God's Plan for Sex & Marriage - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, you want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment. It's amazing to me how people… About weddings forget about marriage spent more time talking about the house purchase rather than the whole bill today. Pastor Greg Laurie helps couples good her marital priorities is recognizing what's important and what lasts till the most important thing is nothing else it's a home.

The most important thing is not the wedding the marriage will your marriage on the right and good friend of them when he opens it up. He's more excited about the box than the gift itself today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out how couples often with those things that surround the marriage see how to make sure we honor our relationships the way God wants us to a good reminder today that marriage is a company between a husband and wife. God himself is the article in the paper while back about a well-known actress who was getting the divorce and that she sounded a cynical note about marriage in general.

She said and I quote I don't want to sound bitter because I'm definitely not, but I don't know if people are meant to be together forever" though this article goes on to say that this actress is not alone in wondering there's no doubt, particularly as lifespans of increase that there's less certainty about finding and keeping lifelong love with just one person, 2014 survey of millennial's commission by the USA Network trauma satisfaction found 43% with some of this 3% would support a beta marriage model that is testing relationship for two years before deciding to commit or dissolve beta marriage model and then also 36% back the real estate marriage model in which couples would commit to a separate of time ranging from 5 to 30 years that the end have to renegotiate if they want to remain married. Let me help you out if you think this is some validity of the Beta test and the marriage test are not going to work you do it God's way and it'll work you do with these other ways you already setting the stage for failure you. I think that sometimes will think well will just live together and will have all the fringe benefits of marriage without the commitment and to be sort of a test run to see how will do later. If were ever to get married but actually that is a good way to set the stage for a divorce, not a successful marriage to read an article that said couples who live together are gambling and are losing listen and 85% of the cases.

Many believe the myth that their inner child marriage. Actually, it's more like a trial divorce in which eight out of the 10 couples will break up before the wedding, or afterwords in the horse okay so a successful marriage is a total commitment. You just go for or you don't go for. Let me say a word about not going for. Really, if this is your attitude. If you're not sure if you're marrying the right person. Do not get married. It was Benjamin Franklin once said, keep your eyes wide open before marriage and half shut afterwords. The problem is we walk in the marriage of the rise have shot sometimes agreeable sake.

I this guy has a lot of flaws but he's going to be my project I'm going to fix it. Newsflash he's probably going to get worse is going to just become a more exaggerated version of himself. If you can love them as he is. If you think you're going to change of you might be in for a real shot thing for the guy marrying the girl. That's why I say if you're not married yet. If you're recording or even if you're engaged in it doesn't work out, go ahead and break up do us all a favor, break up, get the breakups over with before the marriage. So the be none after the marriage is the know my wife and I we broke up three times. We were young kids to.

I might add.

We recorded for three years. There's a word you don't hear anymore court three years we went out if you will, and it became an annual event. We broke up and you know it was one of those breakups, like I never want to see your face again. Then we got back together and finally above the third one we said okay this is it. We know were meant for each other and we got married.

But honestly, this might even surprise you. Even if you had your wedding announcements printed in a month.you decided this is a bad decision.

Go ahead and cancel just give the gifts back to the people. That's all I'm saying don't be a runaway bride trying not to do it on the actual wedding day, but my point is figure this out. I got a time because wedlock should be a padlock and if you're not willing to make that commitment then do us all a favor and stay single. Okay. But God is a plan that will do it his way. He can bless, and you know what God has given us an instruction manual online that includes marriage and that includes family that includes raising children.

That includes being single. It's called the Bible. PI BLE basic instructions before leaving earth. We need to pay attention to what the Bible says God will tell us how to do this right.

Notice why this series is anchored in attacks but we wonder, is it possible to have a marriage where we live happily ever after woman.

We are to lose the fairytale and just rephrase it as I said earlier to you can live happily even after if you build your marriage on the right foundation wasn't.

If you see a strong and thriving marriage that did not happen by accident or by default of a marriage is strong and thriving.

That's because two people are doing their part. The man has his part and the woman has her part and it's amazing to me how people… About weddings, but forget about marriage at the spend more time talking about the house again or purchase rather than the holder going to build so the most important thing is nothing else it's a home. The most important thing is not the wedding.

