Participants: Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021538A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:15 >>I WANT TO WELCOME ANY VISITORS THAT MAY BE HERE TODAY. 00:17 WE'RE DELIGHTED YOU'VE CHOSEN TO COME AND FELLOWSHIP AND WORSHIP 00:20 WITH THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE FIRST 00:25 TIME, THIS WEEK WE'RE ENTERING INTO THE SECOND PART OF WHAT I 00:29 THINK IS A TWO-PART PRESENTATION ON MARRIAGE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 00:34 BEING TOGETHER FOR LIFE. NOW THAT MEANS TOGETHER FOR LIFE 00:38 AS IN DURATION AND TOGETHER FOR LIFE AS IN ABUNDANT LIFE AND 00:42 THESE ARE BIBLE KEYS TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE. 00:46 MARRIAGE, TODAY, IS UNDER ATTACK AND IT IS THE FOUNDATION 00:50 COVENANT - IT'S THE FOUNDATION RELATIONSHIP IN FAMILIES, IN A 00:55 SOCIETY, IN A NATION, IN THE WORLD AND IT'S JUST VERY 00:59 IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER WHAT THE BIBLE FUNDAMENTALS ARE 01:03 FOR HAVING HEALTHY AND WHOLESOME AND HAPPY MARRIAGES - AND THIS 01:09 IS GOD'S PLAN. MARRIAGE IS GOD'S IDEA. 01:12 LITTLE REVIEW - GENESIS 2, VERSE 24, "THEREFORE A MAN SHALL LEAVE 01:16 HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER, AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, 01:20 AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH." 01:23 THEY NOT ONLY BECOME ONE FLESH IN THAT THEY'RE UNITED THROUGH A 01:26 COVENANT, THEY'RE UNITED IN THE LORD AND, SINCE THE LORD PRAYED 01:31 THAT THE DISCIPLES AND HE MIGHT BE ONE, CERTAINLY A HUSBAND AND 01:35 WIFE AND THE LORD ARE ONE, BUT THEY BECOME ONE FLESH ALSO 01:38 THROUGH THE ACT OF LOVE AND REPRODUCTION IN THE CHILD. 01:43 YOU'VE GOT THE CO-MINGLING OF THE DNA AND THE ESSENCE OF TWO 01:47 INDIVIDUALS BECOME ONE. AND GOD THE FATHER, SON, AND 01:51 SPIRIT, IN AN ACT OF LOVE, MADE MAN IN THEIR OWN IMAGE. 01:54 AND YOU AND I ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND WHAT A WONDER 01:57 THAT HE GIVES US THE ABILITY - THE PRIVILEGE TO PROCREATE IN 02:02 OUR OWN IMAGE. IT'S A SCARY THOUGHT TOO, ISN'T IT? 02:06 GENESIS 1:27, "SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE 02:10 IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED 02:15 THEM." SO YOU NOTICE, IN GENESIS 2, IT SAYS A MAN LEAVES HIS 02:18 FATHER AND HIS MOTHER AND IS JOINED TO HIS WIFE. 02:22 SO YOU'VE GOT FATHER AND MOTHER - THAT'S THE ARRANGEMENT - 02:24 MALE/FEMALE - THAT'S THE ARRANGEMENT - THAT'S THE GENESIS 02:27 ARRANGEMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN SOME 02:30 COUNTRIES - OR EVEN OUR OWN COUNTRY - AND I THINK THAT THIS 02:35 IS A VERY IMPORTANT TRUTH THAT NEEDS TO BE REITERATED. 02:38 RECENT CNN REPORT: MORE MILLENNIALS ARE SAYING 02:43 'I DON'T'. TODAY'S YOUNG ADULTS ARE ON 02:46 TRACK TO HAVE THE LOWEST RATES OF MARRIAGE BY AGE 40 COMPARED 02:51 TO ANY PREVIOUS GENERATION - ALMOST TWICE AS LOW AS THE 02:55 GEN-XERS - THE PREVIOUS GENERATION. IF THE CURRENT PACE 02:58 CONTINUES, MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF MILLENNIAL WOMEN WILL REMAIN 03:03 UNMARRIED BY AGE 40 - LOWEST PERCENT OF MARRIAGE. 03:09 NOW SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THIS ARE MANY ARE LIVING TOGETHER 03:12 WITHOUT GETTING MARRIED - SORT OF JUST TRYING IT OUT. 03:16 THEY'RE DOING IT - SORT OF DOING THE FAMILY THING WITHOUT THE 03:19 COVENANT. THIS IS ALSO TRUE IN ENGLAND, 03:22 EUROPE, MOST OF THE WESTERN WORLD - RATES OF 03:25 MARRIAGE ARE GOING DOWN. ONE REASON IS THE SACREDNESS AND 03:29 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MARRIAGE IS UNDER ATTACK. 03:32 IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF ANYBODY AND ANYTHING CAN GET 03:36 MARRIED - IF ONE MAN CAN MARRY FOUR SISTERS - IF TWO MEN CAN 03:40 GET MARRIED OR TWO WOMEN CAN GET MARRIED OR ONE WOMAN AND TWO MEN 03:44 - THE RELEVANCE OF MARRIAGE JUST STARTS TO BE DILUTED SO IT JUST 03:47 DOESN'T SEEM AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE. 03:50 IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT COVENANT - BIG OCCASION - 03:52 WEDDINGS - THE BIBLE BEGINS AND IT ENDS IN A WEDDING - AND IT'S 03:56 SOMETHING SACRED AND IT'S - THIS BOOK IS CALLED - YEP, SAYS IT 04:00 RIGHT THERE - HOLY BIBLE. HOLY MEANS 'SET ASIDE, SACRED, 04:02 UNIQUE, TO BE TREATED AS SPECIAL.' MARRIAGE IS 04:07 CALLED HOLY MATRIMONY. IT IS A HOLY COVENANT 04:10 RELATIONSHIP, BUT THAT CONCEPT IS BEING LOST BY OUR CULTURE. 04:17 IT'S INTERESTING ALSO TO NOTE THAT MARRIAGE RATIOS ARE 04:21 DECLINING AT THE SAME RATE AS CHRISTIANITY IS DECLINING. 04:27 YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN SOME OF THE SURVEYS IN THE LAST DECADE THAT 04:30 HAVE BEEN MADE THAT SHOW THAT PEOPLE BELIEVING IN GOD IN NORTH 04:34 AMERICA - IT'S BECOMING MORE SECULAR - MORE ATHEISTIC. 04:36 AT THE SAME RATE, THE IMPORTANCE OF MARRIAGE IS GOING DOWN 04:40 BECAUSE MARRIAGE IS A BIBLICAL INSTITUTION. 04:43 IT'S GOD'S IDEA, AMEN? 04:45 NOW HAVING SAID THAT, IT STANDS TO REASON THAT IF FEWER PEOPLE 04:49 ARE BELIEVING IN THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE, THERE'S GOING TO BE 04:53 MORE SINGLES AND THAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE. 04:56 WHAT ABOUT SINGLES? I TOLD YOU I'D SAY A 04:57 LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. TODAY, ACCORDING TO A PEW 05:01 RESEARCH STUDY, THERE ARE MORE SINGLES IN THE UNITED STATES 05:05 THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN HISTORY. 05:07 43.6 PERCENT OF U.S. ADULT POPULATION IS UNMARRIED. 05:13 OF COURSE, THOSE RATIOS ALSO HAVE SOME IMPACT ON THE CHURCH, 05:18 THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE GENERALLY THE SAME PERCENTAGE IN THE 05:20 CHURCH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WHO ARE NOT 05:23 MARRIED, BUT YOU'RE STILL PART OF A FAMILY WHEN YOU'RE IN THE 05:27 CHURCH. AND REALLY, IF YOU'RE A 05:28 BELIEVER, YOU'RE NEVER SINGLE. THE BIBLE SAYS - ISAIAH 54, 05:33 VERSE 5, "FOR YOUR MAKER IS YOUR HUSBAND," - AMEN? 05:39 - "THE LORD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME;" - JEREMIAH 3:14 - BACK IN 05:44 THE DAYS OF JEREMIAH - WE'RE STUDYING THIS IN SABBATH SCHOOL 05:47 - THE PEOPLE WERE INTERMARRYING WITH UNBELIEVERS AND JEREMIAH 05:50 SAID, "'RETURN, O BACKSLIDING CHILDREN,' SAYS THE LORD; 'FOR I 05:55 AM MARRIED TO YOU.'" THEY WERE SAYING, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, IF WE 05:58 CAN'T FIND SOMEBODY AMONG OUR PEOPLE TO MARRY, LET'S MARRY ONE 06:01 OF THE LOCAL HEATHENS. DON'T WANT TO JUST REMAIN 06:04 UNMARRIED - WHY, THAT WOULD BE AWFUL.' GOD SAID, 'LOOK, I'M 06:06 MARRIED TO YOU.' AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT THE PERSON YOU'RE 06:13 MARRYING, IT'S A LOT BETTER BEING UNMARRIED THAN BEING 06:17 MARRIED TO THE WRONG PERSON. >>AMEN. 06:20 >>I HOPE THE PERSON WHO JUST SAID 'AMEN' IS NOT MARRIED. 06:22 (LAUGHTER) BUT IT IS TRUE. 06:29 PASTORS DO A LITTLE BIT OF MARRIAGE COUNSELING - IT'S 06:31 PROBABLY ONE OF MY LEAST FAVORITE THINGS TO DO BECAUSE 06:34 IT'S JUST - SOMETIMES IT'S JUST SO HEART-RENDING. 06:36 AND, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE COME TO MARRIAGE COUNSELING AND THEY'RE 06:43 COMMUNICATING AND THEY'RE ARGUING, THERE'S HOPE. 06:46 IT'S WHEN THEY SIT AND THEY STONEWALL OR THEY DON'T WANT 06:48 COUNSELING - THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION - THEN YOU'VE GOT 06:52 SERIOUS PROBLEMS. BUT BACK TO SINGLES - YOU KNOW, 06:58 SOME PEOPLE WAIT NOW, THEY'RE NOT GETTING MARRIED UNTIL 40 AND 07:01 50 FOR THE FIRST TIME - WHICH IS UNUSUAL. 07:06 BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT A MAN'LL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND 07:09 MOTHER AND BE CLEAVED TO HIS WIFE - THIS IS THE IDEAL, BUT IT 07:11 DOESN'T MEAN IT'S REQUIRED. JESUS WAS NOT MARRIED - HE WAS 07:14 TO THE CHURCH - AND SO HE'S OUR EXAMPLE. PAUL WAS NOT MARRIED. 07:20 I'VE BEEN A BATCHELOR MY WHOLE LIFE. 07:23 YOU KNOW I COULDN'T MISS THAT CHEAP OPPORTUNITY. 07:24 (LAUGHTER) AND THE POPE'S NOT MARRIED - THERE YOU GO! 07:28 SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE MARRIED TO HAVE A FULFILLED LIFE. 07:32 PAUL SAYS - 1 CORINTHIANS 7, VERSES 8 AND 9 - "BUT I SAY TO 07:35 THE UNMARRIED AND TO THE WIDOWS: IT IS GOOD FOR THEM IF THEY 07:38 REMAIN EVEN AS I AM;" - NOW PAUL MAY HAVE BEEN MARRIED AND HIS 07:41 WIFE COULD HAVE DIED OR SHE COULD HAVE LEFT HIM WHEN HE 07:44 CONVERTED - THE BIBLE'S SILENT ON THIS - WE DON'T KNOW. 07:47 SOME HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, HE MAY HAVE BEEN MARRIED BECAUSE HE WAS 07:50 PART OF THE SANHEDRIN AND THEY BELIEVED THAT WAS REQUIRED, 07:53 BUT WE'RE NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. 