The title of today's
message is, Becoming a Man.
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Great
responsibility, great reflection
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and when I titled this message
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I had to think to
myself, well I know
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I'm talking about
great responsibility.
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So then it
would make sense that,
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that if the
responsibility is great,
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that the reflection
would be at least great.
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You know, we'd at least
have to place some emphasis
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on the fact that
we need to reflect
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and really think about
the great responsibility
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it is to be a man.
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And so becoming a man
describes the process.
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It's a process of becoming,
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of coming into
an experience that
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we have not previously had.
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You know I'm 25 years old
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and right now I'm
seriously dating a girl
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and I'm in the middle of
this battle of just trying
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to understand what
the Lord's expectation
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is on my life as
a future husband.
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And so today,
we're gonna be talking
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about that responsibility
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and we're gonna to be
reflecting on three areas.
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Three questions that each of us
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as young men need to ask.
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Each of us as single
people contemplating marriage
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need to ask and we're
gonna reflect on these.
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So today's message
is not going to about
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how to chose a wife
it's going to be more about
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how to accept the responsibility
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of being a husband.
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And my firm conviction is that
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in order to become the man that
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God wants us to be,
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we're gonna have to
accept among others.
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But definitely
we're gonna have to accept
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these three areas
of responsibility.
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And I believe that only real
men can become real husbands.
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You know can be any old husbands
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and there's lots of
them in the world today.
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That you know are contributing
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to a dysfunctional marriage
and a dysfunctional family.
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But that's not the
type of man we want to be.
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Amen.
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We want to be
the type of men that
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God will use to
just turn our family
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into a light on a hill,
as the scriptures say, amen.
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We want the people
to see the love of Jesus
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radiating out of our families.
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And so if that's
going to be happen
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we're gonna have
to be real men of God.
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And we're gonna have to
accept that responsibility
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that God is calling us into.
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Let's turn in our Bibles
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to Ephesians
Chapter 5 and verse 1.
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Ephesians Chapter 5,
it's in the New Testament.
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Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts,
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Romans, First Corinthians,
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Second Corinthians,
Colossians, Ephesians.
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So it's right there near
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the beginning of
the New Testament.
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Ephesians Chapter 5 and verse 1,
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The Bible says
"Be imitators of God."
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That's very interesting.
"Be imitators of God."
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Let's continue to read,
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"Therefore, as
dearly loved children
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and live a life of
love, just as Christ loved us
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and gave himself up for us
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as a fragrant offering
and a sacrifice to God."
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The imitators of
God, as I read that part
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I had to ask
myself the question,
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in what way
should I imitate God.
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Should I imitate
God in His power?
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In His knowledge?
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Should I imitate God
in His creative ability?
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Just how is it that
I should imitate God.
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Who here says that I
should imitate God in His power.
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What about imitating
God in His full knowledge.
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What about in
His creative ability?
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Am I suppose to be like God
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and be able to create universes.
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Of course not,
these are not the areas,
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so the area that I
must imitate God would have
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to be in some action related
to a relationship with others.
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In other words, I think
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we need to
imitate God in character.
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Does that make sense?
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We need to imitate God
in His character of love
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and kindness and His
character of patience.
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It's in these areas
where we need to imitate God.
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But specifically
this verse goes on to say,
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"And live a life of love."
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So in this
passage more specifically
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than any general imitation
of the character of God,
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we'd have to recognize that
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we need to be imitating God
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in the way that he is loved.
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In the way that He is loved.
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So according to this passage
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in what way was God love.
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In what way was God love
according to this passage.
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He gave up His life, amen.
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He gave up His
life for us, amen.
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He willingly gave up His life
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so that we could be saved.
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Without Him giving up His life,
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and I'm going to
try to come to back
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to this later
notice this carefully,
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without Him giving up His life,
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we could not be saved.
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It was essential that
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He make the
decision to give up His life,
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so that we could be saved, amen.
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Is there any other way?
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There's no other way.
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Christ had to give up His life
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so that we could be saved.
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And it's in this manner
that we are to imitate Him.
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Well, in one context,
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verse 22 tells us in one
context we're to imitate this.
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Verse 22 Chapter 5 of
Ephesians, "Wives submit."
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Actually I want to
skip down to verse 25.
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Ephesians 5, verse 25,
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"Husbands, love your wives,
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just as Christ loved the church
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and gave himself
up for her." Okay.
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There we see it.
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Ephesians Chapter 5 is
applying this love that
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we are to imitate God.
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He's applying this to
the marriage relationship.
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So first we saw,
we're suppose to be
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imitators of God, in what way?
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Well in character, yes,
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but specifically the
aspect in reference to love.
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But now
specifically, more specifically
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I should say,
we're to love our wives.
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Now most of us or at
least a portion of us
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in this room don't have wives.
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So, what we need to
be thinking as young men
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who are not yet
married and that's,
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I'm in that boat as well.
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Our future
wives, we need to love
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with that type of
love that Christ had.
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And that type of love was
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where He gave up His life
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so that we could be saved.
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So to me then it
stands to reason that
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we need to be
willing to give up our lives
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as future husbands
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and for those who are married,
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you need to be
willing to give up your lives
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so that your wife can be saved.
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Does that make sense.
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Let's unpack it
a little bit more.
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Think about this.
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When Christ died on the Christ,
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He died not so that
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He would just take
our place in a sense.
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Like -- okay, let me explain --
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instead of going there I'm going
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to explain to you this way.
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That passage there that
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we just read from
Ephesians Chapter 5 says,
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"That Christ give up His life."
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Okay, so we're
called to give up our life.
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So if you'd use
the illustration of
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the President of
the United States,
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and to say that he's
got a set of bodyguards
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who are willing to give up
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their lives for the President.
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That is one way in which
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we can give up our
lives, physically speaking,
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that's the
language I was looking for.
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We can think to ourselves that,
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oh yeah, the
Bible is telling us that
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we need to
physically give up our lives
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for our wives
or our future wife.
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We could think that
that's what the Bible is saying.
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But would that
make any sense that
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Christ gave up
His life physically?
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No, no, no, no,
no, Christ was willing
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to give up His life spiritually.
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He was willing to
give up His eternal reward,
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His eternal life in order
to that we would be saved.
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The Bible makes it clear to us,
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and Spirit of Prophecy
makes it even more clear to us,
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that Christ died
the second death.
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And that He did not think
00:10:04.99\00:10:05.98
He was going to
come back from that.
00:10:05.99\00:10:08.97
When it says in
Ephesians Chapter 5,
00:10:08.98\00:10:12.06
that Christ gave up His life.
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It's referring to the fact that
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He was willing to
sacrifice His eternal life,
00:10:16.86\00:10:20.41
so that we could be saved
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and if this is the manner in
which we're to love our wives
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and for those of us
who are not married,
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to love our future wife,
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then we've to
recognize the principle here.
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We have to
recognize the principle here,
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that the responsibility
of the Christian husband
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to his wife to be willing to
give up His life spiritually.
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Do whatever it takes to
ensure that his wife is saved.
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And we're gonna unpack
this a little bit more.
00:10:52.30\00:10:56.31
But question number one
that we dealt with now is,
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would you give up your life.
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And so as your contemplating,
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as you're contemplating marriage
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and for those of you
who are already married,
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the question needs to
be each and every day.
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Would I give up my life?
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Would I really
be really willing?
00:11:15.92\00:11:18.26
Or am I so selfish there that
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for some reason I'm not gonna do
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whatever it takes to see
that my wife is in heaven.
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Question number 1 is
would you give up your life
00:11:24.99\00:11:28.54
let I wanna read to you some
spirit of prophecy quotations.
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Ellen White says, in
Adventist Home, page 117.
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Let every
husband and father study
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and understand
the words of Christ,
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not in a one-sided
manner, merely dwelling upon
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the subjection of
the wife to her husband,
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but in the light of
the cross of Calvary,
00:11:48.62\00:11:51.48
study as to his own
position in the family circle."
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And then she
quotes to the passage that
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we are just studying,
"Husbands, love your wives,
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even as Christ
also loved the church,
00:12:01.14\00:12:03.78
and gave Himself
for it, that He himself,
00:12:03.79\00:12:07.64
that He might
sanctify and cleanse it
00:12:07.65\00:12:09.80
with the washing
of water by the word.
00:12:09.81\00:12:13.62
Jesus gave Himself up to
die on the cross in order that
00:12:13.63\00:12:18.54
He might cleanse us
and keep us from all sin
00:12:18.55\00:12:22.04
and pollution by the
influence of the Holy Spirit."
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There we see it,
Ellen White is saying that
00:12:27.10\00:12:29.24
same thing that we
just we saw in scripture,
00:12:29.25\00:12:32.32
the same thing that we
just logically reasoned through.
00:12:32.33\00:12:36.92
Is that we need
to be willing like
00:12:36.93\00:12:41.03
Christ is willing
to give up our lives.
00:12:41.04\00:12:45.84
He was willing to give up
His life, His eternal life.
00:12:45.85\00:12:48.92
So that we could be saved
00:12:48.93\00:12:50.02
and we need to be willing
to give up our eternal lives,
00:12:50.03\00:12:53.92
so our wives could be saved.
00:12:53.93\00:12:55.50
Now, you might be just
thinking for a moment like,
00:12:55.51\00:12:57.52
okay, Roy, it's like,
how is that even possible?
00:12:57.53\00:13:00.33
Like if I can't buy
salvation for someone
00:13:00.34\00:13:03.73
or I can't just pass
my faith on to somebody.
00:13:03.74\00:13:06.41
How is it even possible for
me to give up my eternal life,
00:13:06.42\00:13:11.41
so that my wife or
someone else to be saved?
00:13:11.42\00:13:15.94
And the answer is
simple, the Bible writers okay,
00:13:15.95\00:13:20.29
and Paul is not the only
one who uses this language.
00:13:20.30\00:13:22.96
For the Bible
writers were trying to give
00:13:22.97\00:13:26.39
the most intense
example or intense appeal to us.
