Welcome to Marriage in God's Hands. I'm Willie Lee, your host 00:00:29.87\00:00:34.70 and our co-host is my wife, Wilma Lee. 00:00:34.73\00:00:39.58 Welcome, today we talk about "Rejoice". 00:00:39.61\00:00:43.49 Rejoicing, that sounds like fun, and I think rejoicing 00:00:43.52\00:00:48.19 is what we do first in the Lord, don't you? 00:00:48.22\00:00:51.01 - Definitely. - Let's pray. 00:00:51.04\00:00:53.99 Dear Lord, we rejoice in you because You have provided for us 00:00:54.02\00:00:59.67 through our marriage a source of joy and happiness, 00:00:59.70\00:01:03.94 and we praise Your name for that. 00:01:03.97\00:01:06.02 Lord, without You our joy could not be complete, so we thank 00:01:06.05\00:01:10.28 You for all that you have given us in the name of Jesus 00:01:10.31\00:01:13.70 we pray, amen. 00:01:13.73\00:01:18.59 We've enjoyed in this series as we have talked about 00:01:18.62\00:01:22.85 marriage in God's hands of many different areas, and the focus 00:01:22.88\00:01:28.39 that we have on each program was a little bit different, 00:01:28.42\00:01:32.43 but this is certainly one that brings a smile to our faces 00:01:32.46\00:01:37.64 and a certain type of upbeat in the heart. 00:01:37.67\00:01:42.69 Well, I think that it's important that we realize that 00:01:42.72\00:01:45.93 marriage is something to rejoice about and in, and through 00:01:45.96\00:01:51.55 because it is serious, but God intends for us to rejoice. 00:01:51.58\00:01:57.24 The Bible says, in The Message, Proverbs 5:18,19: 00:01:57.27\00:02:02.65 "Enjoy the wife you married as a young man, lovely as an angel, " 00:02:02.68\00:02:07.64 "beautiful as a rose, don't ever quit taking delight in her" 00:02:07.67\00:02:11.40 "body, never take her love for granted. " 00:02:11.43\00:02:14.76 Wow, boy, is that permission or what? 00:02:14.79\00:02:19.00 - That says "Rejoice! " - Yeah, rejoice. 00:02:19.03\00:02:21.38 And it also gives us a lot of different ways to rejoice, 00:02:21.41\00:02:25.49 and I'm sure that it allows the imaginations to go into a hyper 00:02:25.52\00:02:33.52 type of manner so that we don't have to be limited in just one 00:02:33.55\00:02:39.47 way of rejoicing, and that's what I like about it, God just 00:02:39.50\00:02:42.72 opens up the whole imagination for us. 00:02:42.75\00:02:45.35 Yes, and I think that He is encouraging us that it isn't 00:02:45.38\00:02:49.41 something that starts...you know we've been talking about this 00:02:49.44\00:02:52.31 consistently, that it's not just the wedding, it's for 00:02:52.34\00:02:56.52 the marriage because you notice He talks about "the wife you" 00:02:56.55\00:03:00.49 "married as a young man", so this is obviously something 00:03:00.52\00:03:04.48 that's for maturity and it's throughout the marriage. 00:03:04.51\00:03:10.21 It also suggests the consistency and long life of a marriage, 00:03:10.24\00:03:16.74 - doesn't it? - It does. 00:03:16.77\00:03:19.13 ...Not multiple wives in different ages and seasons. 00:03:19.16\00:03:23.21 Oh, you don't trade in your 40 for two 20s. 00:03:23.24\00:03:25.63 That's right, you enjoy the wife of your youth, 00:03:25.66\00:03:30.50 and what it says, as we often do when we have our marriage 00:03:30.53\00:03:35.45 retreats, we encourage our couples to think about those 00:03:35.48\00:03:41.65 special times that they had, can you remember some special 00:03:41.68\00:03:45.35 times that you had before you got married, and just after 00:03:45.38\00:03:48.83 you got married, the fun you had together, that's what we're 00:03:48.86\00:03:51.62 encouraging them to think about and for their imaginations to go 00:03:51.65\00:03:55.71 back and re-experience the joy that you've had with your 00:03:55.74\00:04:03.13 wife that