07:55 BUT PAUL SAID - HE WASN'T MARRIED AT THE TIME HE WROTE 07:57 THESE THINGS - HE SAID, BETTER IF THEY REMAIN AS I AM - "IF 08:01 THEY CANNOT EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL, LET THEM MARRY. 08:05 FOR IT IS BETTER TO MARRY THAN TO BURN WITH PASSION." 08:08 NOW, BACK IN PAUL'S DAY, THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT HAD DECLARED 08:14 THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION TO BE RELIGIO ILLICITA - THAT MEANS A 08:18 FORBIDDEN RELIGION - AND THERE WAS GREAT PERSECUTION - AND 08:24 CHRISTIANS AND JEWS WERE DRIVEN OUT OF ROME. 08:26 CHRISTIANS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A SUB-SECT OF JUDAISM, SO AS 08:30 JUDAISM BECAME VERY UNPOPULAR, SO DID CHRISTIANITY. 08:33 AND SO THEY WERE DRIVEN OUT OF ROME AND THERE WAS PERSECUTION 08:37 AND THEY WERE BEING ARRESTED. PAUL WAS ARRESTED. 08:38 PETER WAS ARRESTED. AND YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS. 08:41 AND SO PAUL SAID, 'LOOK, IF A MAN HAS A WIFE AND CHILDREN IT'S 08:45 HARD FOR HIM TO GO AROUND AND TO PREACH. 08:47 OR IF HE NEEDS TO FLEE FOR HIS LIFE - AND SO, IN TIMES WHERE 08:51 THERE'S GOING TO BE GREAT PERSECUTION BECAUSE OF YOUR 08:53 FAITH, IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO HOLD OFF ON MARRIAGE. 08:57 NOW, DIDN'T JESUS SAY, ON HIS WAY TO THE CROSS, TO THE WOMEN 09:00 OF JERUSALEM WHO WERE WEEPING, 'WEEP FOR YOURSELVES BECAUSE THE 09:05 DAY IS COMING WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO SAY 'WOE UNTO THOSE WHO HAVE 09:09 CHILDREN' 'BLESSED ARE THE WOMBS THAT DID NOT BEAR AND THE 09:13 BREASTS THAT DID NOT NURSE, BECAUSE IF THEY'VE DONE THESE 09:16 THINGS IN A GREEN TREE, WHAT WILL BE DONE IN THE DRY?' 09:19 HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION AND THE TRIAL THAT 09:21 WAS GOING TO COME ON JERUSALEM. HE SAYS IT'D BE BETTER FOR 09:24 YOU NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN. AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST DAYS 09:32 'WOE UNTO THEM THAT ARE WITH CHILD AND NURSING IF THEY HAVE 09:35 TO FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES.' WHEN IS THAT TIME WHEN IT'S GOING 09:38 TO BE BETTER TO HOLD OFF? I DON'T KNOW. 09:41 I THINK PASTORS NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT ADVISING COUPLES - 09:44 OR SINGLES - WHEN THEY SHOULD MARRY OR WHEN THEY SHOULD HOLD 09:47 OFF BECAUSE GREAT PERSECUTION COULD COME. 09:50 YOU BETTER JUST MAKE SURE THE LORD GUIDES YOU IN THAT, BUT 09:52 IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. 09:55 AND I KNOW COUPLES TODAY I'VE TALKED TO AND THEY SAY, 'YOU 09:57 KNOW, THE WAY THE WORLD IS TODAY, WE'RE THINKING IT MAY NOT 10:01 BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE CHILDREN.' AND THERE ARE SINGLES 10:04 WHO HAVE SAID, 'BECAUSE I THINK THE LORD'S CALLED ME TO DO MORE 10:07 ITINERANT MISSIONARY WORK, I THINK I CAN DO MORE WITHOUT 10:11 BEING MARRIED. AND SO - BUT YOU'RE STILL 10:13 PART OF GOD'S FAMILY. AND WE JUST NEED TO 10:15 BE SENSITIVE TO THAT. AND IF YOU ARE ON THE MARKET AND 10:20 THINKING ABOUT GETTING MARRIED, PRAY - MAKE SURE THAT THE LORD 10:26 IS LEADING - MARRY SOMEONE IN THE FAITH. 10:30 IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A MAN, SEE HOW THAT MAN TREATS HIS MOTHER. 10:34 IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING A WOMAN, SEE HOW SHE TREATS HER FATHER 10:37 BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU'LL BE TREATED. AND SO, JUST GO INTO 10:41 THOSE THINGS CAREFULLY AND PRAYERFULLY. 10:43 IT IS ONE - YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY ONLY FOUR OR FIVE VERY 10:46 IMPORTANT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE: ONE IS A 10:49 BIRTH AND YOU HAD VERY LITTLE CHOICE IN THAT. 10:52 ANOTHER IS A MARRIAGE - BAPTISM - AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 10:58 BUYING A HOUSE, GETTING A JOB AND DYING, BUT MARRIAGE IS RIGHT 11:02 UP THERE IN THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION THAT YOU CAN MAKE. 11:05 ENTER THAT VERY, VERY CAREFULLY AND PRAYERFULLY AND FOLLOW THE 11:09 BIBLICAL CRITERIA. THERE'S A LOT OF GUIDANCE 11:13 IN THE WORD OF GOD FOR THAT. NOW LET ME REVIEW SOME OF THE 11:16 POINTS WE COVERED LAST WEEK AND THEN I'M GOING TO PICK UP - WE 11:19 DID POINTS 1 THROUGH 4 - AND THIS IS JUST A QUICK REVIEW. 11:23 WE TALKED ABOUT REMEMBERING MARRIAGE IS A DIVINE COVENANT 11:26 AND THIS IS A PROMISE THAT'S - THERE'S NO MORE IMPORTANT 11:29 PROMISE THAN A PROMISE MADE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND SOCIETY. 11:32 THOSE MARRIAGE VOWS ARE VERY IMPORTANT VOWS. 11:36 A MARRIAGE LICENSE IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT. 11:38 IT IS A BINDING DOCUMENT THAT HAS LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS. 11:41 IF IT DOES ON EARTH, YOU CAN BE SURE IT DOES IN HEAVEN. 11:44 AND SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, 'AM I GOING TO MAKE A PROMISE TO 11:46 MAN OR A PROMISE TO GOD, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT? 11:50 LET ME ASK YOU. 11:52 SOME PEOPLE DON'T CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT THE EARTHLY COVENANT AND 11:55 THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET A DIVORCE, BUT THEY REMEMBER THEY 11:57 MADE A PROMISE TO GOD AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. 12:00 IT'S A COVENANT. ESTABLISH YOUR OWN PRIVATE HOME. 12:03 YOU LEAVE AND YOU CLEAVE - YOU LEAVE YOUR FATHER AND YOUR 12:06 MOTHER AND CLEAVE UNTO YOUR SPOUSE. 12:10 CONTINUE - POINT #3 - CONTINUE YOUR COURTSHIP. 12:13 YOU KNOW IT'S - YOU CAN'T SAY, 'WELL, ONCE I'VE LANDED THIS 12:15 FISH I'M GOING TO GO ON WITH MY OTHER INTERESTS.' IF YOU WANT TO 12:18 HAVE A HEALTHY MARRIAGE, YOU NEED TO CONTINUE DOING THE 12:20 THINGS TO MAINTAIN THAT FIRST LOVE THAT YOU DID IN THE 12:24 BEGINNING - LITTLE SPECIAL SURPRISES. 12:27 NOW, KAREN WAS HERE LAST WEEK, BUT THIS WEEK SHE'S ACTUALLY IN 12:30 MASSACHUSETTS HELPING HER SISTER-IN-LAW. 12:33 AND SO, SINCE KAREN IS NOT HERE, I AM AN EXPERT ON MARRIAGE THIS 12:36 WEEK. (LAUGHTER) BUT SINCE KAREN IS GONE, I - YOU KNOW, I - 12:41 WE CALL AND TALK EVERY DAY. IT'S SO EASY NOW BECAUSE IT'S FREE IF 12:45 YOU'VE GOT UNLIMITED MINUTES. AND THIS WEEKEND I WAS DOING 12:48 SOME YARD WORK AND I SAW ONE OF OUR ROSES WAS A LATE BLOOMER BUT 12:51 IT WAS PERFECT SO I TOOK THE ROSE, I PUT IT IN A VASE, 12:53 AND I'VE ACTUALLY GOT A DOUG BATCHELOR STATUE - I BET NOBODY 12:57 HAS THEIR OWN DOUG BATCHELOR BOBBLE HEAD, BUT I DO. 13:00 I'VE GOT - ONE OF OUR SUPPORTERS THOUGHT IT WAS NEAT. 13:02 HE TOOK A PICTURE OF ME, HE SENT IT TO SOMEBODY, AND THEY MADE A 13:04 DOUG BATCHELOR BOBBLE HEAD. NOW I'M NOT ENDORSING IDOLATRY, 13:08 BUT IT'S REALLY FUNNY. AND SO I TOOK MY DOUG BATCHELOR 13:12 - ANY OF YOU BEEN TO OUR OFFICE AND SEEN - BONNIE'S GOT ONE ON 13:14 HER DESK, YEAH, THEY GAVE US TWO OF THEM. 13:16 SO I TOOK MY DOUG BATCHELOR BOBBLE HEAD AND I PUT IT NEXT TO 13:18 THE FLOWER AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF IT AND I SENT IT TO KAREN AND 13:20 I SAID - A LITTLE ROSEBUD - I SAID, 'THIS BUD'S FOR YOU.' 13:22 (LAUGHTER) AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST - I COULDN'T GIVE IT TO HER 13:27 AND SHE SAID, 'AW, I WISH I COULD HAVE SMELLED IT.' AND SO 13:28 FORTH, BUT THOSE LITTLE THINGS - IT DIDN'T COST ANYTHING - YOU 13:33 KNOW, THOSE LITTLE THINGS - LITTLE ROMANTIC INTERESTS - 13:36 YOU SAY YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THEM. 13:38 AND, YOU KNOW, GUYS, WHEN YOUR MOTHER'S DAY COMES ALONG OR YOUR 13:45 WIFE'S BIRTHDAY AND YOU GO AND YOU BUY HER A WASHING MACHINE 13:48 AND - (LAUGHTER) AND SHE PROBABLY APPRECIATES THAT, BUT 13:53 SHE'S GOING TO WASH YOUR DIRTY CLOTHES. OR YOU BUY HER A WAFFLE 13:56 IRON TO MAKE YOU BIGGER WAFFLES. YOU MIGHT GET FARTHER BY JUST 14:01 GIVING THEM A FLOWER BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT'S JUST FOR THEM, 14:05 HOPEFULLY. ALRIGHT, AND SO - AND THEN GUARD 14:09 YOUR THOUGHTS WAS POINT NUMBER 4 IN OUR LAST PRESENTATION. 14:12 A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE OF 14:16 WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THEIR THINKING. 14:18 MAYBE THEY'RE ALWAYS SUSPICIOUS - THERE'S NO TRUST. 14:20 THEY'RE THINKING THINGS THAT AREN'T EVEN REAL. 14:22 AND I REMEMBER ONE FRIEND I HAD - I DIDN'T MEAN TO ELABORATE ON 14:27 THAT PAST POINT, BUT THIS JUST CAME TO MY MIND. 14:29 I WAS DOING A BIBLE STUDY WITH A FRIEND - THIS WAS 14:32 YEARS AGO - AND - GOOD GUY - BUT HIS WIFE SPENT A LOT OF TIME 14:38 WATCHING SOAP OPERAS AND EVERYBODY'S CHEATING ON 14:41 EVERYBODY IN THE SOAP OPERAS. 