Marriage and Paul Tripp

After performing my very first wedding this past weekend, I was reminded of some of the basic truths that I wish someone would have taught Beth and I before marriage. Often times we forget the unavoidable realities that come with marriage and its God ordained purpose. Marriage has always been God's design in helping to point us to Jesus. Marriage is God's greatest design to continually reveal to ourselves that we are sinners and desperately need grace.

There is no relationship on earth that will more expose your brokenness and need for grace than the marriage relationship. Because this is true, marriage should be a relationship full of authentic and transparent communication and grace being extended. Not using grace as an excuse for hurting one another, but rather as a way of extending love towards one another. We are all sinners and we all need grace. Praise God for sending Jesus who paid the penalty for my sin and continually extends grace to me. It is His goodness that leads me to repentance, not his wrath. He is patient and kinda, extending grace to the multitudes. Lets resemble that in our marriages.

Here is a short Q&A from Paul Tripp that has been revolutionary in my relationship with Beth.


Q: You write that all couples enter marriage with some unrealistic expectations. Isn’t this something you resolve in premarital counseling?

Paul David Tripp: I wish it were that easy! But it’s almost as though each potential husband and wife is motivated to dismiss the truth about what they will inevitably face. In the midst of the power of premarital romance, it is very hard to get yourself to want to take a hard and honest look at reality. You are in love, and you are sure that everything will work out right.

Most couples are simply not interested in being realistic.

Q: What perspectives can we keep in mind in order to keep our expectations of marriage (and life!) in check?

Paul David Tripp: There are three wisdom perspectives from Scripture that enable us to have realistic expectations for marriage:

· First, you are conducting your marriage in a fallen world. This means we all face the same thing and your marriage will be touched every day by the brokenness of our world.

· Second, you are married to a sinner. We just don’t get to be married to someone perfect. Your life will be affected by the sin, weakness, and failure of the person you are living with. And at some point you will sin against your spouse.

· Finally, you must remember that God is with you. You are not alone in your struggle. Yes, you live in a bad neighborhood (fallen world), and the two of you are less than perfect (sin), but in all this you are not left to your own resources.

Q: Is every marriage destined for struggle?

Paul David Tripp: It happens to everyone. It is the unavoidable reality of marriage. Somehow, someway, every marriage becomes a struggle. Everyone’s marriage becomes something they didn’t intend it to be. Spending time together is radically different from living together. Reasons for attraction now become sources of irritation. At some point you need something sturdier than romance. You need something deeper than shared interests and mutual attraction. You need something more than marital survival skills. In every marriage either giddy romance wanes and is replaced with a sturdier and more mature love, or the selfishness of sin reduces the marriage to a state of relational détente.

Q: So what do we do when this inevitable point of disillusionment collides with our expectations?
Paul David Tripp: Both the problem and the solution can be summed up in one word: worship. I have become more and more persuaded that marriages are fixed vertically before they are ever fixed horizontally. We have to deal with what is driving us before we ever deal with how we are reacting to one another. Every relationship is victimized in some way when we seek to get from the surrounding creation what we were designed to get form God. When God is in his rightful place, then we are on the way to putting people in their rightful place. I am convinced it is only in the worship of God in our marriages that we find reason to continue.

Being a worshiper means that you attach your identity, meaning and purpose, and your inner sense of well-being to something. You either get these things vertically (from the Creator) or you look to get them horizontally (from the creation). This insight has everything to do with how a marriage becomes what it is. No marriage will be unaffected when the people in the marriage are seeking to get from the creation what they were only ever meant to get from the Creator.

Q: Tell us more about the power of worship in marriage.

Paul David Tripp: This is the bottom line: the war for our marriages is a war of worship. The fundamental problem of every marriage is misplaced worship. The cure of every marriage is renewed worship of God. Does it wound too simple? Well, it is and it isn’t. Although this principle is true of every marriage, the war and the cure look different for every couple.

This may not sound very romantic, but my intention is not to disrespect romance. I love romance. On the vast continuum of what defines maledom, I am way over on the romantic end. But a good marriage doesn’t grow out of the soil of romance. No, the soil in which a good marriage grows is the soil of worship, and the fruit that a good marriage produces is sweet, long-term, mutually satisfying romance.

