Sunday Recap [from 2/19/06]

It was chilly, but it was a great day, nonetheless!

Sunday's message was about guardrails that need to be put into place for a marriage to be strong. There were some technical difficulties in the recording process, but hopefully, the podcast of the message will be available by Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.

Feel free to use the following to talk more about the message or share it with someone else this week!

"Guardrails For A Strong Marriage"
Presented by Pastor Johnny Leckie, Compass Church, 2-19-06 | www.compasswired.com

1. Guardrail # 1 - Burn [or scuttle] Your Ships.

In 1519, Hernando Cortes destroyed the ships that brought his expedition to Veracruz in their pursuit of treasure. In one fell swoop, he eliminated the option of turning back, and created an intense motivation for succeeding. No escape routes. No turning back. There was only one option, and it was to go forward.

Matthew 19:4-6
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." NIV

We live in a world that makes it easy to quit. Easy to give up. It’s a world of choices where we can change phone service, Change cable providers, change internet service providers with a simple phone call. We can get a gazillion channels on our tv’s. Some people see marriage in the same way. The attitude is, “I’m not going to put up with much, so if you get on my nerves, I’ll just move on to the next one.” We need to realize the seriousness of the covenant.

2. Guardrail #2: Make “Flirting” For Your Spouse Only.

Proverbs 5:3-4
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; 4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,sharp as a double-edged sword. – NIV

Job 31:1
1 "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman. – NLT

3 Quick things about this idea of saving flirting for your spouse only:

(1) Refuse To Glamorize The Possibility of an affair.

Hebrews 13:4
4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. – NLT

Proverbs 5:15-17
15 Drink water from your own cistern,running water from your own well. 16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,your streams of water in the public squares? 17 Let them be yours alone,never to be shared with strangers. - NIV

Deuteronomy 5:18
18 You shall not commit adultery. – NIV

(2) Commit like The Competition’s Over, But Act Like It Never Will Be.

Proverbs 5:18
18 May your fountain be blessed,and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. – NIV

Commit with no exits, but always treat your spouse like ten other people would love to have them for a companion. Don’t let the “dating” end!

(3) Tend To Your Temple.

Song of Solomon 5:14
13 His cheeks are like sweetly scented beds of spices. His lips are like perfumed lilies. His breath is like myrrh. 14 His arms are like round bars of gold, set with chrysolite. His body is like bright ivory, aglow with sapphires. 15 His legs are like pillars of marble set in sockets of the finest gold, strong as the cedars of Lebanon. None can rival him. 16 His mouth is altogether sweet; he is lovely in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend." – NLT

Sometimes people who are recently divorced or are involved in an affair– lose 40 pounds, get a total makeover – start trying to look their best. Why not in your marriage? Why not for your spouse?

3. Guardrail #3 Determine To Meet Your Spouse’s Needs.

Ephesians 5:28-29
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church. – NIV

1 Corinthians 7:5
5 So do not deprive each other of sexual relations. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time, so they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterward they should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control. – NLT

Many marriage problems could be solved with a simple surgical removal of selfishness from one or both partners. Learn to serve and you learn to love.

4. Guardrail #4 Commit Yourself Daily To Your Spouse.

Remember Your Covenant With God.

Proverbs 2:16-17
(Wisdom)
16 It will save you also from the adulteress,
from the wayward wife with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God. - NIV
5. Guardrail 5 :Make Your Spouse Your 2nd Highest Priority.

2 Chronicles 16:9
9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him… - NIV

Commit to God more than anyone,
To Your Spouse more than your kids,
To Your kids more than your work or anyone else.