Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Bulletproofing Your Marriage" with part 2 in this Sunday service.
Bulletproofing Your Marriage PT2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, February 21, 2010
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Bulletproofing Your Marriage
1 Peter 5:8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
The “Bullets” Aimed at Marriage:
1. Unrealistic Expectations
a. “Perfect” as defined by who?
b. Conflicting definitions
i. With God
ii. With each other
2. Forgetting Who You Married:
a. Me, or us, first instead of God first
b. Selfishness
c. Kids ahead of spouse
3. External Stressors
a. Financial Pressure
b. Addictions: alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, sex
c. Infidelity
d. Success and Failure
4. Average (accepting anything less than God’s best for your marriage)
5. Divorce
Malachi 2:16 (MESSAGE) “God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that's what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you.”
1. Make Jesus the center of your marriage.
a. 4 things every couple should do together to strengthen their marriage: Worship, Pray, Read the Word, and Give. These 4 things will build greater intimacy and trust.
Mark 10: 7"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
Ephesians 5:32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
Psalm 55: 14Those long hours of leisure as we walked arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
2. 2 words that make great marriages.
a. Respect and Love (Ephesians 5: 33 )
b. About respect:
a. It’s a gift. Respect is given, not earned.
b. It makes a place for humility, which disarms hiding and power struggles.
c. About love:
a. It’s not an emotion; it is an expression of the nature of God. It is a verb.
b. It covers a multitude of sin, which disarms blame-shifting and disconnection.
d. A marriage filled with respect and love will be a safe place for both husband and wife.
Ephesians 5: 28So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
Ephesians 5:(AMP) 33However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].
1 Corinthians 13: 4Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. 6It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8Love will last forever…
3. You’re my best friend.
a. Share good times together. Don’t spend all your good times with other people, leaving only the stressful times for your spouse.
b. Laugh more. Lighten up! Don’t take yourselves so seriously.
c. Find some common hobbies and interests.
d. Don’t allow anyone to belittle or disrespect your mate or your marriage!
e. Develop a shared life-vision with common goals.
Amos 3: 3Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
Proverbs 18: 22Find a good spouse, you find a good life--and even more: the favor of GOD!
Ecclesiastes 9: 9Relish life with the spouse you love.
A Life-Giving Church for People Just Like You!
Whether you are full of questions or ready to jump right in, there is a place for you at The Church at Mirror Lake. Our church is a place where you can build relationships with others, experience God in worship, be empowered by practical, life-giving teaching from God's Word, and have fun doing it.
Together, we are living the Winner's Life as we learn to love, serve, reach, grow and connect. So whether you're a spiritual seeker starting to ask questions about God, or a committed Christian looking to sink your faith roots even deeper, you'll feel at home at The Church at Mirror Lake.
If you believe Jesus really meant it when He said, "I came so people can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of," (John 10:10 Message Translation) then join us this weekend at one of our Jesus Celebrations. Until then, browse our website (a link is on the right of this page) where you'll find lots of helpful info and feel free to download one of our service messages or subscribe to our weekly podcast where you will receive the fresh, life-giving Word of God.
_________________________________________________________________
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment