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Series Code: AFDB
Program Code: AFDB000106A
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00:03 >>THIS PRESENTATION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE
00:05 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. 00:07 ♪♪♪ 00:15 >>MARRIAGE IS AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT COVENANTS - OR 00:20 PROMISES - THAT ARE MADE. 00:22 SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT DIVORCE AS AN ESCAPE HATCH. 00:24 I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND, IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, SHUT THE HATCH, 00:27 WELD IT, LOCK IT, THROW AWAY THE KEY. 00:34 >>OUR MESSAGE FOR TODAY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE MAYBE A TWO- OR 00:37 THREE-PART MESSAGE, IS GOING TO BE CALLED TOGETHER FOR LIFE - 00:42 TOGETHER FOR LIFE: BIBLE KEYS FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE . 00:45 IN OUR WORLD TODAY, DIVORCE IS EPIDEMIC. 00:50 YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE STATISTICS THAT SOMEWHERE 00:52 BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PERCENT OF MARRIAGES END IN DIVORCE. 00:56 THE REASON THOSE STATISTICS ARE SO SLOPPY IS BECAUSE SO MANY 00:59 PEOPLE LIVE TODAY, WITHOUT EVEN THE BENEFIT OF MARRIAGE, IT'S 01:02 HARD TO REALLY MEASURE IT. I BELIEVE IT WAS - SOMEONE 01:08 THINKS MAYBE, 'WELL, MAYBE THE SECOND MARRIAGE'LL BE BETTER. 01:13 60 PERCENT OF SECOND MARRIAGES END IN DIVORCE AND IT'S EVEN 01:17 WORSE FOR THIRD MARRIAGES. PAIGE PATTERSON, WHO WAS THE 01:24 PRESIDENT OF THE BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN FORT 01:28 WORTH, CITING THE DEMISE OF TWENTY-ONE OF THE WORLD'S 01:32 GREAT CIVILIZATIONS. ACTUALLY, THE HISTORIAN WHO 01:35 WROTE ABOUT THIS WAS AN ATHEIST, BUT HE SAID THAT HE DISCOVERED 01:38 THAT AMONG THE 21 OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST CIVILIZATIONS, PART 01:42 OF THEIR BREAKDOWN WAS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE HOME. 01:47 ADDING TO THAT HE SAID, 'AMERICA COULD BE LIVING OUT ITS FINAL 01:51 CHAPTERS IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY UNLESS THE BIBLICAL 01:54 MODEL FOR THE FAMILY IS RESTORED.' 01:57 JAMES DOBSON SAID, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 'I DO NOT RECALL A 02:02 TIME WHEN THE INSTITUTIONS OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY HAVE 02:06 FACED SUCH PERIL OR WHEN THE FORCES ARRAYED AGAINST THEM WERE 02:09 MORE FORMIDABLE OR DETERMINED. BARRING A MIRACLE, THE FAMILY 02:14 THAT HAS EXISTED SINCE ANTIQUITY WILL LIKELY CRUMBLE 02:17 FORESHADOWING THE FALL OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION ITSELF. 02:21 AND MANY ARE WONDERING IF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SUPREME COURT 02:26 AT THAT RECENT RULING ON MARRIAGE WAS DRIVING A SILVER 02:30 SPIKE IN THE HEART OF AMERICAN MARRIAGE ALTOGETHER. 02:34 NOW I DON'T WANT TO DWELL TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S 02:36 SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT. 02:39 WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS THAT DIVORCE HAPPENS? 02:43 I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU 24 OF THE TOP REASONS THAT ARE LISTED 02:46 WHEN PEOPLE CITE THE REASONS FOR DIVORCE: FINANCIAL PROBLEMS - 02:52 YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY THINK, 'WELL, BEFORE WE GET 02:56 MARRIED, WE SHOULD LIVE TOGETHER SO WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER TO 02:59 FIND OUT IF WE'RE COMPATIBLE.' HAVE YOU HEARD THAT ONE BEFORE? 03:03 'YOU GUYS AREN'T MARRIED, WHY ARE YOU LIVING TOGETHER?' 03:05 'WELL, WE'RE JUST - WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPATIBLE 03:06 BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT OFFICIAL AND...' AND I HEARD A 03:09 PASTOR SAY, 'IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT IF YOU'RE COMPATIBLE, YOU 03:12 DON'T NEED TO SHARE A BED, SHARE A CHECKBOOK.' BECAUSE THE NUMBER 03:14 ONE REASON THAT PEOPLE GET DIVORCED IS NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE 03:18 SEXUALLY INCOMPATIBLE, IT'S THEY'RE FINANCIALLY 03:21 INCOMPATIBLE. FINANCIAL PROBLEMS - NUMBER ONE. 03:27 INABILITY TO MANAGE OR RESOLVE CONFLICT. 