Welcome to
Marriage Heart to Heart
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We are Tom & Alane Waters
with Restoration International
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And today we're gonna discussing
how to build a Sure Foundation.
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So we hope you have a pencil
and paper to take some notes
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as we talk about
this topic today.
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It does make a
difference, doesn't it?
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To have a pen and paper!
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It does! I remember so much
more when I write things down.
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Even if I never
look at the list again!
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That's right!
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- It just sinks it in better.
- Sinks it into the mind.
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You know, Christ is our Creator.
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He created life in us.
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And He's the One Who
gave us the marriage relation.
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He's the One that
started it all, back then.
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Christ is also the Author
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of the Word of God!
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The Scriptures
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and Christ is the
Word that was made flesh.
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And He was made flesh for us!
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He came here to
demonstrate how to live
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a life that He wants us to live.
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Not only is He made flesh
but when He was made flesh He
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became our Redeemer!
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And we need Him as a
personal Savior don't we dear?
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Every day!
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That's what's
made the difference
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in our real Christian life, not
our professed Christian life.
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But Christ has made that
difference and He's continuing
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to make that difference.
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And we need Him as our
personal Guide through His Word.
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So, if we look at the
Word that was made flesh,
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the Holy Word, the Word of God
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we need to take
that from the table,
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or take that from the paper,
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and it needs to
become a part of us.
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To become a practical
part of our daily lives.
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And that is where we
find our Sure Foundation.
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We struggled.
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Especially in the
early part of our marriage,
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because we knew a lot about this
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but it was not
our Sure Foundation,
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in the way we
really lived our lives.
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That's right! It was
just whatever I thought
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or what I
remembered or how I was raised
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and the same with you. - Yes!
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And because we came
from such very backgrounds
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and different talents
and strengths and weaknesses
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it was important
that we established
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where our
foundation was in our home.
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And when people don't have
a foundation to their marriage
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their marriage isn't gonna
stand in this time that we live!
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I mean is gonna hit difficulties
and trials and is gonna crumble.
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And that's what's
happening all around us!
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So, is it enough?
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You know, we read
in our Sure Foundation,
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that we need to not be
unequally yoked together.
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Ok? That's a principle.
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So,
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many people
think that that, well,
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we need to be the same religion,
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you know, we need
to have the same basic,
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you know, church believes.
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Is that enough? Is
that a Sure Foundation?
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It's not The Foundation! No!
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It's important and even if
we don't have that, if that
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isn't in the relationship,
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there's still
principles from the Bible,
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if one is a
Christian and one isn't.
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That the person who
is can build that because
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everything in God's Word is only
gonna make our marriages better!
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So if we have a
believer and an unbeliever,
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a Christian and a No
Christian in a marriage union,
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that Christian can
still build of the Word of God
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as their foundation.
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That's right!
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And they can change or they
can strengthen their marriage
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by having that!
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Isn't it true also that
even if we're talking to
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a No Christian couple
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that they're still benefiting
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even if they haven't
even open God's Word!
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They're benefiting
from the Sure Foundation.
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That's right!
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'Cause
everything comes from God!
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That's right!
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So, I wanna go back to
our early experience again.
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Because we were Bible believing,
professing Christians.
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Went to the same church, - Yes
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participated in the same
activities, helped to lead out
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in some of the same
departments - That's right!
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And yet, it wasn't enough!
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We still, were not
living our day to day life,
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by every word that
proceeds from the Mouth of God.
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Jesus said: "Men shall
not live on bread alone
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but by every word that
proceeds from the Mouth of God!"
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So, is it fair to say that
it was a part of our lives but
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it wasn't the
foundation of our lives.
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Yes! It was
definitely a part of our lives!
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But it was not a
practical part of our lives.
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And that's what
becomes foundational.
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And so, we knew a lot of things,
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we could talk
about a lot of things,
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we could even share things.
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And I think this is
something that maybe
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some of our
viewers have experienced.
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It's not enough to
even know the Word of God!
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We can know the Word of
God, we can talk about it
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one day a week,
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we can
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memorize the Word of God, but
if it is not our Sure Foundation
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if it is not
guiding us in real life,
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that's what we need
to think about! Because
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What we started to see
as our eyes were opened
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is that we weren't living
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yet we knew a lot of this,
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we believed in it, we
even given Bible studies
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but it was not really governing
our lives as you said, as the
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foundation of our lives!
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So the how we
related to each other
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was not based of
what we knew was right!