Q: What do you say to the couple who says “we’re just too different to make it work.”
Paul David Tripp: First of all, don’t run away in fear. You haven’t made a horrible mistake. What you are dealing with is part of the plan. And it really is a gorgeous plan; in your marriage God will take you where you never though you would go in order to give you what you could not achieve on your own. He is working on something that is very good—lasting personal change—and he is with you during the process. He is giving you what you need to be, what you have been designed to be, and to do what you have been called to do. Now, that is a reason to be encouraged, even on the days that are difficult.

Q: Explain how praying for your marriage, and praying together, can affect a marriage relationship.
Paul David Tripp: The Bible reveals that we are kingdom-minded people, and we either live in service to the kingdom of self to serve the kingdom of God. So when you are hurt, angry or disappointed with your husband or wife, it is not because he or she has broken the laws of God’s kingdom, and it really concerns you. No, you are most often angry because your spouse has broken the laws of your kingdom. And the problem is that our spouse does the same thing. So, it will just be a matter of time before the carnage begins as our little kingdoms of one collide.

Reconciling your marriage begins when you begin to reconcile with God. It begins when you begin to pray this radical prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, right here, right now in this marriage as it is in heaven.” Good things happen as a result of that prayer!

Love: The mark of maturity. (A Balanced MInistry)

When Beth and I started to plan and dream about Netcast, one of the things that continued to stick out was this idea of being a balanced ministry. Many ministries lean heavily in one particular way and un-intentionally neglect something in the mix.

For example:

• Balanced Philosophy: Missional Living vs Attractive Sunday Service.

At Netcast want to raise up people who don't just come to church on Sunday to be entertained but to leave on Sunday to be on mission. We think that in order to be a healthy church we need to have equal emphasis on living in community and on mission together as we have on putting together an awesome Sunday product.

• Balanced Approach: Making Converts vs Making Disciples.

At Netcast we don’t want to be solely about Evangelism and seeing people converted, but have equal emphasis on seeing believers grow into more knowledgable and committed disciples of Christ.

• Balanced Theology: Reformed vs Armenian

Although I am definitely bent towards reformed theology, we have some very faithful people in leadership positions who are bent Armenian. We find it most important that we believe both truths when it comes to these extremes. Yes, God is totally in control of everything in the universe and absolutely sovereign. And...Yes, God absolutely gives us free will to make our own decisions and holds us eternally responsible for those decisions. We agree that there are unknowns in how this works out but feel that having a balances view is most biblical.

• Balanced Doctrine: (Spiritual Gifts)

As Netcast pursues a balanced ministry, it is vital that we have balance in our views in the Spiritual gifts. Here are 4 of the most common views when it comes to the Spiritual Gifts.

Types of Positions:

1. Cessationism: This doctrine teaches that the certain miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased to exist after the foundation of the early church. So gifts such as tongues, prophecy and healing are no longer given to members of the Body of Christ.

2. Pentecostalism: This is a theology within Evangelicalism that puts a special emphasis on experiencing God the Holy Spirit through a baptism of the Holy Spirit which typically leads to the speaking in tongues.

3. Charismainiac: This is my definition of movements within Christianity that has no boundaries or biblical bias for the gifts of the Spirit. Just about anything goes. The Shake and Bake, The Tap and fall, The Bark, The hick-up, The Chicken Chirp, the meow and the isle runners.

4. Charismatic: Charismatic Christianity is a Christian Doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, tongues, and other spiritual gifts described in the scriptures.

At Netcast, I would define us as Charismatic Christians with a Conservitive theology. As of 2006, Charismatic Christians numbered at least 500 million people, a quarter of the world's 2 billion Christians. This means that charismatics are the second largest branch of Christianity after the Catholic Church.

LOVE: The Mark of Maturity:

The corinthian church was measuring maturity by the gifts of the Spirit. And we also do this. We look at those who are Good Teachers, Generous, Strong Leader, have the gift of Tongues or Discernment or Serving; and we say.....They are mature. But the bible says that maturity is measured by your ability to love.

That is exactly what vs.1-3 is saying.

1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

The mark of maturity is the ability to love, to love the unlovely, the selfish, the distasteful, the ungrateful, and to not let that change your attitude or your actions toward them but to keep on working fully for their best interests.

[4] Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love is a choice not a feeling. As much as I love and adore my wife and as much as my wife loves me, we do not always have the warm and fuzzy's about each other. Love is choosing to react in a certain way. As the great writer Gary Chapman would say; "Love is a Verb."