03:30 INFIDELITY. CULTURAL AND LIFESTYLE DIFFERENCES. 03:35 NOW THAT, SOMETIMES, IS BIGGER THAN YOU THINK. 03:37 PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY GROW UP IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT CULTURE 03:39 WITH DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS AND DIFFERENT PATTERNS AND 03:42 TRADITIONS THAT CAN SEEM SO BIZARRE TO PEOPLE FROM A 03:46 DIFFERENT CULTURE. A LACK OF COMMITMENT IS PUT DOWN. 03:51 LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SPOUSES. 03:55 ABANDONMENT. ALCOHOL OR DRUG ADDICTION. PHYSICAL ABUSE. 04:00 EMOTIONAL ABUSE. PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES OR 04:04 IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES - HAVE YOU HEARD THAT BEFORE? 04:07 DIFFERENCES IN PERSONAL OR CAREER GOALS. 04:11 DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOUSEHOLD TASKS. 04:14 THEY GET DIVORCED BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO DO IT 04:17 AND HE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DO IT. 04:20 DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HAVING OR REARING CHILDREN. 04:23 THAT'S A BIG ONE. INTERFERENCE FROM PARENTS OR FROM IN-LAWS. 04:28 LACK OF MATURITY IS LISTED AS A DIFFERENCE. 04:31 INTELLECTUAL INCOMPATIBILITY. SOMETIMES JUST THE EDUCATIONAL 04:35 LEVEL CAN BECOME A PROBLEM. SEXUAL INCOMPATIBILITY IS 04:41 LISTED, BUT IT'S PRETTY FAR DOWN THE LIST. 04:43 NOT ALLOWING ROOM FOR PERSONAL GROWTH. 04:46 FALLING OUT OF LOVE. RELIGIOUS CONVERSION OR 04:50 RELIGIOUS BELIEFS - I'VE SEEN THAT BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE. 04:54 MENTAL INSTABILITY OR MENTAL ILLNESS. 04:57 CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND INCARCERATION FOR CRIME. 05:00 IT'S VERY HARD ON MARRIAGES WHEN ONE SPOUSE IS INCARCERATED FOR A 05:04 LONG PERIOD OF TIME. INABILITY TO DEAL WITH EACH 05:08 OTHERS' PETTY IDIOSYNCRASIES. NOW, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT SOME 05:15 OF THESE ARE ISSUES IN YOUR MARRIAGES - THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE 05:17 MARRIED HERE, BUT NONE OF THEM NEEDS TO BE THE 05:20 REASON FOR DIVORCE. AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH 05:25 A LIST OF MAYBE 18 DIFFERENT SUBJECTS THAT ARE BIBLE SECRETS. 05:32 AND IF WE UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS, THEY CAN REALLY 05:34 CONTRIBUTE TO HEALING A MARRIAGE AND MAKING A GOOD MARRIAGE 05:37 BETTER IF WE FOLLOW THESE PRINCIPLES. 05:40 FIRST OF ALL, 1) REMEMBER THAT MARRIAGE IS A DIVINE COVENANT. 05:46 WE ARE SAVED. YOU'RE IN CHURCH TODAY BECAUSE, 05:48 OSTENSIBLY, YOU WANT TO BE OR ARE A CHRISTIAN AND WE ARE SAVED 05:53 BASED ON A COVENANT - A PROMISE - THAT GOD HAS MADE TO US. 05:57 HE GAVE HIS SON TO SAVE US AND WE, BY FAITH, ACCEPT HIS WORD 06:00 AND WE MAKE A PLEDGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO COMMIT OUR LIVES TO 06:03 HIM. A COVENANT IS MADE - COVENANTS 06:06 - AGREEMENTS - PROMISES - VERY IMPORTANT. 06:11 MARRIAGE IS AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT COVENANTS OR PROMISES 06:16 THAT ARE MADE. YOU'RE MAKING VOWS IN THE 06:18 PRESENCE OF GOD AND OTHER WITNESSES. IT'S A COVENANT 06:21 THAT'S NOT ONLY SOMETHING THAT IS DONE BEFORE YOU AND GOD. 06:23 IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DONE SOCIALLY. 06:26 IT'S A COMMITMENT - A COVENANT THAT MAKES - FOR ONE THING, IT 06:29 IS SAYING PUBLICLY 'WE ARE OFFICIALLY COMMITTING OURSELVES 06:32 TO EACH OTHER. SHE IS OFF THE MARKET FOR ANYONE 06:34 ELSE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED.' SHE'S SAYING 'HE 06:36 IS OFF THE MARKET. WE ARE A NEW FAMILY UNIT THAT IS 06:40 TO BE GUARDED AND RESPECTED BY THE CULTURE AND SOCIETY.' 06:44 IT IS A PUBLIC COMMITMENT. >>AMEN. 06:47 >>AND IT USED TO BE THE REASON THE GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED IS 06:50 BECAUSE THERE WAS OFFSPRING THAT WAS THE PRODUCT OF THOSE UNIONS 06:54 AND IF ONE OF THE SPOUSES DIED OR BOTH SPOUSES DIED, THEY 07:00 NEEDED TO DETERMINE HOW TO DEAL WITH THE CHILDREN. 