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It was based of how
we felt at the moment.
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Yes!
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And that's why
there was problems.
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That's right! Because knowing
God's Word is not the same
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as knowing God's Word as it is
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when we're
surrendered to Jesus Christ!
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And experiencing the Word
of God working in our lives
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in a very powerful way! - Yes!
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And you've heard
us mention James 1:19.
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It's a very good marriage text!
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But it's also a very
practical illustration for me,
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when I came into our marriage!
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I knew this verse: "let
every man be swift to hear,
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and slow to speak,
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and slow to wrath"
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And I use this illustration,
I use this text because
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that came right out of our Sure
Foundation, the Word of God!
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But it was not in my
heart as a practical reality
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of how I lived daily life.
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If you could've been
around me at the time that
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I married my dear wife
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you would've seen very
quickly that James 1:19 had
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no practical relevance
to my Christian experience!
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Now, I wasn't a
bad person! I wasn't
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you know, getting in
to all kinds of problems
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and everything. I was just
like one of the good old boys.
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Like most of the people
that we went to church with.
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- Isn't that right? - Yes!
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- Like most people! -
Just like most people!
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James 1:19 did not have real
significance as a foundation
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in our marriage! Did it?
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No1 For neither one of us!
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I mean we knew it but
we didn't experience it!
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And we use this illustration
because this is vital!
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The difference in our lives
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since we've come to
make God's Word practical
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has not just been a
difference as a Christian.
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It's made The Difference
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in our marriage! -
It has! It's given us
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common ground to start with.
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And the foundation, like I
said that when things come up
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that would
shake, they don't shake!
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Because we go back to the
Word of God, we find there
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the foundation of how
we resolve conflict, how we
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we work with
difficulties or trials,
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how we raise our children.
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- That's right!
- It's all there!
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Well, I wanna take
that verse James 1:19,
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I wanna take it little farther.
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I wanna get something
more out of this because
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I know what God began to show me
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I wasnt swift to hear! In
fact I was just the opposite.
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And I think many of you know
exactly what I'm talking about.
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In real life regard of the
fact that I had the Word of God
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and I knew what
the Word of God said
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I didn't have a vital connection
to the power of Jesus Christ.
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A life changing gospel therefore
I was not swift to hear.
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I was swift to speak!
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Just ask my wife!
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I was swift to say whatever
came out of my thoughts!
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And I was slow to hear!
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Right?
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Sometimes that was true.
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And instead of being slow
to wrath, which we could say,
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slow to
irritation, slow to get upset,
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I was very quick.
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So, how can this be?
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How can we say that we
believe in the Word of God?
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And that this is our Sure
Foundation, which I believe that
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most, I hope that most
of our viewing audience
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would say that the Word of God
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is the foundation
of the Christian life.
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Even if you are watching
today and you're not involved in
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the Word of God, you would say:
That's the basis of Christianity
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and the basis of
a true marriage. "
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So, why is it?
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that we can have all
this Word and it doesn't
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become a practical
part of our daily life?
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Where does that leave us?
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Well it leaves us to failure.
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That's right!
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That's the only
place that can leave us.
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Because I'm gonna
respond in my first thought.
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The "me focus".
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And you're gonna respond in your
first thought, the "me focus"
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and therefore we don't treat
each other the way we should.
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You know, even the Golden Rule:
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"Do unto others what you
would have them do unto you!"
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I mean that's very simple
to understand, many children
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have it memorized,
we've known it for years!
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That's right!
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But certainly didn't
understand how that operated
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in our marriage until we
brought this in to reality
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in our home.
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- So, - And that
made the difference!
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Then is safe to say that what
we're trying to discuss today is
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making this Sure Foundation
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a reality!
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Make it real! Absolutely!
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And in order to make that! This
is the Word that became flesh.
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This Word was
embodied in Jesus Christ!
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And in order for
us to be successful
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if we say that we believe
in the Bible as Christians
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and It's going to
be our Sure Foundation
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then what we're encouraging
you today to consider
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maybe in a new way is
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that it's not enough
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to profess Christianity!
It's not enough to say:
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"I believe in God's Word!"
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It's not enough to
say: "I'm a Christian!"
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Because a Christian is
00:11:07.97\00:11:09.61
Christ like.
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That's where
the name comes from.
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And so, we need to pray
that God will help us move.
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And that's what we did:
to move from the theoretical
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to the practical.
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To make it real in our lives!