you've married at a very young age. 00:04:03.16\00:04:06.03 Well, you know I think it's also interesting that the Bible talks 00:04:06.06\00:04:09.29 to the man because maybe it's easier for men to forget, 00:04:09.32\00:04:15.86 women tend to remember, they tend to be the keeper of 00:04:15.89\00:04:20.06 the keepsakes, and they have all these things tied with ribbons, 00:04:20.09\00:04:24.90 so maybe the Bible thought that the man needed to be reminded 00:04:24.93\00:04:29.98 to keep these things in mind across the ages because 00:04:30.01\00:04:35.76 it's not a typical man thing to do. 00:04:35.79\00:04:38.80 Well, that can be drawn, but also remember that during 00:04:38.83\00:04:42.03 the age that it is written, of course, it was up to the man 00:04:42.06\00:04:45.37 as the head to maintain things and to be the leader in things 00:04:45.40\00:04:49.89 as well, not just to take the wife for granted, but to also 00:04:49.92\00:04:55.01 know that it was his place and his leadership role to remember 00:04:55.04\00:05:00.01 that, and to bring joy into the years gone by, and remember 00:05:00.04\00:05:06.77 - them and recall them now. - Oh, so you mean that's a part 00:05:06.80\00:05:10.13 of the headship and the leadership of the man? 00:05:10.16\00:05:12.81 - I think it ought to be both. - Hey, I like that. 00:05:12.84\00:05:15.92 So it really gives you a real momentum that you are 00:05:15.95\00:05:20.54 to establish as a male in doing this, and it doesn't necessarily 00:05:20.57\00:05:25.51 mean that you have to be a romantic. 00:05:25.54\00:05:27.89 It means that you have to be one who encourages the imagination 00:05:27.92\00:05:31.72 and the rememberance, so you don't have to be considered 00:05:31.75\00:05:34.51 a romantic, but it sort of suggests to you what to do. 00:05:34.54\00:05:37.99 Oh, okay, I can go along with that, but if you suggest, 00:05:38.02\00:05:42.34 and all that, that seems to me that you be a romantic. 00:05:42.37\00:05:45.48 Well, sometimes you can develop that even if you're not 00:05:45.51\00:05:49.36 naturally a temperament, or by nature, create some romantic 00:05:49.39\00:05:55.80 moments in remembrance. That's a part of being joyful, 00:05:55.83\00:05:59.90 - don't you think? - I think so, I like that. 00:05:59.93\00:06:02.79 And then you can't leave out the troublous times, but remember, 00:06:02.82\00:06:06.92 there's 2 sides of trouble, isn't there, like James 1:2-4 00:06:06.95\00:06:10.91 says: "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come" 00:06:10.94\00:06:13.77 "your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy, " 00:06:13.80\00:06:19.30 "for you know that when your faith is tested your endurance" 00:06:19.33\00:06:22.56 "has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance" 00:06:22.59\00:06:26.29 "is fully developed you will be perfect and complete, " 00:06:26.32\00:06:29.90 "needing nothing. " Isn't that great? That's wonderful. 00:06:29.93\00:06:34.44 - That's rejoicing. - Well, you know, James says 00:06:34.47\00:06:37.38 it's an opportunity for joy when you have trouble. 00:06:37.41\00:06:39.85 - Yes, that's right. - Isn't he confused? 00:06:39.88\00:06:42.52 Oh no, you rejoice because you have it, 00:06:42.55\00:06:44.89 because you know that God considers you able 00:06:44.92\00:06:48.31 because of your connection with Him to come through it. 00:06:48.34\00:06:52.31 Remember the Psalmist: "Weeping for a night, " 00:06:52.34\00:06:54.49 "but joy in the morning. " 00:06:54.52\00:06:58.39 So you mean that this marriage process isn't all going to be 00:06:58.42\00:07:04.31 - roses and ribbons. - It's not going to always 00:07:04.34\00:07:08.39 feel like that, but it's an opportunity for joy. 00:07:08.42\00:07:11.23 - Oh, okay. - And I think that we have to 00:07:11.26\00:07:13.61 understand that because we have experienced that and we have 00:07:13.64\00:07:17.65 been through that, and we have been able to find that even 00:07:17.68\00:07:21.13 the tough moments opened up into silver linings, 00:07:21.16\00:07:25.36 and the clouds that past gave us an opportunity for understanding 00:07:25.39\00:07:29.44 things better, we get to know each other better, 00:07:29.47\00:07:32.31 and appreciate one another better. 