07:02 AND THEN, SOMETIMES, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO STEP IN 07:04 TO CARE FOR THOSE THINGS - AND THERE WERE LAWS INVOLVED. 07:07 BUT IT DOES MATTER THAT YOU ARE LEGALLY MARRIED. 07:10 IS IT REQUIRED THAT YOU ARE MARRIED IN A CHURCH? 07:13 NO, IT DOESN'T SAY SO IN THE BIBLE, BUT I THINK IF YOU'RE A 07:17 CHRISTIAN YOU WOULD WANT IT TO BE A RELIGIOUS SERVICE BECAUSE 07:20 IT'S A COVENANT IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND YOU WANT TO COMMIT 07:23 YOUR LIVES TO GOD. JESUS SAID - MATTHEW 19, VERSE 5 - "FOR THIS 07:30 CAUSE SHALL A MAN LEAVE FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL CLEAVE TO 07:34 HIS WIFE: AND THE TWAIN SHALL BE ONE FLESH. WHEREFORE...WHAT GOD 07:39 HATH JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER." 07:43 THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS AND THEY SAID, 'WELL MOSES, HE GAVE 07:48 US A LAW ABOUT DIVORCE AND HOW WE ACCOMPLISH A DIVORCE AND 07:53 YOU'RE TEACHING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.' AND JESUS SAID, 07:55 'YES, BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF YOUR HEARTS MOSES MADE THOSE 08:00 LAWS.' THEY ACTUALLY HAD A LAW THAT, BY THE TIME OF CHRIST, A 08:05 MAN COULD DIVORCE HIS WIFE IF SHE BURNED HIS FOOD. 08:08 I MEAN, THEY KEPT EXPANDING WHAT THE EXCUSES FOR DIVORCE WERE 08:12 BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF HEARTS. 08:15 AND, GOD SAYS, 'I HATE DIVORCE.' AND THAT TRANSLATES 08:19 ABOUT THE SAME IN ANY VERSION OF THE BIBLE THAT YOU HAVE. 08:22 NOW I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE ARE AFFECTED BY THIS AND I 08:27 NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THERE ARE TIMES WHEN, BIBLICALLY, IT IS 08:30 APPROPRIATE TO DIVORCE. AS MUCH AS GOD HATES DIVORCE 08:32 IT WAS GOD WHO TOLD ABRAHAM TO DIVORCE - PUT AWAY - HAGAR. 08:38 OF COURSE, HE HAD ONE WIFE TOO MANY AT THE TIME AND HE HAD TO 08:40 DEAL WITH THAT. BUT LOOK AT ALL THE HEARTACHE THAT IT BROUGHT. 08:45 IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO INTO MARRIAGE THINKING THAT DIVORCE 08:48 IS AN OPTION BECAUSE IF YOU, IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND EVEN THINK 08:51 IT, THEN YOU CAN END UP HAVING PROBLEMS. SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT 08:57 DIVORCE AS AN ESCAPE HATCH. I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND, IF YOU'RE 09:00 A CHRISTIAN, SHUT THE HATCH, WELD IT, LOCK IT, 09:04 THROW AWAY THE KEY. >>AMEN. 09:06 >>AS SOON AS YOU KNOW IT'S NOT AN OPTION AND YOU REALIZE THAT 09:09 YOU'RE ON A DESERTED ISLAND WITH THIS PERSON CALLED YOUR HUSBAND 09:11 OR YOUR WIFE, YOU'VE GOT TO GET ALONG. 09:15 THEN YOU START DOING YOUR BEST TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT. 09:18 NOW, AGAIN, I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE SOME, EVEN BIBLICAL, GROUNDS 09:21 FOR DIVORCE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE? 09:25 THERE ARE TWO REASONS THAT ARE REALLY GIVEN IN THE BIBLE WHEN 09:30 IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DIVORCE - AND NOT JUST DIVORCE, BECAUSE 09:34 YOU CAN SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ABUSE IN THE MARRIAGE 09:36 YOU SHOULD SEPARATE. 09:38 BUT TO DIVORCE, OFTEN PEOPLE ARE THINKING DIVORCE IS DESIGNED TO 09:42 PUT THEM BACK ON THE MARKET SO THEY CAN REMARRY. 09:45 ONE IS FOR THE CAUSE OF FORNICATION, JESUS SAID. 09:49 IF ONE SPOUSE OR THE OTHER VIOLATES THOSE SACRED VOWS AND 09:57 COMMITS THAT INTIMATE ACT WITH ANOTHER PERSON, THEY BIBLICALLY 10:02 HAVE GROUNDS - THEY HAVE BROKEN THE COVENANT - THEY HAVE GROUNDS 10:04 TO DIVORCE AND THEN TO REMARRY. IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY HAVE TO. 10:11 NOWHERE IS JESUS SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO DIVORCE. 10:14 RECONCILIATION IS ALWAYS MUCH BETTER. 