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And so, this may sound
very simplistic to you out there
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but what we began to do and
the first thing we did is we
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started to surrender ourselves
to Christ in a new way.
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That means: when I'm
surrendering to Christ
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I'm surrendering to the
Word that was made flesh.
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Now I'm gonna surrender to His
Word that's here in the Bible.
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And I'm gonna surrender my
will to do His will as revealed
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in His Word. And we
started praying together.
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We started praying
together that we would begin to
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live out the principles
of God's Word in real life.
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Not just to say that
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I believe I should be "swift
to hear and slow to speak"
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And it started
revolutionizing our marriage.
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It did! It started
changing everything about us!
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Because it brought me and it
brought you to the realization
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that we're gonna start
treating each other the way
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we know we should
be treating each other.
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Amen!
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And that made a huge difference!
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It wasn't even like New Light!
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No not at all!
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It was just like: do
what we know was right to do!
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And so, we made
that commitment together,
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when we prayed we
made that commitment.
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That we're gonna
let God's Word truly be:
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"a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path!"
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as it David expresses in Psalms.
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That's right!
00:12:35.63\00:12:36.60
And that changed
the whole direction.
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It gave us a difference in
how we started communicating.
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You started listening more.
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And I started listening also.
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It changed on how we
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raised our children.
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Absolutely!
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You know "train up a
child in the way he should go"
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and "teach your
children to obey you!"
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These were things that
we knew intellectually.
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We knew were good,
but it wasn't happening.
00:13:00.47\00:13:02.95
An when those things
aren't happening in the home
00:13:03.34\00:13:05.66
that develops
those areas for conflict.
00:13:05.69\00:13:08.19
Yes! And I think where we
found discouragement sometimes
00:13:08.23\00:13:12.03
and I think some of you
listening today, is that we can
00:13:12.06\00:13:15.83
know these things and
we can know that Jesus,
00:13:15.86\00:13:18.57
said: "If you know these things
happy are ye if you do them!"
00:13:18.61\00:13:21.50
The difficulty is,
00:13:22.16\00:13:23.28
and we experienced this,
00:13:23.66\00:13:25.11
when we see what's right to do,
00:13:25.93\00:13:27.57
are we gonna do it
in our own strength?
00:13:27.61\00:13:29.54
Are we gonna try to do this,
'cause now I got to do it right!
00:13:29.58\00:13:34.33
And we found that we cannot,
we don't have the strength!
00:13:35.58\00:13:38.56
Our will power is not
the power to overcome sin!
00:13:39.33\00:13:44.41
That's right!
00:13:44.44\00:13:45.41
Our will power is choice
power! Is the power God gives us
00:13:45.42\00:13:49.01
that we can make a
choice to connect our weakness
00:13:49.51\00:13:51.97
with the enduring
strength of Jesus Christ!
00:13:52.00\00:13:54.43
And that's what
started changing us!
00:13:54.70\00:13:55.95
Not pulling
ourselves up by our bootstraps,
00:13:56.36\00:13:58.22
or gritting our
teeth. - Or trying hard!
00:13:58.57\00:14:00.29
Trying harder!
00:14:00.32\00:14:01.52
It was really allowing
ourselves not only to find
00:14:01.75\00:14:05.42
the Word of God but
to find the Power of God
00:14:05.45\00:14:07.80
to live those principles!
00:14:07.83\00:14:09.10
And we've experienced the
happiest days of our lives,
00:14:09.76\00:14:12.81
as a result!
00:14:12.84\00:14:13.86
Yet, every time we just you know
we find an area that we don't
00:14:15.05\00:14:18.59
see eye to eye on,
00:14:18.62\00:14:20.09
or we don't understand
00:14:20.12\00:14:21.52
we start searching the
Word of God to find the answers.
00:14:21.56\00:14:24.13
- That's right! - And
that's where you will find
00:14:24.16\00:14:26.14
many of your challenges
resolved in the Word of God!
00:14:26.65\00:14:31.23
Because there God has a
solutions for every problem!
00:14:31.74\00:14:34.44
This is something we've said to
one another and we believed it
00:14:34.72\00:14:37.52
and we have found it to be true
00:14:37.55\00:14:39.17
and you can find
that same thing too.
00:14:39.21\00:14:40.91
That's right!
00:14:41.58\00:14:42.55
You know, the society
that we live in today,
00:14:42.96\00:14:45.56
one of the reasons
that we find the immorality
00:14:46.08\00:14:50.49
and the crime and all the things
that we know are out there
00:14:51.31\00:14:56.85
is because we've left
00:14:57.62\00:14:59.96
the Sure Foundation.