14:43 AND SHE JUST HAD IT IN HER MIND THAT MAYBE HE'S HAVING AN AFFAIR 14:46 BECAUSE ON TV THEY WERE HIDING IT SO SUCCESSFULLY SHE THOUGHT, 14:50 'WELL, IT COULD BE HIM.' AND I CAME BACK TO HIS HOUSE WITH HIM 14:54 FROM THE BIBLE STUDY AND SHE WAS MAD. 14:56 AND SHE'S LOOKING AT HIS COLLAR FOR LIPSTICK AND SNIFFING HIM 14:59 FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S PERFUME AND - IT WAS ALL IN HER HEAD. 15:03 THIS THINKING - AND THE DEVIL WILL TRY TO - THERE ARE REAL 15:06 PROBLEMS - THE DEVIL WILL TRY AND SOMETIMES MANUFACTURE UNREAL 15:11 PROBLEMS WHEN THERE'S A LACK OF TRUST OR WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE 15:15 BEEN SLIGHTED OR YOU'RE UNDER-APPRECIATED AND YOU JUST 15:18 KEEP DWELLING ON THESE THINGS. AND SO, DON'T LET THE DEVIL 15:21 CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS, GIVE YOURSELF TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. 15:24 ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE ENTERING ON TO THE REMAINING POINTS. 15:27 POINT NUMBER 5) - AND WE HAVE 12 TOTAL - I'VE TRUNCATED WHAT 15:30 COULD BE A VERY LONG SERIES ON MARRIAGE. 15:34 FORGIVE QUICKLY. YOU NOTICE I DIDN'T SAY FORGIVE 15:38 IN CASE THERE'S A REASON TO FORGIVE? 15:40 THERE ARE GOING TO BE DISAGREEMENTS. 15:44 I HEARD SOMEONE SAY ONE TIME, 'JUST SUPPOSE - IMAGINE THAT YOU 15:47 COULD MARRY AN IDENTICAL CLONE OF YOU - OF COURSE THE OPPOSITE 15:52 SEX, BUT IDENTICAL IN EVERY OTHER WAY - SAME THOUGHTS, SAME 15:57 LIKES, GOT YOUR PERSONALITY - IF YOU COULD CLONE YOUR OPPOSITE 16:01 AND MARRY THEM, WOULD YOU BE HAPPY? 16:07 WHEN YOU GOT TO THAT LAST EAR OF CORN, WOULD YOU ALWAYS SAY, 'NO, 16:10 YOU.' 'NO, YOU TAKE IT.' 'NO, YOU.' OR WOULD THERE EVER BE 16:15 MOMENTS OF SELFISHNESS? WOULD YOU HAVE AN 16:16 ARGUMENT WITH YOURSELF? SOME OF YOU MIGHT EVEN WANT TO 16:19 FILE DIVORCE IF YOU WERE MARRIED TO YOU. 16:21 (LAUGHTER) AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA THAT THAT PERSON ISN'T 16:26 AS PERFECT AS THEY COULD BE AND THERE'S GOING TO BE NO PROBLEMS. 16:29 IF YOU WERE MARRIED TO A PERFECT CLONE OF YOU, YOU MIGHT HAVE 16:31 MORE PROBLEMS. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE PROBLEMS 16:35 AND YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO FORGIVE AND FORGIVE QUICKLY. 16:40 THE BIBLE SAYS TO CONFESS YOUR FAULTS TO ONE ANOTHER AND PRAY 16:44 FOR ONE ANOTHER - AND THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE IN A MARRIAGE 16:47 RELATIONSHIP. WHEN THERE ARE THESE PROBLEMS, DEAL WITH THEM 16:54 AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. NOW I'VE TOLD KAREN, I SAID, 16:59 'YOU KNOW, WHEN I GET MAD, JUST - SOMETIMES I NEED TO BE MAD AND 17:03 JUST LET IT COOL OFF AND WE'LL BE OKAY. 17:05 DON'T TRY AND FIX IT RIGHT AWAY - I WON'T BE MAD FOR DAYS, BUT 17:08 JUST, YOU KNOW, LET ME GO STOMP AROUND AND BE MAD AND THEN I'LL 17:10 BE ALRIGHT AND I JUST NEED MY TIME FOR THAT.' BUT THE BIBLE 17:14 SAYS, 'DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH.' AND SOME COUPLES 17:17 STAY MAD FOR A LONG TIME AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, WHILE WE'VE 17:21 HAD OUR DISAGREEMENTS, WE'VE ALWAYS SLEPT IN THE SAME BED. 17:25 WE HAVE AN EXTRA DOUBLE MAGNUM SPECTACULAR KING-SIZED BED SO 17:34 WE'VE GOT A LOT OF REAL ESTATE AT TIMES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES 17:37 OF THE BED (LAUGHTER) BUT ALWAYS - I THINK ONCE OR TWICE WE'VE 17:41 GONE TO LEONI MEADOWS AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE BEDS ARE PRETTY 17:44 SMALL THERE AND I WOKE UP AND SHE WAS IN THE OTHER BED, BUT IT 17:47 WAS NOTHING PER - NO ARGUMENT THERE, THERE JUST WASN'T ROOM TO 17:50 THRASH AROUND. AND SO, YOU DON'T WANT TO LET 17:54 THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH. THAT MEANS DEAL WITH THINGS 17:57 AT THE END OF THE DAY. HIS MERCIES ARE NEW 18:00 EVERY MORNING, RIGHT? THE BIBLE SAYS - FOR US - THEY 18:03 SHOULD BE NEW FOR EACH OTHER. AND SO, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO 18:08 JUST SETTLE THOSE THINGS. SOMEONE ASKED A COUPLE THAT HAD 18:10 BEEN MARRIED FOR 60 YEARS TO WHAT THEY OWED THEIR 18:14 LONG AND HAPPY MARRIAGE. AND THE OLD RANCHER SAID, 'WE 18:17 MADE UP OUR MINDS EARLY ON THAT WE WOULD NEVER LET THE SUN GO 18:20 DOWN - WE'D NEVER SLEEP IF WE STILL HAD AN ARGUMENT.' AND 18:25 HE SAID, 'THERE WERE WEEKS WE DIDN'T SLEEP.' (LAUGHTER) BUT 18:29 - DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH. 18:33 PHILIPPIANS 3:13, "...FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND." 18:38 YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU HAVE FORGIVEN, YOU MAY STILL REMEMBER 18:41 THERE WAS AN OFFENSE AND SOME OF THESE MAY BE VERY SERIOUS AND 18:43 SOMETIMES IN AN ARGUMENT PEOPLE HAVE UTTERED THINGS THAT ARE 18:46 VERY CRUEL AND THEY LEAVE SCARS AND IT'S HARD TO FORGET, BUT 18:50 YOU'VE GOT TO CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE NOT TO REMEMBER AND DON'T KEEP 18:54 BRINGING IT UP. IF SOMEONE SAYS, 'I AM SORRY' 18:56 AND YOU'VE FORGIVEN THEM, THEN THE NEXT TIME AN ARGUMENT COMES 18:59 AROUND, DON'T DIG AROUND IN THAT OLD FORGIVEN BAG AND PULL 19:02 THOSE THINGS BACK OUT AGAIN. THAT'S UNFAIR. 19:05 THAT'S AGAINST THE RULES, AMEN? >>AMEN. 19:07 >>DO YOU WANT THE LORD TO DO THAT WITH YOU? 19:09 HE CASTS YOUR SINS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA - AND YOU NEED TO BE 19:12 WILLING - IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, IT MEANS YOU CHOOSE 19:15 NOT TO REMEMBER THOSE THINGS. EPHESIANS 4:32, "AND BE KIND TO 19:20 ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER," - HOW? 19:24 - "EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU." 19:29 I'VE SEEN COUPLES COME TO CHURCH - I WAS INVOLVED IN COUNSELING 19:32 THEM AT THE TIME AND I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A CHALLENGE AND THEY 19:37 ACTUALLY WOULD STILL COME TO CHURCH - THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN - 19:40 AND ONE SAT ON ONE SIDE OF THE CHURCH WITH ONE CHILD AND ONE 19:43 SAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHURCH AND, NOT ONLY WAS THEIR 19:45 ANGER HURTING THEM, IT WAS HURTING THE KIDS - IT WAS 19:51 HURTING THE WHOLE CHURCH AND THAT OUGHT NOT BE. 19:56 YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND FORGIVE EACH 19:59 OTHER. WHY? IT'S KIND OF A CONTRADICTION TO 20:04 COME TO CHURCH AND NOT SIT WITH THE PERSON - THE BIBLE SAYS 20:07 'LOVE YOUR ENEMIES' - IT SAYS 'LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS'. 20:12 I WOULD THINK THAT YOUR SPOUSE COULD QUALIFY AS AT LEAST ONE 20:16 LEVEL HIGHER THAN YOUR NEIGHBOR AND YOUR ENEMY. 20:20 SO SIT TOGETHER - WORK THINGS OUT. 20:22 IF YOU FORGIVE MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, JESUS SAID IN 20:25 MATTHEW 6:14, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL FORGIVE YOU. 20:29 IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, NEITHER WILL 20:32 YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN FORGIVE YOU. 20:34 IF YOU CANNOT FORGIVE YOUR SPOUSE, YOU ARE BURNING THE 20:37 BRIDGE OVER WHICH YOU MUST PASS TO HEAVEN. 20:41 AND SO, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU LEARN TO FORGIVE. 20:44 NOW DON'T TURN TO YOUR SPOUSE AND MAKE A FIST AND POINT A 20:46 FINGER AND SAY, 'SEE, YOU'VE GOT TO FORGIVE ME.' FORGIVENESS MUST 20:49 COME FROM THE HEART. BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT IF 20:52 YOU'RE GOING TO BE A CHRISTIAN. IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH, AMEN? 20:56 AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT WHEN YOU DO FINALLY APOLOGIZE AND 21:01 MAKE UP, MAKING UP CAN BE FUN. SO JUST GET IT OVER WITH. 21:05 IT FEELS GOOD WHEN YOU MAKE PEACE. 6) REGULAR DEVOTIONS. 21:12 THIS MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NUMBER 1, BUT YOU WANT THE LORD 21:16 AND HIS WORD TO BE THE FOUNDATION IN YOUR MARRIAGE. 21:21 PSALM 127, VERSE 1, "EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOR 21:25 IN VAIN WHO BUILD IT." AND SO, I REALIZE SOME OF YOU 21:30 MAY BE MARRIED TO A PERSON WHO'S OUTSIDE THE FAITH OR THEY'VE 21:33 DRIFTED FROM THE FAITH AND THOSE ARE DEFINITELY MORE CHALLENGING, 21:38 YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN YOUR PERSONAL DEVOTIONS. 