00:13:26.40\00:13:34.48
To demonstrate that
it's gonna take everything,
00:13:35.93\00:13:39.30
it's gonna take everything.
00:13:39.31\00:13:41.56
Moses said to God when
He was talking with God
00:13:41.57\00:13:44.82
in Exodus 33, 32:32 that
00:13:44.83\00:13:49.15
"He wishes if the children
of Israel did not repent that
00:13:49.16\00:13:52.03
His name would be
blotted out of the Book of Life
00:13:52.04\00:13:54.78
so that they could be saved."
00:13:54.79\00:13:57.21
Well, it wasn't really
possible for Moses to do that.
00:13:57.22\00:13:59.39
But that's how much he
loved the children of Israel.
00:13:59.40\00:14:01.73
That's how much
he longed for them
00:14:01.74\00:14:02.95
to be in the kingdom.
00:14:02.96\00:14:06.28
And as men preparing to accept
00:14:06.29\00:14:09.58
the responsibility
of being a husband,
00:14:09.59\00:14:12.82
we need to have
that same intensity,
00:14:12.83\00:14:17.61
we need to have that same love,
00:14:17.62\00:14:20.59
intensity of love
for our future wife.
00:14:20.60\00:14:25.66
Paul said in,
Romans 9, 3. He said,
00:14:25.67\00:14:28.06
"I wish that I
could be accursed,
00:14:28.07\00:14:29.82
cutoff from Christ in order that
00:14:29.83\00:14:32.15
my brethren would be saved."
00:14:32.16\00:14:35.07
Now, a point that
I must make of this,
00:14:35.08\00:14:38.12
at this point in
the sermon is that
00:14:38.13\00:14:41.50
we cannot have that
type of love by ourselves.
00:14:41.51\00:14:45.79
Like that type of
love that Christ had,
00:14:45.80\00:14:47.44
like we're not going to
get that by just deciding.
00:14:47.45\00:14:50.55
Okay, I'm just going to
have that much love like,
00:14:50.56\00:14:53.39
there's gotta be a way
for me to love my future,
00:14:53.40\00:14:57.77
you know, spouse that way.
00:14:57.78\00:15:00.43
You figure it out and
you try, no, no, no, no, no.
00:15:00.44\00:15:03.09
There's no amount of
work there you can do
00:15:03.10\00:15:04.57
the only thing is
you can give your life
00:15:04.58\00:15:06.19
to the Lord every
single day and ask Him
00:15:06.20\00:15:07.75
to give you that
love for your wife.
00:15:07.76\00:15:12.56
And for your future wives.
00:15:12.57\00:15:17.10
And so that's
important that has to come home,
00:15:17.11\00:15:19.28
we can't just muster
up that type of courage.
00:15:19.29\00:15:21.55
We can't just
muster up that kind of love
00:15:21.56\00:15:23.34
because as selfish human beings,
00:15:23.35\00:15:25.41
we don't have that kind
of love it's just not in us.
00:15:25.42\00:15:30.32
But through the
power of God, it can be.
00:15:30.33\00:15:34.61
Another quote
from Adventist Home,
00:15:34.62\00:15:38.47
page 117 paragraph
2, Ellen White says,
00:15:38.48\00:15:43.09
"Husbands should study
the pattern and seek to know
00:15:43.10\00:15:48.18
what is meant by the
symbol presented in Ephesians,
00:15:48.19\00:15:52.06
the relation Christ
sustains to the church.
00:15:52.07\00:15:55.77
The husband is to be as
a Savior in his family."
00:15:55.78\00:16:00.80
There you see it in
such like black white terms.
00:16:00.81\00:16:04.17
The husband is to be
as a savior to His family.
00:16:04.18\00:16:08.45
So let me ask you this question.
00:16:08.46\00:16:11.00
If you should
get to your eternity
00:16:11.01\00:16:14.39
and your wife is not there,
00:16:14.40\00:16:16.28
that means you were
not a very good savior.
00:16:16.29\00:16:21.03
Ezekiel Chapter 33
makes it very clear.
00:16:21.04\00:16:24.06
That those who are the watchmen,
00:16:24.07\00:16:25.99
those who accept the
responsibility of warning.
00:16:26.00\00:16:30.37
If they don't do their
job of warning properly,
00:16:30.38\00:16:34.67
the blood is on their shoulders.
00:16:34.68\00:16:36.23
And I would
submit the same thing,
00:16:36.24\00:16:39.30
that if we who
accept the responsibility
00:16:39.31\00:16:44.53
of being husbands.
00:16:44.54\00:16:48.20
If we don't do
everything to ensure.
00:16:48.21\00:16:50.45
Now we can't ultimately
make the decision for a wife.
00:16:50.46\00:16:52.81
But we can't do
everything to ensure
00:16:52.82\00:16:55.18
that our wives are
saved, then we have not been,
00:16:55.19\00:17:02.49
we have not been successful
00:17:02.50\00:17:04.68
in taking that
representative role
00:17:04.69\00:17:06.93
if you will in a
family of being a savior.
00:17:06.94\00:17:08.87
We've not been
successful in that.
00:17:08.88\00:17:11.00
And the blood will
be on our shoulders.
00:17:11.01\00:17:13.45
I'll continue reading the quote
00:17:13.46\00:17:14.57
picking it up
there in the middle,
00:17:14.58\00:17:16.29
"Will he stand in his
noble, God-given manhood,"
00:17:16.30\00:17:20.87
who here wants to
stand in that noble man,
00:17:20.88\00:17:24.54
God given manhood, amen.
00:17:24.55\00:17:27.10
I want to do that.
00:17:27.11\00:17:28.20
It's not going
to come naturally,
00:17:28.21\00:17:29.58
it's going to be
something you've to pray
00:17:29.59\00:17:32.24
and you're gonna
have to trust that
00:17:32.25\00:17:33.44
the Lord will
help you to become.
00:17:33.45\00:17:37.30
"Ever seeking to
uplift his wife and children.
00:17:37.31\00:17:40.36
He will breathe above
him a pure, sweet atmosphere.
00:17:40.37\00:17:45.68
Will he not as assiduously
cultivate the love of Jesus,
00:17:45.69\00:17:51.82
making it an abiding
principle in his home,
00:17:51.83\00:17:55.56
as he will assert
his claims to authority?"
00:17:55.57\00:17:58.07
And so she's just
finishing that up by saying,
00:17:58.08\00:18:00.10
you know, men
naturally want to assert,
00:18:00.11\00:18:02.52
I'm the man of the house.
00:18:02.53\00:18:04.26
Really want to
assert their authority.
00:18:04.27\00:18:06.31
We wanna assert our authority,
00:18:06.32\00:18:07.64
but she's saying, listen,
if you are as willing to love
00:18:07.65\00:18:13.39
as you are to
assert your authority
00:18:13.40\00:18:15.63
and is willing to be
invested in saving your wife.
00:18:15.64\00:18:20.28
Winning your wife for
the kingdom as you are
00:18:20.29\00:18:23.86
to assert your
authority that's what you need.
00:18:23.87\00:18:26.66
Because it's natural for men
00:18:26.67\00:18:27.81
to want to be, to
want to be in charge,
00:18:27.82\00:18:31.06
to want to be the
heads or want to be.
00:18:31.07\00:18:33.16
And so she's
saying, balance it out.
00:18:33.17\00:18:35.13
Make sure both are there.
00:18:35.14\00:18:36.96
It's not wrong to take
the spiritual leader role,
00:18:36.97\00:18:40.88
it's not wrong to be
the head of the household.
00:18:40.89\00:18:43.95
But not to the exclusion
of loving like Christ love.
00:18:43.96\00:18:46.89
Amen.
00:18:46.90\00:18:50.29
Let's go to Genesis chapter 29,
00:18:50.30\00:18:52.79
and we're gonna look at
our second question for today.
00:18:52.80\00:18:57.82
Genesis Chapter
29, the question is,
00:18:57.83\00:19:02.91
would you work seven years?
00:19:02.92\00:19:05.75
First question is,
would you give your life?
00:19:05.76\00:19:10.14
Now the second question is,
00:19:10.15\00:19:11.59
would you work for seven years?
00:19:11.60\00:19:13.60
And I would suggest that
00:19:13.61\00:19:14.62
if you can't
answer yes to number one
00:19:14.63\00:19:17.17
And if you can't
answer yes to number two,
00:19:17.18\00:19:20.74
then you need to
wait a little be longer
00:19:20.75\00:19:23.15
and become more of
the spiritual man that
00:19:23.16\00:19:25.16
the Lord wants you to
be before you're ready
00:19:25.17\00:19:26.76
to accept the responsibility
of being a husband.
00:19:26.77\00:19:31.69
Being a true Christian husband,
00:19:31.70\00:19:34.94
would you wor seven years.
00:19:34.95\00:19:36.09
Genesis chapter 29 and
we're going to start in verse 4.
00:19:36.10\00:19:42.52
We here see the story
of Jacob, who leaves home.
00:19:42.53\00:19:47.29
He's headed towards Horan.
00:19:47.30\00:19:49.71
Where he's gonna find
his Laban, his relative,
00:19:49.72\00:19:55.94
and He comes to the well.
00:19:55.95\00:19:58.37
And He comes to the well
00:19:58.38\00:20:01.04
and he's there
talking among the shepherds
00:20:01.05\00:20:02.92
and Jacob asks the
shepherds in verse 4,
00:20:02.93\00:20:05.62
Genesis Chapter 29 verse 4,
00:20:05.63\00:20:07.58
"my brothers,
where are you from?
00:20:07.59\00:20:10.15
We're from Horan, they replied,
00:20:10.16\00:20:12.83
he said to them, do you
know Laban, Nahor's grandson.
00:20:12.84\00:20:17.42
Yes, we know him they answered.
00:20:17.43\00:20:18.99
Then Jacob asked
them, is he well?
00:20:19.00\00:20:21.94
Yes, he is, they said.
