1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,320 Well, good morning, Saints of God, how are you today? 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,039 I was, I said, happy New Year to the folks in Sabbath School 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,800 because this is my first time in the pulpit in this new year, 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:15,800 because I had taken time to spend that time with the Three 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,840 Angels Church, because they are indeed of some attention on 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,520 their finishing their basements. They've been in that situation 7 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,480 for about 15 to 20 years and just wanted to hit the new year 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,320 right with them. So I really appreciate your 9 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,280 patience and not and allowing me to be over there. 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:38,520 And for Daryl and Jermaine, who took the pulpit during my 11 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,000 absence. Today's message is titled A 12 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,600 Match Made in Heaven and we want to welcome our online audience. 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,600 You can hear more messages like this at our website, 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:53,040 middletownportlandsda.org. We're also on YouTube, Facebook, 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,720 Instagram, and this new platform called Threads. 16 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,720 I don't know what that's all about, but it's out there. 17 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,240 And so Kyle got us on there. And so hopefully we're not going 18 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,280 to get in trouble over there. But nonetheless, that is where 19 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,920 we're at. And I want to, before we have 20 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:09,960 prayer, I want to just start with our introduction here. 21 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,840 That is a picture of my bride by my side and that picture is 22 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,200 taken at Andrews University. We brought our son Andrew over 23 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:24,800 there a few years ago, two years ago now to start his freshman 24 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,160 year at Andrews University. And that's where my wife and I 25 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:32,880 met at Andrews University. And the the location of the 26 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,760 picture is not that flattering. It's not beside a rose Bush or a 27 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,000 waterfall or something romantic like that. 28 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,880 But that location has a particular story behind it. 29 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,280 You know, they say a picture is worth 1000 words. 30 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:53,960 And my wife and I met on the campus of Andrews University and 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,800 it was our first meeting. Our first introduction was by a 32 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,920 mutual friend and it was done more more out of courtesy. 33 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,960 It was on a Friday night Vespers at the Pioneer Memorial Church, 34 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:12,440 and I just happened to be talking to a friend that he also 35 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,480 knew, which was Sandra. And then he, out of courtesy, 36 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,000 just introduced us. So there was nothing, at least 37 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,440 to my knowledge, there was nothing conspiratorial that was 38 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,160 more courtesy and he wasn't trying to get us together. 39 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,240 However, as time went on, he began to encourage my wife, 40 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,000 because he was friends with Sandra, to get together with me. 41 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,320 And then some friends of mine were encouraging me to get 42 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,160 together with her, but I didn't know who she was, even though we 43 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,680 had already been introduced. But like I said, it didn't enter 44 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:45,040 my radar. And but then again, we met again 45 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,480 on these staircases right here. And what was happening how we 46 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,560 met was that we didn't really meet. 47 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,600 We were just passing like ships in the night. 48 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:58,200 I was going up the stairs just right behind us that you can see 49 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,480 there, and I was going up for breakfast in the morning and she 50 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,920 was coming down from just having had breakfast and when she came 51 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:11,000 down she smiled and we were the only ones on the staircase. 52 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:15,000 So my thinking was, she smiled at me, right? 53 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,600 But she really wasn't smiling at me. 54 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,560 She was just happy because a friend had bought her breakfast. 55 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,440 I later found out that's the truth of the story. 56 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,240 She really wasn't smiling at me, but her smile nonetheless gave 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,440 me the courage to call her. Because that was. 58 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,880 I think that encounter on the staircase was either Monday or 59 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,600 Tuesday. And by Thursday I had the 60 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,200 courage by, through the encouragement of a friend, to 61 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,160 call her up. And so the rest, as they say, is 62 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,200 history. OK, but here's the thing, 63 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,960 ultimately, yes friends did play a part, but God played a part as 64 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:51,840 well. And here's how. 65 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,760 You see, Sandra's parents began praying for her future spouse 66 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,800 when she was about in her early to mid teens. 67 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,640 And it was right around that time when I started going 68 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,040 through my conversion experience because I was not raised as a 69 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,360 7th Day Adventist and I would have never gone to school at a 70 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,320 7th Day Adventist school, let alone go to school for ministry. 71 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,120 That just wasn't in my cards. And so I thought. 72 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,399 But when we did the math together later on, we found out 73 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:22,480 that that was right around the time that my conversion happened 74 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,560 when she was in her teens. And then on top of that, my 75 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,440 parents were praying for me because this encounter that we 76 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:35,040 had on the staircase was in the month of January, January of 77 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:40,480 1994. And I had just gone back for 78 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,160 Christmas break to my parents house in Arizona. 79 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,240 And when my parents took me to the airport and they were with 80 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,760 me at the gates. This was before security, the 81 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,160 time of security that we live in now with airport security. 82 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,680 But as they dropped me off and they were waiting for the plane 83 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,200 to depart and before I was supposed to embark, they said, 84 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,720 we just want to let you know we are praying for you, that you 85 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:07,520 meet someone. Amen. 86 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:13,680 Yes. So was ours a match made in 87 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,120 heaven? Well, you can decide that. 88 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:19,920 But I'm happy with my bride by my side. 89 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,600 And this year we're celebrating our 30th anniversary. 90 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:24,760 Amen. Yes, so. 91 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,880 But listen, we truly live in a world that is longing for 92 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,600 heaven. We just discussed it in Sabbath 93 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,040 school this morning. But too often the cry of our 94 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,160 heart is, how can I bring a little heaven into my marriage? 