• Patience is Love choosing to wait and not lording your timeframe on others.

• Kindness is Love choosing to react gently when it seems more natural to react harshly.

• Not having envy is Love choosing to be content with what God has given you and happy for what God has given others.

• Not boasting is Love choosing to be quite about ones self and avoiding the temptation to always tell people how great you are.

• Not being arrogant is Love choosing righteousness over being right. In my marriage, there are times where I have to choose to be wrong even though I am right for the sake of Love.

• Not insisting on your own way is Love choosing to be selfless.

• Not being irritable or resentful is Love choosing to forgive and relating to others as if they never committed an offensive against you, even though they have brought hardship or suffering or pain to your life.

That wasn't I was taught growing up.

Most of us were taught that Love is about compromise. You do for me and I do you for. Lets meet somewhere in the middle. But thats not what the scriptures teach us. The bible says that love is about death.

This is what Jesus says in John 13:9-13

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

The most tangible way that you can show love to someone is to literally choose to die to your own desires, your own wants, your own feelings, your emotions. To die to your self.

But, is it even possible to love like that?

Jesus is our example: Jesus lived a Spirit led and empowered life. Jesus emptied himself of certain attributes that he obtained while in all of his glory in heaven so that he, like us, would have to rely fully on the Holy Spirit. He was not superman, he was the God man who was led by the spirit. This is why Hebrews says that we have a high priest who can sympathize with us.

Philippians 2:5-7

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 
7 "but made himself nothing", taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.

In the same exact way that Jesus emptied himself and walked with a supernatural empowerment by the leading Holy Spirit, so are we to do the same. And one of the greatest things that the Holy Spirit leads us into is the ability to choose to love.

All of that being said, Non-christians cannot love in a selfless way. It is a fruit of the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5:22-26

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

Your NAME in the place of LOVE

Matt is patient and kind; Matt does not envy or boast; Matt is not arrogant or rude. Matt does not insist on its own way; Matt is not irritable or resentful; Matt does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Matt bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Now ask those closest, how those statements resonate with them?

Here Paul drives the point home.

[11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

How do Children....

Speak: Children want things their way. They say things like. "No, Mine, Gimmie."

Think: Children think that the world revolves around them.

Reason: Children are never satisfied with what they have and rarely content.

Children love selfishly. Mature believers in Jesus, love selflessly. Because that's what Jesus did, and thats what the Holy Spirit empowers Jesus's people to do.

Distractions in the Church World.

Distractions in Public Worship.

As we were studying 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 as a church, we noticed that the Lord really desires for us to be free of distractions as we gather corporately for worship. In this case, because of the way some of the women were dressing and behaving in the corporate gathering for worship, they were drawing peoples attention towards themselves and away from Christ.

Here are some ways that you can eliminate distractions while gathering for worship on Sundays.

1. Dress in a way that wont cause distractions.

Dress in such a way that does not draw attention to yourself, but limits distractions. I have been in churches where the girl in front of me has a belly shirt and her underwear is sticking out. Its a distraction. I have been in churches where the pastor is dressed to the nines and has gold all over his body. It's a distraction. Dress to eliminate yourself. This was the main issue of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. The point of worship is to point people to Jesus, not yourself.

2. Don't be the Tambourine Dude or the Flag Lady or the Cotton Eye Joe Dancer.

I'll never forget going to a buddies church and having to pass the flag lady to get in. If you bring a flag to church at Netcast, I will kick you out. If you feel its necessary to play a tambourine during worship, try out for the team so we can cut you and tell you NO because you are never on beat, you suck and you are distracting. And if you feel the urge to do the cotton eye joe dance moves in the front of the room during worship, you can do it. Just be prepared to be the first person to ever be dragged out of Netcast. The goal of worship is to point people to Jesus, not yourself.

3. Be careful that your Children are not a distraction.

The reason why we at Netcast do Children's Ministry downstairs and have people scheduled to teach your kids the scriptures downstairs is because I am a parent. The last church that I went to used to have the children sit with you in worship. So, I spend most of my time watching kids and trying to keep them quiet that I myself was distracted and most of the people around me are distracted. The point of worship is to point people to Jesus, not yourself or your kids.