10:17 AND LET ME ASK YOU, DOES THE BIBLE SOMETIMES USE THE 10:20 EXPRESSION THAT THE LORD IS OUR HUSBAND, THE CHURCH IS THE 10:23 BRIDE? DOES GOD SAY THAT SOMETIMES HIS 10:25 PEOPLE, WHETHER IT WAS ISRAEL OR THE CHURCH, HAS PLAYED THE 10:30 HARLOT AND COMMITTED ADULTERY? DOES THE LORD FORGIVE - READ THE 10:34 BOOK OF HOSEA - AND TAKE HER BACK? IF THERE HAS BEEN 10:37 INFIDELITY, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO GET DIVORCED. 10:40 AND I TOLD YOU THERE WERE TWO REASONS. 10:42 IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 7 ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS GIVEN. 10:45 PAUL IS TALKING TO PAGANS - THERE WERE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT 10:49 WORSHIPED THE GRECO-ROMAN ARRAY OF GODS, AND ONE OF THEM ACCEPTS 10:55 JESUS - LET'S SUPPOSE THE WIFE THEN ACCEPTS JESUS. 10:58 AND THE HUSBAND SAYS, I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS. 11:01 I DON'T WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN. I DON'T WANT TO 11:03 FOLLOW YOUR LAWS. I'M LEAVING. 11:05 IF THAT HUSBAND ABANDONS THE WIFE BECAUSE SHE HAS ACCEPTED 11:09 JESUS - THEY BOTH GOT MARRIED AS PAGANS - THEN, PAUL SAYS, SHE IS 11:14 FREE IN THAT REGARD, LET HIM DEPART. 11:17 BUT HE SAYS, 'IF YOUR HUSBAND IS WILLING TO STAY MARRIED, STAY 11:20 MARRIED THAT THE HUSBAND MAY BE CONVERTED BY THE BEHAVIOR AND 11:24 CONVERSATION OF THE WIFE - OR VICE VERSA. 11:27 BUT THAT WAS SORT OF A SECOND CLAUSE WHERE PAUL SAID 'IN THE 11:30 EVENT THAT YOU'VE GOT TWO PAGANS THAT ONE OF THEM CONVERTS AND 11:33 THE PAGAN SPOUSE SAYS, 'WELL, I'M LEAVING' - DOES THAT MEAN, 11:37 NOW THE PERSON WHO'S NEWLY CONVERTED CAN NEVER REMARRY? 11:41 NO, PAUL SAYS THEY ARE NOT UNDER BONDAGE IN SUCH CASES. 11:46 MALE ANNOUNCER: DON'T FORGET TO TO REQUEST TODAY'S 11:48 LIFE CHANGING FREE RESOURCE. 11:50 NOT ONLY CAN YOU RECEIVE THIS FREE GIFT IN THE MAIL, 11:52 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A DIGITAL COPY STRAIGHT TO YOUR COMPUTER 11:54 OR MOBILE DEVICE. 11:56 TO GET YOUR DIGITAL COPY OF TODAY'S FREE GIFT 11:58 SIMPLY TEXT THE KEYWORD ON YOUR SCREEN TO 40544. 12:03 OR VISIT THE WEB ADDRESS SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN. 12:05 AND BE SURE TO SELECT THE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 12:07 OPTION ON THE REQUEST PAGE. 12:09 IT'S NOW EASIER THAN EVER FOR YOU TO STUDY GOD'S WORD 12:12 WITH "AMAZING FACTS" WHEREVER AND WHENEVER YOU WANT. 12:15 AND MOST IMPORTANT, TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS. 12:20 MARRIAGE HAS TO BE A COVENANT WHERE YOU STICK WITH THE PERSON 12:23 - IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH. 12:26 I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THIS LADY THAT WAS AT HER HUSBAND'S 12:29 BEDSIDE IN THE HOSPITAL AS HE WAS KIND OF SLIPPING IN AND OUT 12:32 OF A COMA DURING WHAT WAS TO BE HIS FINAL ILLNESS. 12:37 AND DURING ONE OF HIS LUCID MOMENTS SHE WAS AT HIS SIDE AND 12:42 HE SAID, 'HONEY,' - SHE DREW CLOSE WHEN HE WAS TALKING - HE 12:45 SAID, 'I REMEMBER. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN AT MY SIDE.' 12:50 AND HE SAID, 'WHEN I LOST MY JOB YOU WERE THERE. 12:54 WHEN THE BUSINESS FAILED, THERE YOU WERE.' HE SAID, 'WHEN I 12:59 BROKE MY LEG YOU WERE THERE.' HE SAID, 'WHEN I GOT SICK YOU WERE 13:04 THERE.' HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, DEAR, I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU, 13:08 I REALIZED SOMETHING.' SHE DREW CLOSE AND HER EYES WERE ALL 13:10 MISTY. HE SAID, 'I THINK YOU'RE BAD LUCK!' (RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) 13:16 >>OH! THAT'S SO BAD! >>OH COME ON. 13:23 THE GUYS THINK IT'S FUNNY. (LAUGHTER) 13:27 NOW THAT WAS JUST THE FIRST POINT - IT'S A COVENANT. 