95 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,000 Does that sound reasonable? That is a question that we often 96 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,200 ask. We're looking for a little bit 97 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,720 of heaven into our marriage. And so today's message is a 98 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,880 match made in heaven. And I'm going to try to answer 99 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:54,360 that question. OK. 100 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,200 But before I answer that question, I want to preview that 101 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,000 answer by sharing a few high points is that we want to take a 102 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,840 look at the elements that went into Heaven's match that was 103 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:09,800 made in Heaven. And that's found in our 104 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,880 scripture reading today #2 we want to find out why marriages 105 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:18,440 breakdown, OK? Because marriages do from time 106 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,280 to time breakdown. And then #3 what we want to 107 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:27,480 discover is what is truly at stake when we make that 108 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,800 commitment to marriage. OK? 109 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,880 So those are the some 3 high points that we're going to cover 110 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,560 before we answer that question. How we can bring a little bit of 111 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,960 heaven into our marriage. So let's pray. 112 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,520 Father God, we thank you for your goodness and your tender 113 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,240 mercies. We pray that the grace and the 114 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,360 power of your Holy Spirit would be with us as we explore this 115 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:54,720 very, very important subject of marriage and how we can have a 116 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,680 little bit of heaven, just a little bit of heaven while we 117 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:02,280 wait for heaven to come to us in Jesus, that we have a little bit 118 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:04,720 of heaven in our marriages and in our home. 119 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,320 So we pray that your blessing would be with us. 120 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,080 And we thank you for hearing and answering this prayer in Jesus 121 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,760 name, Amen. Amen. 122 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:19,440 So I got to first of all, find my cursor because my clicker 123 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,960 didn't work on that one. But heaven's first marriage was 124 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,280 made in heaven. OK, when we go to the Genesis 125 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,760 Record Scripture meeting that Joe read to us just moments ago, 126 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:35,960 when we go to our Bibles, we will discover that indeed, 127 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:41,040 heaven's first marriage was a match that was made in heaven. 128 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,240 Now, why can we say that with such confidence? 129 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,560 Well, it's right there in Scripture, and we want to go 130 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,920 there in our Bibles. Genesis chapter 2 Genesis 131 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,640 chapter 2, beginning in verse 18, and here's what it says. 132 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:04,120 And the Lord God said it is not good that man should be alone. 133 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:11,000 I will make him a helper comparable to him out of the 134 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,280 ground. The Lord God formed every beast 135 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,000 of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam 136 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,440 to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each 137 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,480 living creature, that was its name. 138 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,480 So it was God's decision number one, to make man. 139 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:32,360 And when God made man, God saw that it was not good that man 140 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,919 should be alone. And so God solved this problem 141 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:39,760 by doing the following. The passage continues. 142 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,799 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, 143 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,720 and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found 144 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:54,280 a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep 145 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,120 sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. 146 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:06,040 And he, God took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the flesh in 147 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,120 its place. So after all the animals were 148 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:14,280 brought before Adam, he was able to see them and he was able to 149 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:18,800 identify them by name. It was essentially God's way of 150 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,840 not only it was really God's way of checking to see if the 151 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:29,920 hardware was working on Adam. And once that was able to all 152 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,000 this was able to compute with Adam that he was able to name 153 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:40,120 them, that then God was able to then put Adam to sleep and 154 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:45,360 perform surgery on him. And so the Bible says that 155 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,960 because after Adam had done that inventory check of the animal 156 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,920 Kingdom, it was then that Adam realized, wait a minute, the 157 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,680 animals are matched up pair by pair, male and female, but there 158 00:09:58,680 --> 00:10:04,760 is no one comparable to me. And it was at that time that God 159 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,560 put Adam into a deep sleep. And then the text goes on. 160 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:14,040 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, he made into 161 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,760 a woman, and he brought her to the man. 162 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:22,640 And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my 163 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,640 flesh. She shall be called woe man, 164 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,040 because she was taken out of man. 165 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,720 So here's something that I'd like for you to think about. 166 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:38,160 While Adam and the animals were formed from the ground, Adam was 167 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:43,240 formed from the what as well. He was formed from the earth. 168 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,560 OK, but Eve was made from Adam's rib. 169 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:52,520 She was not made from the ground like Adam was, nor the animals, 170 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:58,440 because she was not to be of a different species altogether. 171 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:04,000 She was to be made from Adam's side, OK, Adam's side. 172 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,800 Here's what patriarchs and prophet says. 173 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,320 Page 46 God himself gave Adam a companion. 174 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:15,040 He provided a help meet for him, a helper who was to correspond 175 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:20,240 to him, one who is fitted to be his companion and who could be 176 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,320 one with him in love and sympathy. 177 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,080 Ladies, do you ever find yourself needing sympathy at any 178 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:33,040 time from your husband? You don't need sympathy from 179 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,920 your husband. Yeah, Yeah, I was over. 180 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,360 Yeah. I was wondering why it got Stony 181 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:39,800 quiet there. Little crickets there I was 182 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,440 starting to hear. And, gentlemen, do we need 183 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,720 sympathy from our wives? You don't sound too happy about 184 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,720 that. You seem kind of kind of grumpy, 185 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:49,680 right? Yeah. 186 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:52,520 Because of course we do. We need love and sympathy, both 187 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,960 of us. And when God combines us 188 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,440 together, we can have a sweet bond. 189 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,160 Amen. The passage goes on. 190 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,880 Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, 191 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:08,560 signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to 192 00:12:08,560 --> 00:12:14,240 be trampled under his feet as an inferior, to stand by his side 193 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:20,320 as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. 194 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:24,080 Do you hear that, husbands? We are to be loving towards our 195 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,040 wives, and we are to protect them. 196 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,720 Amen. Oh, you guys sound a little dull 197 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,240 this morning. Oh my word, you do not sound 198 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,000 excited about this message, I'm telling you. 199 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,360 Well, it goes on. A part of man, bone of his bone 200 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,400 and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self. 201 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,800 Showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that 202 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:50,760 should exist in this relation. A part of man, bone of his bone 203 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,480 and flesh of his flesh, She was his second self. 204 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,880 OK, I just read that. I guess I just didn't do my 205 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:57,400 editing. Here's the point. 206 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:03,880 Now, let's be fair. When God created Eve for Adam, 207 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:06,200 he didn't have much of A selection. 208 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:12,880 It was just her, right? But we let's give pause here. 209 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:22,520 She's our first mother, and our first mom must have been 210 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:23,800 spectacular. Amen. 211 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:31,560 Because Adam just wanted her and her alone, OK. 212 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,920 And, and from that all of us descend, Amen. 213 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:42,040 All of us. We have a common parent, OK, a 214 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,640 common parent. The passage goes on to say that 215 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,480 then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, he made into 216 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,280 a woman, and he brought it to the man. 217 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:56,560 And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my 218 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,800 flesh. She shall be called woman 219 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,240 because she was taken out of man. 220 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:04,680 Now I want to point out something here. 221 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:10,840 And this is a fundamental key to having a successful marriage. 