The air today is filled with the shrill cry of “my rights.” In the center ring of this loud arena is the home—more specifically, the marriage bond. Mate-swapping, group marriages, and living together without official marriage commitments are realities no longer carried out under the hush-hush blanket of shame and disgrace. Some couples are even accepting practices that just a couple of decades ago were taboo, introducing infidelity and pornography into the marriage bed. In all these alternative lifestyles, the Bible is either ignored altogether or rationalized to extremes. Is monogamy an outdated concept? In this message, we look at what the Bible says about the value of a one-spouse-only relationship so that we might uphold and defend God’s design.
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February 2, 2020
All marriages are happy—it’s the living together afterward that’s tough! We smile, knowing how true such a statement really is. After the flowers, the candles, the music, and the vows, there inevitably follows the day-to-day reality of living as partners: the stress of financial deadlines, the demands brought on by occupational hassles, the breakdown of communication, the misunderstandings that grow from sexual disharmony, and the lingering offenses not dealt with. The list seems endless. Peter was a married man. He understood the importance of domestic harmony. Under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, he wrote words of wise and workable counsel for all to heed. In spite of the centuries that separate us from Peter’s day, these principles are still appropriate. They work; so let’s listen!
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January 26, 2020
Have you ever noticed that the valuable things of this world take time to accomplish? Often, the more valuable they are, the more time they take to maintain and to appreciate. Marriage is one of the most valuable relationships God has given us. But in our fast-paced society, people seem less and less likely to give marriage the time it needs to grow and mature into something beautiful and holy. Instead, we give up on the pattern God instituted, looking for quick fixes and easy outs. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that there is a better way.
January 19, 2020
Have you ever noticed that the valuable things of this world take time to accomplish? Often, the more valuable they are, the more time they take to maintain and to appreciate. Marriage is one of the most valuable relationships God has given us. But in our fast-paced society, people seem less and less likely to give marriage the time it needs to grow and mature into something beautiful and holy. Instead, we give up on the pattern God instituted, looking for quick fixes and easy outs. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that there is a better way.
January 12, 2020
Have you ever noticed that the valuable things of this world take time to accomplish? Often, the more valuable they are, the more time they take to maintain and to appreciate. Marriage is one of the most valuable relationships God has given us. But in our fast-paced society, people seem less and less likely to give marriage the time it needs to grow and mature into something beautiful and holy. Instead, we give up on the pattern God instituted, looking for quick fixes and easy outs. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that there is a better way.
January 5, 2020
Ancient maps made before the earth had been circumnavigated often portrayed the unexplored areas with fire-breathing dragons. These scaly, frightening figures served to represent the fears of the people, as if to say, “Here be dragons.” In our current cultural climate, one in which egalitarianism is valued above all else, Ephesians 5:22-6:9 presents unfamiliar, often unexplored territory in the oceans of marriage. It is to such concepts as authority, submission, and daily self-sacrifice that we come, cautiously and thoughtfully, knowing that “here be dragons.”
December 29, 2019
Ancient maps made before the earth had been circumnavigated often portrayed the unexplored areas with fire-breathing dragons. These scaly, frightening figures served to represent the fears of the people, as if to say, “Here be dragons.” In our current cultural climate, one in which egalitarianism is valued above all else, Ephesians 5:22-6:9 presents unfamiliar, often unexplored territory in the oceans of marriage. It is to such concepts as authority, submission, and daily self-sacrifice that we come, cautiously and thoughtfully, knowing that “here be dragons.”
December 22, 2019
Ancient maps made before the earth had been circumnavigated often portrayed the unexplored areas with fire-breathing dragons. These scaly, frightening figures served to represent the fears of the people, as if to say, “Here be dragons.” In our current cultural climate, one in which egalitarianism is valued above all else, Ephesians 5:22-6:9 presents unfamiliar, often unexplored territory in the oceans of marriage. It is to such concepts as authority, submission, and daily self-sacrifice that we come, cautiously and thoughtfully, knowing that “here be dragons.”
December 15, 2019
The more valuable things are, the more time they take. This is especially true of handmade valuables, like beautiful Turkish rugs. For weeks, months, and sometimes years, workers sit on stools weaving one thread and then another to create the intricate patterns of a rug that is not only striking but will last for generations to come. Marriage is like that—it takes time, but if God’s pattern is followed, it produces a thing of lasting value.
December 8, 2019
The more valuable things are, the more time they take. This is especially true of handmade valuables, like beautiful Turkish rugs. For weeks, months, and sometimes years, workers sit on stools weaving one thread and then another to create the intricate patterns of a rug that is not only striking but will last for generations to come. Marriage is like that—it takes time, but if God’s pattern is followed, it produces a thing of lasting value.
December 1, 2019