00:07:32.34\00:07:34.51 Okay, so in talking about the wedding versus the marriage, 00:07:34.54\00:07:42.15 the wedding day may be magnificent, we hope, 00:07:42.18\00:07:46.18 and that the sun shines and all of those things that 00:07:46.21\00:07:48.93 go perfectly, but in the marriage there may be some days 00:07:48.96\00:07:53.17 where everything doesn't go well, but that's okay because 00:07:53.20\00:07:57.50 you can still count it as joy and rejoice. 00:07:57.53\00:08:00.46 That's right, because those were days, it didn't say "forever", 00:08:00.49\00:08:06.61 and that's what you have to keep in mind, when you look at 00:08:06.64\00:08:09.26 the big picture, when you pick the long view and look at 00:08:09.29\00:08:14.41 the whole you can see the joy, you may not see it at that 00:08:14.44\00:08:17.94 moment, but if you stay round long enough joy will come, 00:08:17.97\00:08:23.31 and we need to be joyous in our relationships and in our 00:08:23.34\00:08:27.73 marriage partner because we have been told in Proverbs 18:22 00:08:27.76\00:08:32.30 for instance: "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure" 00:08:32.33\00:08:35.93 "and receives favor form the Lord", because God says 00:08:35.96\00:08:39.51 that it's not good for man to be alone, that means that if 00:08:39.54\00:08:43.22 he's not alone it's going to be good. If you have a wife 00:08:43.25\00:08:48.23 and you have a treasure, it's going to get better as you 00:08:48.26\00:08:52.09 - go along. - Okay, well you know, 00:08:52.12\00:08:54.71 there's more than 1 way to look at that because you know, 00:08:54.74\00:08:57.78 when you have treasure it's opening the box and you can't 00:08:57.81\00:09:03.14 get to all of it at once. So it takes a while 00:09:03.17\00:09:08.42 to do that, and that's what a marriage is all about, 00:09:08.45\00:09:11.26 - discovering the treasure. - Ah, yes, because the treasure 00:09:11.29\00:09:16.14 is not just looking at yourself and what you feel, we're in 00:09:16.17\00:09:19.97 this for each other, and that's where the joy comes in because 00:09:20.00\00:09:24.75 I can know that there's a certain joy that I get out 00:09:24.78\00:09:28.85 of pleasing you, there's a certain joy that I get out of 00:09:28.88\00:09:32.42 brining something special to you, but it's also a joy just 00:09:32.45\00:09:35.78 to have you with me, you can bring a joy to my heart 00:09:35.81\00:09:39.43 that I can't provide for myself, and that makes it joyful. 00:09:39.46\00:09:44.30 I think also that it's the joy of discovering. 00:09:44.33\00:09:47.64 "Eureka, I found it", and knowing that when I discover 00:09:47.67\00:09:53.77 things about you that make you happy, that please you, 00:09:53.80\00:09:58.81 that make you feel safe, then that also for me is a delight 00:09:58.84\00:10:04.17 to know that I'm creating an environment, a culture, 00:10:04.20\00:10:08.88 that makes you feel comfortable, that makes home the place 00:10:08.91\00:10:12.69 you want to be above any other place, then for me 00:10:12.72\00:10:16.48 - that's treasure. - And really, when I was 00:10:16.51\00:10:20.59 considering getting married and I believe that I probably had 00:10:20.62\00:10:25.43 many choices that I could have made in different ways at 00:10:25.46\00:10:29.58 different times, but I was looking for someone who would 00:10:29.61\00:10:34.30 bring joy to me, I didn't look for someone who would bring 00:10:34.33\00:10:37.55 joy to my congregation, or joy to my parents, but I looked 00:10:37.58\00:10:44.11 at someone that I could be joyful with, someone that 00:10:44.14\00:10:48.65 could bring a smile to my face, and bring a song to my heart. 