222 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,240 You ready? It's not going to answer the big 223 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,400 question that we had at the that I raised at the beginning, but 224 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,240 it's going to give you a little bit of, of something to, to go 225 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,120 on. OK, the fundamental key to a 226 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:28,440 successful marriage. I have the two passages up on 227 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,160 the screen here, Genesis chapter 2 verse 7 and Genesis chapter 2, 228 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:37,000 verse 21 and 22. I want to focus first on Genesis 229 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,560 chapter 2 and verse seven. OK? 230 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:43,120 And I want to prepare you because I do not. 231 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,360 I want you to think, what does Pastor Tom want you to do? 232 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:52,960 I want you to think, OK, so I'm going to read Genesis chapter 2, 233 00:14:52,960 --> 00:15:00,480 verse 7, it says, and the Lord God formed man of the dust of 234 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:07,240 the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and 235 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:13,120 man became a living being. OK, now you can. 236 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,640 You're more than welcome to look at the verse either in your 237 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,400 Bible or on the screen, whatever you need. 238 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:22,000 This is an open book test. OK, but Pastor Tom wants you to 239 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,160 think so. Here's the question. 240 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:30,840 What according to Genesis chapter 2, verse 7, when God 241 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,880 brought Adam to life by giving him mouth to mouth 242 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,240 resuscitation, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, 243 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:43,760 what was the first thing that Adam saw when he was brought to 244 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:48,520 life? The the face of God. 245 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:49,760 That's right. Yeah. 246 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,360 Because remember, God formed Adam out of the dust of the 247 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,200 earth. So God had to get on his hands 248 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,120 and knees and form Adam out of the dust of the earth. 249 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:04,120 And then he breathed into his nostrils, into his, into Adam. 250 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:08,520 And Adam came to life. And immediately when his eyes 251 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:13,880 opened and and the light from the sun shone on everything 252 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:18,880 around him, the very first thing that he saw was none other than 253 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,440 the face of God himself. Amen. 254 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:24,720 Yeah. That's exciting. 255 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:30,120 That's really exciting. OK, now let's go to the next 256 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,520 passage right across the screen there. 257 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,920 And here's what it says. Genesis chapter 2, verses 21 and 258 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:42,400 22, it says. And the Lord God caused a deep 259 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,680 sleep to fall on Adam. What kind of a sleep, a deep 260 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:48,880 sleep he went to. He wasn't just taking a little 261 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,840 cat nap. He was undergoing surgery, 262 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,640 right? He was undergoing surgery. 263 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:59,160 He was having rib surgery. And so it says, he fell into a 264 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:03,520 deep sleep and he slept, and he took one of his ribs. 265 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:07,400 God took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its 266 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,319 place. Then the rib which the Lord God 267 00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:14,839 had taken from man he made into a woman, and he brought her to 268 00:17:14,839 --> 00:17:18,400 the man. Now so God formed Adam out of 269 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,440 the dust of the earth, breathed into his nostrils the breath of 270 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,000 life. The first thing that Adam saw 271 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,480 when he came to life was the face of God. 272 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:31,840 Now he puts Adam to sleep and takes a rib out of his side, and 273 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:36,240 then he goes over here because Adam is over in post op now he's 274 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,000 recovering. He's still under anesthesia, and 275 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,160 so he's over there. But God is now working with this 276 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,240 rib and he takes that rib and he forms it and he makes it into a 277 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,160 woman. And then how do you think she 278 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:49,600 gets the breath of life into her? 279 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,360 How do you think? Same way. 280 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:54,600 Yeah. This isn't magic. 281 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:56,160 He doesn't snap his fingers on this one. 282 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:01,360 No, he hovers over her and he breathes into her nostrils the 283 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:03,200 breath of life. And what do you think? 284 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,720 The first thing that she sees when she comes to life? 285 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:08,680 The face of God. Yeah. 286 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,200 Very simple, very elementary, very basic. 287 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:16,320 So both for Adam and Eve, here's the key to the fundamental key 288 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:25,840 to having a successful marriage. OK, Both based on this telling 289 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:32,440 of the story and how life came to our first two parents, who 290 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:38,640 are we to have a relationship with first before we enter into 291 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,120 marriage? That's right, God, that's right. 292 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:48,960 If you are to, if you are trying to enter into marriage and 293 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:55,200 you're the one that you are seeing dating, whatever you want 294 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,320 to call is not in a relationship with God. 295 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:06,880 You should not marry her because it's not of God. 296 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,520 It's right there in the Scriptures, OK, It's right there 297 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:20,160 in the Scriptures. When we are in a relationship 298 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:24,640 with God and with our spouse in marriage, our marriage can be a 299 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,280 living reflection. Listen carefully. 300 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,400 A living reflection of the law of God. 301 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:37,440 How so? Let's review Exodus chapter 20, 302 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,520 beginning in verse one. And God spoke all these words, 303 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:46,240 saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land 304 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,960 of Egypt, out of the House of bondage. 305 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,600 You shall have no other gods before me. 306 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:59,120 Now in the Adam and Eve story, sin had not entered the picture 307 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:03,640 yet, OK? And God had created them. 308 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,000 The first being that they saw when they came to life was God. 309 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:10,200 And then, and only then did God bring them together. 310 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,160 OK. In this particular story of the 311 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,440 Exodus story where the law of God is given, God had brought 312 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:23,560 the children of Israel out of Egypt before He gave them the 313 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:27,040 law of God. He didn't give them the law in 314 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,200 Egypt. He brought them out of bondage 315 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:35,440 1st and then He introduced His covenant law to them. 316 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:37,800 OK. And it says it right there and 317 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:39,920 clear. The text goes on. 318 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,920 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, any likeness of 319 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,480 anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth 320 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,880 beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 321 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:52,920 You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them. 322 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,640 For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the 323 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,360 iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and 4th 324 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:06,720 generation of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, 325 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,440 to those who love me and keep my commandments. 326 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,160 OK, that's the second commandment. 