13:30 POINT NUMBER 2: ESTABLISH YOUR OWN PRIVATE HOME. 13:33 I'LL READ IT TO YOU AGAIN - GENESIS 2:24, "THEREFORE SHALL A 13:37 MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL CLEAVE" - IT'S CALLED 13:41 LEAVE AND CLEAVE - AND THAT WORD, CLEAVE, IT ACTUALLY DOES 13:44 COME FROM THAT - AN ANCIENT JEWISH WORD WHERE THEY MADE GLUE 13:47 OUT OF HORSE HOOVES OR SHEEP HOOVES AND IT WAS GLUE - IT 13:50 MEANS BE ATTACHED. IT SAYS YOU'RE TO LEAVE - IT'S 13:55 IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH YOUR OWN HOME. 13:58 IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF THE IN-LAWS AND THE OUT-LAWS ALL 14:03 THERE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH YOUR FAMILY - THE 14:06 FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS ARE TOUGH AND YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME 14:09 PRIVACY BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING YOUR WHOLE SCENARIO OF WHAT 14:14 LIFE'S ABOUT AND ALL YOUR EXPERIENCES AND YOUR 14:16 EXPECTATIONS AND YOU'RE BRINGING THEM TO THE MARRIAGE AND THEN 14:19 YOUR WIFE IS TAKING HER EXPERIENCE AND BRINGING IT TO 14:22 THE MARRIAGE - AND KAREN AND I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME 14:24 CHALLENGES BECAUSE KAREN WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL TWELVE YEARS AND 14:28 THEN WENT TO CHRISTIAN COLLEGE. I WENT TO FOURTEEN 14:30 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. SHE GREW UP IN A 14:33 CHRISTIAN FAMILY. I GREW UP IN A PAGAN FAMILY. 14:36 AND - JUST THE WAY YOU THINK AND YOU COMMUNICATE AND YOUR 14:39 EXPECTATIONS - WE KNEW THERE WERE GOING TO BE DIFFERENCES. 14:43 AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BRING THOSE THINGS 14:45 TOGETHER SO THAT YOU CAN COALESCE YOUR LIVES WITHOUT 14:49 OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE AND IF THERE ARE THIRD AND FOURTH 14:53 PARTIES IN THE HOME - AND I REALIZE, SOMETIMES IN SOME 14:56 CULTURES IT BECOMES - IT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT, BUT GOD SAID 15:01 'A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND CLEAVE UNTO HIS 15:03 WIFE.' THE OTHER THING IS, IF A MAN HAS HIS FATHER AND MOTHER 15:06 LIVING IN THE HOUSE, HE'S ALWAYS COMPARING HIS MOTHER'S COOKING 15:09 TO HIS WIFE'S COOKING AND THAT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR HIS 15:12 RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OR THE OTHER. 15:15 ESTABLISH YOUR OWN HOME. DON'T LET THIRD 15:17 PARTIES COME BETWEEN. SPOUSE SHOULD BE THE BEST FRIEND. 15:22 POINT NUMBER 3 IN A MARRIAGE, IT SAYS, 'ABOVE ALL THINGS, 15:27 CONTINUE YOUR COURTSHIP. WHAT BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER IN 15:31 THE FIRST PLACE NEEDS TO GO ON. 1 PETER 4:8, "AND ABOVE ALL 15:36 THINGS BE UNFAILING IN YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER SINCE LOVE 15:41 COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SIN." YOU KNOW WHERE JESUS SAYS IN 15:45 REVELATION, 'NEVERTHELESS I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU' - 15:48 BECAUSE WHAT? YOU'VE LOST YOUR FIRST LOVE. 15:52 AND HOW MANY TIMES HAVE PEOPLE THOUGHT, 'WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS 15:54 I THINKING. I LOVE THIS PERSON. 15:57 WHERE'D THAT LOVE GO? WE FELL OUT OF LOVE. 15:59 WE DRIFTED APART.' WELL, THE THINGS THAT BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER 16:03 IN THE FIRST PLACE MUST BE CONTINUALLY NURTURED AND FED AND 16:08 ENCOURAGED AND REVIVED. SOMEONE SAID, 'MARRIAGE IS LIKE 16:12 RUNNING A FARM - YOU'VE GOT TO START OVER EVERY DAY.' 16:15 (LAUGHTER) AND YOU DON'T REALLY GET A DAY OFF. 16:19 EVERY DAY THERE NEEDS TO BE THINGS THAT NURTURE THAT FIRST 16:23 LOVE. PROVERBS 31:28, "...HER HUSBAND ALSO, AND HE PRAISES 16:27 HER." YOU NOTICE THAT'S AN ONGOING VERB? 16:31 YOU CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE AND TO PRAISE. 16:34 WE NEED THOSE THINGS. WE APPRECIATE IT. 16:36 1 CORINTHIANS 7:34, "...SHE WHO IS MARRIED CARES...HOW SHE MAY 16:40 PLEASE HER HUSBAND." AND SO IT'S AN ONGOING CONCERN 16:45 - PRAISE, CARING ABOUT PLEASING THIS PERSON. 16:48 WHEN YOU START TAKING THE PERSON FOR GRANTED, THEN YOU HAVE A LOT 16:52 OF PROBLEMS. YOU NEED TO SHOW AFFECTION AND 16:56 IT - IT NEEDS TO BE CONSCIOUS. YOU MIGHT SAY, 'WELL, BUT I 16:59 DON'T FEEL LOVE.' DO IT ANYWAY AND YOU'LL BE SURPRISED, YOU 17:01 MIGHT START FEELING THE LOVE AGAIN. 'DO THE FIRST WORKS', 17:04 JESUS SAID. 'REMEMBER FROM WHERE YOU HAVE FALLEN. 