00:10:48.68\00:10:56.58 It has truly been that because the rich times, the times that 00:10:56.61\00:11:02.22 were poorer, the times that we were in good health and bad, 00:11:02.25\00:11:06.54 but through it all our relationship with the Lord 00:11:06.57\00:11:09.53 and with each other has been a source of joy, and that is worth 00:11:09.56\00:11:15.32 celebrating, and we need to celebrate marriage. 00:11:15.35\00:11:19.25 Yes, I think that you are right, I guess that when we look back 00:11:19.28\00:11:24.00 across these past 40 years there's been lots of laughter 00:11:24.03\00:11:28.30 and lot's of joy, and you know, actually it's been covered 00:11:28.33\00:11:34.41 with a lot of music, if that has anything to do with 00:11:34.44\00:11:37.45 rejoicing, then I would think that that would be reflective 00:11:37.48\00:11:42.39 of our time together, and that that's what we have shared with 00:11:42.42\00:11:47.22 lot's of people: laughter, and joy, and music, because that's 00:11:47.25\00:11:51.99 - been how we have rejoiced. - Well, all that said we also 00:11:52.02\00:11:57.87 share with others, and we hope that you will be able to look 00:11:57.90\00:12:02.08 back and count those areas as joyful as you have been able 00:12:02.11\00:12:07.56 to see God's hand moving and providing you with a spouse, 00:12:07.59\00:12:12.74 with a mate and with opportunities to enjoy 00:12:12.77\00:12:15.98 one another. But the thing that I like about it is that 00:12:16.01\00:12:20.13 the fact that we're talking about it, it's not over yet. 00:12:20.16\00:12:23.87 You see? We don't have to wait to the end to be joyful, 00:12:23.90\00:12:28.79 we can celebrate what God has done to this point 00:12:28.82\00:12:31.71 and be joyful even into the future. A lot of times there 00:12:31.74\00:12:36.81 are those who cannot appreciate what marriage is because 00:12:36.84\00:12:40.10 we don't show joy in our wives and in our husbands, 00:12:40.13\00:12:44.31 we don't show joy in the marriage so they were wondering 00:12:44.34\00:12:48.61 "Should I really get married because those people over there" 00:12:48.64\00:12:51.36 "don't really look very happy", so I feel that that's part of 00:12:51.39\00:12:55.13 our witness for the Lord, is to create joyful moments 00:12:55.16\00:13:01.12 and celebratory moments, so that when we are out among others 00:13:01.15\00:13:07.62 they look at us and see someone who's not sad with a long face, 00:13:07.65\00:13:12.88 but they seem to be enjoying themselves with each other, 00:13:12.91\00:13:16.01 marriage must be good, and God is good. 00:13:16.04\00:13:19.78 Yes, didn't God say that after He created Adam and Eve? 00:13:19.81\00:13:22.59 Yes He did, and it was perfect, very, very good. 00:13:22.62\00:13:27.04 We'll be right back with even more perfection. 00:13:27.07\00:13:41.79 There are many "How to" books available, but there's one 00:13:41.82\00:13:44.60 that's free, and perfect for every couple: 00:13:44.63\00:13:47.22 "How You Can Build a Better Marriage". 00:13:47.25\00:13:50.00 Bible-based matrimonial advice is given in a light 00:13:50.03\00:13:52.81 hearted, easy to read manner for those contemplating marriage, 00:13:52.84\00:13:56.56 newly weds, couples in their golden years, and everyone 00:13:56.59\00:13:59.74 in between. Simply call or write for your copy of this amazing 00:13:59.77\00:14:03.87 little booklet, a handy little tool to help build a better 00:14:03.90\00:14:07.14 marriage. 