00:20:21.95\00:20:23.62
And here comes his
daughter Rachel with the sheep."
00:20:23.63\00:20:28.14
Verse 9 while He was
still talking with them,
00:20:28.15\00:20:31.38
Rachel came with
her father's sheep
00:20:31.39\00:20:34.73
for she was a shepherdess.
00:20:34.74\00:20:37.73
Verse 10, when Jacob saw
Rachel, daughter of Laban,
00:20:37.74\00:20:41.66
his mother's
brother and Laban sheep
00:20:41.67\00:20:44.67
He went over and
rolled the stone away
00:20:44.68\00:20:46.67
from the mouth of the well
00:20:46.68\00:20:48.87
and watered his uncle's sheep.
00:20:48.88\00:20:51.89
Then Jacob kissed
Rachel and began to weep aloud.
00:20:51.90\00:20:55.62
He had told Rachel that
00:20:55.63\00:20:57.73
He was a relative
of her -- of her father
00:20:57.74\00:21:00.56
and a son of Rebecca.
00:21:00.57\00:21:02.10
And so she ran
and told her father,
00:21:02.11\00:21:03.65
skipping down to verse 15,
00:21:03.66\00:21:05.02
Laban said to him,
00:21:05.03\00:21:07.01
just because
you're a relative of mine,
00:21:07.02\00:21:08.01
should you work
for me for nothing?
00:21:08.67\00:21:11.62
Tell me what
your wages should be?
00:21:11.63\00:21:14.48
Now Laban had 2 daughters.
00:21:14.49\00:21:16.67
The name of the older is Leah
00:21:16.68\00:21:18.40
and the name of
the younger was Rachel.
00:21:18.41\00:21:20.95
Leah had weak eyes.
00:21:20.96\00:21:23.31
But Rachel was lovely
in form and beautiful.
00:21:23.32\00:21:26.84
Jacob was in love
with Rachel and said,
00:21:26.85\00:21:30.20
I'll work for you
seven years in return
00:21:30.21\00:21:33.53
for your
younger daughter Rachel.
00:21:33.54\00:21:35.32
Verse 19 Laban
said, it is better that
00:21:35.33\00:21:37.90
I give her to you
than to some other man,
00:21:37.91\00:21:41.01
stay here with me.
00:21:41.02\00:21:42.04
So Jacob served
seven years to get Rachel.
00:21:42.05\00:21:46.12
But they seemed like
only a few days to him.
00:21:46.13\00:21:49.50
He loved, his love for,
because of his love for her.
00:21:49.51\00:21:53.41
Powerful passages,
lots of we can learn
00:21:53.42\00:21:55.26
from what is
contained in this story.
00:21:55.27\00:22:00.77
But what we have to
recognize is that Laban,
00:22:00.78\00:22:04.47
I mean Jacob didn't just
work for seven years for fun.
00:22:04.48\00:22:10.28
He worked for 7 years
for a specific purpose.
00:22:10.29\00:22:13.67
And if we understand
the ancient tradition
00:22:13.68\00:22:18.51
of these people,
we'll recognize that
00:22:18.52\00:22:20.88
it was tradition that
the bridegroom, the person,
00:22:20.89\00:22:26.43
the husband who
wanted the wife of a man,
00:22:26.44\00:22:32.30
if he wanted, or I
guess I need to say that
00:22:32.31\00:22:34.89
probably, the man who
wants someone's daughter.
00:22:34.90\00:22:41.04
A father's daughter, that person
00:22:41.05\00:22:43.91
would have to pay a dowry.
00:22:43.92\00:22:46.22
That dowry usually
consisted of some sort of money,
00:22:46.23\00:22:49.68
whatever you know the way that
00:22:49.69\00:22:51.83
they traded but sort of money
00:22:51.84\00:22:53.49
and that dowry
was there to represent
00:22:53.50\00:22:55.45
and to signify
the fact that this man
00:22:55.46\00:22:58.20
could actually
provide for his daughter.
00:22:58.21\00:23:03.11
The husband, I mean
the father was concerned,
00:23:03.12\00:23:05.54
like I'm not just
gonna give you know
00:23:05.55\00:23:07.94
my daughter to any man.
00:23:07.95\00:23:09.40
Like what if this guy is a bum.
00:23:09.41\00:23:10.57
You know, I need to know.
00:23:10.58\00:23:11.58
I need to ensure someway that
00:23:11.59\00:23:13.89
he is able to provide for
the security of my daughter.
00:23:13.90\00:23:19.86
He had to know that.
00:23:19.87\00:23:21.52
But in this case,
Jacob had nothing to give.
00:23:21.53\00:23:25.23
He was running away
from home in essence.
00:23:25.24\00:23:28.30
And so there was a
-- the provision made
00:23:28.31\00:23:31.69
in that culture that
for those who could not pay,
00:23:31.70\00:23:34.80
those who did not
have a dowry to give,
00:23:34.81\00:23:36.76
they could work the years off,
00:23:36.77\00:23:40.67
until they had earned the dowry.
00:23:40.68\00:23:43.64
So they could work
until they prove themselves.
00:23:43.65\00:23:47.09
Listen to what
Ellen G White says.
00:23:47.10\00:23:50.83
In Patriots and
Prophets Ellen White says,
00:23:50.84\00:23:52.90
"Fathers did not
think it safe to trust
00:23:52.91\00:23:56.00
the happiness of
their daughters to men
00:23:56.01\00:23:58.73
who had not made provision
for the support of a family."
00:23:58.74\00:24:04.43
That makes sense.
00:24:04.44\00:24:06.30
And I would
suggest to any of us here,
00:24:06.31\00:24:10.63
that we need\ to
be able to ensure
00:24:10.64\00:24:12.77
and to accept the responsibility
00:24:12.78\00:24:14.35
of providing for a
wife and a future family.
00:24:14.36\00:24:17.67
We can't just
decide, oh you know,
00:24:17.68\00:24:19.21
passion moved and I
just wanted to get married
00:24:19.22\00:24:20.99
and you're, it's so much better
00:24:21.00\00:24:22.20
to have a wife
than to not have a wife.
00:24:22.21\00:24:26.22
We need to be willing
00:24:26.23\00:24:28.54
to accept the responsibility
of being a husband.
00:24:28.55\00:24:31.27
And that means providing
for the security of your wife.
00:24:31.28\00:24:37.00
But it doesn't just
mean financial security
00:24:37.01\00:24:39.56
because there are a
lot of men out there
00:24:39.57\00:24:41.65
who are very able to provide
00:24:41.66\00:24:44.20
for the financial
needs of their wives.
00:24:44.21\00:24:48.12
There are lots of men
who are able to do that.
00:24:48.13\00:24:50.78
And likely many of us
00:24:50.79\00:24:51.81
in this room
will be able to that.
00:24:51.82\00:24:54.60
To provide financially and
to give financial security.
00:24:54.61\00:25:00.56
But Ellen White
gives us an insight.
00:25:00.57\00:25:02.49
That it is not readily available
00:25:02.50\00:25:04.02
to see in the Bible text
00:25:04.03\00:25:05.82
and that insight is
that he not only needed
00:25:05.83\00:25:07.87
to provide for her
financial security.
00:25:07.88\00:25:10.65
But he needed
to demonstrate that
00:25:10.66\00:25:11.93
he could provide for
her holistic security,
00:25:11.94\00:25:15.05
meaning emotional
security and just her goals,
00:25:15.06\00:25:19.36
her life dreams like
helping her be who she was.
00:25:19.37\00:25:24.11
Helping her do what she enjoys.
00:25:24.12\00:25:26.56
He needed to be
able to support her
00:25:26.57\00:25:28.35
in all ways of life.
00:25:28.36\00:25:30.50
Not just her always
being submissive to him
00:25:30.51\00:25:33.18
and him not
doing anything for her.
00:25:33.19\00:25:34.79
He needed to help her.
00:25:34.80\00:25:36.30
Be the helpmate and
so that's what happened.
00:25:36.31\00:25:39.37
Let me read the quote to you.
00:25:39.38\00:25:41.70
This is still in
Patriots and Prophets,
00:25:41.71\00:25:43.93
page 189, paragraph 1,
00:25:43.94\00:25:47.85
"When the suitor was required
00:25:47.86\00:25:49.88
to render service
to secure his bride,
00:25:49.89\00:25:52.84
a hasty marriage was prevented."
00:25:52.85\00:25:56.30
That's a very
interesting point she says that,
00:25:56.31\00:25:58.39
in order to
prevent a hasty marriage
00:25:58.40\00:26:00.26
this dowry was required
00:26:00.27\00:26:01.73
and for those who
didn't have the dowry,
00:26:01.74\00:26:04.23
they would have
to provide service.
00:26:04.24\00:26:06.95
And it would be
interesting to know that
00:26:06.96\00:26:08.32
in order to have
had gotten dowry in past
00:26:08.33\00:26:11.10
they would had to
work for that dowry.
00:26:11.11\00:26:13.44
So the dowry
was as symbolic that
00:26:13.45\00:26:15.34
that this man was
actually able to serve.
00:26:15.35\00:26:17.61
Was actually able to work,
was actually able to provide
00:26:17.62\00:26:20.06
and here it says this
prevented a hasty marriage.
00:26:20.07\00:26:22.81
There are so many
young people today,
00:26:22.82\00:26:24.57
this happens
frequently in academies
00:26:24.58\00:26:27.79
and still happens in college.
00:26:27.80\00:26:29.77
And definitely it happens in
the world regardless of well,
00:26:29.78\00:26:33.13
I wouldn't say with regardless
00:26:33.14\00:26:34.19
but for those
outside of Christianity
00:26:34.20\00:26:36.72
and even
sometimes in Christianity.
00:26:36.73\00:26:38.94
Where people just want to,
00:26:38.95\00:26:40.03
they just want a life companion,
00:26:40.04\00:26:41.46
they just want someone.
00:26:41.47\00:26:43.82
So they can
fulfill their pleasures,
00:26:43.83\00:26:45.64
their desires whatever
their lusts happen to be.