21:41 BUT IF YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE UNITED IN THEIR FAITH, HAVE 21:45 REGULAR DEVOTIONS AS A FAMILY. CONTINUE TO HAVE 21:48 PERSONAL DEVOTIONS. IN OUR FAMILY, I HAVE MY OWN 21:51 PRIVATE DEVOTIONS EVERY DAY AND KAREN - SHE STAYS UPSTAIRS, 21:55 I GO DOWNSTAIRS - SHE'S GOT A BIBLE-READING THING SHE'S DOING 21:57 - BUT THEN WE PRAY TOGETHER AND WE READ TOGETHER. 22:00 WHEN THE KIDS WERE HOME - OF COURSE, NATHAN JUST TOOK OFF AND 22:04 SO WE'VE GOT EMPTY NEST - WE'RE STILL DOING IT. 22:06 WE HAVE DEVOTION TOGETHER. I DON'T EACH MUCH BREAKFAST, BUT 22:09 WHEN KAREN'S EATING BREAKFAST I'LL READ TO HER WHILE SHE EATS. 22:12 AND SO YOU - AND YOU HAVE A QUICK PRAYER - YOU'RE JUST 22:13 SAYING, 'GOD IS THE - HE IS THE - THE NORTH POLE IN OUR 22:18 RELATIONSHIP.' AND YOU ESTABLISH THAT. 22:20 YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE, 'THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER' 22:23 - WHAT'S THE REST OF THAT? >>STAYS TOGETHER. 22:25 >>A LOT OF TRUTH TO THAT. YOU KNOW, IN NEW YORK THEY JUST 22:29 COMPLETED, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE REPLACEMENT FOR 22:31 WHAT WAS THE TWIN TOWERS. IT'S STILL 1 WORLD TRADE CENTER. 22:34 IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS THE FREEDOM TOWER. IT'S THE LARGEST BUILDING 22:38 IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE - 1776 FEET TALL. 22:42 WHEN - I WATCHED AS THEY WERE BUILDING THAT. 22:45 THERE NEAR GROUND ZERO THEY ACTUALLY BLASTED INTO THE ROCK - 22:50 BECAUSE MANHATTAN'S A ROCK - THEY WENT DOWN 70 FEET INTO 22:53 BEDROCK AND THEY LAID A CORNERSTONE OF GRANITE THAT IS 22:56 20 TONS AND IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST SECURE BUILDING IN THE 23:00 WORLD TODAY. IT IS BUILT IN A WAY - I DON'T 23:04 KNOW IF YOU LOOKED INTO HOW THEY BUILT THAT THING, BUT IT'S GOT A 23:06 CONCRETE CORE THAT GOES RIGHT UP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT - YOU 23:08 CAN HIT IT WITH ANOTHER PLANE - IT WON'T COME DOWN. 23:10 I'M HOPING NOBODY TESTS THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. 23:13 IT'S GOT A CONCRETE CORE THAT'S THICKER THAN ANY BANK VOLT, THAT 23:17 GOES ALL THE WAY - BANK VAULT - THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH 23:20 THE BUILDING AND IT'S GOT A VERY MASSIVE FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT 23:24 ALL OF THAT CONCRETE AND STEEL. WELL, YOU NEED TO HAVE A GOOD 23:30 FOUNDATION IN YOUR FAMILY AND IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP. 23:34 LUKE 6:48 - MAN WHO'S GOING TO SURVIVE THE STORM BUILDS A HOUSE 23:39 AND HE DIGS DEEP AND LAYS THE FOUNDATION ON THE ROCK. 23:42 WHO'S THE ROCK? >>JESUS. 23:45 >>1 CORINTHIANS 3:11, "FOR NO OTHER FOUNDATION CAN ANYONE LAY 23:48 THAN THAT WHICH IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST." 23:51 SO OUR FAMILIES, OUR CHILDREN, AND IN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH 23:55 OUR SPOUSE, WE NEED TO JUST ALWAYS BE RECOGNIZING THAT WE 23:59 ARE EVER ON A JOURNEY TOWARDS GOD. 24:01 AND, AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, IT'S JUST SORT OF A GEOMETRIC 24:05 TRUTH THAT AS YOU'VE GOT TWO OBJECTS THAT ARE MOVING TOWARDS 24:08 A COMMON OBJECT, THEY INVARIABLY MUST MOVE TOWARDS EACH OTHER. 24:13 AND IF JESUS IS THE AXLE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR UNIVERSE AND YOU 24:18 ARE MOVING TOWARDS HIM AND YOUR SPOUSE IS MOVING TOWARDS HIM, 24:21 YOU CANNOT HELP BUT MOVE CLOSER TO EACH OTHER. 24:24 AND SO, IF YOU KEEP CHRIST THE FOUNDATION AND IF YOU KEEP HIM 24:27 THE CENTER, THAT IS GOING TO SOLVE SO MANY PROBLEMS, BECAUSE 24:31 IF YOU'VE GOT THE MIND OF GOD, YOU ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE UNITY 24:36 THAT JESUS HAS WITH THE FATHER. YOU KNOW, JESUS PRAYED FOR THE 24:39 CHURCH, THAT WE MIGHT BE ONE AS HE AND THE FATHER ARE ONE? 24:44 AND CERTAINLY, IF IT'S TRUE IN A CHURCH FAMILY, IT IS TRUE IN A 24:47 MARRIED FAMILY, THAT WE MOVE TOWARDS CHRIST, AMEN? 24:52 KEEP HIM AS THE FOUNDATION. KEEP HIM AS THE CENTER. 24:54 HAVE FAMILY WORSHIP. WE'RE STILL UNDER THAT POINT 24:58 UNDER REGULAR DEVOTIONS. DEUTERONOMY 11 - IF THERE'S 25:01 CHILDREN, IN PARTICULAR - VERSE 19, "YOU SHALL TEACH THEM TO 25:05 YOUR CHILDREN, SPEAKING OF THEM WHEN YOU SIT IN YOUR HOUSE, WHEN 25:09 YOU WALK BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU LIE DOWN, AND WHEN YOU RISE UP." 25:13 IN OUR FAMILY, WE'VE GOT SCRIPTURES ON THE WALL, WE'VE 25:18 GOT BIBLE PROMISES IN THE KITCHEN. 25:20 YOU PROBABLY ALL HAVE THINGS STUCK TO YOUR REFRIGERATOR THAT 25:22 TALK ABOUT - AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE KIDS SEE THAT. 25:26 MATTER OF FACT, WE IMPRESSED THEM WITH THAT TRUTH SO MUCH 25:29 THAT ONE DAY NATHAN WANTED TO REMEMBER VERSES WHEN HE WAS LIKE 25:33 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD AND HE TOOK A BLACK MAGIC MARKER IN HIS 25:38 BEDROOM AND ON HIS VERY NICE OAK BEDROOM FURNITURE HE WROTE ALL 25:45 THESE MEMORY VERSES. AND WHEN I WALKED IN AND SAW 25:48 WHAT HE HAD DONE I WENT, 'OH! WHAT'D YOU DO?' AND KAREN CAME 25:53 IN - SHE'S TUGGING ON ME GOING, 'DOUG, HE WROTE SCRIPTURE. 25:56 DOUG, JUST DON'T - HE MEANT WELL.' HE WAS SO UPSET I SAID, 26:01 'OKAY.' - TO THIS VERY DAY HIS BED, YOU KNOW, HE'S 19 YEARS OLD 26:04 NOW - HE WROTE THESE SCRIPTURE VERSES ON HIS BED. 26:07 I THOUGHT, 'WELL, AT LEAST WE IMPRESSED HIM THAT YOU SURROUND 26:09 YOURSELF WITH THE WORD OF GOD. YOU NEED TO HAVE FAMILY WORSHIP 26:13 AND, OF COURSE, PRAY FOR YOUR FOOD. 26:16 THANK GOD FOR YOUR MEALS, BUT FAMILY WORSHIP SHOULD BE MORE 26:18 THAN JUST THAT. ATTEND CHURCH TOGETHER. 26:23 CORPORATE WORSHIP - NOT ONLY ON THE SABBATH, BUT OTHER CHURCH 26:27 MEETINGS - YOU'LL BE SENDING A SIGNAL TO YOUR SPOUSE AND TO 26:31 YOUR CHILDREN THAT GOD IS A PRIORITY AND HIS MISSION - YOU 26:34 GO ONCE A WEEK ALL THE TIME AND IF THAT'S ALL YOU DO, IT'S 26:37 ALMOST LIKE I'M PUTTING IN MY TIME. 26:39 I'M FULFILLING MY OBLIGATION. BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO BEYOND AND 26:43 SAY, 'WHAT IS THE MISSION OF GOD AND THE WORLD?' 26:44 THAT'S WHEN YOU START GOING TO THE OTHER MEETINGS - THE 26:47 EVANGELISM MEETINGS AND THE OUTREACH AND THE PRAYER 26:49 MEETINGS. BUT MAKE CHURCH A BIG PART OF YOUR LIFE. 26:53 HEBREWS 10:24, "AND LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER TO 26:58 STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS, NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF 27:03 OURSELVES TOGETHER, AS IS THE MANNER OF SOME, BUT EXHORTING 27:06 ONE ANOTHER," - THAT MEANS ENCOURAGING - REMINDING ONE 27:08 ANOTHER - "AND SO MUCH MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING." 27:11 DO WE SEE THE DAY OF THE LORD APPROACHING? 27:13 >>AMEN. >>THAT'S ALL THE MORE WE SHOULD 27:14 ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER AND STIR EACH OTHER UP TO COME TOGETHER 27:17 AND TO WORSHIP TOGETHER. >>AMEN. 27:20 >>PHILIPPIANS 4:7 - AND IF YOU DO THIS "...THE PEACE OF GOD, 27:24 WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR 27:27 HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS." 27:30 DON'T BE AFRAID, WHEN YOU PRAY TOGETHER, TO PRAY ALOUD. 27:33 AND IT'S APPROPRIATE, IF YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR BODY STILL CAN 27:38 DO IT, KNEEL BEFORE GOD. YOU'LL BE TEACHING A LESSON OF 27:41 REVERENCE TO YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU TAKE SOME TIME 27:44 TOGETHER AND YOU KNEEL. AT LEAST ONCE A DAY - I THINK A 27:46 FAMILY, IF THEY CAN DO IT, GET ON THEIR KNEES BEFORE GOD. 27:49 IT'S AN ACT OF WORSHIP. IT'S AN ACT OF SUBMISSION AND 27:52 I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. OKAY, COMMUNICATE - POINT 27:56 NUMBER 7 - COMMUNICATION. WE TALKED ABOUT FORGIVENESS - 28:00 FORGIVENESS IS THE REPAIR KIT FOR MARRIAGE. 28:03 YOU WILL NOT NEED NEARLY AS MANY REPAIRS IF YOU DO THE 28:07 COMMUNICATING - YOU'LL AVOID THE BREAKDOWNS. 28:09 AND SO, COMMUNICATING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS. 28:13 WE ARE LIVING IN A VERY BUSY WORLD TODAY - BUSIER THAN ANY 28:16 OTHER TIME - AND PEOPLE TRAVEL MORE THAN ANY OTHER TIME. 28:20 IT USED TO BE MARRIED COUPLES KIND OF LIVED - YOU KNOW, THE 28:23 FAMILY - THEY WERE IN THE SHOE FIXING BUSINESS AND EVERYONE 28:26 WORKED IN THE SHOE SHOP - OR THE HAT SHOP OR THE FARM AND YOU'D, 28:29 YOU KNOW, SIT NEXT TO YOUR WIFE AND YOU'D MILK THE COW AND SHE'D 28:32 MILK THE GOAT AND YOU WERE WITH EACH OTHER OUT IN THE FIELD 28:34 PLANTING AND SOWING - HARVESTING - AND THERE WAS SO MUCH 28:38 OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE. AND BACK AROUND THE TURN OF THE 28:41 CENTURY THERE WAS ONE DIVORCE IN AMERICA FOR EVERY 32 MARRIAGES. 28:46 NOW IT'S CLOSE TO 50 PERCENT. 