00:14:07.17\00:14:17.70 Welcome back to Marriage in God's Hands, and we've been 00:14:17.73\00:14:21.62 very excited about what we've been able to share, and we hope 00:14:21.65\00:14:25.02 that you will have an advantage now in knowing that there 00:14:25.05\00:14:30.64 are others who are like you, enjoying marriage and want 00:14:30.67\00:14:34.94 to enjoy it even more. We have some things that we do 00:14:34.97\00:14:39.33 from time to time, be it marriage retreats, or workshops, 00:14:39.36\00:14:45.52 or seminars, but that comes out of your work place, 00:14:45.55\00:14:52.12 out of the non-profit. Give some information to contact 00:14:52.15\00:14:56.50 so that if people want to get more information than we've been 00:14:56.53\00:14:59.63 able to share just in these programs they might be able 00:14:59.66\00:15:02.47 to contact you. 00:15:02.50\00:15:04.94 The Center for Family Wholeness is the area that we do marriage 00:15:04.97\00:15:09.64 and family retreats, and you can contact us through 00:15:09.67\00:15:14.64 The Center for Family Wholeness, www.familywholeness.org, 00:15:14.67\00:15:21.48 we'll be happy to hear from you, and we'll be happy to respond 00:15:21.51\00:15:25.14 to anything you might like to contact us for. 00:15:25.17\00:15:28.21 We look forward to hearing from you. 00:15:28.24\00:15:31.21 And also, we'd like for you to know that we have often done 00:15:31.24\00:15:35.82 things in partnerships with the North American Division Family 00:15:35.85\00:15:40.09 Ministry Department, and even this is done out of that 00:15:40.12\00:15:44.15 partnership with them, and their contact information is 00:15:44.18\00:15:48.26 www.adventistfamilyministry.com, and if you will contact them 00:15:48.29\00:15:58.09 they also can get in touch with us in case you can't get us 00:15:58.12\00:16:01.49 through the other number. We've even done things with 00:16:01.52\00:16:04.45 them as they're continuing to do now on one of the programs 00:16:04.48\00:16:08.05 on marriage that they do, we used to do some of those too, 00:16:08.08\00:16:11.39 they were called "From This Day Forward", and they are 00:16:11.42\00:16:14.59 1 day marriage seminars, you might be able to celebrate your 00:16:14.62\00:16:19.40 marriage at one of those, check the website and they'll 00:16:19.43\00:16:22.55 tell you when they're going to be done in different areas 00:16:22.58\00:16:25.24 of the country. But those are just some of the things we do. 00:16:25.27\00:16:29.96 With a lot of the counseling that we've done, and a lot 00:16:29.99\00:16:32.27 of the marriage education that we do we have found a way 00:16:32.30\00:16:37.80 to inject some of the celebration and joyfulness. 00:16:37.83\00:16:43.12 I remember, we just came back recently from a cruise in which 00:16:43.15\00:16:46.42 we did some things on relationships and some couples 00:16:46.45\00:16:49.77 were there, and we enjoyed having a cruise that had built 00:16:49.80\00:16:54.77 within it a time for celebrating marriage, and we did some 00:16:54.80\00:16:59.25 very special things, including renewing 00:16:59.28\00:17:01.63 of vows, a recommitment service. 