327 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,960 It goes on. You shall not take the name of 328 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,400 the Lord your God in vain. For the Lord will not hold him 329 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,040 guiltless who takes His name in vain. 330 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:31,520 You see, God's name is holy, and because His name is holy, it's a 331 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:36,440 reflection of who God is. And so when we use God's name, 332 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:42,960 any of His names, in a casual, common or flippant way, that is 333 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:47,600 unholy conversation, unholy conversation, the passage goes 334 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,240 on. Remember the Sabbath day to keep 335 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,840 it holy. Six days you shall labor and do 336 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:57,360 all your work. But the 7th day is the Sabbath 337 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:02,440 of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work, you 338 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,760 nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your female servant, nor 339 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,720 your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, 340 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,880 nor your stranger, who is within your gates. 341 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,280 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, and the earth, the 342 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:23,120 sea, and all that is in them, and rested the 7th day. 343 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:28,720 Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and handled it. 344 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,520 Passage goes on now to from our relationship with God to how we 345 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,200 are to relate to our fellow man. Here's what it says. 346 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:42,640 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be 347 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:46,080 long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 348 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:53,000 God has a promise for those who honor their parents. 349 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:59,640 Amen, the text goes on. You shall not murder. 350 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:09,520 You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. 351 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,400 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 352 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,680 You shall not covet your neighbors house. 353 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,080 You shall not covet your neighbors wife, nor his male 354 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,000 servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor 355 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:32,520 anything that is your neighbors. You see, friends, the observance 356 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:38,440 of God's law is merely an indicator that you are in a 357 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,520 right relationship with God and your fellow man. 358 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,160 On the other hand, the breaking of God's law is an indication 359 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:52,680 that you are not in a right relationship with God and your 360 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,760 fellow man. OK, so when we come to the 361 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:01,200 Genesis record, it says, therefore this is how the first 362 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,080 marriage took place. Therefore a man shall leave his 363 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:10,120 father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall 364 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:14,720 become one flesh. And they were both naked, the 365 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,440 man and his wife, and were not ashamed. 366 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:22,160 So the Genesis record is very clear that what God envisioned 367 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:26,160 for our first parents was truly a match made in heaven. 368 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:31,560 Their their home was a garden home with every type of fruit 369 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,960 and food available to them. OK, but here's the question. 370 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:43,600 If marriage is supposed to be a match made in heaven, then how 371 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,680 come it often feels so broken down? 372 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:51,800 Is that a fair question? If marriage is supposed to be a 373 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:57,680 match made in heaven, how come it often feels like it breaks 374 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:01,560 down so quickly? Well, let's let's be honest. 375 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,200 Marriages do not come with a warranty. 376 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:10,360 OK? Marriages do not come with a 377 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:15,640 warranty. Yes, in this life after sin has 378 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:23,160 entered the world, marriages do break down primarily because we 379 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:30,160 are broken people. It's not God's fault, it's our 380 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,280 fault. We have to take responsibility. 381 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:39,120 The hard sobering truth about marriage is that there are no 382 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:45,520 guarantees to their success. OK, now here's a question. 383 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:50,600 Is there an advantage to having a Christian marriage? 384 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:57,160 Listen to this well, Christians reportedly have a lower divorce 385 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:03,280 rate, often cited around 30 to 35%, whereas the rest of the 386 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:07,000 population has a divorce rate of around 50%. 387 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:13,480 OK, so Christians have a slight advantage, but that does not 388 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:15,400 mean that Christians are better people. 389 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:19,920 It just means that if the principles of Christianity, 390 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,560 which are taught to people who profess to be Christians, are 391 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:28,000 followed, your marriage stands a better chance at having success. 392 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:31,040 That's all it means. The principles for a successful 393 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:34,440 marriage are found in this book. The question is, are we going to 394 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:35,800 follow it? It doesn't matter what 395 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:40,240 denomination you are. OK, you could be of any 396 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:44,000 denomination in the world that doesn't guarantee you're going 397 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,960 to have a successful marriage. What guarantees the success of 398 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:51,560 the marriage is if you're willing to follow what's in this 399 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,080 book. Does that make sense? 400 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:58,440 If you choose to ignore it, well, you stand a greater chance 401 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,760 of having a failed marriage. But if you choose to follow 402 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,440 what's in this book, you stand a better chance of having a 403 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,080 successful marriage. And that's why I shared that 404 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,320 point in the very beginning, when Adam was created, when Eve 405 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,760 was created, when they were both created, the first thing they 406 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,720 saw was God. They developed a relationship 407 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:18,480 with God first. And once they had that 408 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:23,480 relationship, then God brought the two together, OK. 409 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,560 Is there an advantage to having a Christian marriage? 410 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,200 Well, non Christian marriage, as I said this tend to have a 411 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,080 higher divorce rate than Christian marriages, OK. 412 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,440 Is there an advantage? Well, couples who engage, 413 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:43,280 listen, couples who engage in regular religious practices 414 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:47,520 together report a higher satisfaction in their marriage. 415 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:52,600 OK. So if you want your marriage to 416 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,880 succeed with your partner, get into this book. 417 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:03,320 OK, Get into this book. Not only that, studies show that 418 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:08,440 a shared faith can enhance communication and conflict 419 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,520 resolution skills. OK. 420 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:15,880 Because these principles to have good communication and conflict 421 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,040 resolution are found where? In this book. 422 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:24,080 Yeah, the answers are in here. OK, the answers are in here. 423 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:30,200 And then lastly, Christian. Oh, second, lastly, Christian 424 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:35,280 couples often emphasize commitment and forgiveness, 425 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:38,480 which contributes to marital stability. 426 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,440 OK, one of the pieces of advice when my wife and I walked down 427 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:48,200 the aisle, my mother said my advice to you is do not go to 428 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,080 bed angry, OK, I'll talk about that here in a few moments. 429 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:58,480 But Christian couples often emphasize their commitment and 430 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,480 the the understanding of the grace of God. 431 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:05,880 Forgiveness helps contribute to marital stability. 