00:15:01.60\00:15:02.64
We've gone to shaky ground.
00:15:03.65\00:15:05.32
We aren't finding
the lamp unto our feet
00:15:05.48\00:15:10.02
and the light into our path.
00:15:10.05\00:15:11.57
And therefore
the path gets dark.
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.12
And that's why we can
live in the society today,
00:15:13.76\00:15:16.74
that is accepting
00:15:16.92\00:15:20.06
things like
00:15:21.07\00:15:22.46
same sex marriages.
00:15:23.84\00:15:24.85
There's no way that
that would've been acceptable
00:15:25.60\00:15:28.53
even twenty years ago,
00:15:28.56\00:15:30.05
in the public eye.
00:15:30.57\00:15:31.98
Because much of society has
moved away from the sure guide,
00:15:32.23\00:15:37.69
the Sure Foundation.
00:15:37.72\00:15:39.40
And so the foundation of
our society is crumbling.
00:15:39.55\00:15:42.90
And the
foundation of many homes is.
00:15:43.32\00:15:45.19
- That's right!
- We can't change
00:15:45.22\00:15:46.47
our society, we can
only allow God to change us.
00:15:46.50\00:15:49.62
And family by family, couple
by couple we can change the way
00:15:49.92\00:15:54.25
our communities
operate, we can change
00:15:54.28\00:15:56.08
the society in which we live
00:15:56.11\00:15:57.62
if we're willing to put
ourselves back on the Sure Word,
00:15:57.66\00:16:01.02
the foundation that is gonna
be strong an bring us through.
00:16:01.05\00:16:04.38
- And so, - That's right!
00:16:05.06\00:16:06.13
having made that commitment
00:16:06.16\00:16:07.20
we've addressed every area
in our lives as husband and wife
00:16:07.23\00:16:11.45
as parents,
00:16:11.96\00:16:13.65
and as
individuals, in our friendships,
00:16:13.69\00:16:16.18
in relationship with
other people, in our work ethics
00:16:16.22\00:16:19.17
in every area, we have
brought the Scriptures,
00:16:19.57\00:16:23.10
the Word of God to
be the test for our life
00:16:23.13\00:16:26.63
for how we
respond, - That's right!
00:16:26.66\00:16:27.89
our decisions.
00:16:27.92\00:16:29.12
Well, this is exciting,
00:16:29.98\00:16:31.16
but we need to
take a break right now.
00:16:31.20\00:16:32.97
So stay with us
and when we come back,
00:16:33.00\00:16:34.74
we're gonna talk about
how we can build on this:
00:16:34.77\00:16:38.09
God's Word, a Sure Foundation!
00:16:38.12\00:16:40.53
There are many "How
to?" books available,
00:16:45.92\00:16:47.93
but there's one that's free
and perfect for every couple:
00:16:47.97\00:16:51.18
how you can "Build
a Better Marriage".
00:16:51.62\00:16:53.60
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is given in a lighthearted,
00:16:54.00\00:16:57.73
easy-to-read manner,
00:16:57.76\00:16:58.86
for those contemplating
marriage, newlyweds,
00:16:58.89\00:17:01.66
couples in their golden years,
00:17:01.69\00:17:03.40
and everyone in-between.
00:17:03.43\00:17:05.31
Simply call or write
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00:17:05.50\00:17:07.83
amazing little
booklet, a handy little tool
00:17:07.86\00:17:10.21
to help build a better marriage.
00:17:10.37\00:17:12.33
Welcome back! We're talking
about the Sure Foundation.
00:17:18.31\00:17:21.92
God's Word, This is
our Sure Foundation!
00:17:23.01\00:17:26.13
But as we were sharing a
little earlier, in this program,
00:17:26.52\00:17:29.93
one of the difficulties is that
00:17:31.17\00:17:33.43
we're not in the
Word like we should be!
00:17:34.11\00:17:36.99
We can say we believe in it!
00:17:38.01\00:17:39.29
But if we're not
really in God's Word
00:17:39.71\00:17:41.71
if we're not taking time
to really know God's Word,
00:17:41.98\00:17:45.98
we're not gonna be
on a Sure Foundation.
00:17:47.36\00:17:49.80
Secondly many of
us, as we said earlier,
00:17:49.83\00:17:52.24
we had quite a good
knowledge of Gods Word
00:17:52.27\00:17:56.08
when we went into the marriage.