28:49 BUT THAT'S BACK WHEN EVERYBODY - THE FAMILIES WERE - YOU HAD TO 28:52 COMMUNICATE - AND MAYBE THEY EVEN FOUGHT MORE, BUT YOU KNOW, 28:58 THEY DID A STUDY THAT CAME OUT IN 2012. 29:00 THEY FOUND THAT COUPLES THAT FIGHT ONCE A WEEK ARE MORE 29:06 INCLINED TO STAY TOGETHER THAN COUPLES THAT DON'T. 29:10 AND THEY FIGURED THE REASON WAS THEY WERE COMMUNICATING. 29:14 NOW I'M NOT RECOMMENDING WE ALL JUST START PLANNING AND 29:16 SCHEDULING FIGHTS, (LAUGHTER) I'M JUST SAYING - AND, YOU KNOW, 29:19 IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE. 29:22 ONE - I'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A COUPLE - 29:26 I'LL GET A CALL FROM A HUSBAND OR WIFE, 'I DON'T KNOW. 29:30 I NEVER SAW IT COMING. I JUST GOT A NOTE. 29:32 SHE'S FILED FOR DIVORCE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 29:35 I NEVER SAW IT COMING.' I SAID, 'WERE YOU GUYS ARGUING?' 29:38 'NO.' WELL, ONE PARTNER WAS BOTTLING IT ALL UP AND THEY 29:44 FINALLY GOT WHERE THEY COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. 29:47 AND THAT'S WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN. 29:49 SHARE HOW YOU FEEL. DO IT NOW. 29:51 AS CHRISTIANS - YOU KNOW, THE WORLD SAYS, 'YEAH, HAVE A GOOD 29:53 ARGUMENT ONCE A WEEK.' BUT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IT IN A LOVING 29:57 WAY, YOU KNOW? A SOFT ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH. 30:01 BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE EXPRESSING AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I JUST NEED 30:04 TO LET...I DON'T WANT...WHEN YOU DO THAT, THAT BOTHERS ME.' AND 30:08 'OH, I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T KNOW.' AND SO YOU CAN 30:11 TALK AND COMMUNICATE - SHARE HOW YOU FEEL. 30:13 TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY AND WHAT YOU DID AND - YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE 30:16 CALLS IT QUALITY - NO, THE BIBLE DOESN'T CALL IT QUALITY TIME - 30:19 THE WORLD CALLS IT QUALITY TIME, THE BIBLE CALLS IT SABBATH. 30:24 SABBATH'S QUALITY TIME BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SAY, 'I PRAY ALL WEEK 30:28 LONG, BUT ON SABBATH WE HAVE QUALITY TIME WITH GOD.' IT'S 30:31 UNIQUE. YOU SET EVERYTHING ELSE ASIDE. 30:34 SOMETIMES KAREN'LL SAY, 'DOUG, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TOGETHER.' 30:39 NOW, I BET I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT'S HEARD THAT IN THE FAMILY. 30:42 JUST COME ON, A SHOW OF HANDS. HAS ANYONE ELSE HEARD THAT? 30:44 'WE'RE NOT SPENDING ENOUGH TIME TOGETHER.' COME ON NOW, DON'T 30:46 LEAVE ME HANGING OUT THERE LIKE THAT. 30:48 (LAUGHTER) 'WE NEED TO SPEND...' YOU OUGHT TO HAVE A DATE NIGHT. 30:53 TRY AND SCHEDULE IT WHERE YOU TAKE, SAY, WE'RE JUST GOING TO 30:57 GO WHEREVER IT IS - IT MIGHT BE A RESTAURANT FOR YOU. 30:59 IT MIGHT BE GOING FOR A WALK. 31:01 KAREN AND I, TYPICALLY, IT'S A WALK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND - 31:06 BUT YOU NEED TO SPEND TIME COMMUNICATING TOGETHER AND YOU 31:10 NEED TO HAVE THAT - THAT REGULAR TIME - QUALITY TIME. 31:13 SHE'LL SAY, 'WE DON'T SPEND TIME TOGETHER.' I SAY, 'I WAS HOME 31:15 ALL DAY!' SHE SAYS, 'YOU WERE IN THE OFFICE. THAT'S DIFFERENT.' 31:19 SO QUALITY TIME MEANS YOU'RE - YOU'RE EXCHANGING IDEAS. 31:23 SAY, 'WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IN YOUR DAY?' 31:25 AND - A MAN WAS READING THE NEWSPAPER ONE DAY AND HE SAID, 31:31 'HONEY, I JUST READ HERE THAT WOMEN SPEAK 30,000 WORDS, 31:36 AVERAGE, A DAY AND MEN ONLY SPEAK 15,000 WORDS A DAY.' AND 31:41 SHE QUIPPED, 'THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SAY EVERYTHING TWICE.' 31:44 (LAUGHTER) AND HE SAID, 'WHAT?' (LAUGHTER) WE LAUGH BECAUSE 31:52 THERE'S SOME TRUTH TO THAT. JAMES 1:5, "IF ANY OF YOU LACKS 31:57 WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVES TO ALL LIBERALLY..." 32:01 SO WE NEED TO PRAY FOR WISDOM SO THAT WE CAN KNOW HOW TO 32:04 COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH EACH OTHER AND THEN PRAY FOR ONE 32:06 ANOTHER. JAMES 5:16. 32:09 NOW, UNDER POINT NUMBER 8, BEYOND THE QUALITY TIME, IS KEEP 32:15 YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR BODIES FOR EACH OTHER. 32:21 THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS - TOUCHES ON THE COVENANT THAT WE 32:24 MENTIONED LAST WEEK, BUT ADULTERY IS A SIN. 32:28 IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON. 32:31 IT IS ONE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN EXODUS 20, VERSE 32:33 14 - THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT - "THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT 32:36 ADULTERY." AND YOU PRAY FOR ME AS I TALK 32:40 ABOUT THIS BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS I NEED TO SAY ARE 32:42 DELICATE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTOOD. PROVERBS 31, 32:45 VERSES 11 AND 12, "THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND SAFELY TRUSTS 32:50 HER...SHE DOES HIM GOOD AND NOT EVIL ALL THE DAYS OF HER LIFE." 32:55 YOU NEED TO HAVE A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU WILL NOT 33:00 EVEN OPEN THE DOOR TO ANY FLIRTATIOUS OPPORTUNITIES, 33:05 BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN TO SHOW YOURSELF BEING INTIMATE AND 33:08 OVERLY FRIENDLY TO SOMEBODY THAT'S IN THAT AGE BALLPARK OF 33:12 THE OPPOSITE SEX, THEN YOU'RE OPENING THE DOOR TO TEMPTATION. 33:17 AND WHEN YOU START BECOMING INTIMATE AND SAY, 'OH, YOU KNOW, 33:20 WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE PROBLEMS.' YOU START SHARING 33:22 PROBLEMS AND THOSE THINGS SHOULD JUST STAY IN THE FAMILY AND IT'S 33:28 SACRED. IT'S AN EPIDEMIC IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY. 33:32 ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY BY THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH 33:35 CENTER, ROUGHLY 15 PERCENT OF MARRIED AMERICANS AND THOSE WHO 33:40 WERE MARRIED, HAVE COMMITTED ADULTERY. 33:43 THEY'VE VIOLATED THE VOWS, AT THE TIME, WHEN THEY WERE MARRIED 33:45 - 15 PERCENT. YOU KNOW, YOU WATCH TELEVISION 33:50 - YOU'D THINK THAT IT'S A LOT HIGHER THAN THAT. 33:52 I WAS ACTUALLY RELIEVED TO HEAR IT'S ONLY 15 PERCENT BECAUSE WE 33:56 SURROUND OURSELVES WITH A CULTURE WHERE THE PROGRAMMING 33:59 AND THE MOVIES IS ALL ABOUT - SEX IS LIKE SHAKING HANDS - 34:03 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? AND THE IDEA OF THE COVENANT AND 34:06 HOW SACRED IT IS IS BEING LOST. NOW - THE COVER OF TIME MAGAZINE 34:17 SHOWED THIS WEEK - THIS WEEK COVER TITLE - IS MONOGAMY OVER? 34:26 MONOGAMY IS NOT A WOOD THAT'S USED IN CABINETS. 34:31 THAT'S MAHOGANY. (LAUGHTER) MONOGAMY MEANS THAT YOU ARE JUST 34:37 MARRIED TO ONE PERSON AND YOU ARE COMMITTED TO THAT PERSON. 34:41 AND WHAT DID I SAY TO YOU A LITTLE BIT AGO ABOUT THE - THE 34:44 DEVIL IS WORKING OVERTIME TO TRY AND MAKE THE INSTITUTION OF 34:49 MARRIAGE SEEM IRRELEVANT. 34:53 WE'RE SURROUNDED BY A MEDIA CULTURE IN OUR WORLD WHERE 34:58 PEOPLE ARE COMMITTING ADULTERY ALL THE TIME. 35:02 AND JESUS SAID, VERY CLEARLY, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON 35:07 TO COMMIT ADULTERY IN THEIR HEADS. 35:09 HE SAID IF A MAN LOOKS UPON A WOMAN AND LUSTS AFTER HER IN HIS 35:13 HEART, HE IS COMMITTING ADULTERY IN HIS HEART. 35:16 THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IS GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE. 35:21 IF THINKING IT WAS GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE, THERE WOULD BE A WHOLE 35:25 LOT MORE DIVORCE TODAY THAN THERE IS. 35:28 THINKING IT IS A SIN. JESUS WASN'T SAYING, 'YOU'RE 35:31 THINKING IT, YOU MAY AS WELL DO IT. 35:32 THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE.' YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? 35:35 NOW THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE COUPLES THAT 35:40 COME TO ME AND THE HUSBAND WILL SAY, 'I BELIEVE I HAVE BIBLICAL 35:44 GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE. MY WIFE IS ADDICTED TO SOAP OPERAS. 35:47 SHE'S WATCHING ALL THESE PEOPLE COMMIT ADULTERY AND SHE IS 35:50 VICARIOUSLY COMMITTING ADULTERY BY WATCHING IT. 35:54 AND SO, SINCE JESUS SAID THINKING IT IS THE SAME AS DOING 35:57 IT, I HAVE GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE.' DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? 35:59 >>NO. >>NO. 36:01 I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. I THINK IT'S A SIN, BUT I DON'T 36:04 THINK THAT'S WHAT JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT. 36:06 JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ACT OF ADULTERY - FORNICATION - WAS 36:10 THE ONLY BIBLICAL GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE - ASIDE FROM THAT OTHER 36:14 EXAMPLE I GAVE YOU LAST WEEK - 1 CORINTHIANS 7 - OF TWO PAGANS 36:18 THAT GET MARRIED AND THEY CONVERT THEN TO CHRISTIANITY. 