4. Prepare your hearts before you get here.

• Spend time in the morning doing things that will point your heart towards the gospel. Some things I do is, read some of the psalms, listen to worship music, or even just journal.

• Pray with your spouse before you get to the gathered service.

• Get to the church on time, and do your best to not be a distraction to others as you arrive late. Remember there is always grace with this, however it is helpful

5. Engage when you are here. (You have the grace to do it.)

• Be attentive. If you are simply coming to church on Sunday in order to fulfill your religious duty, you have missed it. Things like being on facebook, texting, twitter, writing notes to the person next to you, etc. All of these things are a distraction during the gathered service. Pursue Christ by staying attentive to him during the preached word and worship through singing.

• Uphold a posture of worship. Don't be afraid to do things like Lift your hands, sing aloud, rock your body, smile, pray. Your body language should match your emotions. I know many people in my reformed camp disagree with this, but I do think that evaluating posture, is also a good heart check.

6. Watch distractions outside of “Sunday”. (Worship in all areas of life.)

• 1 Peter 5:8 “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour you. Resist him.”

• Guard who gets your attention. Its not enough to just not cheat on your spouse. Guard your heart. Think through who are the people in your life who are getting your attention but shouldn't be.

• Pursue an organized life. Things like schedule, bed time, dinner schedule, Grocery Shopping, keeping a neat home. All of these things help you with time management in your house. Many people claim to not do things like prayer, bible study, community, etc because they don't have time. Organize your life so that you have time.

• Watch your debt. Create financial margin in your life to worship through giving if God calls you to. Often times, having bad debt is a distraction in your life and eliminates your ability to give when God calls you to give.

  Remember the Gospel. Lastly, the most important thing we can do to eliminate distractions in our life is to continue to remind ourselves of the gospel. Preach it to yourself, live life with people who will remind you of it and look for it in the scriptures. Remembrance is an art and one that we aught to look to master. It is so easy to forget what Christ has done on our behalf and look to rely on our own ability to become reconciled to God. Remembering Christ and the gospel will propel us into worship.

I need to repent to some of you....

Because of some things that I said on Sunday in my sermon, I feel that I need to repent. As we studied through 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, we covered a lot of context and I neglected to mention some things. The message is here http://www.vimeo.com/26268083

What was happening in the Corinthian Church is that the women had found a new freedom in Christ which was a good thing. However, that new freedom began to lead these women into finding their identity in their freedom. The way that this was beginning to play out, was that the women did not dress in a way that was honoring to their husbands and were causing distractions as the church was gathering to worship through singing and preaching. Paul instructs the church in Corinth not to use their spiritual freedom to deviate from the social norms of their day because this would create a distraction in worship.

To my embarrassment, I never addressed the issue of “Identity” in my sermon. In forgetting to do so, I may have said some things that were offensive and degrading to you. For that I repent and will seek to explain the issue of “Identity” now.

As believers in Christ, we are to find our “Identity” in Christ and Christ alone. Our culture would tell us that a women's value is found in how she dress, how she looks, how much she weighs and even how willing she is sexually. In Christ, none of that is true. As women who have been purchased and bought by Jesus, your identity is found solely in Christ. So, as God's people we view things such as beauty and sexuality much different than mainstream culture. God is much more concerned with the heart than he is with the outward appearance of someone.

My fear is that the women (and men) at Netcast will do the same as the women in Corinth; and that is seek to find their hope in something outward. To do so is idolatry, and I would seek to spare you of that. The temptation will be for us to succumb to what the culture calls sexy or beautiful and forget what scripture says is sexy and beautiful. To trust in the cultural view is a shallow puddle and constantly changing, but to trust in Christ is a deep fountain and eternal. Thus, we at Netcast find our queues from the Word of God.

So Ladies....For those in Christ, you are incredibly beautiful, both on the inside and the outside. You have been uniquely designed by the Lord and are wonderfully made (Psalm 139). Not because culture says so, but because Christ says so. Not because of your height and weight, but because of your heart. Not because of what you wear, but because you are clothed in the blood of Christ. Praise his name.

I love you more than you can know.

Pastor Matt

Idolatry defined, exposed and fought (1 Corinthians 10:1-31)

Whatever we worship we will serve and whatever we serve reveals what we worship because service and worship are always bound together. That being said, as Christians, if we worship anything other than Jesus Christ as God, than we become idolaters. Before I became a Christian, I always thought that “worship” of anything was looked at in a negative light. The word was never used positively. I remember arriving to a Christian College as a Freshman with no church background and when they told me to stand up for worship in chapel, I literally ran out and called my dad.