00:17:56.11\00:17:57.19
But if we're not
making a practical application
00:17:57.99\00:18:00.02
of God's word,
00:18:00.05\00:18:01.06
if we're not bringing
it in to the real life
00:18:01.48\00:18:03.81
if Christ not working
in us, in these situations
00:18:04.96\00:18:08.02
then we're still not on
a good foundation, because
00:18:08.06\00:18:11.09
just knowing God's
Word, the Bible tells us
00:18:11.48\00:18:14.93
this Sure Foundation
tells us that the Devils
00:18:15.44\00:18:18.69
believe and tremble, they
know what God's Word says.
00:18:19.68\00:18:22.55
It's not enough!
00:18:22.58\00:18:23.72
We knew many things,
00:18:24.17\00:18:25.19
even in our
marriage we knew many things
00:18:25.23\00:18:27.83
that the Bible said about it
00:18:27.86\00:18:29.25
and it was not having a
practical change in our lives.
00:18:29.67\00:18:32.48
So, we've gotta not only
get in to the Word of God
00:18:33.04\00:18:36.50
and begin to
clean the principles
00:18:36.95\00:18:40.02
but we've got to
surrender to these principles
00:18:40.06\00:18:42.65
and surrender to Christ,
the Word that was made flesh.
00:18:42.69\00:18:45.40
And bring it in to our
real marriage experience.
00:18:45.43\00:18:49.03
That's taking Psalm 119:105:
00:18:49.88\00:18:52.09
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
00:18:52.13\00:18:54.31
and a light unto my path"
00:18:54.75\00:18:56.59
You know, we've used the
Word of God as the foundation of
00:18:57.21\00:19:00.67
of all the presentations
that we've had thus far
00:19:01.57\00:19:04.61
in this Marriage
Heart to Heart series.
00:19:04.64\00:19:06.08
We've talked about
the two should become one.
00:19:06.52\00:19:08.63
We've talked about Defining
True Love, Developing Respect
00:19:09.45\00:19:13.11
and Cultivating Restraint,
00:19:13.14\00:19:15.59
Understanding our roles,
00:19:16.52\00:19:17.85
as husband and wife,
00:19:18.49\00:19:19.53
and Finding Forgiveness.
00:19:20.24\00:19:21.51
It was this Word that
helped us to understand
00:19:22.06\00:19:25.05
where our problems were.
00:19:25.08\00:19:26.45
- That's right! - We
couldn't even identify
00:19:26.49\00:19:28.43
where our weaknesses were,
00:19:28.46\00:19:30.16
what kept tripping us up until
we started studying the Word
00:19:30.60\00:19:33.02
then we could
identify: this is my weak area
00:19:33.05\00:19:35.31
- That's right! -
That's my weak area.
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.87
Because we could
see it exemplified,
00:19:36.90\00:19:38.40
or the Lord would bring it
to us as we spent time there.
00:19:38.81\00:19:41.38
It was the revealer of truth.
00:19:41.41\00:19:44.20
And if the truth of
our lives is that we're not
00:19:44.44\00:19:46.95
treating each other good, we
can know it to sub degree here
00:19:47.59\00:19:50.64
but we don't
understand it at the debt
00:19:50.67\00:19:53.06
that we need to do
to solve the problem.
00:19:53.10\00:19:55.46
That's right!
00:19:55.49\00:19:56.46
And that's why, when
we made that commitment
00:19:56.47\00:19:58.49
and we make it regularly.
I mean it's not something,
00:19:58.53\00:20:00.62
every day we say: "Ok
now today we're gonna make
00:20:00.66\00:20:02.72
a commitment, the
Bible is our guide. "
00:20:02.75\00:20:04.32
Right!
00:20:04.35\00:20:05.32
But it's an
understood commitment.
00:20:05.33\00:20:07.04
And our
commitment is renewed daily
00:20:07.08\00:20:09.72
because it becomes
what we study daily.
00:20:09.75\00:20:12.36
Amen!
00:20:12.39\00:20:13.36
And as we do, I've been
just very challenge myself
00:20:13.37\00:20:16.64
in just the level of
what the Bible has to say
00:20:16.67\00:20:20.31
about how we
communicate one to another.
00:20:20.34\00:20:22.04
There's so much
on communication!
00:20:22.60\00:20:24.72
And a lot of it revealed
00:20:25.11\00:20:26.62
some of our
weaknesses in communication.