36:21 ANYWAY, WITH THAT IN MIND, THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE EPIDEMIC OF 36:26 PORNOGRAPHY. BASED ON HOW MANY PORNOGRAPHIC 36:30 SITES THERE ARE, IT'S A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. 36:32 THERE ARE A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT THAN 36:35 YOU MIGHT IMAGINE - MEN AND WOMEN - ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT 36:38 SITES. IT'S A SIN. IT NEEDS TO BE REPENTED OF, BUT 36:46 THINKING IS NOT THE SAME AS DOING. 36:50 IF A PERSON GETS ANGRY AND THEY THINK MURDEROUS THOUGHTS IN 36:53 THEIR HEART AND THEY DO NOT ACT OR CONSPIRE ON THOSE THOUGHTS, 36:57 THERE'S NO COURT IN THE COUNTRY THAT WILL CONVICT THEM OF 37:00 MURDER. BECAUSE YOU SAY, 'I WISH A 37:03 PERSON WAS DEAD.' AND YOU WALK AWAY AND DON'T DO ANYTHING, YOU 37:05 WILL NOT BE ARRESTED AND PUT IN JAIL FOR MURDER BECAUSE THINKING 37:09 SOMETHING IS NOT THE SAME AS DOING IT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? 37:12 A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USING THAT NOW AS GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE. 37:15 NOW, IF A WOMAN IS MARRIED TO A MAN AND HE'S GOT AN ADDICTION TO 37:19 PORNOGRAPHY, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSEHOLD, 37:23 THERE MIGHT BE GROUNDS FOR SEPARATION UNTIL THERE'S 37:26 COUNSELING. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? 37:30 THE DIFFERENCE - THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE. 37:33 AND A PERSON MIGHT NEED TO TAKE SOME PROACTIVE MEASURES TO URGE 37:38 AND ENCOURAGE THEIR SPOUSE TO GET SOME HELP. 37:41 BUT THINKING IT IS NOT THE SAME AS DOING IT AND, BIBLICALLY, 37:45 WHAT DOES JESUS SAY ARE THE GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE AND 37:48 REMARRIAGE? HE SAID, IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 5, AND IN MATTHEW 37:54 CHAPTER 19 - AND THIS BRINGS ME OUT TO POINT NUMBER 9) RULE OUT 38:01 THE DIVORCE OPTION. MATTHEW 19:6, "WHAT THEREFORE GOD HAS 38:06 JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER." 38:10 "WHOSOEVER SHALL PUT AWAY HIS WIFE, EXCEPT IT BE FOR 38:13 FORNICATION, AND SHALL MARRY ANOTHER, COMMITTETH ADULTERY: 38:17 AND WHOSO MARRIETH HER WHICH IS PUT AWAY DOTH COMMIT ADULTERY." 38:22 PAUL SAYS, IN ROMANS 7, VERSE 2, "FOR THE WOMAN WHO HAS A HUSBAND 38:26 IS BOUND BY THE LAW TO HER HUSBAND AS LONG AS HE LIVES." 38:30 WITH THAT CAVEAT, EXCEPT FOR THAT EXCEPTION JESUS MAKES, 38:34 THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH THAT THEY DIVORCE WITHOUT 38:38 BIBLICAL GROUNDS AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T - YOU'VE GOT TO BE VERY 38:42 DELICATE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IT IS THE 38:45 UNPARDONABLE SIN, BECAUSE IT IS SO COMMON THAT TWO PEOPLE GET 38:52 DIVORCED BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES. 38:55 NOW, THEY CAN DIVORCE AND THEY CAN SEPARATE, BUT THEY DON'T 38:59 HAVE GROUNDS FOR REMARRIAGE AND OFTEN WHAT HAPPENS IS TWO 39:03 CHRISTIANS THAT JUST CAN'T GET ALONG - THEY DON'T HAVE BIBLICAL 39:05 GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE - THEY DIVORCE - SOMETIMES IT'S 39:09 FRIENDLY, SOMETIMES IT'S UGLY. THEY GO TO ANOTHER CHURCH, MAYBE 39:13 ONE'LL GET RE-BAPTIZED AND THEN THEY PLAY A WAITING GAME. 39:17 TO WAIT AND SEE WHO'S GOING TO COMMIT ADULTERY FIRST. 39:20 AND THEN ONCE THE OTHER ONE IS SEEN DATING ANOTHER PERSON, THEN 39:25 THEY GO AND THEY SAY, 'NOW I'VE GOT BIBLICAL GROUNDS TO 39:27 REMARRY.' AND THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH 39:29 THE SPIRIT OF ALL THAT, IN MY MIND. 39:33 IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE HOPING THE OTHER PERSON'LL FALL SO 39:35 YOU'LL BE FREE - LET YOU OUT OF THE COVENANT. 39:38 THAT'S KIND OF LIKE SAYING, 'WELL, SINCE I'M NOT FREE TO 39:40 MARRY UNTIL MY SPOUSE IS DEAD, I WISH THEY WERE DEAD.' IT'S KIND 39:44 OF LIKE THAT PRODIGAL SON, 'DAD, IF YOU WON'T HURRY UP AND DIE, 39:46 CAN YOU AT LEAST GIVE ME THE INHERITANCE SO I CAN LEAVE? 39:50 THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT SPIRIT, IS IT? 39:53 AND, YOU KNOW, OFTEN IN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, IT COULD HAVE 39:58 BEEN WORKED OUT. A LOT OF DIVORCES HAPPEN - 40:01 WELL, MOST OF THEM, BECAUSE OF SELFISHNESS. 40:05 AND WHEN WE'VE GOT THE MIND AND THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, SO MANY 40:08 MARRIAGES COULD HAVE BEEN REDEEMED. 40:11 THE SAME THING THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER - THAT KEPT THEM 40:12 TOGETHER FOR YEARS - COULD HAVE RESTORED IT. 40:16 YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE - WHEN YOU'RE CONVERTED AND YOU BECOME 40:20 A NEW CREATURE AND YOU HAVE A NEW HEART, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW 40:23 PEOPLE THAT THEIR MARRIAGES WERE ON THE ROCKS AND THEY WENT 40:26 THROUGH A CONVERSION AND THEY WORKED IT OUT AND THEY'RE DOING 40:28 FINE TODAY? DON'T ANY OF YOU KNOW ANY OF THOSE STORIES? 40:31 I KNOW LOTS OF STORIES LIKE THAT. 40:33 AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS HOPELESS. 40:35 I EVEN KNOW PEOPLE THAT WERE SEPARATED AND THEN THEY WENT 40:37 THROUGH A CONVERSION AND THEY GOT GOOD COUNSELING AND THEY 40:39 CAME TOGETHER - IT'S BETTER THAN IT EVER WAS. 40:41 THEY'LL TELL YOU SO. AND SO THESE MARRIAGES CAN BE RESTORED. 40:44 I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE, AS A PASTOR, AND TELL YOU ALL THE 40:46 GOOD REASONS TO GET DIVORCED. YOU'LL FIND THOSE ON YOUR OWN. 40:49 I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THERE ARE GOOD REASONS TO KEEP IT 40:51 TOGETHER. >>YES. 40:53 >>AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TO BE WITNESSES IN OUR SOCIETY, FOR 40:57 RECONCILIATION, FOR REDEMPTION, AMEN? 41:01 SO RULE OUT THE DIVORCE OPTION. DO ALL YOU CAN TO - THESE TIES 41:06 OF MARRIAGE ARE MEANT TO BE INDISSOLUBLE. 41:09 DIVORCE IS PERMITTED ONLY IN THOSE CASES THAT I MENTIONED. 41:12 10) DO NOT NAG OR CRITICIZE. YOU'LL HAVE A LOT HAPPIER HOME. 41:18 WE ALL HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS AND DON'T BE CONSTANTLY 41:22 FOCUSING ON YOUR SPOUSE'S FAULTS AND RIDING THEM, TRYING TO 41:26 CHANGE THAT PERSON. IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE SOMEONE, CHANGE 41:29 YOURSELF. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE OTHER PERSON. 41:32 A LOT OF PEOPLE GET MARRIED THINKING THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE 41:35 THE OTHER PERSON AND THAT DOESN'T END WELL. 41:37 BEN FRANKLIN SAID, "KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN BEFORE MARRIAGE" 41:40 - THIS IS A MESSAGE TO THE SINGLES - "KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE 41:43 OPEN BEFORE MARRIAGE AND KEEP THEM HALF SHUT AFTER MARRIAGE." 41:46 BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THERE ARE PROBLEMS. 41:49 COLOSSIANS 3, VERSE 19, "HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES 41:53 AND DO NOT BE BITTER TOWARD THEM." 41:54 HE'S TALKING ABOUT WIVES - HUSBANDS THAT ARE BADGERING OR 41:58 BEING BITTER AGAINST THEIR WIVES. 41:59 AND THEN YOU CAN READ IN PROVERBS 21:19, "BETTER TO DWELL 42:03 IN THE WILDERNESS, THAN WITH A CONTENTIOUS AND ANGRY WOMAN." 42:06 WHO WROTE THAT? SOLOMON. 42:09 HOW MANY WIVES DID HE HAVE? >>700. 42:12 >>700 AND HE HAD 300 STAND-BY CONCUBINES. 42:17 HE ALSO SAID, PROVERBS 27, VERSE 15, "A CONTINUAL DRIPPING ON A 42:23 VERY RAINY DAY AND A CONTENTIOUS WOMAN ARE ALIKE;" THERE'S ONE 42:29 MORE BUT I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT BECAUSE TWO IS ENOUGH. 42:33 YOU KNOW WHAT - DO YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF SAMSON? 42:36 HE GAVE UP HIS SECRET TWICE - ONCE TO HIS PHILISTINE FIANCÉ 42:41 BECAUSE SHE BADGERED HIM DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY AND FINALLY 42:44 HE SAID, 'OKAY, I'LL TELL YOU THE RIDDLE.' AND BECAUSE SHE 42:48 BETRAYED HIS CONFIDENCE, IT ENDED UP BREAKING UP THE 42:49 MARRIAGE. GOD WORKED THAT TOGETHER FOR GOOD. 42:52 AND THEN, WITH DELILAH - 'WHAT IS YOUR SECRET? 42:54 WHAT IS YOUR SECRET? WHAT IS YOUR SECRET?' 42:56 AND FINALLY SHE JUST KEPT AFTER HIM UNTIL, IT SAYS, 'HE 42:58 DESPAIRED OF LIFE.' NOW I'M SAYING THIS FROM A MAN'S 43:01 PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I AM A MAN. 43:03 BUT IT HAPPENS BOTH WAYS WHERE YOU CAN JUST MAKE YOUR SPOUSE 43:07 DESPAIR OF LIFE. HE WAS WILLING TO GIVE UP HIS 43:10 SECRET THAT WAS GOING TO COST HIM HIS LIFE BECAUSE OF THE DAY 43:12 AFTER DAY AFTER DAY - SO DON'T NAG. DON'T BADGER. 