2 Samuel 7:27-29

“Lord Almighty, God of Israel,

You have revealed this to Your servant, saying,

‘I will build a house for you.’

So Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.

Sovereign Lord, You are God!

Your covenant is trustworthy,

and You have promised these good things to Your servant.

Now be pleased to bless the house of Your servant,

that it may continue forever in Your sight;

for You, Sovereign Lord, have spoken,

and with Your blessing

the house of Your servant will be blessed forever.”

Lisa, Ariel, Marisa, and Andre…

Since you’ve moved into this new house…today we’re pronouncing blessings on your new home from the very beginning.  It would also be wonderful for you to renew this blessing year after year for as long as you reside there.  Blessing a house is simply taking the authority over it that belongs to you, and dedicating it to the Lord.

It’s inviting the Spirit of God to come, and everything else to leave.  Where God’s presence is, there is blessing and hope. When we bless our homes we make room for God to take up residence in every room and over all our possessions.

Your house blessing will be on the basis of your rightful authority over your own dwelling. When you moved in, someone put keys to the house in your hand.  Physically and Spiritually, you determine who, or what, has access to your home.

Joshua 24:15, says, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Blessing your home, says your heart is in agreement with that Scripture!!  And, that you want your house to feel safe, peaceful, and be filled with God’s Spirit, so it will be godly place to live, and raise your family.

The authority you now take over your house, determines what the atmosphere will be like in this house from now on, and it is up to you to drive out any negative forces, in Jesus’ Name, in submission to the authority that is over you, the Lord Jesus Christ.

By blessing your house, property and possessions you are consecrating them as holy unto the Lord, and with His Light, you are dispelling any darkness.  Always keep His Light burning brightly in your home!

Pray!!!  Declare that this house belongs to God, and everything ungodly has to leave. Keep yourself holy and pure.  Bringing light to your home means everything else must leave.

Therefore, it is worth your time to take inventory and to rid yourself of spiritual garbage. As you pray in each room, ask the Holy Spirit if there is anything in that room that grieves Him. Take a look at books, magazines, music, videos, DVDs etc., Look at everything. What internet sites are accessed through your home? What television programs are allowed in? What radio stations are listened to?

Is your house set in order? Are relationships healthy? Is sin being permitted in your home? What is the spiritual atmosphere that you’re allowing?

Today, we’ll be anointing your doors and windows with oil representing the Holy Spirit. We’ll walk the parameter of the property, consecrating it, and placing it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  We can use the oil to anoint anything you wish out on the property, and on cars, garages, equipment etc.

Lisa and Ariel…

As the owners, you may want to speak out blessings, for us to agree with as we pray over each room, asking God to use this house for His glory. Thanking the Lord for providing you with a place to live, asking for His angels to be posted at all the doors and windows, keeping anything evil from entering in, by the blood of Jesus, and in the authority of His Name!

We will speak peace here in this home, the Name of Jesus. We invite you to come, Holy Spirit, and fill this place…anything ungodly will need to leave!

As you live in your house, fill it with praise and constant thanksgiving. God will be honored, you will love the atmosphere in your home, and everyone who enters will love it too.  Amen!

Based on:  http://www.hannahscupboard.com/pray-walk-house-blessing.html

Wedding Vows Renewal Ceremony

Matthew 19:4-6

“Haven’t you read,”

he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’

and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh’?

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

The day was cold for Florida…

A high of 58 degrees…

The weather felt colder and breezier at the beach…

And since we’re all Floridians…

We were freezing!

Not your typical day-at-the-beach…

But still,

I was pleased and blessed…

To officiate at my friends’

25th Wedding Anniversary/Wedding Vows Renewal Ceremony!

Lisa and Ariel…

When you first joined hands and hearts in marriage 25 years ago, you did not know where life would take you.

You promised to love, honor, and cherish one another through all things.

Life has surely brought you both wonderful blessings, and difficult challenges over the years. 

But here you are today, having fulfilled the vows to love, honor, and cherish… that you each made on your wedding day. 

And God is smiling!  

As you celebrate here today, and as you reflect back over all the years as husband and wife, do you now wish to reaffirm the vows you took 25 years ago? 

Answer:  “WE DO!”

Please join hands as I continue with the Vows.

Lisa, will you continue to have Ariel as your husband and continue to live in this marriage? Do you reaffirm your love for him, and will you love him, keep him, and honor him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, being faithful to him as long as you shall live?