00:20:26.66\00:20:29.24
- Yes! It sure did! -
And it showed us a better way
00:20:29.28\00:20:31.67
on how we can
communicate better.
00:20:31.70\00:20:33.54
- That's right! - So
in every aspect of life
00:20:33.58\00:20:36.27
the Bible has the
principles that are there
00:20:36.31\00:20:38.97
that will help us to have a
marriage that's heart to heart
00:20:39.45\00:20:42.09
and find the joy in
being one with each other.
00:20:42.26\00:20:45.75
And being an "us" instead
of two independent "me"'s
00:20:45.79\00:20:48.79
That's right!
00:20:48.82\00:20:49.79
I wanna talk about that
commitment that we made.
00:20:49.80\00:20:51.80
And I wanna share how it
worked practically because
00:20:52.20\00:20:55.92
if you remember, when
we made that commitment
00:20:56.62\00:20:58.87
we agreed that instead of
getting into some of those...
00:20:58.91\00:21:02.99
"- I'm right!" "You're wrong!"
00:21:03.62\00:21:05.59
"I'm gonna prove it to you!"
00:21:05.62\00:21:07.56
Instead of getting
into that situation
00:21:07.59\00:21:09.24
and I give you my best argument
00:21:09.27\00:21:11.59
and you give me
your best argument
00:21:12.10\00:21:13.85
we made an agreement
00:21:13.88\00:21:15.07
that we would share
00:21:15.73\00:21:18.15
our perspectives
and if we couldn't agree
00:21:18.36\00:21:21.65
that we would go to
the Sure Foundation.
00:21:21.79\00:21:24.33
And that we would
prayerfully consider it.
00:21:24.37\00:21:26.66
I remember when we
made that commitment too.
00:21:26.69\00:21:28.91
That was even a little while
after we began to read here,
00:21:28.95\00:21:32.85
and we've started
seeing the things that
00:21:32.88\00:21:35.20
we needed in ourselves.
00:21:35.23\00:21:36.47
But when we made
that commitment that
00:21:36.51\00:21:38.43
we were not gonna argue about
anything from this day forward.
00:21:38.46\00:21:41.52
We're gonna go to the
Word and the Foundation
00:21:41.90\00:21:43.82
and find out what it has
to say about these areas that
00:21:43.86\00:21:46.87
we don't see it and
that we can't agree on.
00:21:46.90\00:21:48.66
We're not talking about: "Oh,
I like blue and you like red
00:21:48.70\00:21:51.65
- That's right!
- so who's right?"
00:21:51.68\00:21:52.65
We're talking about
areas in our marriage,
00:21:52.97\00:21:55.32
areas in our parenting,
areas in our personal lives,
00:21:55.36\00:21:58.60
that we have
conflict in. - That's right!
00:21:58.74\00:22:00.83
There is an answer there! And
that's the commitment we made.
00:22:01.27\00:22:03.93
That's right!
00:22:04.01\00:22:04.98
And you remember the first time
00:22:05.31\00:22:07.39
it wasn't long after
we made that commitment,
00:22:08.08\00:22:09.85
that we got a chance to test it.
00:22:09.88\00:22:11.19
Yes! It wasn't long at all!
00:22:11.22\00:22:12.52
And I have to say, honey,
00:22:13.29\00:22:14.69
that I was very confident that
my perspective was right so I
00:22:15.46\00:22:18.70
- Oh, I know!
00:22:18.73\00:22:19.70
I know, I could see it in your
eyes and hearing in your tone.
00:22:19.71\00:22:23.09
And I was just as sure that
this time I was gonna be right!
00:22:23.94\00:22:28.04
I was a bit smug
in it because I knew:
00:22:28.07\00:22:30.33
"Ok, we're gonna go off,
00:22:30.36\00:22:31.49
and we're gonna do
what we agreed here.
00:22:31.53\00:22:32.95
We're not gonna get
in a fight over this. "
00:22:33.40\00:22:34.72
And that was
refreshing wasn't it?
00:22:34.75\00:22:36.07
- Yes! It was! -
It was encouraging!
00:22:36.11\00:22:37.42
"We're not gonna get into this!"
00:22:37.91\00:22:39.05
But I tell you, it was
00:22:39.60\00:22:41.04
it was quite
eye opening. Because
00:22:41.91\00:22:43.32
we went looking,
willing to find the real answer,
00:22:44.05\00:22:50.03
the principles that we needed.
00:22:50.06\00:22:51.82
I was sure I was right!