00:26:45.65\00:26:50.23
And Ellen White makes it clear
00:26:50.24\00:26:51.37
that time of
seven years prevented
00:26:51.38\00:26:55.00
any hasty decisions to be made.
00:26:55.01\00:26:57.73
And so we as young men have
to ask ourselves the question.
00:26:57.74\00:27:01.11
Have we done
everything to prepare
00:27:01.12\00:27:03.20
to accept the responsibility
of being a husband?
00:27:03.21\00:27:06.75
Have we taken the
time to demonstrate that
00:27:06.76\00:27:09.93
we'll be able to provide
holistically, financially,
00:27:09.94\00:27:16.00
emotionally and in
whatever other way,
00:27:16.01\00:27:19.38
standing by the
side of your future wife,
00:27:19.39\00:27:24.66
helping her as she helps you.
00:27:24.67\00:27:27.92
Let me continue
reading the quotation,
00:27:27.93\00:27:30.56
"And there was
opportunity to test the depth
00:27:30.57\00:27:33.07
of his affections,
as well as his ability
00:27:33.08\00:27:34.95
to provide for a family.
00:27:34.96\00:27:36.67
In our time many evils result
00:27:36.68\00:27:38.54
from pursuing
an opposite course.
00:27:38.55\00:27:40.62
It is often the case
that persons before marriage
00:27:40.63\00:27:43.56
have little
opportunity to become acquainted
00:27:43.57\00:27:45.47
with each other's
habits and disposition,
00:27:45.48\00:27:48.26
and, so far as
everyday life is concerned.
00:27:48.27\00:27:53.02
They are virtually strangers
00:27:53.03\00:27:54.95
when they unite their
interests at the altar.
00:27:54.96\00:27:58.32
Many find, too late,
00:27:58.33\00:28:00.08
that they are not
adapted to each other,
00:28:00.09\00:28:03.60
and lifelong wretchedness
is the result of their union.
00:28:03.61\00:28:08.27
Often the wife
and children suffer
00:28:08.28\00:28:10.12
from the
indolence and inefficiency
00:28:10.13\00:28:12.81
or the vicious habits of
the husband and the father.
00:28:12.82\00:28:16.29
If the character of the suitor
00:28:16.30\00:28:17.63
had been tested before marriage,
00:28:17.64\00:28:20.09
according to the ancient custom,
00:28:20.10\00:28:22.06
great unhappiness
might have been prevented."
00:28:22.07\00:28:25.69
And this is the point
where I just want to say
00:28:25.70\00:28:28.52
and bring out what
Ellen White said there.
00:28:28.53\00:28:30.27
And that is in
fact that often times
00:28:30.28\00:28:34.18
people will marry
without really being acquainted
00:28:34.19\00:28:36.96
with the disposition,
with the personality.
00:28:36.97\00:28:40.79
I can tell you after having
dated for nine months now.
00:28:40.80\00:28:45.56
And sometimes it probably
takes longer than nine months
00:28:45.57\00:28:49.36
but in my nine
months of having dated
00:28:49.37\00:28:52.80
the girl that I'm with now.
00:28:52.81\00:28:54.87
As we've been
contemplating marriage.
00:28:54.88\00:28:56.35
I've been able to see
a lot of her character.
00:28:56.36\00:28:58.87
I've been able to see
a lot of her personality.
00:28:58.88\00:29:00.78
I've been able to
ask myself the question,
00:29:00.79\00:29:02.80
can I live with
these different things that
00:29:02.81\00:29:05.96
she does or doesn't do.
00:29:05.97\00:29:07.37
You know, it's so
frequent we get raised
00:29:07.38\00:29:11.96
a certain way and so we
do things a certain way.
00:29:11.97\00:29:14.98
But then there's this girl,
she gets raised a certain way
00:29:14.99\00:29:16.82
and does things a certain way
00:29:16.83\00:29:18.42
and then you come together.
00:29:18.43\00:29:19.57
And you don't do
them the same way,
00:29:19.58\00:29:21.84
and it causes friction
00:29:21.85\00:29:22.89
and it's usually
for silly little things.
00:29:22.90\00:29:26.99
But then there's
personality conflicts,
00:29:27.00\00:29:28.42
there's so many things that
00:29:28.43\00:29:31.60
we just have to account for
00:29:31.61\00:29:33.57
and time will help that.
00:29:33.58\00:29:36.63
It's important not to rush
your courting, dating stage.
00:29:36.64\00:29:40.91
It's important
to give enough time
00:29:40.92\00:29:43.72
so you can
really know who's there,
00:29:43.73\00:29:47.77
who you're possibly planning
00:29:47.78\00:29:49.73
to link and
unite your future with.
00:29:49.74\00:29:54.40
And I think it's
such a powerful point that
00:29:54.41\00:29:57.10
needs to be made and
that needs to be understood
00:29:57.11\00:29:59.79
is what are we willing to do.
00:29:59.80\00:30:01.59
And we're going
to come back to this
00:30:01.60\00:30:02.65
and give some application.
00:30:02.66\00:30:04.28
What are we willing to
do in order to ensure that
00:30:04.29\00:30:09.96
we are prepared to
be married to someone.
00:30:09.97\00:30:15.44
Provide for them financially,
provide for them emotionally.
00:30:15.45\00:30:19.61
Adjust ourselves to
dispositions, what can we do.
00:30:19.62\00:30:22.99
And we're gonna answer
that question in a little bit.
00:30:23.00\00:30:25.10
Because there are
some very practical things
00:30:25.11\00:30:26.85
that I'm gonna suggest.
00:30:26.86\00:30:28.38
That will help us to see exactly
00:30:28.39\00:30:31.13
how we can become men.
00:30:31.14\00:30:35.19
Men of God.
00:30:35.20\00:30:36.26
Christian men who will
become Christian husbands.
00:30:36.27\00:30:39.62
Our next point is a question,
would you be a missionary.
00:30:39.63\00:30:46.09
Would you be a missionary?
00:30:46.10\00:30:49.59
Actually I wanna
-- I'm gonna skip back
00:30:49.60\00:30:52.63
and I'm gonna read
something that I forgot to read.
00:30:52.64\00:30:55.47
And that is, from
Ministry of Healing, page 360,
00:30:55.48\00:31:02.22
"Study to advance the
happiness of each other."
00:31:02.23\00:31:06.18
See it's a process of studying,
00:31:06.19\00:31:08.79
you can study by
reading and you need to,
00:31:08.80\00:31:10.36
you need to read
books on relationships,
00:31:10.37\00:31:11.79
you need to read books on what
it means to be a man of God.
00:31:11.80\00:31:16.45
Study, but study the character
of the person you're linking.
00:31:16.46\00:31:19.83
You're seeking to
unite your life with.
00:31:19.84\00:31:21.96
Study, you know,
their personality,
00:31:21.97\00:31:23.87
study what they're like.
00:31:23.88\00:31:25.13
Study, study,
study, pray, pray, pray,
00:31:25.14\00:31:27.84
ask the Lord for eyes to see,
00:31:27.85\00:31:29.67
so that you'll know
what you're dealing with.
00:31:29.68\00:31:32.78
"Study to advance the
happiness of each other.
00:31:32.79\00:31:35.16
Let there be mutual
love, mutual forbearance.
00:31:35.17\00:31:38.97
Then marriage, instead
of being the end of love,
00:31:38.98\00:31:41.74
will be as it were the
very beginning of love.
00:31:41.75\00:31:45.24
The warmth of true friendship,
00:31:45.25\00:31:47.49
the love that
binds heart to heart,
00:31:47.50\00:31:49.22
is a foretaste of
the joys of heaven.
00:31:49.23\00:31:53.17
" Powerful, that's what
marriage is supposed to be.
00:31:53.18\00:31:56.14
But we're gonna
have to take this time.
00:31:56.15\00:31:58.56
This seven
years, it doesn't have
00:31:58.57\00:32:00.72
to be literally seven years.
00:32:00.73\00:32:01.87
But has to be whatever
it takes for us as young men
00:32:01.88\00:32:05.12
to be prepared to
accept this responsibility.
00:32:05.13\00:32:08.62
All right,
question number three.
00:32:08.63\00:32:10.86
How do we prepare
to be a missionary?
00:32:10.87\00:32:15.08
The reason I believe that so
many children leave the church
00:32:15.09\00:32:21.70
is because there has
not been effective training.
00:32:21.71\00:32:26.29
Come with me to
Proverbs Chapter 22.
00:32:26.30\00:32:31.05
Proverbs Chapter 22
00:32:31.06\00:32:35.25
and the Bible
says in verse 6, train.
00:32:35.26\00:32:40.21
Proverbs Chapter 22 and verse 6,
00:32:40.22\00:32:43.52
"Train a child in
the way he should go,
00:32:43.53\00:32:46.00
and when he is old he
will not turn from it."
00:32:46.01\00:32:51.66
Train, train a child and
as I began to really break
00:32:51.67\00:32:58.03
this verse down and
think about it, you know,
00:32:58.04\00:33:01.18
in clear terms that I had
ever thought about it before.
00:33:01.19\00:33:04.44
I realized that
00:33:04.45\00:33:07.22
a child is a child for
a certain amount of time.
00:33:07.23\00:33:11.01
So if that's true,
then he's only, he or she,
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.46
that child of yours in
the future is only a child
00:33:13.47\00:33:17.86
for a certain amount
of time, that gives us
00:33:17.87\00:33:19.38
a certain amount of time to
work with them and train them.
00:33:19.39\00:33:23.32
Someone once said that,
that if you want to be a parent
00:33:23.33\00:33:28.17
you need to be willing to be
a missionary for twenty years.
00:33:28.18\00:33:32.81
We had a brother here today
00:33:32.82\00:33:33.87
who went to an
unreached people group
00:33:33.88\00:33:36.35
and usually when missionaries
go to unreached people groups,
00:33:36.36\00:33:39.90
they go there for
ten, twelve and more years.