00:17:01.66\00:17:04.10 Yes, I think that that was very, very special, I know that 00:17:04.13\00:17:08.23 the couples who renewed their vows had an excellent time 00:17:08.26\00:17:12.39 doing that, and you know, I'm getting kind of partial to 00:17:12.42\00:17:16.40 the cruise and the rejoicing, and the sharing of marriage 00:17:16.43\00:17:23.58 because there's something about water and renewal that's 00:17:23.61\00:17:30.49 marvelous. I remember a few years ago when you were able 00:17:30.52\00:17:35.35 to serve as ship's chaplain and you were able to minister 00:17:35.38\00:17:39.35 to people aboard a ship, and you actually renewed a couple's 00:17:39.38\00:17:43.13 vows for them, and he had some type of illness, and the family 00:17:43.16\00:17:48.16 had brought him along for the cruise as a rejoicing, 00:17:48.19\00:17:52.97 not only in the renewal of vows, but because his health had 00:17:53.00\00:17:56.22 - been restored. - That's right, and what 00:17:56.25\00:17:58.76 a wonderful thing the restoration of health, 00:17:58.79\00:18:01.52 and recommitment for marriage for the rest of your life, 00:18:01.55\00:18:05.34 these are things that are valuable, and you ought to seek 00:18:05.37\00:18:07.88 to do that in your marriage, every moment, every event 00:18:07.91\00:18:11.11 that you can you ought to make it a point of celebration 00:18:11.14\00:18:17.52 with the wife of your youth, or the husband of your youth, 00:18:17.55\00:18:20.56 and that's what it's all about, you build marriage as God wanted 00:18:20.59\00:18:27.19 it to be from the very beginning, you're restoring 00:18:27.22\00:18:30.28 the image of God in marriage, because it is through 00:18:30.31\00:18:32.58 the marriage relationship that we rejoice in redemption, 00:18:32.61\00:18:37.67 that redemption that Christ gives also provides for 00:18:37.70\00:18:42.89 a celebration of marriage, because is only through 00:18:42.92\00:18:46.36 the blood of Christ that forgiveness comes, that there is 00:18:46.39\00:18:50.30 a new start and that every new start you can have with 00:18:50.33\00:18:53.90 your marriage makes it even more fun, more enjoyable. 00:18:53.93\00:18:57.76 Of course, I have to remember one year, and I can't remember 00:18:57.79\00:19:01.01 which anniversary it was, but it must have been one of those 00:19:01.04\00:19:04.55 years that was kind of lean in our marriage because I don't 00:19:04.58\00:19:08.73 think we had a lot of money, and I think we had some small 00:19:08.76\00:19:11.90 children and they went with us on our anniversary celebration 00:19:11.93\00:19:16.70 and I remember hearing in the back seat of the car: 00:19:16.73\00:19:20.03 "Oh good, now next year where are we going on" 00:19:20.06\00:19:23.19 "our anniversary? " But we rejoiced anyhow. 00:19:23.22\00:19:29.00 Yes, well that's what it's all about. 00:19:29.03\00:19:31.62 We read in the Word of God, 1 John 4:16-19, 00:19:31.65\00:19:37.23 you love The Message, the way it paraphrases and puts it in words 00:19:37.26\00:19:40.23 that are really celebratory: "God is love, when we take" 00:19:40.26\00:19:44.60 "up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God" 00:19:44.63\00:19:48.29 "and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, " 00:19:48.32\00:19:52.85 "becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free" 00:19:52.88\00:19:57.69 "of worry on Judgment Day - our standing in the world" 00:19:57.72\00:20:00.50 "is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love" 00:20:00.53\00:20:04.12 "for fear. Well formed love banishes fear. " 00:20:04.15\00:20:10.08 Of course, the opposite of fear is love. 00:20:10.11\00:20:12.23 "Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, " 00:20:12.26\00:20:14.68 "fear of judgment - is one not yet fully formed in love. " 00:20:14.71\00:20:18.49 So finally, "We, though, are going to love - love" 00:20:18.52\00:20:24.28 "and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. " 00:20:24.31\00:20:29.19 "He loved us first. " What a lovely passage 00:20:29.22\00:20:34.07 in 1 John 4, that is a book to go to often, isn't that right? 