43:16 DON'T CRITICIZE. ENCOURAGE - IT GOES A LONG WAY 43:19 TO ENCOURAGE AND APPRECIATE EACH OTHER. AND, YOU KNOW, MEN LIKE 43:23 TO BE APPRECIATED FOR - WHEN WE ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. 43:25 WE'RE VERY TASK-ORIENTED AND SOMETIMES WE FIX SOMETHING AND 43:29 WE THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO GET A MEDAL. 43:31 THE WIFE IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST APPLAUD. 43:33 AND SHE GOES, 'OH THAT'S YOUR JOB.' 'BUT...' OUR ICE MAKER 43:38 WENT OUT ON OUR REFRIGERATOR, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T HAVE 43:42 BEEN SO BAD EXCEPT IT WAS JUST GONE OUT OF WARRANTY - IT WAS A 43:44 BRAND - IT'S A FAIRLY NEW REFRIGERATOR. 43:47 AND IT'S ONE OF THESE NEW ONES THAT'S GOT ALL THE COMPUTER 43:49 THINGS IN IT AND I KEPT TRYING TO FIX IT. 43:53 YOU KNOW, I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT I JUST WANT TO FIX 43:55 EVERYTHING MYSELF. I'M PRETTY HANDY AROUND THE 43:57 HOUSE BUT I COULDN'T FIGURE THIS OUT. 43:59 IT HAD ALL THESE COMPUTER THINGS IN IT AND SO WE DEFROSTED IT AND 44:02 I TRIED ALL THESE THINGS. I COULDN'T GET - BRAND 44:04 NEW - NOTHING'S BROKEN. WHY DID IT STOP WORKING? 44:06 I GOT ONLINE - YOU CAN FIND ALMOST ANYTHING ONLINE. 44:09 >>AMEN. >>I FOUND OUT HOW TO FIX A 44:11 REFRIGERATOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND SO I FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS. 44:16 I WASN'T GOING TO CALL - A FRIEND I PLAY RACQUETBALL WITH 44:19 SAID HE CALLED IN A REFRIGERATOR REPAIRMAN WHO JUST MOVED A 44:22 LITTLE ICE TRAY BAR - CHARGED HIM $300.00. 44:24 I'M NOT CALLING ANYBODY. I SAID I'M GOING 44:26 TO FIX THE THING. NOTHING PERSONAL IF YOU HAPPEN 44:31 TO BE AN APPLIANCE REPAIRMAN OUT THERE. 44:34 I GOT ONLINE, I FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS, I DID THE TEST, I 44:36 WATCHED THE VIDEO, I ORDERED THE COMPUTERIZED PARTS AND I 44:39 INSTALLED THESE TWO CIRCUIT BOARDS AND CLOSED THE DOOR AND I 44:44 STOOD THERE AND KAREN'S AT HER DESK. 44:45 ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD IT GO KA-CHHHHH - IT WAS WORKING! 44:48 THE WATER WAS RUNNING INTO THE ICE MAKER AND I DID A DANCE - I 44:51 SAID, 'IT'S WORKING, DEAR!' 'OH, GOOD.' (LAUGHTER) I SAID, 44:56 'I JUST THROUGH A COMPUTER CIRCUIT I PLUGGED IT - TOOK IT 45:00 APART - PUT IT TOGETHER - IT'S WORKING!' 45:03 'THAT'S GOOD, DEAR.' (LAUGHTER) AND THEN A LITTLE WHILE LATER, 45:07 WHEN WE HEARD THE ICE GO KA-CLUNK AND IT MADE ITS FIRST 45:10 BATCH OF ICE I SAID, 'DID YOU HEAR THAT? 45:12 THAT'S MUSIC TO MY EARS.' 'HEAR WHAT?' 45:14 I SAID, 'THE ICE MAKER IS WORKING!' 45:18 I JUST WANTED SOME AFFIRMATION. SHE JUST NEEDS TO - 45:21 'DOUG, YOU'RE BRILLIANT!' - SOMETHING LIKE THAT! 45:23 (LAUGHTER) I MEAN, IT'S NOT HARD, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T COST 45:29 ANYTHING. I WAS JUST FISHING FOR 'YOU'RE A GENIUS! 45:34 I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE A - WE SAVED $300.00 - BLESS YOU!' 45:39 DON'T CRITICIZE, ENCOURAGE, AMEN? 45:42 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4 - LOVE LOOKS FOR A WAY OF BEING CONSTRUCTIVE 45:47 - THAT'S THE PHILIPS TRANSLATION. 45:49 A HUSBAND AND WIFE MAY HAVE THEIR PROBLEMS BUT YOU NEED TO 45:54 ENCOURAGE THEM WHEN YOU CAN AND WHEN THERE ARE MISTAKES, YOU'VE 45:56 GOT TO LEARN TO LAUGH WITH EACH OTHER - THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM 45:59 LAUGHING AT THE OTHER PERSON'S EXPENSE. 46:01 I HAVE SEEN VERY EMBARRASSING SITUATIONS WHERE A HUSBAND AND 46:06 WIFE ARE TOGETHER AND, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THIS POOR WOMAN 46:10 OR MAN, THE SPOUSE IS ALWAYS MAKING JOKES AT THEIR EXPENSE 46:15 AND THEY KIND OF DROP THEIR HEAD AND THEY LAUGH A LITTLE BIT, BUT 46:17 YOU CAN TELL IT HURTS THEM. THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING PUT 46:20 DOWN AND THEY'RE LAUGHING AT THEIR EXPENSE AND THAT'S NOT 46:24 THE KIND OF LAUGHING WITH EACH OTHER. 46:27 AND - I KNOW KAREN AND I WERE OUT DOING YARD WORK AND I GO AND 46:30 I TURN ON THE HOSE AND DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE HOSE HAD SPLIT 46:34 AND IT STARTS TO SPRAY AND GET ME ALL WET AND SHE STARTS 46:38 LAUGHING. I SAID, 'WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?' 46:40 SHE SAID, 'THAT HAPPENED TO ME. I FORGOT TO TELL YOU.' 46:41 (LAUGHTER) 'THE HOSE NEEDS FIXING.' 'THANKS A LOT!' 46:46 BUT, YOU KNOW, AT TIMES WE'LL HAVE A LAUGH TOGETHER - YOU'RE 46:48 LAUGHING - BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR. 46:51 YOU CAN DEFUSE A LOT OF TENSION IN RELATIONSHIPS BY BEING ABLE 46:56 TO VENT AND LAUGH AT YOURSELVES - AND EVEN LAUGH AT YOUR HUMAN 47:01 WEAKNESSES AND SAY - DON'T LAUGH AT THE OTHER, BUT LAUGH AT YOUR 47:04 OWN. IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR 47:06 THE OTHER TO FORGIVE YOU. SO HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR. 47:09 11) BE CLEAN, ORDERLY, ON TIME, AND INDUSTRIOUS. 47:16 YOU NOTICE HOW I'M LUMPING ALL THESE TOGETHER? 47:19 JUST SOME PRACTICAL THINGS. YOU'D BE SURPRISED. 47:23 A LOT OF FAMILIES - YOU GET ONE THAT'S REAL CLEAN AND ONE THAT 47:25 IS NOT. ONE IS REAL ORGANIZED AND ONE THAT IS NOT. 47:29 AND IT CAUSES NO SMALL AMOUNT OF CONSTERNATION IN THE FAMILY AND 47:33 ONE - I WON'T ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD BE 47:35 VERY AWKWARD, WHICH IS WHICH, THAT ONE ALWAYS FEELS LIKE 'I 47:41 GET IT ALL ORGANIZED. I CAN'T THINK UNLESS IT'S 47:42 ORGANIZED.' AND THE OTHER ONE IS A PACK RAT. 47:46 AND GOD, IN HIS DIVINE, COSMIC HUMOR, SOMETIMES PAIRS THESE 47:51 PEOPLE TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE NORMAL FAMILY OUT OF TWO EXTREME 47:53 PEOPLE. (LAUGHTER) HOPEFULLY THE KIDS 47:56 HAVE A CHANCE IF THEY GET A LITTLE OF BOTH SIDES. 47:59 BUT BEING CONSIDERATE OF YOUR SPOUSE - KEEPING A HOUSE NEAT 48:05 AND CLEAN AND ORDERLY - HAVING A SCHEDULE - BEING ON TIME WHEN 48:11 YOU COME AND YOU GO DIFFERENT PLACES. 48:14 KAREN AND I HAVE DIFFERENT CLOCKS AND I LIKE TO ALWAYS BE 48:23 EARLY. I WENT TO MILITARY SCHOOL. 48:25 I FIGURE IF YOU'RE ON TIME, YOU'RE LATE SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO 48:27 BE EARLY. SHE LIKES TO JUST CUT IT RIGHT 48:30 AT THE WIRE AND I GET STRESSED. SO WE HAVE TWO CARS TO COME TO 48:35 CHURCH AND WE HAVE MARITAL BLISS NOW BECAUSE SHE COMES A LITTLE 48:38 LATER THAN I COME AND I LEAVE A LITTLE SOONER THAT SHE DOES. 48:42 ONCE SHE'S WITH PEOPLE, SHE'LL STAY ALL DAY LONG. 48:44 SHE'LL BE THERE - THE DEACON'S WAITING TO LOCK THE DOOR AND 48:46 KAREN'S VISITING WITH THE LAST PERSON. 48:48 GREAT PASTOR'S WIFE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY AND IT'S A 48:50 BLESSING. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO 48:53 UNDERSTAND THAT - HOW YOUR SPOUSE TREATS THE TIME AND TO 48:59 BE CONSIDERATE OF THOSE THINGS. DON'T BE LAZY. IF ONE IS DOING 49:05 ALL THE OTHER - ALL THE WORK - AND ONE IS LAYING AROUND, THE 49:09 BIBLE SAYS - 1 TIMOTHY 5:8 - 'BE NOT SLOTHFUL.' 1 CORINTHIANS 49:14 14:40, "LET ALL THINGS BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER." 49:18 "IF ANY PROVIDE NOT FOR THOSE OF HIS OWN HOUSE, HE IS DENYING THE 49:22 FAITH AND IS WORSE THAN AN INFIDEL." 49:25 HAVING A HUSBAND THAT IS LAZY AND SLOTHFUL IS BAD FOR THE 49:30 FAMILY AND A DENIAL OF THE FAITH. 49:33 SO BEING CLEAN, ORDERLY, ON TIME AND INDUSTRIOUS, THESE ARE 49:35 BASICS THAT WILL HELP BRING HARMONY INTO YOUR MARRIAGE. 49:39 AND ALL OF US HAVE WEAKNESSES IN THESE AREAS AND ALL OF US CAN DO 49:41 BETTER, AMEN? IN THESE THINGS. TIME IS THE STUFF THAT LIFE IS 49:46 MADE OF, SO BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD 49:48 SCHEDULE IN YOUR FAMILY. 12) LOVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER. 49:57 IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT 'WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF IT?' 49:59 I WANT TO MARRY THIS PERSON BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO 50:01 DO FOR ME.' BUT JESUS DOESN'T THINK THAT WAY. 50:04 JESUS CAME TO THIS WORLD BECAUSE OF WHAT HE COULD DO FOR US. 50:08 HE SAID, "THE SON OF MAN" - MATTHEW 20, VERSE 28 - "DID NOT 50:13 COME TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM 50:17 FOR MANY." SEE YOUR SPOUSE AS SOMEBODY, 50:20 BEFORE WHOM, YOU CAN MODEL CHRIST BY BEING A SERVANT. 50:24 AND EVEN IF - THOSE WHO ARE SINGLES - LOOK FOR LIVES OF 50:26 SERVICE - OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OTHERS. 