00:33:39.91\00:33:43.90
They have to be
a real missionary
00:33:43.91\00:33:45.61
who takes the time to really
study, to really integrate,
00:33:45.62\00:33:48.55
to really learn, how to do?
00:33:48.56\00:33:52.50
How to spread the
gospel, I should say,
00:33:52.51\00:33:55.03
in that unreached people group.
00:33:55.04\00:33:58.58
And what we have to recognize
00:33:58.59\00:33:59.82
as future husbands
if we have families,
00:33:59.83\00:34:05.88
our child is
unreached, and we need
00:34:05.89\00:34:09.10
to be a missionary to that child
00:34:09.11\00:34:10.53
and we need to
study and we need to do
00:34:10.54\00:34:12.57
whatever it
takes to be the trainer
00:34:12.58\00:34:15.16
and the missionary
that, that child needs.
00:34:15.17\00:34:18.55
What's very, very
interesting is that there is,
00:34:18.56\00:34:22.50
there is an additional
rendering to this verse.
00:34:22.51\00:34:26.02
And I take it from the
New Living translation,
00:34:26.03\00:34:28.49
where it reads, direct your
children on to the right path
00:34:28.50\00:34:32.16
and when they are
older, not just old but older.
00:34:32.17\00:34:37.66
They will not leave it.
00:34:37.67\00:34:41.38
Okay, and as I was
studying the differences there,
00:34:41.39\00:34:44.05
it became apparent to me that
00:34:44.06\00:34:48.51
often we look at this passage,
this portion of scripture,
00:34:48.52\00:34:51.24
this verse 6 of Proverb 22.
00:34:51.25\00:34:53.38
And we say to
ourselves, and I'm sure
00:34:53.39\00:34:55.55
you've heard it
communicated this way that
00:34:55.56\00:34:57.75
if your child
should go from the faith
00:34:57.76\00:35:00.20
and stray from the
faith, when they're old.
00:35:00.21\00:35:01.74
If you did the right
job they'll comeback.
00:35:01.75\00:35:04.81
And that's fine,
I don't mind that,
00:35:04.82\00:35:06.69
I don't mind
that interpretation.
00:35:06.70\00:35:08.42
I believe that's an
accurate interpretation,
00:35:08.43\00:35:10.52
but I think there's
something a little bit deeper
00:35:10.53\00:35:12.77
and even more powerful.
00:35:12.78\00:35:14.68
And that's the fact
that the reality is --
00:35:14.69\00:35:18.51
when our children, when
we have them are growing up,
00:35:18.52\00:35:23.98
they reach different points.
00:35:23.99\00:35:25.96
Where they're older,
00:35:25.97\00:35:27.64
they're older at sixteen
and they get more freedoms.
00:35:27.65\00:35:29.87
And they're at 18 and
and they get more freedoms,
00:35:29.88\00:35:31.92
when they're older at 20
and they get more freedoms.
00:35:31.93\00:35:35.22
They're older at 21
and they get more freedoms.
00:35:35.23\00:35:37.16
And the significance of
this is when they're older
00:35:37.17\00:35:40.27
I believe this is with
the Bibles really digging down
00:35:40.28\00:35:42.51
deep into and it's
saying, when they're older,
00:35:42.52\00:35:44.61
when they're to that point
00:35:44.62\00:35:46.42
where you as mother, as father.
00:35:46.43\00:35:47.45
When you as mother can't
make the decisions for them.
00:35:51.25\00:35:55.83
And so when you can't
make those decision for them.
00:35:55.84\00:35:59.02
When they're older, when
they're 16, 18, 20 and 21,
00:35:59.03\00:36:04.87
they'll not depart
from what you've taught them
00:36:04.88\00:36:08.05
if you've properly taught them.
00:36:08.06\00:36:10.58
To me this is
amazing to recognize
00:36:10.59\00:36:12.52
this verse in that way,
00:36:12.53\00:36:13.58
because why should we settle
for anything less than that.
00:36:13.59\00:36:17.61
If we have committed
our lives to these children
00:36:17.62\00:36:22.65
and I maybe even go
back one step forward.
00:36:22.66\00:36:24.60
If we've made the decision,
but one step backwards,
00:36:24.61\00:36:26.81
if we made the decision
to bring life into the world.
00:36:26.82\00:36:28.84
We need to be
committed to raising that
00:36:28.85\00:36:33.10
child properly
and so if you're not
00:36:33.11\00:36:34.71
willing to be a missionary,
then don't have kids,
00:36:34.72\00:36:38.30
then don't have kids.
00:36:38.31\00:36:39.32
But that's the
problem, because your wife
00:36:39.33\00:36:41.61
or your future wife
probably wants kids.
00:36:41.62\00:36:45.43
And so that's why
00:36:45.44\00:36:46.44
it's a very
serious consideration
00:36:46.45\00:36:48.00
as a young person.
00:36:48.01\00:36:49.48
I know my girlfriend, you know,
00:36:49.49\00:36:50.62
if we got
married, she wants kids
00:36:50.63\00:36:51.89
so I've had to sit
there and think to myself,
00:36:51.90\00:36:55.10
am I going to take the time,
00:36:55.11\00:36:57.94
am I really gonna take the time
00:36:57.95\00:37:00.88
to invest in being a father,
00:37:00.89\00:37:04.19
in being a missionary
for those twenty years.
00:37:04.20\00:37:06.27
Because once the
twenty years are gone,
00:37:06.28\00:37:08.01
if I'm lucky to
have had that many years.
00:37:08.02\00:37:10.53
When those are gone,
then whatever happens happens.
00:37:10.54\00:37:16.19
I just have to sit back and
pray that it all happens okay.
00:37:16.20\00:37:20.43
So I've got to use
that time properly.
00:37:20.44\00:37:23.64
And I've had to ask
myself the question.
00:37:23.65\00:37:26.47
Would I really be
willing to be a missionary.
00:37:26.48\00:37:30.90
Let me read to you
some powerful stuff
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.43
from the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:37:32.44\00:37:33.61
Ellen White says
in Child Guidance.
00:37:33.62\00:37:36.68
Page 38, "To parents is
committed the great work
00:37:36.69\00:37:41.91
of educating and
training their children
00:37:41.92\00:37:43.98
for the future, immortal life.
00:37:43.99\00:37:46.94
Many fathers and
mothers seem to think that
00:37:46.95\00:37:49.30
if they feed and
clothe their little ones,
00:37:49.31\00:37:51.69
and educate them according
to the standard of the world,
00:37:51.70\00:37:55.34
they have done their duty.
00:37:55.35\00:37:58.43
They are too much occupied
with business or pleasure
00:37:58.44\00:38:01.47
to make the
education of their children
00:38:01.48\00:38:04.44
the study f their lives."
00:38:04.45\00:38:07.67
See there it comes
back to whole study thing.
00:38:07.68\00:38:09.89
If we're preparing
to be Christian men
00:38:09.90\00:38:13.05
that'll become
Christian husbands.
00:38:13.06\00:38:15.36
We need to study
these things and understand
00:38:15.37\00:38:17.67
and decide whether we're willing
00:38:17.68\00:38:18.96
to really accept
the responsibility.
00:38:18.97\00:38:22.13
Because it's a
greater responsibility
00:38:22.14\00:38:23.77
than we could ever think.
00:38:23.78\00:38:26.42
You know and any
married man can testify
00:38:26.43\00:38:28.89
to the fact that it's
more than you bargain for.
00:38:28.90\00:38:31.73
Not in a bad way
but it's just more,
00:38:31.74\00:38:34.12
it's more intense, it's harder.
00:38:34.13\00:38:36.17
You just think of Christ.
00:38:36.24\00:38:37.58
Christ was going through
as He was going through that,
00:38:37.59\00:38:41.26
the greatest
hour of trial for Him.
00:38:41.27\00:38:45.10
He had to cry out, Father,
00:38:45.11\00:38:47.81
if there is a way
like this cup pass from me.
00:38:47.82\00:38:51.71
It's going to be
harder than you think
00:38:51.72\00:38:53.16
and so what I'm
trying to communicate
00:38:53.17\00:38:55.28
to each of us myself included.
00:38:55.29\00:38:57.70
Is that we're going to really
think about being a husband,
00:38:57.71\00:39:01.61
a true Christian
husband, then we need to think
00:39:01.62\00:39:04.13
and we need to
study and we need to pray
00:39:04.14\00:39:06.61
and do as much as we can before.
00:39:06.62\00:39:08.91
So we're prepared for
what comes afterwards, amen.
00:39:08.92\00:39:12.95
Let me continue
reading this quotation,
00:39:12.96\00:39:15.57
"They are too much occupied."
00:39:15.58\00:39:17.32
I'm gonna backup there and read
00:39:17.33\00:39:18.37
that sentence
because it's powerful there.
00:39:18.38\00:39:19.65
"Too much occupied
with business or pleasure
00:39:19.66\00:39:21.18
to make the
education of their children
00:39:21.19\00:39:23.00
the study of their lives."
00:39:23.01\00:39:24.18
Don't let
anything come in the way
00:39:24.19\00:39:25.46
if you chose to have children.
00:39:25.47\00:39:27.68
Don't let
anything come in the way
00:39:27.69\00:39:28.92
if you're properly
educating your children,
00:39:28.93\00:39:31.66
because it's the
most important thing."
00:39:31.67\00:39:33.65
They do not seek to train them,
00:39:33.66\00:39:36.46
so that they will
employ their talents
00:39:36.47\00:39:38.22
for the honor of their Redeemer.
00:39:38.23\00:39:40.60
Solomon did not say,
00:39:40.61\00:39:42.11
tell a child in
the way he should go,
00:39:42.12\00:39:44.73
and when he is old, he
will not depart from it,
00:39:44.74\00:39:46.87
but, "train up a child
in the way he should go,
00:39:46.88\00:39:50.43
and when he is old, he
will not depart from it."
00:39:50.44\00:39:53.43
Powerful positive language,
00:39:53.44\00:39:54.85
it gives us a promise that
00:39:54.86\00:39:56.72
we can claim if
we've done our part.
