Pastor Bill McMinn Challenges to Do Life Together with your spouse.
READ: Genesis 2:15and following
CHALLENGE: Do Life Together
Let’s talk about the beginning of time when there was just one man on the planet – the time when Adam was alone and God said, that’s NOT good! God had created the world and God said that everything was good. It was really good. He made the entire planted birds to bumble bees! And man is in perfection in the Garden of Eden. No pollution. No problems. Yet, there is a problem, he’s alone!
Vv15-18 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Verse 18 is a foundational verse on marriage.
A.VALUE THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR SPOUSE
1.Value Hard Work
2.Value Taking Responsibility
Vv19-23 – Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam[f] no suitable helper was found.
3.Value Spirituality
1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands, and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
4.Value Companionship
Ecclesiastes 9:9 – Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
B.SEE MARRIAGE AS A BLESSING FROM GOD
21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribsand then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the ribhe had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said,and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called ‘woman,’for she was taken out of man.”
1.Marriage is God’s Idea
2.There Are No Substitutes for Your Spouse
· Friends Are Not a Substitute for Your Spouse
· Children Are Not a Substitute for Your Spouse
· Sports are not a substitute for your spouse.
· Success is not the substitute.
· Social media is not the substitute.
C.UNDERSTAND DIFFERENCES IN MARRIAGE AS A POSITIVE
1.Differences are Fine
2. Listening is Important
3. Valuing them is Important