432 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,520 OK, if you're not committed to one another and you're not 433 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,920 forgiving, you stand a very good chance of having a failed 434 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:12,880 marriage. OK? 435 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:17,080 But but commitment and forgiveness are principles that 436 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:23,560 are found in this book. And then lastly here, the impact 437 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:27,200 of community support in religious settings can 438 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,720 strengthen marital bonds. So in other words, if you belong 439 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:34,960 to a faith community, you again have a better chance of having a 440 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,360 successful marriage because you can get support. 441 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,920 So if you have trouble, you need to reach out. 442 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:46,000 Do not be proud and say it won't happen to me, it won't happen to 443 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,320 me. You need to reach out in order 444 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,360 to get counseling. And if the counsel is given, you 445 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:55,960 need to take that advice. OK, now here's the question. 446 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,520 How do you avoid the marital breakdown? 447 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,920 OK, so there's a slight advantage to having a Christian 448 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:06,520 marriage, but how do you avoid the marital breakdowns? 449 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:11,800 Well, what is the definition of a marital breakdown? 450 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:17,560 OK, let's define our terms now. Having a disagreement over what 451 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,920 restaurant you should eat at? He likes Italian, she likes 452 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,440 Chinese. That doesn't constitute A 453 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:28,400 marital breakdown, OK? That's just a disagreement, OK? 454 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,560 Having a lengthy discussion about what should be the color 455 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:35,720 of the new carpeting does not constitute A marital breakdown, 456 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:40,160 OK? We have to understand God allows 457 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:41,840 for variety. Amen. 458 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,680 God loves variety. If you don't believe me, go 459 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:50,160 outside and, and, and count insects in the grass and you'll 460 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:51,960 start finding a bunch of different insects. 461 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,200 God made them all and they're all different, OK? 462 00:30:56,760 --> 00:31:01,200 So God allows for variety and that's what contributes to a 463 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:06,000 happy marriage. OK, It may very well be that 464 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,000 point that he likes Italian and she likes Chinese. 465 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,320 Is what you found initially attractive in your spouse in the 466 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:14,120 1st place? OK? 467 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:20,680 But when there are lengthy or how shall we say heated 468 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:25,520 disagreements about restaurant choices, carpet colors, or whose 469 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,920 turn it was to clean up after dinner, when those types of 470 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:35,200 discussions rise up, one has to remember the biblical principle. 471 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:41,320 Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, OK? 472 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,360 Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. 473 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,520 That's what my mother essentially was saying. 474 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,760 She may not have known the chapter and book chapter and 475 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:53,000 verse, but she says before, if you get into a dispute, make 476 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,960 sure you forgive before going to bed, OK. 477 00:31:57,520 --> 00:31:59,120 And that's been good counsel for us. 478 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,560 And I think my wife would agree. OK. 479 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:08,120 The point is you have to learn to be humble and both have to be 480 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:13,200 willing to ask for forgiveness and be willing to forgive. 481 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,960 Be willing to forgive. Why? 482 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,720 Because God in Christ forgave you Sinner. 483 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:27,920 And if you were forgiven by God and you don't dispense that same 484 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:31,320 grace to your spouse, then God will not forgive you. 485 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:42,200 He will still hold you guilty. OK, and here's the other point. 486 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,520 If you don't forgive, yes, you may have gotten into an 487 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:47,960 argument. Just heated discussion about the 488 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:52,640 color of carpeting. OK, but if you don't forgive, 489 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,800 then here's what happens. Here's where the breakdown 490 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,320 happens. If you don't resolve those 491 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:05,560 little foxes that eat the grapes, that's when bitterness 492 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:12,120 sets in, OK? And if left unchecked, 493 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:19,440 bitterness takes root. And when it takes root, it bears 494 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:23,200 rotten fruit. Does that make sense? 495 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:27,120 You can. You can have a disagreement 496 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:31,240 about Chinese and Italian food or color of carpeting and all 497 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,480 these types of things, but it's those little things. 498 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,000 If they're not resolved, they accumulate. 499 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,160 They accumulate, they accumulate. 500 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:43,960 And eventually you try to pay out of your account and you find 501 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,520 that there's so much bitterness there that you're paying out in 502 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,440 more bitterness costs than you are in forgiveness. 503 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:52,600 And you have nothing left in that account. 504 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:56,240 And then you just end up giving up. 505 00:33:56,920 --> 00:34:02,880 OK, the definition of a marital breakdown is not having a 506 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:07,640 disagreement over where you eat. OK, the definition of a marital 507 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:12,320 breakdown is when marriage vows begin to crack and break and it 508 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:18,280 starts by a marriage partner coveting something outside of 509 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:23,600 their bonds of marriage or should we say someone outside of 510 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:28,199 marriage and when confronted the partner instead of being 511 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:31,480 confessing about it, embraces dishonesty. 512 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:37,840 This is why I said the 10 commandments play a huge role in 513 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:42,800 a healthy marriage, because if you are bearing false witness to 514 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:49,360 your spouse, then you have cracks in the foundation, OK? 515 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:53,199 And if they're embracing dishonesty to cover up their 516 00:34:53,199 --> 00:34:56,920 desires and intentions when the council of friends and family is 517 00:34:56,920 --> 00:35:00,960 ignored, that partner strays from their marital fidelity and 518 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:05,080 chooses ultimately the path of adultery, OK? 519 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:12,240 We need to remember that when we take our marriage vows, they are 520 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:15,360 for life. They're not for 10 years. 521 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:20,560 They're not for 15 years. OK, you may remember these 522 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:23,160 words. And now, solemnly promising 523 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:26,120 before God and in the presence of these witnesses, will you 524 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,080 have this man or this woman to be your wedded wife or husband, 525 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,840 to live together after God's ordinance in the sacred estate 526 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,840 of matrimony? Will you love her or him? 527 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:41,080 Will you comfort him or her? Will you honor them, cherish 528 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:47,200 them, in sickness and in health, in prosperity or adversity and 529 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:51,920 forsaking all others, keeping yourself only unto her or him, 530 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:56,280 so long as you both shall live? Do you so declare? 531 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,000 Do you ever recall these words being said? 532 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:02,800 Yeah, we should. We should. 533 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:04,640 Yeah, we do. Amen. 534 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:10,520 Amen. Listen, the success or the 535 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:15,640 failure of a marriage has eternal consequences. 536 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:24,440 Eternal consequences. It doesn't just the, the 537 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:28,960 decision that you make in marriage doesn't just expire 538 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:33,440 after six months or or whatnot. No, the decision that you make 539 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:39,760 has has eternal consequences. How so? 540 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:44,440 Well, let's take a look. I didn't want to. 541 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:46,400 I'm just going to read this here. 542 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:48,840 I have it referenced here, Matthew chapter 19. 