17:07 REPENT AND DO THE FIRST WORKS.' ROMANS 12, VERSE 10, "BE KINDLY 17:12 AFFECTIONATE TO ONE ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY LOVE, IN HONOR GIVING 17:15 PREFERENCE TO ONE ANOTHER;" BILLY SUNDAY SAID, 'TRY PRAISING 17:18 YOUR WIFE, EVEN IF IT DOES FRIGHTEN HER AT FIRST.' 17:20 (LAUGHTER) AND YOU'VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'TREAT HER 17:25 LIKE A QUEEN AND SHE WILL TREAT YOU LIKE A KING.' AND SOMETIMES 17:28 YOU WILL GET, FROM THE OTHER PERSON, WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN 17:32 WANTING TO GET, WHEN YOU TREAT THEM THE WAY THAT THEY'RE 17:35 LONGING TO BE TREATED. AND SO IT'S THROUGH THE 17:38 COOPERATIVE NURTURING OF EACH OTHER IN THE RELATIONSHIP. 17:43 DON'T OVERLOOK THE LITTLE COURTESIES, ENCOURAGEMENTS, AND 17:47 AFFECTIONATE ACTS. DON'T TAKE EACH 17:49 OTHER FOR GRANTED. WHAT YOU DID WHEN YOU COURTED 17:52 EACH OTHER - THE EXCITEMENT, THE LOVE - YOU NEED TO HAVE DATE 17:54 NIGHTS WHERE YOU GO OUT AND YOU DO THINGS TOGETHER. 17:58 AND THEN, MAYBE I'LL PAUSE WITH THIS THOUGHT AFTER - I'LL DO 18:01 POINT NUMBER 4 AND WE'LL TAKE IT UP WHEN WE BEGIN NEXT TIME - 18:06 GUARD YOUR THOUGHTS. DON'T LET YOUR SENSES TRAP YOU. 18:10 NOW YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY MARRIAGES ARE DESTROYED 18:12 BECAUSE OF BAD THINKING. 18:15 PROVERBS 23, VERSE 7, "FOR AS HE THINKS IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE." 18:21 A LOT OF ADULTERIES BEGIN WITH THOUGHTS. 18:25 YOU KNOW ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO 18:28 DIVORCE MAY NOT BE THE ACT OF ADULTERY BUT IT'S MENTAL 18:33 ADULTERY THAT'S HAPPENING EITHER THROUGH PORNOGRAPHY ON THE 18:37 INTERNET OR SOAP OPERAS ON TELEVISION. 18:42 AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE EXACTLY THE SAME THING BUT, YOU 18:46 KNOW, WHEN EVERY DAY WIFE OR A HUSBAND - IT'S NOT TYPICALLY THE 18:52 HUSBAND - IS WATCHING OTHER PEOPLE, VICARIOUSLY, HAVING 18:57 AFFAIRS, THEN YOU'RE REJOICING IN THOSE THAT DO IT. 19:03 IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE THINKING AND WHAT'S 19:05 HAPPENING IS PEOPLE LOOKING AT THESE UNREAL IMAGES ON THE 19:10 INTERNET, ON TV, ON THEIR COMPUTER - OR TELEVISION 19:15 PROGRAMS THAT ARE GIVING A COUNTERFEIT HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF 19:18 WHAT MARRIAGE IS SUPPOSED TO BE AND TOTALLY UNREALISTIC, SAPPY 19:23 LOVE STORIES THAT ARE SO FAR-FETCHED FROM ANY REAL LIFE 19:28 THAT PEOPLE CAN START TO BE DISSATISFIED AND THINK - YEAH, 19:32 THEY GOT SOME DEBONAIR ACTOR THAT'S JUST - 'HE'S THE MOST 19:34 THOUGHTFUL GUY IN THE WORLD AND HE'S DOING ALL THESE THINGS AND 19:37 HE'S SO ROMANTIC AND HE'S GOT LOTS OF MONEY AND FANCY CARS AND 19:39 HE ALWAYS LOOKS BUFF AND WORKING OUT AND HE'S JUST - EVERY HAIR'S 19:43 IN PLACE AND...' HOW CAN YOU COMPETE WITH THAT? 19:47 (LAUGHTER) AND THEN SHE - YOU KNOW, YOU COME HOME FROM WORK 19:52 AND SHE LOOKS AT YOU AND GOES, 'OH BROTHER, HE DOESN'T LOOK 19:57 ANYTHING LIKE THAT GUY.' (LAUGHTER) AND SO, IN THE MIND, 20:00 GUYS ARE LOOKING AT THESE GIRLS THAT HAVE GOT THESE PERFECT 20:03 BODIES - AIRBRUSHED, PHOTOSHOPPED - AND THEN THEY 20:08 SEE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF WRINKLES AND A LITTLE CELLULITE 20:12 AND THEY START THINKING - AND THINGS START HAPPENING IN THE 20:15 MIND. NOW WE'RE KIND OF LAUGHING 20:17 BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S TRUE, BUT TELEVISION HAS CONTRIBUTED 20:25 A GREAT DEAL TO DESTROYING MARRIAGES. TURN OFF THE TV. 20:34 IN AN ARTICLE BY DR. ARMAND NICHOLI, WHO IS A PSYCHIATRIST 20:38 AND A MEDICAL DOCTOR IN THE FACILITY OF HARVARD MEDICAL 20:41 SCHOOL, HE SAID, "ANOTHER TREND THAT IS GOING TO DESTROY THE 20:45 FAMILY AS WE KNOW IT AND CAUSE EMOTIONAL CRIPPLES, IS THE 20:50 INVASION OF TELEVISION INTO THE HOME." 20:53 ONE-FIFTH OF THE LIFETIME, IN THE NEXT GENERATION, WILL BE 20:56 SPENT WATCHING TELEVISION. IF YOU LIVE TO BE 80 YEARS OF 20:59 AGE, WHICH IS YOUR AVERAGE, YOU'LL HAVE WATCHED TELEVISION 21:03 A TOTAL OF FOUR THOUSAND DAYS, CREATING A TREMENDOUS IMPACT. 21:08 AND SINCE WE KNOW THAT TELEVISION IS PART OF A SYSTEM 21:10 THAT TEARS DOWN THE FAMILY. YOU'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF 4,000 21:13 DAYS OF ANTI-FAMILY PROGRAMMING ON ONE LEVEL OR ANOTHER. 