00:39:56.73\00:39:59.14
If we've done our part.
00:39:59.15\00:40:00.59
I'm gonna read
the next one to you,
00:40:00.60\00:40:02.64
it comes from
conflicting for courage
00:40:02.65\00:40:04.70
and it's in
reference to the life of moses
00:40:04.71\00:40:08.28
and the fact that
his mother jochebed
00:40:08.29\00:40:10.66
did a good job training him.
00:40:10.67\00:40:13.62
Listen to this
powerful quotation,
00:40:13.63\00:40:15.76
conflict and encourage page 80,
00:40:15.77\00:40:18.24
"the lessons
learned at his mother's side
00:40:18.25\00:40:21.47
could not be forgotten.
00:40:21.48\00:40:24.11
They were a shield from
the pride, the infidelity,
00:40:24.12\00:40:28.12
and the vice
that flourished amid
00:40:28.13\00:40:30.05
the splendor of the court."
00:40:30.06\00:40:32.44
She was
successful and I suggest that
00:40:32.45\00:40:37.69
each and every one
of us men in this room,
00:40:37.70\00:40:39.69
if we chose to really
accept that responsibility
00:40:39.70\00:40:43.42
and hold true to it.
00:40:43.43\00:40:46.03
To the commitment we've made.
00:40:46.04\00:40:48.67
Then our children in the future
00:40:48.68\00:40:52.76
will have the same
success and the same enjoyment
00:40:52.77\00:40:56.51
of staying close
to Lord as moses did.
00:40:56.52\00:40:59.21
Sure he made mistakes, sure
our kids will make mistakes,
00:40:59.22\00:41:02.58
but the fact is
they'll stay very close
00:41:02.59\00:41:06.13
because we've
done our job correctly.
00:41:06.14\00:41:10.06
Come listen to this
next one, incredible.
00:41:10.07\00:41:14.03
this comes from
counsels to parents,
00:41:14.04\00:41:16.67
teachers and students.
00:41:16.68\00:41:18.07
So that would
include, i'm sure, all of us.
00:41:18.08\00:41:21.92
And that is "but
in order for parents
00:41:21.93\00:41:24.59
to do this work of training,
00:41:24.60\00:41:27.11
they must themselves understand
00:41:27.12\00:41:29.90
the way the child should go."
00:41:29.91\00:41:32.00
Don't think you're gonna be able
00:41:32.01\00:41:33.38
to properly train your
child unless you know the way.
00:41:33.39\00:41:39.41
"It is impossible for
parents to give their children
00:41:39.42\00:41:42.26
proper training unless they
first give themselves to God,
00:41:42.27\00:41:46.09
learning of the
great teacher lessons
00:41:46.10\00:41:49.23
of obedience to his will."
00:41:49.24\00:41:50.99
Powerful, powerful, that
is what is needed from us.
00:41:51.00\00:41:57.95
if we're going
to be able to know
00:41:57.96\00:41:59.16
the way to teach them to
go and to train them to go.
00:41:59.17\00:42:01.60
We're gonna
need to know that way
00:42:01.61\00:42:02.72
and we're gonna need to
walk that way ourselves, amen.
00:42:02.73\00:42:06.08
They'll follow our
example if we're good example,
00:42:06.09\00:42:09.02
if we're bad example
they'll follow bad example.
00:42:09.03\00:42:11.72
And you'll get
to see what you were
00:42:11.73\00:42:13.13
if you're not
sure what you are now.
00:42:13.14\00:42:16.29
So, would you be a missionary,
00:42:16.30\00:42:20.75
but now the question is,
00:42:20.76\00:42:22.57
how can we practically
prepare for this type of thing?
00:42:22.58\00:42:27.56
How can we prepare,
00:42:27.57\00:42:29.02
and i'd to really
sit down and think
00:42:29.03\00:42:30.63
because the reality is that
00:42:30.64\00:42:34.02
there is no point
getting into something
00:42:34.03\00:42:38.09
that you're not
ready for if there is a way
00:42:38.10\00:42:40.93
to prepare for it
ahead of time, amen.
00:42:40.94\00:42:43.80
I mean, if you could, if
you could go get training,
00:42:43.81\00:42:46.67
you know, to learn how to,
00:42:46.68\00:42:48.32
what's the random example,
jump out of an airplane.
00:42:48.33\00:42:51.73
But you chose, well,
00:42:51.74\00:42:52.74
maybe i'm not
gonna get the training,
00:42:52.75\00:42:53.76
i'll just learn it on the way.
00:42:53.77\00:42:55.59
Well that's not the
smartest thing to do, right.
00:42:55.60\00:42:58.84
It's better to
go get that training
00:42:58.85\00:43:00.68
and I think a very practical way
00:43:00.69\00:43:02.21
and i'm gonna work back now
00:43:02.22\00:43:03.31
through the sequence
of each of these points.
00:43:03.32\00:43:05.67
I'm gonna work
backwards and we're gonna see
00:43:05.68\00:43:07.90
how we can prepare
to be a missionary.
00:43:07.91\00:43:11.15
We can prepare
to be a missionary
00:43:11.16\00:43:13.12
in probably many ways,
00:43:13.13\00:43:14.51
but the way i'm gonna
suggest this morning is that
00:43:14.52\00:43:20.16
we can prepare to be a
missionary by going out
00:43:20.17\00:43:25.32
and studying the
bible with someone.
00:43:25.33\00:43:28.71
You're like whoa,
what do you mean by that?
00:43:28.72\00:43:30.17
Well, think about it this way.
00:43:30.18\00:43:31.92
A missionary actually does that
00:43:31.93\00:43:33.88
and if the christian father
is called to be a missionary,
00:43:33.89\00:43:39.21
then it would make sense
00:43:39.22\00:43:41.49
that there's probably
some things you can learn
00:43:41.50\00:43:43.35
as a missionary that you
could learn in disciplining --
00:43:43.36\00:43:46.76
you could learn in
training your kids.
00:43:46.77\00:43:50.22
And I list off three areas,
00:43:50.23\00:43:52.11
i'm not gonna go
through an exhaustive list.
00:43:52.12\00:43:54.56
But I believe
that we, if we go out
00:43:54.57\00:43:57.35
and take time to be missionaries
00:43:57.36\00:43:59.08
not necessarily abroad
but right here in michigan,
00:43:59.09\00:44:01.25
right here in North America.
00:44:01.26\00:44:04.53
Take time to be missionaries,
to study the bible of people.
00:44:04.54\00:44:09.20
We can learn the
following things.
00:44:09.21\00:44:10.66
we can learn to
teach our children,
00:44:10.67\00:44:12.88
we can learn to
discipline our children.
00:44:12.89\00:44:15.59
We can learn, you know,
00:44:15.60\00:44:17.23
what the importance of quality
time is with our children.
00:44:17.24\00:44:21.00
I've been bible
working for two years now.
00:44:21.01\00:44:23.36
and in taking that
time to bible work,
00:44:23.37\00:44:25.49
I've seen that just like a child
00:44:25.50\00:44:30.94
Who doesn't know
anything about the bible.
00:44:30.95\00:44:33.87
I need people who don't
know anything about the bible.
00:44:33.88\00:44:36.09
and so you go
into someone's home
00:44:36.10\00:44:37.85
and you're
starting from scratch.
00:44:37.86\00:44:39.76
You've got to learn
to teach and to instruct
00:44:39.77\00:44:43.80
and to guide and to mold
and to train and to teach them.
00:44:43.81\00:44:47.87
And those are the same
skills you're gonna need to do.
00:44:47.88\00:44:50.51
And you're gonna need
to have with your children.
00:44:50.52\00:44:53.24
You know, I studied
the bible with some people,
00:44:53.25\00:44:55.26
who are younger people and they,
00:44:55.27\00:44:57.40
you know, they're
tensions are not as much.
00:44:57.41\00:44:59.37
And you're gonna have those
same struggles with your kids.
00:44:59.38\00:45:03.17
I studied the bible with a lady,
00:45:03.18\00:45:05.32
I had taken over the
study from a friend of mine
00:45:05.33\00:45:09.62
and this is no insult to him.
00:45:09.63\00:45:11.52
But he had been a very
young bible worker, you know,
00:45:11.53\00:45:14.83
meaning that he'd
been a new bible worker.
00:45:14.84\00:45:16.26
I guess it's the
best way to put it.
00:45:16.27\00:45:17.71
And he had not
yet learned exactly
00:45:17.72\00:45:20.66
how to keep people's attention.
00:45:20.67\00:45:22.42
And when I started
studying, you know,
00:45:22.43\00:45:23.98
she said, wow, this is
so much better, you know.
00:45:23.99\00:45:26.26
and i'm like, well, i'm
teaching the same things
00:45:26.27\00:45:28.02
But it's how you do it.
00:45:28.03\00:45:30.25
It's how you do it.
00:45:30.26\00:45:31.45
There are methods that
we can use to teach our kids
00:45:31.46\00:45:34.93
that will help us
to be more effective
00:45:34.94\00:45:38.08
and you can learn those skills
00:45:38.09\00:45:39.60
in studying the
bible with others.
00:45:39.61\00:45:44.24
You can learn to discipline
00:45:44.25\00:45:45.66
your children
conceptually at least,
00:45:45.67\00:45:49.44
by studying the
bible with people.
00:45:49.45\00:45:50.70
Because the reality is,
00:45:50.71\00:45:51.81
if we're going to
be a good bible worker,
00:45:51.82\00:45:53.17
if we're going
to be a good pastor
00:45:53.18\00:45:54.32
whose studying
the bible with people,
00:45:54.33\00:45:55.73
if we're going to be
a good church member.
00:45:55.74\00:45:57.47
So now those three
categories should include
00:45:57.48\00:45:59.30
all of us in this room.