00:20:34.10\00:20:40.14 I think so, and it's a reason for rejoicing because if God 00:20:40.17\00:20:44.80 loved us first then there's so much love to give to our 00:20:44.83\00:20:49.43 spouse, and then we don't have to worry about being fearful 00:20:49.46\00:20:54.80 because God's love never runs out, and so we can give our love 00:20:54.83\00:20:59.77 to our spouse without being worried about "Well what if I" 00:20:59.80\00:21:03.64 - "don't get it back? " - That's right, because God's 00:21:03.67\00:21:07.31 love, agape love, is actually a love of giving, not a love 00:21:07.34\00:21:12.12 of taking, so that's the kind of love that we want to do. 00:21:12.15\00:21:16.15 In fact, you have even included in here something that we can 00:21:16.18\00:21:21.35 read very quickly: "But for right now, until that" 00:21:21.38\00:21:24.57 "completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward" 00:21:24.60\00:21:27.64 "that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope" 00:21:27.67\00:21:31.16 "unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of" 00:21:31.19\00:21:35.27 - "the three is love. " - And that's actually from 00:21:35.30\00:21:38.95 1 Corinthians 13, again, The Message, but it's one of those 00:21:38.98\00:21:44.92 paraphrases that when you think about it we tend to love kind of 00:21:44.95\00:21:49.97 stingily, "I'll love you if... ", "I'll love you when.. " 00:21:50.00\00:21:55.57 "I'll love you because... ", but the Bible says 00:21:55.60\00:21:59.02 "love extravagantly", and if we love extravagantly then there's 00:21:59.05\00:22:05.43 always cause for celebration, there's always cause for 00:22:05.46\00:22:09.16 rejoicing, and I think that as I look around and as I become 00:22:09.19\00:22:14.42 older I realize that every day that we have each other is 00:22:14.45\00:22:19.24 a cause for celebration and rejoicing. 00:22:19.27\00:22:23.06 You know, as we sit here and share, a lot of people might 00:22:23.09\00:22:26.43 think that this is not something that is productive, but try 00:22:26.46\00:22:31.30 it first. It's very productive to talk about loving because 00:22:31.33\00:22:36.72 even to talk about loving brings a smile to your face. 00:22:36.75\00:22:39.67 You can't sit and talk about love and being loved and not 00:22:39.70\00:22:43.96 smile and have joy in your heart, God planned it that way. 00:22:43.99\00:22:48.38 In fact, you wrote some other things for us to share with 00:22:48.41\00:22:52.74 others, and I'm glad that you put these Scriptures here, 00:22:52.77\00:22:55.43 and these messages because they're very important. 00:22:55.46\00:22:58.37 The Word of God talks of love all the time, and we don't even 00:22:58.40\00:23:03.77 - read it that much. - Well, Philippians 4:4 says: 00:23:03.80\00:23:09.82 "Always be full of joy in the Lord, I say it again, rejoice. " 00:23:09.85\00:23:15.10 and as Christians, if we were always full of joy in the Lord 00:23:15.13\00:23:19.14 then we would rejoice, and certianly, if God has given us 00:23:19.17\00:23:24.34 each other then we have cause for rejoicing, and that everyday 00:23:24.37\00:23:29.74 ought to be a celebration, and we ought to rejoice in 00:23:29.77\00:23:33.29 that love, because when we look around us there is 00:23:33.32\00:23:37.10 so much hate, and so much 00:23:37.13\00:23:40.46 unhappiness in the world that if we are blessed with a spouse 00:23:40.49\00:23:45.20 who loves us and cares for us everyday, that's a reason 00:23:45.23\00:23:48.94 to rejoice, and it's a reason to be happy, and a reason 00:23:48.97\00:23:53.02 to say to one another "I love you". 