal?
✓ What's the difference between submission and being a doormat?
✓ How do I explain biblical submission to friends who think it's toxic?

🔹 Submission ≠ Inequality
Christ submitted to the Father (Philippians 2:6-8), yet they are fully, completely equal. Submission is about role and order, not value or worth.

🔹 The Phrase That Changes Everything
"As unto the Lord" isn't about serving your husband's ego—it's about obeying God through the structure He designed.

🔹 Why God Designed the Husband as Head
Just like a body malfunctions when it doesn't respond to the head, a family struggles when God's order isn't honored. The husband is head—not because wives are less, but because every body needs one head.

🔹 The Pre-Marriage Test
Want to know if someone understands biblical submission? Check how they submit to authority now—to parents, employers, church leadership. If they can't submit there, marriage won't magically fix it.

🔹 What's Coming Next
Next episode: Husbands, love your wives—and discover why God puts a heavier weight on husbands than on wives.

• Ephesians 5:22-24 — Wives, submit to your own husbands, as unto the Lord
• Philippians 2:6-8 — Christ's submission to the Father while remaining equal
• 1 Corinthians 11:3 — The head of the woman is the man; the head of Christ is God
• Colossians 1:18 — Christ is the head of the church
• John 14:9 — Jesus and the Father are one
• John 17:22 — The glory and oneness of Christ and the Father

0:00 — Opening + devotion promise
0:58 — Who must submit?
2:01 — What submission is
3:02 — Is submission inequality?
4:39 — How to submit: the manner
6:21 — Why the husband is head
8:12 — Body that won't obey the head
10:15 — Subject in everything
11:29 — Check before you marry
12:11 — Next: Husbands, love your wives

"Submission isn't about value—it's about order and beautiful design."

"Christ submitted to the Father yet remained fully equal."

"When wives submit 'as unto the Lord,' they obey God—not ego."

Don't miss the next episode where Pastor Webster unpacks what God commands husbands to do—and why it's a heavier responsibility than most men realize.

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Words From The Word is a daily Bible devotion podcast hosted by Pastor Roderick Webster of Good News Baptist Church. Each episode opens Scripture with clarity, warmth, and practical wisdom to help you walk faithfully with Christ—even when His Word challenges culture.

We believe God's Word is living, active, and relevant for every believer today.

Teaching you can trust. Truth you can live.

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Have a question about this episode? Want prayer? Reach out to Pastor Webster and the Words From The Word team by leaving a comment.

🎙️ Produced by Good News Baptist Church
All Scripture references are from the King James Version (KJV)

In today’s devotion, Pastor Roderick Webster continues in Ephesians 5, showing that biblical submission is not confusion or weakness—it is God’s order. We look at how Scripture connects Spirit-filled living with humility, thanksgiving, and proper submission to rightful authority. This episode also sets the stage for the next teaching on marriage and family roles that reflect Christ and His church.

Key Takeaways

• Submission is order, not chaos

• A Spirit-filled believer learns humility and lives with gratitude

• God’s design includes rightful authority and rightful response

• Marriage and family roles point to a greater picture: Christ & the church

Scripture Focus (KJV)

• Ephesians 5:19–21 (praise, thanksgiving, submission)

• Ephesians 5:22–33 (Christ & the church pattern)

• Acts 16:25 (Paul and Silas singing in prison)

• Exodus 15:1–8 (Moses’ song)

• Luke 12:16–21 (the rich fool)

• Luke 18:9–14 (Pharisee and publican)

• Luke 17:12–19 (the thankful leper)

Next Episode Preview
We’ll continue deeper into Ephesians 5, focusing on how submission plays out in real relationships—starting with wives and husbands, and the way God’s order reflects Christ’s love and leadership.

In today’s devotion, Pastor Roderick Webster challenges a habit that quietly steals our joy: complaining. From Ephesians 5, we’re reminded that a Spirit-filled life isn’t just about what we believe—it shows up in what comes out of our mouth: songs, praise, and thanksgiving.

Pastor Webster points us to powerful examples of praise under pressure—Moses and Israel singing after deliverance (Exodus 15:1–8) and Paul and Silas singing in prison (Acts 16:25)—and then brings the message home with a clear command:
“Giving thanks always for all things…” (Ephesians 5:20, KJV).

You’ll also hear three sobering “thanksgiving attitudes” from the Gospel of Luke:

1. The unthankful (entitled) heart — the rich farmer (Luke 12:16–21)

2. The hypocritical (self-righteous) heart — the Pharisee (Luke 18:9–14)

3. The truly thankful heart — the healed leper who returned (Luke 17:12–19)

This episode will help you check your spirit, reset your perspective, and choose worship over whining—because the Spirit-filled believer is marked by gratitude.

In this episode, you’ll reflect on:

• Why praise is for God’s children, not the world

• How complaining reveals what’s controlling the heart

• What Scripture teaches about gratitude that’s real (not religious)

• Why thanksgiving should be “always” and “for all things”

• How this connects to the next step: submission and humility (Ephesians 5:21)

Next in the series:
We move into Ephesians 5:21 and begin looking at what it means to submit with humility, and why God’s design includes rightful authority.

Scripture References (KJV):

• Ephesians 5:20–21

• Exodus 15:1–8

• Acts 16:25

• Luke 12:16–21

• Luke 18:9–14

• Luke 17:12–19

If this devotion encouraged you, share it with someone who needs a heart-reset today.