21:18 AND SO, EVERYTHING FROM WHAT WE READ TO WHAT WE WATCH AND WHAT'S 21:22 ON THE INTERNET, IT IS AFFECTING THE THINKING AND PEOPLE BRING 21:25 THESE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS INTO REAL MARRIAGES. 21:29 THEY BRING THESE UNREALISTIC IMAGES INTO REAL MARRIAGES AND 21:33 THEY ARE DISSATISFIED. 21:36 AND THEN THOUGHTS COME INTO THE MIND AND THEY START HAVING 21:38 SECOND THOUGHTS AND THEY START HAVING DOUBTS AND THEY HAVE 21:41 UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND - THE IMPURITY IN THE MIND. 21:45 KEEP YOUR MIND - KEEP YOUR HEART - LET THE BIBLE AND THE WORD OF 21:50 GOD AND THE THINGS OF GOD BE THE CATALYST FOR YOUR FAMILY AND 21:55 YOU'LL FIND THAT THAT LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR THAT PERSON 21:58 THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU - THAT YOU ARE - YOU'VE BECOME ONE WITH 22:02 THROUGH MARRIAGE, WILL BE RESTORED AND REVIVED. 22:05 >>AMEN. >>A COUPLE WAS - THEY WERE 22:08 HAVING DAILY BICKERING, ARGUMENTS, OFTEN OVER LITTLE 22:12 THINGS. THEY REALIZED THAT EVERY DAY 22:14 THEY WERE AT EACH OTHER. AND THE WIFE CAME UP WITH AN 22:17 IDEA. SHE SAID, 'LOOK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SILLY. IT'S IMMATURE. 22:21 IF WE HAVE DIFFERENCES - IF THERE'S THINGS WE WANT TO 22:25 COMMUNICATE, LET'S GIVE EACH OTHER A BREAK. 22:27 IF THERE'S SOMETHING I'M DOING THAT'S BOTHERING YOU, WRITE IT 22:30 OUT ON A SLIP OF PAPER. PUT IT IN THIS BOX HERE 22:33 ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER. IF I'VE GOT SOMETHING, I'LL 22:35 WRITE IT DOWN, I'LL PUT IT ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER. 22:37 AT THE END OF THE MONTH, THEN WE'LL TALK THROUGH IT. 22:40 WE'LL HAVE ONE BIG ARGUMENT AND GET IT OVER WITH.' SO HE SAID, 22:44 'OKAY, DEAR.' SO EACH DAY SHE'D MAKE AN OBSERVATION, SHE'D WRITE 22:49 IT DOWN, SHE'D PUT IT IN THE BOX AND WOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING. 22:52 HE'D WRITE SOMETHING DOWN, HE'D PUT IT IN THE BOX AND WOULDN'T 22:54 SAY ANYTHING. THIS WENT ON FOR THIRTY DAYS. 22:57 AT THE END OF THIRTY DAYS SHE SAID, 'OKAY, LET'S SIT DOWN. 23:00 LET'S OPEN THE BOX.' SHE TOOK OUT THE BOX AND SHE 23:03 PULLED OUT HER PINK PAPERS. 23:06 IT SAID, 'LEAVING THE LID OFF THE JELLY JAR AGAIN.' 23:12 'DIRTY SOCKS ON THE FLOOR.' AND SHE JUST WAS GOING THROUGH 23:15 HER LITANY OF - JUST ALL THESE THINGS AND FINALLY SHE 23:19 SAID, 'OKAY, YOU CAN READ YOUR BLUE ONES NOW.' HIS SAID, 23:23 'I LOVE YOU.' 'I LOVE YOU.' 'I LOVE YOU.' AND SHE BEGAN 23:31 TO FEEL A LITTLE BAD. THE THINGS - BY THE WAY, THAT 23:34 STORY CAN BE TOLD EITHER WAY. LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SIN. 23:43 YOU KNOW, WE NATURALLY ARE NOT LOVABLE. 23:48 GOD DIDN'T DIE FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE LOVABLE. 23:50 IT'S EASY TO LOVE THE LOVABLE. WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, 23:53 CHRIST LOVED US AND DIED FOR US. >>AMEN. 23:56 >>AND IF THE LORD CAN LOVE US AND THE LOVE OF CHRIST CAN BE 24:01 SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS - YOU KNOW WHAT ONE - WHAT'S THE GREAT 24:04 COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW? 'LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR 24:07 HEART AND LOVE' - WHAT? >>YOUR NEIGHBOR. 24:10 >>LOVE WHO? >>YOUR NEIGHBOR. 24:12 WHO'S A CLOSER NEIGHBOR THAN YOUR SPOUSE? 24:15 >>NOBODY. >>IT'S INTERESTING. THE BIBLE 24:17 SAYS YOU NEED TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. IT SAYS YOU NEED TO 24:18 LOVE YOUR ENEMY. SOMEONE BROUGHT OUT IT'S OFTEN 24:21 BECAUSE YOUR NEIGHBOR BECOMES YOUR ENEMY. 