As we continue through our study of 1st Corinthians, Paul gets to this theological topic of Idolatry and Worship in chapter 10. He starts the chapter by telling the Corinthians that they are acting like the wicked generation Israel that wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until God killed them all off in order to bring the next generation into teh promise land. He then lists out some of their idolatry and finally tells them that God will never allow them to be tempted beyond their ability to stand and endure.

That said, lets together define idolatry, expose our idolatry and fight idolatry.

Idolatry Defined / Idolatry Exposed / Idolatry Fought

Idolatry defined:

Idolatry is anything more important to you than God. Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. And idol is something that we want so badly that we will sin if we don’t get it or sin in order to obtain it. Its anything that you seek to give you what only God can give you. Idolatry is building your life and meaning on anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some common idols in todays culture are: Sleep, Sexual Pleasure, Intimacy, Work, Money, TV, Food, Isolation, a spouse, a Boyfriend / Girlfriend, a Sport, Exercise, Hobbies, Internet, Video Games, Drugs, Alcohol, and even things such as your Church and Ministry.

Idolatry exposed:

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves to in order to identify our own personal idols:

1. What do you daydream about? What occupies your mind when you have nothing to think about? Sex, Work, Sleeping, being in the presence of God, bible reading, Sundays at Church?

2. How do you spend your money? The Kingdom of God, The local church. What do you spend money on when you really don’t have the money? Food, clothes, kids. Truth be told, the reason why many people don’t tithe to their church is not because they don’t believe in the tithe or they don’t have money, but because deep in their mind the mission of God is not worth their investment.

3. What is your most uncontrollable emotion? Joy, gratitude, love, patience, or Anger, Saddness, Fear, Hatred.

4. Where do you run for security when you are overwhelmed? Jesus, your bible, prayer, Sleep, internet, alcohol, sex, exercise, work, isolation.

5. What is the one thing, that if you had it, it’d complete you? (Jerry Maguire: You complete me, shut up, you had me at hello) More money, new job, new wife, new husband, kids, better kids.

6. How do you define yourself? By what you do, where you live, by your past, by your identity in Christ.

7. Are you more broken when people reject you or when they reject Jesus? In other words, are you more consumed with the way people view you or the one who you claim is ultimate? The reason some of us don’t care about living on mission, is because deep down you worship yourself and your image, more than you worship Christ.

Idolatry fought:

1. Fighting together. (Judges 1:1-4)

Godly men and women lock arms together and fight together. Even though through Christ we have been granted victory, it is alway necessary for us to grab others to walk along side of us in order to go to battle. The reason why many of us stop enduring is because nobody is pushing us to keep fighting.

2. Fighting with disciplines. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

What are the 5 things that move you away from a pursuit of Christ? Make a List (Here's mine.) and stop doing them.

1. Under sleep. 2. Too much time on TV or internet.

3. Living in isolation. 4. Work to much. 5. No exercise.

What are the 5 things that lead you into worship and gratitude of Christ? Make a List (Here's mine.) and begin to do them more.

1. Bible/Journaling and coffee. 2. Meeting with other Godly dudes to talk and pray.

3. Reading, Listening to Sermons. 4. Date Night with Beth.

5. Pray with the kids at night and talk about the Lord.

3. Transform your mind. (Romans 12:2)

What if we tunnel all the worship that we give to idols and apply it to the Lord? Which is basically seeking to fulfill 1 Corinthians 10:31. In other words, in everything that you do, in everything you say, in everything you touch, in every instance of every day, you and I should seek to bring Glory to the one who deserves glory. The one who created you, who loves you, the one who dances over you, the one whom you belong to. Jesus Christ

The entire book of Ecclestaties is letting us know that every single thing that this world has to offer is futile and will pass away. Sex, Money, Exercise, Prestige, whatever. Yet the Lord is the only one who can deliver everlasting joy. Therefore, he is truly the only one worthy of our worship.

The Gift of Singleness

Many people have asked for my notes on this weeks sermon. Here they are below.

Stats:
• 4% of young people attends an evangelical church.
• Approx 65% of Netcast Church is made up of young adults.
• 51% of our Demographic (Ages 15+) on the North Shore are Married
• 49% are single.
• Approx 65% of Netcast is made of young singles or divorces couples.