00:22:52.18\00:22:53.62
I was convinced and I
knew she thought she was right!
00:22:53.66\00:22:57.23
I probably
communicated that to you!
00:22:57.74\00:22:59.72
- Oh yes! - In my
enthusiasm! Right?
00:22:59.75\00:23:01.73
"Ok! I'll go look!"
00:23:02.25\00:23:03.22
And you know, how
Gracious the Lord is1
00:23:03.64\00:23:06.34
Because we were both wrong!
00:23:06.89\00:23:09.70
Isn't it incredible?
00:23:10.33\00:23:11.95
That we both been raised,
you know, in Christian homes,
00:23:11.99\00:23:15.38
and we have much to
be thankful for that.
00:23:15.41\00:23:17.54
That's right!
00:23:17.57\00:23:18.54
But God takes
us wherever we are.
00:23:18.55\00:23:19.89
So if you haven't been
raised in a Christian home
00:23:19.93\00:23:22.87
you have still every
opportunity, anyone else does.
00:23:22.90\00:23:25.87
But we had that
blessing! - That's right!
00:23:26.10\00:23:28.95
And we both, you
know, - Thought we knew!
00:23:28.98\00:23:31.80
- Thought we
knew what was right!
00:23:31.83\00:23:33.15
We both thought we
knew how we could prove it,
00:23:33.19\00:23:35.64
from the Word, and we
both found out we were wrong!
00:23:35.68\00:23:39.13
I think that was
in the Lord's mercy.
00:23:39.56\00:23:41.04
- That was our
first big test! - Yes!
00:23:41.45\00:23:43.27
Because probably
neither one of us
00:23:43.69\00:23:46.59
would've done as well
if one of us would've been
00:23:46.62\00:23:49.25
right on that!
00:23:49.83\00:23:50.80
So the Lord was good and
we came back together and
00:23:51.42\00:23:53.78
and it's such a
memorable experience because
00:23:54.30\00:23:56.11
it was the first time
that we tested our commitment.
00:23:56.89\00:23:59.68
And one of the other things
that we should mention here,
00:23:59.72\00:24:02.48
when we made this commitment,
00:24:02.51\00:24:03.75
is that when we
went to the Word of God
00:24:04.20\00:24:06.26
I was really not
going to prove my point!
00:24:06.69\00:24:09.28
This is very
important! A lot of times
00:24:09.32\00:24:11.88
we can go to the Word of God
00:24:11.91\00:24:13.74
to try to prove our
point! - That's right!
00:24:13.78\00:24:15.27
We went to the
Word of God because
00:24:15.71\00:24:17.34
we wanted to find
out what God had to say.
00:24:17.38\00:24:19.20
And so, that's the way we
went! Not to prove our point
00:24:19.75\00:24:22.87
That was the only
"qualifier" to this commitment.
00:24:23.30\00:24:27.05
We're not going
to prove my point!
00:24:27.41\00:24:29.17
I'm going to find out
what the Word has to say
00:24:29.21\00:24:31.52
about this topic,
00:24:31.55\00:24:32.53
about this
subject. - That's right!
00:24:32.57\00:24:33.69
And it was that, you know,
00:24:34.15\00:24:36.91
that we saw: "Oh, I was
wrong! And you were wrong!"
00:24:36.94\00:24:39.93
"We're both wrong!"
00:24:39.96\00:24:40.93
We've been already
married several years
00:24:40.94\00:24:42.62
and had all three of
our children to found out
00:24:42.65\00:24:44.84
we had no idea what the Bible
really had to say about that!
00:24:44.88\00:24:47.52
That's right! And it has
been a tremendous encouragement
00:24:47.56\00:24:50.17
to our young people.
00:24:50.20\00:24:51.33
They're not young anymore but
00:24:52.18\00:24:53.30
it's been a
tremendous encouragement
00:24:53.34\00:24:55.29
to them as they've grown up,
00:24:55.32\00:24:56.77
since that commitment was made.
00:24:56.81\00:24:58.23
And they've seen the
importance of not just taking
00:24:58.96\00:25:02.35
things the way "I feel"
00:25:02.38\00:25:03.74
or just "My perspective"
00:25:04.50\00:25:06.70
And I think that's
another blessing in
00:25:06.74\00:25:08.70
that situation
that we had that day.
00:25:08.74\00:25:10.67
Because we've learned from that
00:25:11.16\00:25:14.00
that we were wrong, many times
in the baggage that we carry.