543 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:51,680 I'm not going to put it on the screen other than the reference 544 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:55,840 here, but Matthew Chapter 9, a question came up from the 545 00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:04,280 Pharisees, the religious people, OK, And it begins in verse one. 546 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:07,440 It says Now it came to pass when Jesus had finished these sayings 547 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:11,600 that he departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea 548 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:15,120 beyond the Jordan, and great multitudes followed him and he 549 00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:19,160 healed them there. The Pharisees also came to him. 550 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,680 These are the religious people testing him and saying to him, 551 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,080 Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any 552 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,320 reason? And he answered and said to 553 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:32,400 them, Have you not read that he who made them at the beginning 554 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,560 made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man 555 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,200 shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his 556 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:41,480 wife, and that two shall become one flesh. 557 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:45,360 So then they are no longer 2, but one flesh. 558 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:51,520 Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate. 559 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:56,120 They said to him, why then did Moses command to give a 560 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:58,440 certificate of divorce and to put her away? 561 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:03,480 He said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your heart 562 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,920 permitted you to divorce your wives. 563 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,840 But from the beginning it was not so. 564 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:12,280 In other words, Jesus is saying that was never God's intention. 565 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:20,040 OK, verse 9 and I say to you, whoever divorces his wife except 566 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:25,520 for sexual immorality and marries another commits adultery 567 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:30,160 and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery. 568 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:36,640 So if the marriage, if an initial marriage has failed and 569 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:42,520 people or they file for divorce on it, unless it is for marital 570 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:48,880 infidelity that that person was in the, you know, behaving in an 571 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:52,320 adulterous relationship outside of marriage, there's no grounds 572 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:56,480 for divorce. And how do we know this? 573 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,720 Well, because we say, well, let let's interpret that a little 574 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:01,760 differently. Watch what follows, verse 10. 575 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:05,440 His disciples said to him, if such is the case of the man with 576 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,800 his wife, it's better not to marry. 577 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:12,280 Because the, the reasoning back then was that according to the 578 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:16,400 Pharisees, if the, if the husband said I divorce you, I 579 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:18,720 divorce you, I divorce you 3 times, that was it. 580 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:21,520 And he could divorce her for burning the toast. 581 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:29,680 And Jesus calls him on and says, no, that Moses only wrote that 582 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:33,640 certificate of divorce because of the hardness of the human 583 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,360 heart. OK. 584 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:40,520 And when his disciples who were there listening to this little 585 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:43,560 discussion that was taking place, they responded this way. 586 00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:47,840 If this is the case of the man with his wife, they said it's 587 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:53,280 better not to marry. And here's how Jesus responded. 588 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:59,760 He said to them, All cannot accept this saying, but only 589 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:05,680 those to whom it has been given. Watch what he says, verse 12. 590 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:10,200 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's 591 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:11,400 womb. What is a eunuch? 592 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,920 A eunuch is a person who cannot father children. 593 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:18,240 OK. They, they don't have, how shall 594 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:21,080 we say this in a presence of children? 595 00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:25,600 They don't have all the equipment available to them to 596 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:31,040 function in that capacity. OK, So they were born like that, 597 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:33,640 from their mother's womb. And then Jesus goes on. 598 00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:37,320 There are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men like Daniel. 599 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:41,880 Daniel was made a eunuch, OK, because he was working in the 600 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:43,960 King's court. And there were eunuchs that were 601 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:45,920 described and mentioned in the book of Esther. 602 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,800 They took care of the the queen and the king wanted to make sure 603 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:51,160 that they weren't going to mess with the queen. 604 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:53,560 So he says, OK, here we're going to do a little surgical 605 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:55,560 procedure on you. You're going to work for me. 606 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:59,960 But this is what's required. So they are eunuchs made by men. 607 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,960 And then the third is there are eunuchs who have made themselves 608 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:06,520 eunuchs for the Kingdom of heaven's sake. 609 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:07,960 In other words, they say, you know what? 610 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:11,880 I'd rather work for God than start a family. 611 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:18,480 And that's their own choice, OK, but that is a choice that's not 612 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:22,720 a should not be a church dictate as some churches do. 613 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:24,880 And they say, no, if you want to serve God, you can't get 614 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:26,640 married. And then these churches end up 615 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:32,320 with all kinds of problems, OK. And Jesus concluded, he said he 616 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:34,960 who is able to accept it, let him accept it. 617 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:41,640 In other words, marriage is the second most serious decision you 618 00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:44,160 can ever make in your life. The 1st is, am I going to follow 619 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:47,920 God or just do my own thing? Because that determines where 620 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:51,080 you're going to spend eternity. But then the second is like the 621 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:55,200 first, because if you're not committed or that person is not 622 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:58,800 committed to God, you could end up having a ripple effect 623 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,560 throughout eternity because if you bring children into the mix, 624 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:03,520 that creates all sorts of challenges. 625 00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:07,280 In fact, this shows us the divine inspiration of Scripture. 626 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:11,720 OK, look at this, what appears next, verse 13. 627 00:42:11,720 --> 00:42:14,920 It says Then little children were brought to him, to Jesus, 628 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:17,440 that he might put his hands on them and pray. 629 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:20,760 But the disciples rebuke them. But Jesus said, let the little 630 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:23,880 children come to me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the 631 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,280 Kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them 632 00:42:26,280 --> 00:42:29,440 and departed from there. It is no accident, friends. 633 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:32,840 It is no accident whatsoever that this conversation about 634 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:35,920 marriage takes place. And immediately after is this 635 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:39,280 story about these little children, Jesus, and wanting to 636 00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:41,920 be blessed. Because guess how children come 637 00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:46,280 into this world? Well, it they can come into two 638 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:48,160 ways, through marriage or through unmarriage. 639 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:51,760 But it's supposed to be done through marriage because it is 640 00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:55,320 that institution that is to protect and nurture children and 641 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:57,200 bring them up in the fear of the Lord. 642 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:04,600 But when things happen outside. In fact, we we just saw the sign 643 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:08,080 on the way to church this morning, the Billboard on 91 S 644 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:12,160 it said abortion is legal in Connecticut. 645 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:15,160 Make sure you know your rights. And I commented to my wife and 646 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:19,160 we finally had to back away from the from the conversation. 