Corinthian Context:
Corinth is a young hip and urban city and the Corinthians church is also a young, hip cool church. Very much like Netcast. Full of young people who love Jesus but still struggle with lots of confusion. The singles have friends with benefits, booty calls, hookups.

Questions they were asking:
1. Do all Christians have to get married?
2. Is it ok to get married?
3. How do I know when I’m ready to get married?

How does Envy play a role?
• The wickedness of our heart is to want what we don’t have. Single people want the joys or marriage, and married people want the freedoms of being single.
• Hebrews 13:5 says Be content in what you have for the Lord says, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Marriage is a gift:
• Hebrews 13:4: Let marriage be in honor among all.
• Genesis 1:18 It is not good for man to be alone, so I will make a helper fit for him.
• Genesis 1:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife.

Singleness is a gift:
Just as marriage is a gift from God, Singleness is also a beautiful gift from God. The reason why some of you are married today and others here are single today, is because God in his rich wisdom and gracious mercy, found it best according to His will that this be the way it is. Will you trust in that?

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:8-9; 25-38

3 Relational Options: Per Paul

1. Stay single with self control.
2. Get married and have sex.
3. Burn with passion, or sin sexually.

3 Benefits of Being Single.

1. You only have to worry about a yourself.
2. Complete devotion to the Lord. (No Distractions) “If an unmarried man or women has not come to terms emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, to the gift of singleness, even for a season, they will find themselves being frequently distracted from pleasing the Lord and drawn towards pleasing the prospective marriage partner.” As a single person, God has granted you this gift of singleness as a means to grow and mature spiritually. There is a conflict of concern for the married man and women. The scriptures say that “the married person is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife and his interests are divided.” As a single person, you simply have more time for things like Bible Reading, Prayer, Worship through song, and even listening to sermons. Once a person accepts the responsibility for a marriage, and even more for children, there simply just isn’t enough time available for such a thing. (Stay at home mom doesn’t get quiet time; the couple who doesn’t see each ether all day because they work 50 hours a week, typically doesn’t run home to do a bible study.)
3. More freedom to serve the Kingdom.

3 Problems Marriage won’t Solve. (top 3 reasons for both marriage and divorce)
1. Loneliness
2. Sex
3. Satisfaction of deep emotional needs.

How the Gospel comes into effect:
To the married and single people; here is the God’s honest truth. You’re greatest need isn’t a spouse. Your greatest need is to be delivered from the wrath of God. Your greatest need is to somehow find a hope and a joy in all circumstances. And a spouse cannot offer that to you. That is only offered to you and has been accomplished for you with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is why Paul is able to say what he says in vs 29-31.

1 Corinthians 7:29-21 From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy(AK) as though they had no goods, 31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For(AL) the present form of this world is passing away.

John 4: The women at the well. The woman was searching for hope and purpose in a man. She had 5 husbands and the man who she was currently living with was not her husband, and Jesus drops this line on her. “He who comes to me and drinks the water I give to them, will never thirst again.

Stop putting your hope in your spouse or the hopes of having a spouse, but put your hope and trust in Christ. He’s a much better savior.

A Note to my Spiritual Fathers.

Dear Steve Shomo, Dan Byrd, Allen Holmes and Frank Bishoff. Here I am studying through 1st Corinthians 4 and prepping my sermon for Sunday. This week, I am preaching through where Paul is telling the Corinthian Church that they have many teachers and guides, but no Spiritual Fathers. In reading the scriptures, I was really blessed by Gods grace. All throughout my walk with Christ, The Lord has never left me without Spiritual Fathers in my life. You four men have been there as Fathers through the years and I am forever indebted to you for this. Having grown up with no real fatherly guidance in my life and very little positive male examples, I always desired Spiritual Fathers after coming to Christ. You four men have not just taught me some of the deep mysteries of God, but also modeled a life of Godliness. Now, I know that none of you are perfect; I have seen most of you do things that you probably regret, however you always modeled repentance, love, service and passion. Thank you for being my Spiritual Dads. I am 100% sure that the blessings that we are being granted by Christ as we plant Netcast is directly tied to your love, obedience and faith which has been somehow passed down to my family. I love you men more than you know. Your son in the faith, Matt