00:25:14.40\00:25:17.79
And that God has
the real answer in His
00:25:18.26\00:25:20.56
Sure Foundation.
00:25:21.60\00:25:22.63
And as you were sharing
that about the children,
00:25:23.11\00:25:24.91
the other part that really
has been a blessing in our home
00:25:24.95\00:25:28.31
has been that our
young people as children,
00:25:28.79\00:25:31.33
as teenagers,
now as young adults
00:25:31.36\00:25:33.26
have seen their
mother and father
00:25:33.30\00:25:35.17
go to the Word of
God, - That's right!
00:25:36.04\00:25:37.63
and find out how to
resolve these problems.
00:25:37.67\00:25:41.16
And when we've had
challenges with them,
00:25:41.63\00:25:43.88
we've done the same thing.
00:25:43.91\00:25:45.19
- That's right! -
And we've sat together
00:25:45.92\00:25:47.92
in the living
room, the five of us.
00:25:47.95\00:25:49.62
And we've opened the
Word of God and we've said:
00:25:50.15\00:25:52.08
"Ok! What does He have to say?!"
00:25:52.11\00:25:54.07
"And what sayeth
my Lord concerning
00:25:54.10\00:25:55.93
this matter?" - Exactly!
00:25:55.96\00:25:56.93
Not just what
sayeth mother and father!
00:25:56.94\00:25:58.50
Right!
00:25:58.53\00:25:59.50
So, that has been a blessing,
00:25:59.56\00:26:00.93
and I think that
gives our young people
00:26:00.97\00:26:03.28
not that they go in the
life with all the answers
00:26:04.73\00:26:06.75
but they go into
life knowing how to find
00:26:06.99\00:26:09.19
- That's right! - the answer!
00:26:09.22\00:26:10.21
Well, why don't you give
them the personal challenge?
00:26:11.18\00:26:14.00
We would like to encourage you
00:26:15.84\00:26:17.67
to agree that you will establish
00:26:18.37\00:26:21.97
your home on the
foundation of God's Word!
00:26:22.57\00:26:25.25
That you don't argue and debate
00:26:25.55\00:26:27.60
and have to have your way.
00:26:27.63\00:26:29.52
But that you agree
that if you disagree
00:26:29.56\00:26:32.65
you're gonna go
to the Word of God
00:26:33.13\00:26:34.18
and you're gonna find
out what He has to say.
00:26:34.21\00:26:36.41
And resolve your
challenges that way,
00:26:36.65\00:26:38.82
because that's where we find
00:26:38.85\00:26:40.49
our greatest strength!
00:26:41.29\00:26:42.36
And this will only happen
00:26:43.63\00:26:45.07
as you are willing
to surrender to Christ!
00:26:45.86\00:26:49.99
Because His Word cannot be
leaved in our own strength.
00:26:50.78\00:26:55.12
If we're willing to go
to His Word then we need
00:26:55.79\00:26:57.61
to be willing to go to Him
00:26:57.64\00:26:58.98
for all the answers
and the perplexities.
00:26:59.02\00:27:01.24
Because He is the Solution!
00:27:01.58\00:27:04.03
And we need to turn to
Him right now in prayer,
00:27:04.91\00:27:07.10
as we close.
00:27:07.38\00:27:08.35
Let's pray!
00:27:08.73\00:27:09.70
Father in Heaven we thank
You that we can turn to You
00:27:10.49\00:27:12.86
that we can come to
Your Word as the Foundation,
00:27:13.93\00:27:16.64
the Sure Foundation.
00:27:16.67\00:27:18.39
And that we can come to Christ
00:27:19.00\00:27:20.82
and as we surrender
ourselves He will be
00:27:20.85\00:27:23.16
our Living Savior!
00:27:24.72\00:27:26.92
And that He can
make our marriages
00:27:27.47\00:27:28.60
Marriages that are
Heart to Heart with You!
00:27:28.64\00:27:31.57
And with the one
another! In Jesus name Amen!
00:27:31.96\00:27:34.41
Amen!
00:27:34.44\00:27:35.78
And we hope you'll join
us for our next program!
00:27:36.20\00:27:38.58
It's gonna be great!
It's on the Prayers of Love.
00:27:39.26\00:27:42.51
Prayers that will
change your marriage!
00:27:43.11\00:27:45.13
Produced by Three
Angels Broadcasting Network
00:28:25.44\00:28:28.01
Captioning and translations
by Christian Media Services
00:28:28.04\00:28:30.01