rec0814-112035<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Series: “Inside \/ Out”<\/h3>\nLiving Today The Life Of Jesus<\/h3>\n
A study through The Sermon On The Mount<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nMatthew 5-7<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Five Building Blocks for a Better Marriage<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nMatthew 5:31-33<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nMatthew 5:31-33 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>31 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0“It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’;<\/span>
\n32 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the<\/i> reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.<\/span>
\n33 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Three principles (truths) for people who have experienced divorce:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
1. God’s view of marriage is very high.<\/strong><\/p>\nMatthew 5:31-32<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
2. Divorce is never God’s way to resolve conflict in marriage. <\/strong><\/p>\nThat is why God never commands divorce<\/strong><\/p>\n nor does God ever condone divorce,<\/strong><\/p>\n and God also never condemns the divorcee.<\/strong><\/p>\nRomans 8:1 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
3. If divorce has occurred in your past,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0and<\/strong>\u00a0you have properly recognized and confessed<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n that your decision was a sin against God’s Word,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n your past is under the blood of Jesus Christ<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n and you\u00a0now live in grace today.<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is<\/i> a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Five Building Blocks for Better Marriages<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
1. Make a lifelong commitment.<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nMatthew 19:4-6 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them<\/i> from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,<\/span>
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?<\/span>
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0“<\/span>So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Upward decision (to God)…Inward decision (with your heart)…Outward decision (with your partner)<\/em><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2. Live in absolute faithfulness.<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nChallenge…<\/em><\/h3>\nProverbs 6:20-23 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>20 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;<\/span>
\n21 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck.<\/span>
\n22 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; <\/span>And when you awake, they will talk to you.<\/span>
\n23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWarning…<\/em><\/h3>\n Proverbs 6:24-26 (NASB) <\/strong>
\n24 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0To keep you from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the adulteress.<\/span>
\n25 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Do not desire her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids.<\/span>
\n26 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For on account of a harlot one is reduced<\/i> to a loaf of bread, And an adulteress hunts for the precious life.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nResults…<\/em><\/h3>\n Proverbs 6:27-29 (NASB) <\/strong>
\n27 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned?<\/span>
\n28 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?<\/span>
\n29 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nProverbs 4:23 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow<\/i> the springs of life.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span><\/p>\nUnfaithfulness to others in your life may be the direct result of unfaithfulness to God in your life.<\/em><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
3. Give unreserved love.<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n(unreserved: not restricted, qualified, or unlimited)<\/em><\/h3>\n1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Love is patient, love is kind and<\/i> is not jealous; love does not brag and<\/i> is not arrogant,
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,<\/i>
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Love never fails;<\/span><\/p>\nHow do you reveal your love to your spouse?<\/em><\/h3>\nBy the way you live…by what you say…by who you are<\/em><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4. Establish open communication.<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nT<\/span><\/em>ake time<\/h3>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A<\/em><\/span>llow freedom of speech<\/h3>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0L<\/span><\/em>earn to be a listener<\/h3>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 K<\/span><\/em>eep working at it<\/h3>\n\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5. Develop spiritual companionship.<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nSpiritual control…mutual submission…responsible roles<\/em><\/h3>\nEphesians 5:15-33 (NASB)
\n<\/strong>15 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
\n16 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
\n17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
\n18 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
\n19 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
\n20 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
\n21 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
\n22 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Wives, be subject<\/i> to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
\n23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being<\/i> the Savior of the body.
\n24 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be<\/i> to their husbands in everything.
\n25 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
\n26 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
\n27 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
\n28 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
\n29 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does<\/i> the church,
\n30 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0because we are members of His body.
\n31 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.
\n32 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.