647 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:21,440 Jonathan was the one who said mom, dad, let's change the 648 00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:25,920 conversation because the whole discussion was on this billboard 649 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:32,160 on the way to church that imagine that that a parent has 650 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:38,320 the right to kill their child. Now in in some places we would 651 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:47,920 call that murder, right? But the laws of man have have 652 00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:50,680 twisted the laws of God and say, no, we can change the law of 653 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:52,880 God. And that's what we attempt to do 654 00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:55,440 it when we do this with our marriages. 655 00:43:55,440 --> 00:44:07,240 And what happens is that, you know, we, we, you know, have big 656 00:44:07,240 --> 00:44:10,800 conversations about the Sabbath Sunday issue as 7th Day 657 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:17,280 Adventists, and rightly so, because what we say is we call 658 00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:20,880 out the papacy and we say, listen, you cannot change the 659 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:27,320 law of God. But when we enter into marriage 660 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:31,120 and the divorce for any other reason, like the Pharisees gave 661 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:32,760 excuses, you know what we're doing? 662 00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:36,640 We're no better than the papacy because we're trying to change 663 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:42,680 the law of God. We're trying to change the law 664 00:44:42,680 --> 00:44:50,320 of God just like the Pope did. And so we have no room to talk 665 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:55,720 when we're doing the same thing. And it goes on and on. 666 00:44:56,400 --> 00:45:01,560 In fact, I'll take one further. Or Our son Andrew is out at 667 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:03,720 Andrews University. He's studying business finance, 668 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,560 OK. And in his class, he was telling 669 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:08,800 us last week in a phone conversation, he says, yeah. 670 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:13,360 And I later saw this in some sort of a report or something 671 00:45:13,360 --> 00:45:20,240 like this. But the textbooks that they have 672 00:45:21,240 --> 00:45:27,680 say that it is from a business practice point of view, business 673 00:45:27,680 --> 00:45:36,200 practice says it's OK to, you know, bend the rules of whatever 674 00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:40,200 the government does because all they will do is they will have 675 00:45:40,200 --> 00:45:46,760 you pay a fine. And, and so the idea is that it 676 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:51,640 is cheaper to do business that way by cheating on these laws, 677 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:56,640 because what's in it is that your profit will be able to 678 00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:59,320 cover that loss and you will still be able to maintain it. 679 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:04,360 And so I saw it, I heard it from Andrew in what the business 680 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:07,280 class is, what they teach in. This is what common amongst all 681 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:12,800 business schools, OK, But then it's put into practice, for 682 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:16,240 example, and I may get into trouble with our online friends, 683 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:19,960 but in the Pharmaceutical industry, OK, because they may 684 00:46:19,960 --> 00:46:24,920 make $20 billion on a particular product that they sell and they 685 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:30,160 know that it's bad. And so they may end up paying $2 686 00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:34,280 billion in fines, but they're OK with it because they're making 687 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:38,720 $18 billion profit. So it's no loss for them. 688 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:43,160 There's no real laws. And so on and on and on and on 689 00:46:43,160 --> 00:46:46,840 it goes, where the law of God is just trampled in the dust. 690 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:49,360 And we make up our own rules as we go along. 691 00:46:49,520 --> 00:46:52,320 And then we wonder why we have problems. 692 00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:57,320 Then we wonder why. It's because we're not following 693 00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:00,440 what God had originally ordained. 694 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:04,440 It's as simple as that. Now, yes, I know we don't live 695 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:07,080 in a simple world. I recognize that. 696 00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:10,160 OK, how do you think I got all these Gray hairs? 697 00:47:10,720 --> 00:47:18,080 OK, here's the question. How do you have a marriage made 698 00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:20,360 in heaven? Right, that's the question. 699 00:47:21,040 --> 00:47:25,160 How do you get a marriage made in heaven? 700 00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:30,560 Well, listen to this Genesis chapter 1 beginning in verse 701 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:32,000 one. Here's what it says. 702 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:36,400 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 703 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:41,320 The earth was without form and void and darkness was on the 704 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:47,640 face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the 705 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:51,720 face of the waters. Then God said, let there be 706 00:47:51,720 --> 00:47:59,480 light, and there was light. You see friends, when God 707 00:47:59,480 --> 00:48:04,840 created, the Bible says he was hovering over the face of the 708 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:07,080 waters and you know what was there? 709 00:48:07,560 --> 00:48:11,800 There were no pine trees there. There were no beach fronts. 710 00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:16,000 There was no Mountain View over the valley with a beautiful 711 00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:19,800 sunset. There was no animals and and 712 00:48:19,800 --> 00:48:22,520 beautiful tropical fish. There was nothing. 713 00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:27,000 It was without form and it was a void. 714 00:48:27,080 --> 00:48:30,920 It was empty. And there are some who are in 715 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:35,480 their marriages even today and feel like, yeah, that's my 716 00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:42,400 marriage, empty and void. But here's the good news. 717 00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:48,360 The Bible says in that creation account, the Spirit of God was 718 00:48:48,360 --> 00:48:51,320 hovering over the face of those waters. 719 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:57,120 In other words, you may have a marriage that is feeling empty 720 00:48:57,120 --> 00:49:01,280 and void, but I want to tell you that God is hovering over you 721 00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:04,040 waiting for you to call upon Him. 722 00:49:05,800 --> 00:49:13,160 But if you never call on Him, He can't bring light into the 723 00:49:13,200 --> 00:49:16,080 darkness that you're experiencing in your marriage. 724 00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:22,600 It's impossible and here's more good news though. 725 00:49:23,560 --> 00:49:25,440 John chapter 1 verses one and three. 726 00:49:26,080 --> 00:49:32,400 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and 727 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:38,240 the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God 728 00:49:39,320 --> 00:49:46,720 and all things were made through him and without him nothing was 729 00:49:46,720 --> 00:49:49,680 made. Not one thing was made that was 730 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:53,480 made. The text goes on in verse 14. 731 00:49:53,800 --> 00:50:00,320 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld 732 00:50:00,320 --> 00:50:03,920 His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 733 00:50:04,440 --> 00:50:10,440 full of grace and truth. Two things that the world 734 00:50:10,440 --> 00:50:15,840 desperately needs today is grace and truth. 735 00:50:17,840 --> 00:50:27,120 Grace and truth going over there and John just a little bit 736 00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:29,440 further and I know I'm I'm wrapping things up here, but 737 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:33,720 listen to this. These are promises that are for 738 00:50:33,720 --> 00:50:38,200 us and we need to claim them because Jesus shed his blood to 739 00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:45,040 make these promises come true. John chapter one verse 16 it 740 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:53,640 says and of his fullness we have all received and grace for grace 741 00:50:54,760 --> 00:50:58,760 in the Greek pastor go to your Greek New Testament and I know 742 00:50:58,760 --> 00:51:01,080 he can't maybe not be able to understand me right now, but 743 00:51:01,520 --> 00:51:04,520 I'll tell him afterwards or Renata, you can tell him or 744 00:51:04,920 --> 00:51:13,640 mommy can tell him in the Greek of this verse, it says Caritas 745 00:51:13,680 --> 00:51:22,440 anticaritas grace, auntie meaning in place of grace. 746 00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:25,360 So it says grace in place of grace. 747 00:51:26,160 --> 00:51:30,920 Here's what God does for us. He gives us grace and you know 748 00:51:30,920 --> 00:51:37,240 what he replaces it with grace. And when you at the end of the 749 00:51:37,240 --> 00:51:38,520 day, you say, Lord, I need grace. 750 00:51:38,520 --> 00:51:44,680 And you know what he gives you in place of grace, Grace, grace 751 00:51:44,680 --> 00:51:47,360 in place of grace. That's your promise. 752 00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:49,480 That's my promise. That's our promise. 753 00:51:50,200 --> 00:51:54,560 God gives his grace and his grace is his power, the power of 754 00:51:54,560 --> 00:51:58,200 the Holy Spirit to bring life. That's what came about in 755 00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:02,280 creation. And so here's what's at stake. 756 00:52:02,640 --> 00:52:07,080 This is what's this is what's at play in this whole big operation 757 00:52:07,080 --> 00:52:12,080 that we call life. OK, Ephesians chapter 3, verses 758 00:52:12,080 --> 00:52:16,240 8 and 10, Paul said, me who am less than the least of all the 759 00:52:16,240 --> 00:52:18,600 Saints. This grace was given, remember, 760 00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:20,600 because Paul wanted to kill the Christians. 761 00:52:20,920 --> 00:52:24,120 And God says, no, I'm calling you to be a preacher is what? 762 00:52:25,360 --> 00:52:29,160 Yeah, that's what God does. He takes things that aren't 763 00:52:29,160 --> 00:52:33,600 working and he makes them working in his ways. 764 00:52:34,200 --> 00:52:37,320 And he says I was this grace was given that I should preach among 765 00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:42,560 the Gentiles the how many riches of Christ, the unsearchable. 766 00:52:42,560 --> 00:52:46,360 In other words, you will never end finding out the riches of 767 00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:48,680 Christ. You'll just keep discovering 768 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:52,760 more grace and more goodness of God saying that, and This is why 769 00:52:52,760 --> 00:52:56,240 God has to give us eternity, because we'll never be able to 770 00:52:56,240 --> 00:52:58,000 search out the riches of God's grace. 