50:28 HEARD ABOUT THIS YOUNG COUPLE, THEY HAD GOTTEN MARRIED, CAME 50:34 BACK FROM THE HONEYMOON AND MOVED INTO THE NEW HOME THAT 50:36 THEY HAD PURCHASED AND AFTER THE FIRST DAY IN THE NEW HOME THE 50:39 WIFE WAS UPSTAIRS AND WHEN SHE WOKE UP, THE HUSBAND IS COMING 50:42 UPSTAIRS AND HE'S GOT BREAKFAST ON A TRAY WITH A FLOWER AND HE 50:49 BRINGS IT AND HE SETS IT DOWN ON THE BED AND SHE SITS UP AND 50:52 SHE'S RUBBING HER EYES AND SHE'S SMILING. 50:54 HE SAYS, 'SEE WHAT I DID FOR YOU, SWEETIE?' 50:56 'OH, THIS IS SO KIND.' 'SEE, SEE THE TOAST - HOW I DID IT?' 51:01 HE SAYS, 'IT'S NOT BURNT, IT'S NOT WHITE, IT'S JUST GOLDEN 51:05 BROWN. AND THE EGGS, THEY'RE NOT RUNNY. 51:08 THEY'RE SCRAMBLED JUST RIGHT. 51:10 SEE, I'VE GOT YOUR TEA IN THE BACK - IT'S STILL HOT. 51:12 SEE WHAT I DID.' 'OH, YOU'RE SUCH A DARLING!' 51:16 HER EYES ARE TEARING UP AND SHE SAID, 'I MARRIED THE BEST MAN IN 51:18 THE WORLD AND...' AND THEN HE SAID, 'THIS IS HOW I'LL BE 51:22 EXPECTING MY BREAKFAST EVERY DAY FROM HERE ON.' (LAUGHTER) 51:29 SERVE OTHERS NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE. 51:35 SERVE OTHERS BECAUSE YOU JUST LOVE THEM, EXPECTING NOTHING IN 51:39 RETURN. DIDN'T JESUS SAY GIVE 51:41 EXPECTING NOTHING IN RETURN? LOVE SERVES. 51:45 1 CORINTHIANS 7:33, "BUT HE WHO IS MARRIED CARES ABOUT THE 51:49 THINGS OF THE WORLD - HOW HE MAY PLEASE HIS WIFE." 51:52 NOTICE, PAUL SAYS HE THAT IS MARRIED CARES HOW HE MAY PLEASE 51:55 HIS WIFE. THEN HE GOES ON AND HE SAYS, "BUT SHE WHO IS MARRIED 51:59 CARES...HOW SHE MAY PLEASE HER HUSBAND." 52:01 WE OUGHT TO BE LIVING LIVES WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO 52:05 PLEASE THE OTHER PERSON. YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE: YOU 52:08 TREAT YOUR WIFE LIKE A QUEEN AND SHE WILL TREAT YOU LIKE A KING. 52:12 AND SO GIVE AND IT WILL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU. 52:17 THIS IS JUST A RULE OF LIFE. 52:18 YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU GIVE. 52:20 AND I HEARD ONE PASTOR SAY ONE TIME THAT MEN, TYPICALLY, ARE 52:29 PRODUCERS AND WOMEN ARE PROCESSORS. 52:34 AND A MAN, THROUGH AN ACT OF LOVE GIVES A WOMAN A SEED AND 52:39 SHE WILL THEN PROCESS IT FOR NINE MONTHS AND GIVE HIM A BABY. 52:43 AND YOU MIGHT BRING HOME SOME MONEY - YOU GIVE HER SOME 52:46 GROCERIES AND SHE WILL PROCESS THEM AND MAKE A BEAUTIFUL MEAL. 52:49 I KNOW THIS IS VERY TRADITIONAL - I'M SPEAKING - YOU CAN DEAL 52:51 WITH ME LATER. (LAUGHTER) BUT IF YOU GIVE YOUR WIFE A HARD TIME 52:59 SHE WILL PROCESS THAT TOO AND GIVE IT BACK TO YOU. 53:02 (LAUGHTER) AND SO, YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU GIVE. 53:07 IF YOU GIVE AFFECTION, THAT'LL BE PROCESSED AND RETURNED. 53:13 IF YOU GIVE A HARD TIME, THAT'LL BE PROCESSED AND RETURNED. 53:17 AND SO, LOVE - TRY AND OUT LOVE EACH OTHER. 53:20 READ 1 CORINTHIANS 13 - I'LL START WITH VERSE 4, "LOVE 53:24 SUFFERS LONG AND IS KIND; LOVE DOES NOT ENVY; LOVE DOES NOT 53:28 PARADE ITSELF, IS NOT PUFFED UP;" - IT'S NOT PROUD. 53:32 SOMETIMES - SO MANY TIMES - IN MARRIAGES THERE'S STRIFE BECAUSE 53:35 SOMEONE'S PRIDE WAS OFFENDED - LOVE "DOES NOT BEHAVE RUDELY, 53:40 DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN, IT'S NOT PROVOKED, THINKS NO EVIL;" - 53:44 PURITY OF THOUGHT - "DOES NOT REJOICE IN INIQUITY, BUT 53:47 REJOICES IN THE TRUTH; BEARS ALL THINGS," - PATIENCE IN OUR 53:51 RELATIONSHIPS - "BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES IN ALL THINGS, 53:54 ENDURES ALL THINGS. LOVE NEVER FAILS." 53:59 THAT'S THE KIND OF LOVE - A LOVE THAT ENDURES. 54:03 JESUS SAID HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED. 54:06 GOD WANTS US TO HAVE MARRIAGES THAT WAY, WHERE WE FINISH WELL. 54:09 AMEN, FRIENDS? DON'T YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND 54:12 OF LOVE IN OUR HOME AND THIS IS HOW WE WILL HAVE A STRONG CHURCH 54:17 - STRONG FAMILIES - AND IT'LL AFFECT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY AND 54:20 OUR COUNTRY, IF WE COULD JUST HAVE A REVIVAL OF THE BIBLICAL 54:23 CONCEPT OF LOVE IN OUR MARRIAGES. 54:26 GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE THAT KIND OF A HOME. (MUSIC) 54:38 >>TODAY'S SMART PHONES ARE A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE OF 54:40 INFORMATION THAT FITS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. 54:43 IT'S A GOOD THING WE HAVE OPPOSABLE THUMBS. 54:45 WITH IT, YOU CAN BUY YOUR GROCERIES, TAKE CARE OF YOUR 54:49 EXERCISE REGIME, WATCH A VIDEO, LISTEN TO MUSIC, YOU CAN SURF 54:53 THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD WIDE WEB, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE A 54:57 GOOD THING. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS MORE 54:59 COMPUTER PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY AND POWER IN A LITTLE SMART 55:03 PHONE TODAY THAN WAS USED BY NASA TO PUT A MAN ON THE MOON. 55:07 AND I ALMOST FORGOT, YOU CAN ALSO USE THESE TO MAKE A PHONE 55:10 CALL - BUT WHO DOES THAT ANYMORE? 55:12 TODAY COMMUNICATION IS NOT IN COMPLETE SENTENCES. 55:15 IT'S ALL ABOUT SHORT MESSAGE SERVICING OR SMS TEXTING. 55:19 THAT'S RIGHT, THERE ARE ABOUT 2.5 BILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD 55:24 TODAY THAT ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR FELLOW HUMANS IN 55:27 SHORT BYTES CALLED TEXTING. THAT'S MORE DATA THAT IS BEING 55:31 USED THAN THOSE WHO ARE SURFING THE WEB OR EVEN 55:33 PLAYING VIDEO GAMES. AND FRIENDS, NOWHERE IS THIS 55:35 MORE TRUE THAN RIGHT HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES. 55:38 EVEN THOUGH THE PHILIPPINES HAS ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE, 55:41 THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LARGEST NUMBER OF TEXT MESSAGES 55:44 OF ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. THEY'RE THE TWELFTH LARGEST 55:47 COUNTRY, BUT THEY SEND 400 MILLION TEXT MESSAGES EVERY DAY. 55:52 WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF FINGER FATIGUE. 55:56 EVEN THOUGH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF TEXTERS IS HERE IN THE 55:58 PHILIPPINES, THE RECORD FOR THE FASTEST TEXTER IN THE WORLD IS 56:02 FROM BRAZIL. A YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME OF MARCEL 56:04 FERNANDEZ FILHO, HE WAS ABLE TO TEXT 25 VERY COMPLICATED WORDS 56:09 IN A LITTLE MORE THAN 18 SECONDS. 56:11 WOW, IT TAKES ME LONGER THAN THAT TO JUST SAY 'I LOVE YOU' TO 56:14 MY WIFE AND PRESS SEND - ALL THUMBS. 56:18 ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT TEXTING IS YOU CAN TEXT JUST 56:20 ABOUT ANYWHERE. IF YOU'RE SURROUNDED WITH PEOPLE 56:23 AND YOU WANT TO SEND A PERSONAL MESSAGE, YOU TEXT. 56:25 IF YOU'RE IN A CROWDED SUBWAY OR AN AIRPORT, YOU CAN TEXT. 56:28 IF YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY NOISE OR NOSY PEOPLE, YOU CAN TEXT. 56:32 JUST DON'T TEXT WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING. 56:34 THAT'S WHAT'S SO WONDERFUL, FRIENDS, YOU CAN ALWAYS TEXT GOD 56:37 A MESSAGE OF PRAYER FROM YOUR HEART. 56:40 WHEN YOU'RE WONDERING, 'WHAT SCHOOL DO I GO TO?' 56:42 'WHAT JOB DO I TAKE?' 'WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO DATE THAT 56:45 MAY BE A FUTURE LIFE PARTNER?' YOUR PRAYERS DON'T 56:47 HAVE TO BE LONG. THE SHORTEST PRAYER IN THE BIBLE 56:49 IS THREE WORDS, WHEN PETER PRAYED, 'LORD, SAVE ME.' AND 56:53 JESUS ANSWERED HIS PRAYER. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW FAST 56:55 YOU CAN TEXT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO GOD. 56:58 HE'LL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AND HEAR YOUR PRAYER BEFORE 57:01 YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY 'AMEN' AND PRESS THE SEND BUTTON. 57:04 IN FACT, FRIENDS, YOU'LL BRING JOY TO GOD WHEN YOU SEND HIM 57:07 REGULAR MESSAGES FROM YOUR HEART TO HIS. 57:10 SO WHY DON'T YOU TALK TO HIM RIGHT NOW? 57:12 (MUSIC) 57:24 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES VISIT 57:26 AFBOOKSTORE.COM OR CALL 1-800-538-7275. 57:33 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 57:37 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 57:41 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF 57:44 PEOPLE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? 57:48 WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF REST? 57:50 DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 57:53 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S 57:56 LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT SABBATHTRUTH.COM . 58:03 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-02-20