Ariel, will you continue to have Lisa as your wife and continue to live in this marriage? Do you reaffirm your love for her, and will you love her, keep her, and honor her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, being faithful to her as long as you shall live?

May I have the rings and roses?  In the words of the prophet Isaiah, where relationships create love and compassion, even “the desert shall …bloom, like the rose.”  The rose, born of the tiniest of seeds, is a symbol of the potential and beauty contained in love’s promises.  In the merging of a spirit-filled vessel, and a fragrant rose…we proclaim a new relationship, a new future…one which love has unfolded, and is unfolding, before our very eyes.  As your gifts bring beauty and purpose to each other, may your lives continue to enrich and strengthen one another.

Lord, I pray a prayer of re-blessing of these rings, and over the givers and receivers of each of the rings.

Ariel, repeat after me:  Lisa, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, and with this ring I thee wed.

Lisa, repeat after me:  Ariel, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, and with this ring I thee wed.

Lisa and Ariel, On your wedding day you exchanged rings as a symbol of the never-ending circle that symbolizes the eternal quality of God’s unending strength, and unending love!

Rings serve as a reminder of your wedding vows to each other, and your commitment to live in unity, love, and happiness. At this time, it is appropriate to reconfirm the meaning of the rings you wear.

Please join your left hands together so that Ariel’s hand is on top. Ariel, please repeat after me:

Lisa, I wear this ring you placed on my hand 25 years ago, as a symbol of my love and commitment to you.

Now, with Lisa’s hand on top, Lisa, please repeat after me:

Ariel, I wear this ring you placed on my hand 25 years ago, as a symbol of my love and commitment to you.

God bless these rings and the two who exchanged them in love on their wedding day.  Lord, keep Lisa and Ariel safe in the circle of Your protection and love.  Bless their marriage, which is a commitment to learning to care for one another… a life-long relationship always in the making.

Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life.  

Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger,

even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly.

Marriage understands…

and forgives the mistakes, life is unable to avoid.

It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences,

and new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life.

When two people pledge their love and care for each other in marriage,

they create a spirit unique unto themselves

which binds them closer than any spoken or written words.

Marriage is a promise made in the hearts of two people who love each other

and the promise requires a lifetime to fulfill.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

“Love is patient,

Love is kind.

It does not envy,

It does not boast,

It is not proud.

It does not dishonor others,

It is not self-seeking,

It is not easily angered,

It keeps no record of wrongs.

 Love does not delight in evil,

 But rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

 Always trusts,

Always hopes,

Always perseveres. 

Love never fails…”

Lisa & Ariel, as the two of you both now reaffirm you love for each other and the vows you made to each other many years ago, I ask that you each remember to continue to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, and that you each respect the thoughts and ideas of one another. And most of all, be able to forgive each other, and not hold grudges against one another. Live each day in love with each other, always being there to give love, comfort, and support to each other, in good times, and bad.  Amen!

Lisa and Ariel, today you have renewed the promises and vows you made to each other on your wedding day.  You have symbolized the renewal of the marriage union by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and by the wearing of your wedding rings.

It is with pleasure that I conclude the ceremony of renewing the vows of marriage that joined you, and binds you as husband and wife. Please celebrate this renewal of vows with a kiss!

Since Lisa & Ariel have now exchanged vows and rings, and pledged their love and faithfulness to each other, it is my pleasure and honor to repronounce you Man & Wife. You may kiss the bride!

Based on:  http://www.themarriageman.com/renewal.htm

1 John 3:16

“We know what love is

because Jesus gave His life for us.

That’s why we must give our lives for each other.”

John 17:23

“I in them and You in Me—

so that they may be brought to complete unity.

Then the world will know that You sent Me

and have loved them even as You have loved Me.”

1 John 3:18

“Dear children,

let us not love with words or speech

but with actions and in truth.”

Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving each other,

just as in Christ,

God forgave you.”

Ephesians 5:25-33

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her

to make her holy, cleansingher by the washing with water through the Word,

and to present her to Himself as a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish,

but holy and blameless.

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself.

After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body,

just as Christ does the Church—

for we are members of His Body.

‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.’

This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the Church.

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself,

and the wife must respect her husband.”

Love & Laughter!!!

Thank you, Jesus, for all Your blessings!!