00:45:59.31\00:46:02.16
We're gonna to be
a good church member
00:46:02.17\00:46:03.40
who actually takes
time to not just teach
00:46:03.41\00:46:06.31
but help that person learn
00:46:06.32\00:46:08.00
how to implement
these truths in their lives.
00:46:08.01\00:46:10.94
How to break away
from those habits,
00:46:10.95\00:46:12.65
we're gonna need to
hold them accountable,
00:46:12.66\00:46:14.45
we're gonna need to "in one
manner or another discipline."
00:46:14.46\00:46:19.05
And explain to them, listen,
00:46:19.06\00:46:20.59
you just can't keep
doing this, you know.
00:46:20.60\00:46:23.02
And explain to them why
00:46:23.03\00:46:24.54
and go through that
process with them of what
00:46:24.55\00:46:27.11
you would do with a child,
especially an older child.
00:46:27.12\00:46:30.05
You can't just, you can't
just spank your kids forever.
00:46:30.06\00:46:32.41
you've got to
eventually explain to them
00:46:32.42\00:46:34.02
hold them accountable and
conceptually discipline them.
00:46:34.03\00:46:38.81
Help them understand
00:46:38.82\00:46:40.44
and these things can be learned
00:46:40.45\00:46:41.56
while studying
the bible with people.
00:46:41.57\00:46:45.00
And then a very,
very important thing
00:46:45.01\00:46:46.82
that can be learned,
really, it goes both ways.
00:46:46.83\00:46:51.12
You can learn this as parent
00:46:51.13\00:46:53.17
and you can
learn this, you know,
00:46:53.18\00:46:54.49
as a bible worker or as someone,
00:46:54.50\00:46:56.83
a church member going
out and giving bible studies.
00:46:56.84\00:46:58.54
And that is the importance
of spending quality time
00:46:58.55\00:47:01.95
with the people you're
studying the bible with.
00:47:01.96\00:47:05.34
Too often we study
the bible with someone.
00:47:05.35\00:47:09.12
and when we're
studying the bible,
00:47:09.13\00:47:10.53
you know, we just want to impart
00:47:10.54\00:47:11.87
all this information
to them, we leave the door
00:47:11.88\00:47:13.65
and we expect them to accept it.
00:47:13.66\00:47:14.79
You know on their own,
but these people need friends
00:47:14.80\00:47:16.88
and if they're ever
going to come to the Lord
00:47:16.89\00:47:18.32
and really love the Lord
00:47:18.33\00:47:19.40
and have the
support of a church,
00:47:19.41\00:47:22.46
they're going to need
you to be their friend.
00:47:22.47\00:47:25.60
Being a father means
being a friend to your child
00:47:25.61\00:47:28.98
as well as
disciplining your child
00:47:28.99\00:47:30.83
and as well as
training your child.
00:47:30.84\00:47:33.85
All these things can be learned
00:47:33.86\00:47:36.28
from preparing
yourselves as a missionary.
00:47:36.29\00:47:41.65
Very practical things,
there's probably others
00:47:41.66\00:47:43.90
but this is one
practical way to do it.
00:47:43.91\00:47:46.51
And I would suggest it
for 2 fold. number one,
00:47:46.52\00:47:48.45
you can learn these lessons
that you need to be a parent.
00:47:48.46\00:47:53.01
And number two, at
least in the process
00:47:53.02\00:47:56.88
you'll win a
soul for Jesus, amen.
00:47:56.89\00:47:59.63
You'll be able to
enlarge the kingdom
00:47:59.64\00:48:01.55
and that's what we
should all be about.
00:48:01.56\00:48:04.84
We should all be
about enlarging the kingdom.
00:48:04.85\00:48:08.81
Now, going back to
our second question,
00:48:08.82\00:48:14.79
how would you work
seven years, the question is,
00:48:14.80\00:48:17.36
how do we work seven years.
00:48:17.37\00:48:19.20
And the reason that
this question had to become
00:48:19.21\00:48:21.74
so clear to me is
because I started to recognize,
00:48:21.75\00:48:25.02
going into the
relationship that i'm in now.
00:48:25.03\00:48:28.91
I was very disillusioned with,
00:48:28.92\00:48:32.25
or I had this
illusion I guess I should say,
00:48:32.26\00:48:34.82
or I don't even wanna
-- illusion is a good word.
00:48:34.83\00:48:37.98
that illusion of grandeur,
this big picture of all,
00:48:37.99\00:48:41.14
you know, I'm
gonna find this girl.
00:48:41.15\00:48:42.81
Who's just gonna be
the greatest support to me
00:48:42.82\00:48:44.57
and she's gonna
just gonna prompt be up
00:48:44.58\00:48:46.38
to be this best
man that I can be.
00:48:46.39\00:48:49.65
But the reality is, we
need to do those same things
00:48:49.66\00:48:53.15
for the women that
we're considering marrying.
00:48:53.16\00:48:54.90
We need to support
them, we need to lift them up.
00:48:54.91\00:49:00.94
and so I had to really
grapple with this question.
00:49:00.95\00:49:03.57
And as I grapple with
it I saw the things that
00:49:03.58\00:49:05.66
I was teaching to you
today about the fact that
00:49:05.67\00:49:07.56
we need to be prepared to
provide security holistically,
00:49:07.57\00:49:11.07
financial
security, emotional security.
00:49:11.08\00:49:13.87
We need to support their goals,
their dreams, their vision.
00:49:13.88\00:49:15.88
think about it, jacob
when he went to the well.
00:49:15.89\00:49:18.46
He went to the well
and he saw rachel there,
00:49:18.47\00:49:20.43
who was a shepherdess,
he helped her do her job.
00:49:20.44\00:49:24.19
Sometimes we'll
have to these things,
00:49:24.20\00:49:25.58
so how can we
actually practically prepare
00:49:25.59\00:49:28.17
to help in this
manner to our future wives.
00:49:28.18\00:49:33.83
How can we actually do that?
00:49:33.84\00:49:35.72
Well some practical things.
00:49:35.73\00:49:38.65
I believe two of the
most practical things
00:49:38.66\00:49:42.53
are going to be how
you treat your sister
00:49:42.54\00:49:46.16
and how you treat your mother.
00:49:46.17\00:49:49.06
Okay.
00:49:49.07\00:49:51.06
Now, okay, I'll come to
the third thing in a moment.
00:49:51.07\00:49:53.92
but if you can take the patience
00:49:53.93\00:49:56.87
you need with your sister.
00:49:56.88\00:49:57.92
How many of you have a sister?
00:49:57.93\00:50:00.55
Okay, I have a sister too
00:50:00.56\00:50:02.28
and your sisters
can try your patience.
00:50:02.29\00:50:06.16
They can really
test your patience.
00:50:06.17\00:50:07.85
let me tell you,
girlfriends can too.
00:50:07.86\00:50:10.54
and wives can too.
00:50:10.55\00:50:13.57
And so if you can
practice learning patience
00:50:13.58\00:50:16.87
by treating your
sister with the utmost respect
00:50:16.88\00:50:19.30
and the utmost
love, you'll be prepared
00:50:19.31\00:50:22.65
you've developed
the habit of treating
00:50:22.66\00:50:24.77
your future wife
in that same manner.
00:50:24.78\00:50:28.32
And the same thing
goes with your mother,
00:50:28.33\00:50:31.02
if you can't love your mother
00:50:31.03\00:50:33.43
who's taking care of
you for twenty years.
00:50:33.44\00:50:35.73
What makes you think that
you're gonna love your wife
00:50:35.74\00:50:37.74
who's gonna have
to put up for you
00:50:37.75\00:50:39.65
with you for ten, twenty,
thirty, forty, fifty years.
00:50:39.66\00:50:42.75
However long you guys,
you know, live I should say.
00:50:42.76\00:50:45.91
Because no one, you know,
00:50:45.92\00:50:47.04
we don't believe
in divorce, amen.
00:50:47.05\00:50:49.46
And God's hates
divorce but he loves divorcees.
00:50:49.47\00:50:52.29
Amen.
00:50:52.30\00:50:54.70
No sin is greater than the next.
00:50:54.71\00:50:57.69
But God hates divorce
because it tears apart families
00:50:57.70\00:51:00.14
and so we need to practice.
00:51:00.15\00:51:03.92
We need to
practice as much as we can,
00:51:03.93\00:51:05.72
before we get married.
00:51:05.73\00:51:07.92
So that when we do get married
we'll be the husbands that
00:51:07.93\00:51:11.03
God wants us to
be and we won't run
00:51:11.04\00:51:13.23
The risk of being divorced.
00:51:13.24\00:51:16.13
So I think those are
two very practical ways
00:51:16.14\00:51:18.51
as far as adapting yourself
to the personality of your wife,
00:51:18.52\00:51:25.26
your future
wife is by practicing
00:51:25.27\00:51:28.69
adapting your personality
and adapting your way of life
00:51:28.70\00:51:32.34
to your mother
and to your sister.
00:51:32.35\00:51:35.90
Good practical suggestions.
00:51:35.91\00:51:38.23
Then the next one is,
00:51:38.24\00:51:40.18
and this is more in the
area of financial security.
00:51:40.19\00:51:42.86
We need to, we
need to hold down jobs.
00:51:42.87\00:51:45.05
If you have not been able
to hold down a stable job,
00:51:45.06\00:51:47.58
then the reality is,
you're probably not ready.
00:51:47.59\00:51:51.01
You know, and that's
not to make fun of anybody,
00:51:51.02\00:51:52.73
but you're probably
not ready to take on
00:51:52.74\00:51:57.17
the responsibility of a family.
00:51:57.18\00:51:59.65
Because bringing your
family into the world.
00:51:59.66\00:52:02.88
it's hard enough to
take care of yourself.
00:52:02.89\00:52:06.02
But trying to care of
someone else is another story
00:52:06.15\00:52:09.44
and so you need to to hold jobs
00:52:09.45\00:52:10.80
and you know if you
can get experiences where,
00:52:10.81\00:52:15.44
you know, there's
a, if you can get a job
00:52:15.45\00:52:18.04
where you have an
opportunity to move up,
00:52:18.05\00:52:19.64
it's good practice.