24:24 AND IF WE CAN'T LOVE OUR SPOUSES, HOW ARE WE GOING TO 24:29 LOVE OUR ENEMIES? HOW ARE WE GOING TO 24:31 LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS? THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS. 24:34 AND IT'S A CHOICE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE. 24:36 NOW THERE'S A RULE IN LIFE - IT'S SAYS THERE'S A SIMPLE RULE 24:40 OF PHYSICS - THAT THE CLOSER THAT TWO OBJECTS COME TO A 24:44 COMMON DESTINATION, THEY WILL INVARIABLY COME CLOSER TO ONE 24:48 ANOTHER. AND IF CHRIST IS AT THE 24:51 MIDDLE OF YOUR LIFE - IF YOU, PERSONALLY, HAVE SURRENDERED 24:55 YOUR LIFE TO JESUS, THE CLOSER YOU ARE COMING TO JESUS - AND IF 24:58 YOUR SPOUSE IS COMING CLOSER TO JESUS - YOU WILL INVARIABLY 25:01 BE COMING CLOSER TOGETHER. >>AMEN. 25:04 >>GOD IS LOVE AND IF HE IS THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES, HE WILL 25:09 DRAW OUR HEARTS TOGETHER AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR MARRIAGES. 25:12 DO NOT LET THE WORLD DEFINE WHAT MARRIAGE IS FOR YOU. 25:15 GOD HAS GIVEN US A DEFINITION, AMEN? 25:21 MALE ANNOUNCER: DON'T FORGET TO TO REQUEST TODAY'S 25:22 LIFE CHANGING FREE RESOURCE. 25:24 NOT ONLY CAN YOU RECEIVE THIS FREE GIFT IN THE MAIL, 25:27 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A DIGITAL COPY STRAIGHT TO YOUR COMPUTER 25:29 OR MOBILE DEVICE. 25:30 TO GET YOUR DIGITAL COPY OF TODAY'S FREE GIFT 25:33 SIMPLY TEXT THE KEYWORD ON YOUR SCREEN TO 40544. 25:37 OR VISIT THE WEB ADDRESS SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN. 25:40 AND BE SURE TO SELECT THE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 25:42 OPTION ON THE REQUEST PAGE. 25:44 IT'S NOW EASIER THAN EVER FOR YOU TO STUDY GOD'S WORD 25:47 WITH "AMAZING FACTS" WHEREVER AND WHENEVER YOU WANT. 25:50 AND MOST IMPORTANT, TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS. 25:54 ♪♪♪ 25:56 ANNOUNCER: WHAT IF YOU COULD KNOW THE FUTURE? 26:00 WHAT WOULD DO? WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? 26:04 TO SEE THE FUTURE YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE PAST. 26:09 MALE: ALEXANDER THE GREAT BECOMES KING WHEN HE IS ONLY 18 26:11 BUT HE IS A MILITARY PRODIGY. 26:14 150 YEARS IN ADVANCE, CYRUS HAD BEEN NAMED. 26:19 NEBUCHADNEZZAR BUILT THE CITY AS A SHOWCASE TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. 26:24 ROME WAS VIOLENT AND RUTHLESS, THEY WERE DETERMINED. 26:32 ANNOUNCER: THIS INTRIGUING DOCUMENTARY HOSTED 26:34 BY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR, EXPLORES THE MOST STRIKING 26:38 BIBLE PROPHECIES THAT HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY FULFILLED 26:41 THROUGHOUT HISTORY. 26:43 "KINGDOMS IN TIME" AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE 26:47 THROUGH THE BIBLE'S MOST AMAZING FULFILLED PROPHECIES. 26:50 ARE YOU READY? 26:55 ANNOUNCER: HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A BIBLE EXPERT 26:58 BUT NEVER KNEW WHERE TO START? 27:00 ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS THAT WILL BRING YOU JOY, 27:02 PEACE, AND FULFILLMENT? 27:04 THEN YOU WILL LOVE THE AMAZING FACTS STORACLES 27:07 OF PROPHECY BIBLE STUDY EXPERIENCE. 27:10 NOW AVAILABLE IN 18 LANGUAGES, FEATURING 24 EASY 27:13 TO READ LESSONS, 27:15 THE STORACLES ARE PACKED WITH SCRIPTURE 27:17 AND STEP BY STEP GUIDANCE 27:19 THAT WILL GIVE YOU ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE 27:21 ABOUT WHAT THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SAYS 27:23 ABOUT THE SECOND COMING, THE RAPTURE, THE ANTICHRIST, 27:26 AND THE MARK OF THE BEAST. 27:28 YOU'LL ALSO GET THE TRUTH ABOUT HELL AND THE AFTERLIFE, 27:32 PRACTICAL INSIGHT ABOUT GRACE, SALVATION, AND 27:34 HOW TO TRULY LIVE LIKE JESUS. 27:37 EVEN BETTER IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE AT STORACLES.COM. 27:42 SO, DON'T MISS OUT. 27:44 GET STARTED ON YOUR BIBLE STUDY ADVENTURE TODAY 27:47 AT STORACLES.COM. 27:50 ♪♪♪ 27:59 ANNOUNCER: DON'T FORGET TO REQUEST TODAY'S FREE OFFER, 28:01 IT'S SURE TO BE A BLESSING. 28:03 AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS WE TAKE THE GOSPEL 28:06 OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD. 28:08 WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT WEEK AS WE DELVE DEEP 28:11 INTO THE WORD OF GOD TO EXPLORE MORE AMAZING FACTS. 28:15 ♪♪♪ 28:25 ANNOUNCER: THIS PRESENTATION WAS BROUGHT TO YOU 28:26 BY THE FRIENDS OF THE AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. |
Revised 2019-09-26