00:23:53.05\00:23:56.54 Alright, now that is really what celebration is, celebration is 00:23:56.57\00:24:01.21 not, in the words of the world, "a party time", according 00:24:01.24\00:24:05.82 to the world because at the end of that party there has 00:24:05.85\00:24:08.62 to be recovery, we're talking about a celebration by simply 00:24:08.65\00:24:13.85 saying "I love you", that ought to be a part of everyday, 00:24:13.88\00:24:18.09 "I love you", "I care for you", "you mean so much to me", 00:24:18.12\00:24:21.45 that is celebration, any time you take the time to appreciate 00:24:21.48\00:24:25.93 your spouse, your mate for life, that is a celebration, 00:24:25.96\00:24:32.59 that's what we're talking about. We're not talking about 00:24:32.62\00:24:36.34 a worldly type of party, we're talking about the type of joy 00:24:36.37\00:24:39.68 that only God can bring, He can bring a deep joy, and peace 00:24:39.71\00:24:42.92 to your heart that no one can touch, and those are the types 00:24:42.95\00:24:48.38 of joyful moments that we most need. 00:24:48.41\00:24:51.36 Well, Ephesians 5:1,2 says: "Watch what God does, " 00:24:51.39\00:24:55.94 "then you do it, like children who learn proper" 00:24:55.97\00:24:58.67 "behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does" 00:24:58.70\00:25:02.66 "is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life" 00:25:02.69\00:25:06.66 "of love. Observe how God loved us. " 00:25:06.69\00:25:10.98 "His love was not cautious, but extravagant. He didn't love" 00:25:11.01\00:25:15.67 "in order to get something from us but to give everything" 00:25:15.70\00:25:19.67 "of Himself to us. Love like that. " 00:25:19.70\00:25:26.28 That's a wonderful expression, and the Word of God is full 00:25:26.31\00:25:29.76 of such wonderful expressions of love, and in case you don't know 00:25:29.79\00:25:34.07 how to share that, go to His Word and read it to one another, 00:25:34.10\00:25:38.30 and then echo it to your mate, to your spouse. 00:25:38.33\00:25:43.00 As we come down near the close today I'd like for us to pray 00:25:43.03\00:25:48.34 for all of the couples who have been a part of this program, 00:25:48.37\00:25:54.92 who have received something, or would like to receive more. 00:25:54.95\00:25:58.20 So why don't we pray for them right now, as well as for 00:25:58.23\00:26:01.42 ourselves. Dear Lord, we are so grateful 00:26:01.45\00:26:06.52 and so thrilled that you could love us so much and give us 00:26:06.55\00:26:12.76 not only yourself, but someone else to bring joy 00:26:12.79\00:26:16.88 to our hearts. We are basking in that joy, and we praise You 00:26:16.91\00:26:22.38 for that joy in our marriage that comes from the throne 00:26:22.41\00:26:25.82 - of God. - We thank You, Lord, 00:26:25.85\00:26:28.62 that You did not love sparingly, but that you loved extravagantly 00:26:28.65\00:26:34.53 and we will rejoice in that love always. In the name 00:26:34.56\00:26:38.00 of Jesus we pray, amen. 00:26:38.03\00:26:43.00 We've had a lot of things we've talked about across 00:26:43.03\00:26:46.51 a period of time, but nothing brings as much pleasure 00:26:46.54\00:26:51.34 as being able to just talk about how much joy, and how much 00:26:51.37\00:26:55.94 enjoyable time we have with each other. 00:26:55.97\00:27:00.19 God made that possible, God also makes it possible for others. 00:27:00.22\00:27:05.38 We would like to invite you to allow God to be in your 00:27:05.41\00:27:12.04 marriage because this topic of our program for the whole series 00:27:12.07\00:27:18.11 was "Marriage in God's Hands". We want you to make sure 00:27:18.14\00:27:24.18 your marriage is in God's hands, and when we leave you today 00:27:24.21\00:27:30.92 we want to leave you with that theme ringing in your ears 00:27:30.95\00:27:35.94 and in your heart. "Always be full of joy in the Lord", 00:27:35.97\00:27:39.68 Philippians says in 4:4, "I say it again, rejoice. " 00:27:39.71\00:27:44.97