00:52:19.65\00:52:21.30
Because then you can really see,
00:52:21.31\00:52:24.06
you know, what
it's going to be like.
00:52:24.07\00:52:26.59
What it's going to be
like to help your wife
00:52:26.60\00:52:30.23
get where she
needs to be, etc, etc.
00:52:30.24\00:52:32.76
And help her reach
her goals and dreams
00:52:32.77\00:52:35.74
because you've had experience
00:52:35.75\00:52:37.79
reaching your goals and dreams.
00:52:37.80\00:52:38.84
You've had
experience going up the ladder.
00:52:38.85\00:52:42.04
and so these are just
some practical suggestions.
00:52:42.05\00:52:44.21
No doubt there are
more, but for sake of time
00:52:44.22\00:52:48.40
I'll move on to
our last point here.
00:52:48.41\00:52:51.54
Now, the last
point is, our last point
00:52:51.55\00:52:54.91
which was our first
question and that was,
00:52:54.92\00:52:57.59
would you give your life.
00:52:57.60\00:52:59.70
Would you give your life?
00:52:59.71\00:53:00.76
well, how do we
really give our lives?
00:53:00.77\00:53:04.07
And I'll give you a
simple principle first
00:53:04.08\00:53:06.10
And then we'll look
at some practical stuff.
00:53:06.11\00:53:08.67
the simple principle is this.
00:53:08.68\00:53:13.13
That what it really
means in the practical sense
00:53:13.14\00:53:15.88
to give your life
is to be selfless.
00:53:15.89\00:53:22.72
so often in relationships
we think of self first.
00:53:22.73\00:53:28.33
And we're willing to
give up our selfish desires,
00:53:28.34\00:53:32.58
we'll be able to help.
00:53:32.59\00:53:36.93
We'll be able to love
our wife in the way that
00:53:36.94\00:53:39.29
we should love and we'll be able
00:53:39.30\00:53:41.71
to step by step,
it happens small.
00:53:41.72\00:53:43.91
If you can give up
yourself the desires,
00:53:43.92\00:53:47.39
one at at time, step by step,
00:53:47.40\00:53:50.08
you'll be able one
day when it calls for it,
00:53:50.09\00:53:53.26
when you have a wife be
able to put her needs first.
00:53:53.27\00:53:57.87
And her greatest
need is spirituality.
00:53:57.88\00:54:01.25
we need to be there like I said.
00:54:01.26\00:54:03.41
To spiritually
support our wives,
00:54:03.42\00:54:06.19
to spiritually
nurture our wives,
00:54:06.20\00:54:09.42
so that they will be
saved in the kingdom.
00:54:09.43\00:54:12.70
You know, one of the
things i've experienced
00:54:12.71\00:54:14.07
in my relationship
with my girlfriend is,
00:54:14.16\00:54:17.61
she's not, she's not always been
00:54:17.62\00:54:21.14
where I've wanted
to her be spiritually.
00:54:21.15\00:54:23.68
And of course
none of us are perfect
00:54:23.69\00:54:25.05
and of course we all
have different weaknesses
00:54:25.06\00:54:26.89
and as I've looked at
some of these weaknesses
00:54:26.90\00:54:29.02
it's easy to
focus on the weaknesses.
00:54:29.03\00:54:32.20
It's easy to
focus on the weaknesses
00:54:32.21\00:54:34.29
and sometimes I
focused on the weaknesses
00:54:34.30\00:54:36.73
and I've just said to myself,
00:54:36.74\00:54:38.90
man, you know, I
just lose patience.
00:54:38.91\00:54:43.37
The reality is if we
spend the time with the Lord
00:54:43.38\00:54:47.69
and here's the last
practical suggestion.
00:54:47.70\00:54:50.15
we spend our time with the Lord
00:54:50.16\00:54:52.59
and then we go out there.
00:54:52.60\00:54:53.70
Once again coming back
to the bible study concept
00:54:53.71\00:54:58.08
we go out and we
give bible studies.
00:54:58.09\00:55:00.32
We will see the work
00:55:00.33\00:55:02.42
It takes to spiritually
bring someone to the Lord.
00:55:02.43\00:55:06.85
And that same type of
work is going to be needed
00:55:06.86\00:55:09.56
to be invested
in a christian home
00:55:09.57\00:55:11.41
in order to help our wives
maintain their spirituality
00:55:11.42\00:55:15.18
and to help us
maintain our spirituality
00:55:15.19\00:55:17.68
and ensure that we've
been faithful husbands.
00:55:17.69\00:55:22.85
Real men of God who
have been faithful husbands.
00:55:22.86\00:55:27.65
You know, there's a bible verse
00:55:27.66\00:55:30.82
and I'll just
read it to you quickly
00:55:30.83\00:55:33.08
and that is
matthew 10 verse 8 it says,
00:55:33.09\00:55:35.68
"freely you have
received, freely give."
00:55:35.69\00:55:39.28
Christ gave his life for
us so that we could be saved.
00:55:39.29\00:55:44.16
We need to be
willing to do the same thing
00:55:44.17\00:55:48.28
for the wives
that we marry, as men,
00:55:48.29\00:55:52.70
however many of us
00:55:52.71\00:55:53.72
who are still contemplating
marriage in this room,
00:55:53.73\00:55:56.91
whoever those wives
are out there for us,
00:55:56.92\00:56:00.73
we need to be willing to
be as graceful as merciful,
00:56:00.74\00:56:05.71
so often we just,
00:56:05.72\00:56:07.20
we're jut like you
should be doing better.
00:56:07.21\00:56:08.83
You should be, you know,
00:56:08.84\00:56:09.97
the reality is
people take time to go
00:56:09.98\00:56:11.62
and you will see
this when you're studying
00:56:11.63\00:56:12.87
the bible with people.
00:56:12.88\00:56:14.74
And you see that when you're
studying the bible with them.
00:56:14.75\00:56:17.73
That it takes time and we
need to give them the time.
00:56:17.74\00:56:23.27
So that they can
make good decisions
00:56:23.28\00:56:25.65
and they can grow to
where we need them to grow to.
00:56:25.66\00:56:29.90
And it's important when
you're studying the bible,
00:56:29.91\00:56:31.50
people appraise
them for their growth.
00:56:31.51\00:56:33.55
You know, and don't praise them
00:56:33.56\00:56:34.57
for their own vain glory
00:56:34.58\00:56:35.79
but praise them so
they feel encouraged that,
00:56:35.80\00:56:37.70
yeah, I am making progress.
00:56:37.71\00:56:39.86
And those same things we can do
00:56:39.87\00:56:41.93
with our wives
and our future wives.
00:56:41.94\00:56:46.25
And so the three questions that
00:56:46.26\00:56:50.91
we as christian young men
need to ask ourselves are,
00:56:50.92\00:56:56.20
would you give your life,
00:56:56.21\00:57:00.73
would you work seven years,
00:57:00.74\00:57:06.90
And would you be a missionary.
00:57:06.91\00:57:09.11
Stand with me if
you're willing to answer
00:57:09.12\00:57:12.68
yes to all thee
of those questions
00:57:12.69\00:57:14.37
when your time comes.
00:57:14.38\00:57:16.08
And to make your commitment now.
00:57:16.09\00:57:17.45
maybe that's how
I should put it --
00:57:17.46\00:57:19.57
stand right now
if you're willing
00:57:19.58\00:57:20.79
to make a commitment, that
00:57:20.80\00:57:21.86
when your time to
be a husbands comes.
00:57:21.87\00:57:25.03
That you will be willing to give
00:57:25.04\00:57:30.04
your live towards seven years.
00:57:30.05\00:57:32.68
and to be a missionary,
00:57:32.69\00:57:33.69
stand with me as
we close with prayer.
00:57:33.70\00:57:40.55
Dear heavenly father,
00:57:40.56\00:57:43.79
we thank you for the opportunity
00:57:43.80\00:57:45.25
to study the word of God.
00:57:45.26\00:57:47.90
We thank you for the
opportunity to be men
00:57:47.91\00:57:50.76
who have an awesome
responsibility before us.
00:57:50.77\00:57:55.96
Lord Jesus, we need help
in these responsibilities
00:57:55.97\00:57:59.36
but we're making commitment
today, to our future wives.
00:57:59.37\00:58:03.56
That we would give our lives.
00:58:03.57\00:58:05.91
I make that commitment,
00:58:05.92\00:58:06.96
Jesus, I would give my
life to my future wife.
00:58:06.97\00:58:10.92
I would give up my
life to my future wife.
00:58:10.93\00:58:13.99
And then Lord we
make the commitment that
00:58:14.00\00:58:15.78
we would be willing
to work for seven years.
00:58:15.79\00:58:20.46
And in my own heart
I make that commitment,
00:58:20.47\00:58:23.41
to be willing to
work seven years.
00:58:23.42\00:58:24.96
To do whatever it
takes to be able to provide
00:58:24.97\00:58:28.38
holistically for the
security of my future wife.
00:58:28.39\00:58:32.66
And Lord, thirdly, I pray that
00:58:32.67\00:58:37.47
we'd all be
willing to be missionaries
00:58:37.48\00:58:39.34
if we decide to have children.
00:58:39.35\00:58:41.78
That we'd committed
now to doing whatever
00:58:41.79\00:58:43.98
it takes that our
children make it to the kingdom.
00:58:43.99\00:58:49.56
Would you be a
missionary, I say yes, Jesus.
00:58:49.57\00:58:51.78
And I pray that each
young man standing here
00:58:51.79\00:58:53.85
with me today and
each married person
00:58:53.86\00:58:56.51
who does not have
children yet standing here today
00:58:56.52\00:58:58.46
would be willing
to be a missionary.
00:58:58.47\00:59:02.41
For our future
families, this is our prayer,
00:59:02.42\00:59:04.50
in Jesus name we pray.
00:59:04.51\00:59:05.55
Amen.
00:59:05.56\00:59:06.61