771 00:53:00,960 --> 00:53:02,760 That's what I'm after. Is eternity. 772 00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:05,880 OK? And my wife and I are committed 773 00:53:06,240 --> 00:53:09,080 to that journey. OK? 774 00:53:10,240 --> 00:53:13,200 Right now we're fixing up bathrooms and kitchens and got 775 00:53:13,200 --> 00:53:16,080 nasty green colored paint on our kitchens because we bought a 776 00:53:16,080 --> 00:53:18,840 house this past summer. And as soon as people come in, 777 00:53:18,840 --> 00:53:20,840 they say, Oh my word, you know, you like that. 778 00:53:20,840 --> 00:53:22,600 And no, of course not. This is why we bought it, so we 779 00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:25,000 can change it. But that's our journey. 780 00:53:26,760 --> 00:53:28,960 We're on a journey. We're going to the promised 781 00:53:28,960 --> 00:53:29,400 land. Amen. 782 00:53:29,400 --> 00:53:34,080 And you got to make that same journey too, and that same 783 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:37,960 commitment. But Paul says the unsearchable 784 00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:41,800 riches of Christ and to make all see what is the fellowship of 785 00:53:41,800 --> 00:53:45,360 the mystery which from the beginning of the ages has been 786 00:53:45,360 --> 00:53:48,880 hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. 787 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:52,320 So Paul's talking about this amazing, Amazing Grace. 788 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:54,480 The passage goes on to say though that, and here's the 789 00:53:54,480 --> 00:54:02,040 kicker to the intent, that now the manifold wisdom of God might 790 00:54:02,040 --> 00:54:08,160 be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in 791 00:54:08,160 --> 00:54:13,440 the heavenly places. So here's how it works. 792 00:54:13,840 --> 00:54:17,520 God gives his grace. He gave it to Paul and calls 793 00:54:17,520 --> 00:54:24,480 Paul to preach to the Gentiles. But now this wisdom of God, this 794 00:54:24,480 --> 00:54:30,400 grace that God gives is being manifested amongst us, the 795 00:54:30,400 --> 00:54:33,440 church, the ones who are called out from the world. 796 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:36,680 Because you know, you can go out in the world and you behave. 797 00:54:36,960 --> 00:54:39,800 But the problem is, is when the world starts creeping in, the 798 00:54:39,800 --> 00:54:42,400 principles start creeping into here. 799 00:54:43,800 --> 00:54:46,880 But God gives these standards. No, this is, these are my 800 00:54:46,880 --> 00:54:52,240 covenant standards. OK, but here's what's happening. 801 00:54:53,960 --> 00:55:01,240 Here's what's happening to the intent that now the manifold 802 00:55:01,240 --> 00:55:07,920 wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the 803 00:55:07,920 --> 00:55:11,760 principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 804 00:55:12,760 --> 00:55:21,240 In other words, there are others who are watching, and we're not 805 00:55:21,240 --> 00:55:23,280 talking about your neighbor or your children. 806 00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:28,880 Bible is indicating to us that there are principalities and 807 00:55:28,880 --> 00:55:38,560 powers in heavenly places, other worlds, even out there who are 808 00:55:38,560 --> 00:55:43,760 watching this daytime drama called Planet Earth. 809 00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:50,200 And they're watching how things are being played out here in 810 00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:53,680 living color. You know, we watch things like 811 00:55:53,680 --> 00:55:55,880 the Super Bowl and we watch the Evening News. 812 00:55:56,920 --> 00:55:58,960 The rest of the universe is watching us. 813 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:04,800 And what they're asking is how does this wisdom of God play out 814 00:56:05,240 --> 00:56:10,600 in the lives of John and Susan? How does the wisdom of God play 815 00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:13,680 out in this board meeting? How does the wisdom of God play 816 00:56:13,680 --> 00:56:17,120 out in this? And they're watching because God 817 00:56:17,120 --> 00:56:20,600 has made such a promise and such a commitment that he said, I'm 818 00:56:20,600 --> 00:56:25,120 willing to send my son to die for these people who have 819 00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:28,760 rebelled against me. And they will even put my son on 820 00:56:28,760 --> 00:56:31,880 a cross. But I'm willing to bring them 821 00:56:32,200 --> 00:56:35,280 into eternity to be with you folks. 822 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:39,160 And the rest of the universe is saying, you're going to do what? 823 00:56:41,600 --> 00:56:45,640 You're going to do what? You're going to let them live 824 00:56:45,640 --> 00:56:48,400 with us forever when they put you on a cross. 825 00:56:48,760 --> 00:56:53,920 He says watch because my grace is sufficient for them. 826 00:56:56,280 --> 00:57:01,200 And that means God's grace is sufficient for your marriage, 827 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:04,760 too. I didn't hear an Amen on that. 828 00:57:07,000 --> 00:57:09,200 Just checking. Just checking. 829 00:57:10,080 --> 00:57:16,040 But that's the sobering truth. You see, folks, I'm about to 830 00:57:16,040 --> 00:57:18,200 wrap up, but I saw this passage last night. 831 00:57:18,200 --> 00:57:21,000 We're reading in our family worship the book of James. 832 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:24,320 James chapter 4. It's not on the screen. 833 00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:26,360 I don't have a slide for it. I've debated whether to put it 834 00:57:26,360 --> 00:57:27,720 in this morning, but I had other things. 835 00:57:28,160 --> 00:57:30,200 But here's what it says. James chapter 4. 836 00:57:31,920 --> 00:57:32,560 I'll. I'll start. 837 00:57:32,560 --> 00:57:33,920 Yeah, I have to start in verse one. 838 00:57:34,200 --> 00:57:36,440 Where do wars and fights come from among you? 839 00:57:36,920 --> 00:57:39,640 Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that warn 840 00:57:39,640 --> 00:57:42,600 your members you lust and do not have? 841 00:57:42,840 --> 00:57:44,720 You murder and covet and cannot obtain. 842 00:57:44,920 --> 00:57:49,400 You fight in war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. 843 00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:57,720 You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you 844 00:57:57,720 --> 00:58:01,720 may spend it on your pleasures. You see, folks, God is not going 845 00:58:01,720 --> 00:58:04,640 to answer our prayers if it's all about us. 846 00:58:10,000 --> 00:58:13,440 He answers our prayers because we're willing to submit our will 847 00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:14,840 to his. That's what Jesus prayed in the 848 00:58:14,840 --> 00:58:18,160 Garden of Gethsemane. He said, Lord, if it's possible, 849 00:58:18,160 --> 00:58:24,360 let this cup pass from me, but not as I will, but as you will. 850 00:58:25,160 --> 00:58:30,320 He was willing to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, 851 00:58:30,960 --> 00:58:34,280 beaten, stripped naked, not with a little lion cloth. 852 00:58:34,640 --> 00:58:38,720 That's not how they did it. They they took everything off 853 00:58:39,080 --> 00:58:43,480 and the soldiers also would molest the prisoners. 854 00:58:49,330 --> 00:58:51,970 You didn't think I was going to go here today, Folks, I know 855 00:58:51,970 --> 00:58:57,890 it's Valentine's Day, but the scriptures tell us these things, 856 00:58:57,890 --> 00:59:01,370 OK? You ask and do not receive, 857 00:59:01,650 --> 00:59:06,410 because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 858 00:59:07,120 --> 00:59:10,400 Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that friendship 859 00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:12,240 with the world is enmity with God? 860 00:59:12,920 --> 00:59:16,080 Whoever, therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes 861 00:59:16,080 --> 00:59:21,920 himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the 862 00:59:21,920 --> 00:59:24,800 Scripture says in vain? The Spirit who dwells in US 863 00:59:24,800 --> 00:59:28,880 yearns jealously, but he gives more grace. 864 00:59:28,880 --> 00:59:32,080 Listen God, this is the good news. 865 00:59:34,080 --> 00:59:40,920 God gives grace. Therefore he says God resists 866 00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:46,040 the proud but gives grace to the humble. 867 00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:53,240 Amen. If we would but humble ourselves 868 00:59:53,240 --> 00:59:59,000 in the sight of God, He will resurrect our lives. 869 00:59:59,000 --> 01:00:02,960 He will resurrect our marriages. He will save us. 870 01:00:03,600 --> 01:00:08,600 He will deliver us. Therefore, the passage 871 01:00:09,360 --> 01:00:16,560 concludes, Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil, and he 872 01:00:16,560 --> 01:00:22,480 will flee from you. You have power over the devil. 873 01:00:22,520 --> 01:00:26,240 You have power over these temptations to wander. 874 01:00:26,720 --> 01:00:34,040 You have you have the ability to bring God's glory into that 875 01:00:34,040 --> 01:00:36,840 sacred institution called marriage. 876 01:00:37,360 --> 01:00:44,280 Amen to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be 877 01:00:44,280 --> 01:00:48,840 made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in 878 01:00:48,840 --> 01:00:50,960 heavenly places. What's at stake in our marriage 879 01:00:51,320 --> 01:00:54,520 is none other than the reputation of God. 880 01:00:56,560 --> 01:01:00,440 Stop thinking that it's about you and think about God. 881 01:01:02,240 --> 01:01:04,560 It's God's reputation that is at stake. 882 01:01:06,760 --> 01:01:10,960 Can God be trusted? Can God be trusted to bring 883 01:01:10,960 --> 01:01:15,760 these people into eternity? God is banking on it that He 884 01:01:15,760 --> 01:01:19,640 can't. There are other worlds watching, 885 01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:27,320 but they are watching to see how we respond to God's Amazing 886 01:01:27,320 --> 01:01:29,760 Grace. When we allow God's Amazing 887 01:01:29,760 --> 01:01:34,160 Grace into our marriages. Guess what happens when we allow 888 01:01:34,160 --> 01:01:40,000 God's grace into our marriages? We will have a little bit of 889 01:01:40,000 --> 01:01:45,080 heaven on earth. That's how it's done because as 890 01:01:45,080 --> 01:01:49,000 John chapter one verse 16 says, and of his fullness, we have all 891 01:01:49,000 --> 01:01:55,360 received and grace for grace. Friends, go to God for his 892 01:01:55,360 --> 01:01:59,920 Amazing Grace. Do you want God's grace to have 893 01:02:00,360 --> 01:02:03,880 a successful marriage? Amen. 894 01:02:04,280 --> 01:02:06,320 Amen. Let's pray, let's pray. 895 01:02:06,320 --> 01:02:10,840 Father in Heaven, we thank you for your goodness and your 896 01:02:10,840 --> 01:02:15,040 tender mercies. We thank you for your amazing, 897 01:02:15,040 --> 01:02:17,880 Amazing Grace. We thank You for Your Word, 898 01:02:17,880 --> 01:02:22,240 which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 899 01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:26,560 Lord, I pray that You would forgive us of our sins. 900 01:02:28,240 --> 01:02:31,200 Forgive us for where we have rebelled against you, where 901 01:02:31,200 --> 01:02:34,680 we've gone our own way, where we've thought our own thoughts 902 01:02:34,680 --> 01:02:38,800 and not your thoughts. Forgive us. 903 01:02:39,960 --> 01:02:45,640 And yes, Lord, even restore us. Restore unto us the years that 904 01:02:45,640 --> 01:02:54,000 the locusts have eaten, and that your character would be 905 01:02:54,000 --> 01:03:01,160 reflected even in our marriages. And we pray this in the 906 01:03:01,160 --> 01:03:06,520 wonderful and the holy name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.