It's the marriage and here's how to do it right.

Ephesians 5 God takes us back to the very beginning.

Verse 31. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery that I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife as himself, let the wife see that she respects her husband. There a Paul Harris taken his back to the book of Genesis specifically to the garden of Eden, the garden to be I wouldn't you think of when you envision this amazing place.

I think sometimes we see it as more of a mythological place like this city of Atlantis or Neverland or Camelot. But no, listen to this, the garden of Eden was a real place and I was a real guy and he was a real girl this is a real story. These are historical event but even surpass any beautiful place you've ever seen. Think of the most gorgeous place you've ever been to and magnify that a thousand times and you get a glimpse of the beauty of Eden and was surrounded by all of God's handiwork in creation in the plant life and the animals and an enemy of the coolest job of all time. His job was to discover what God had made it give names of the animals to ensure he started running out after a while.

But what a wonderful time that was in the animal kingdom was containment wasn't hostile like it is now and so here's this incredible environment, but something was missing and actually was a someone and I didn't know what that was. Yet because she had not yet been brought into this world so the Lord instead of all of his creation. It is good. It is coded is good, but then God looked at the aloneness of man and said it is not good. So I will make a help meet for him.

Genesis 218. Make a helper comparable to him. It's an interesting phrase to be translated from the Hebrew when the Bible speaks of the role of the wife to the husband a helper is someone who assists another to reach fulfillment can also be translated. Someone who comes to rescue another Eve would rescue Adam and Adam would rescue Eve from loneliness and much more hurt. A story may not of heard the story, but God and Adam were having a conversation in and out of mascot after the Lord made Eve while Lord why did you make are so beautiful God said to Adam, so you would love for God, why did you make are so soft, God said again. So you would love her. Then Adam asked God why did you make are so stupid. God said so she would love you, not just a joke course women are not stupid like to say that the onset that's a silly story. But God has invented marriage and it's insane to me that we think we can now redefine it are Supreme Court gets together and gives us a new definition of marriage, they don't decide God the thoughts we built our very nation United States of America on the foundation of marriage and the family George Washington our first president warned that we can never expect in his words, the smiles of Heaven on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained those we disregard God's rules disregard God's laws. Working to pay a price for it. It's been said that a family can survive without a nation but the nation cannot survive without the family God has given us this template and the further we get from it the worse things, by the way this institution of marriage is been tested by millions of people over centuries and in multiple cultures and have family survive explorers Greg Laurie about the second half of this message in just a moment. We enjoy hearing when Pastor Greg's teachings on the radio touch lives in Congo. I listen to Greg at 11 AM well backing. I went through a very dark period in my life got so bad that I need and want to listen to radio anymore so I would drive to work in the morning just getting total silent when their turn on the radio wanted to start flipping channels and digital have been met. Your great show came on and I started little gave me hope.

It gave me strength brought me back to the Lord and started going to church and I still listen to him in the morning to get me from my front door my house to the front door work harvest partner and total joy and actually enjoy going.

I enjoy listening to Dragon.

I like his humor and a blessing at a time in my life where I needed some intercession. I believe God sent to Greg in my life so thank you very much encouraging story stealing studies minister to you in your sale. Would you let us know tell us your story by calling 866-871-1144 that's a special number 866-871-1144 subject today is marriage from a series of most requested messages of the last year. Pastor Greg is highlighting God's plan for sex and marriage okay so let's drill down a little deeper now. Why did God bring the woman to the man because she would bring what was missing in his life and the purpose and objective of marriage can be summed up in two words go back to Ephesians 531 for this reason a man will leave his father and mother in Cleveland those wife and the two shall become one flesh.

Want to write down two words if you're taking notes. The words are leave and flee leave and cleaved two very important words that must be in constant play in the marriage relationship to keep it vibrant, strong. So it's leave and cleaved or Severin attached to or loosen and secure a successful marriage begins with a leaving a leaving of all other relationships that are misunderstanding. I'm not saying that you don't have other relationships are still up a child to your parents sure you're still a sibling.

Your you're still that person. But now a new relationship. A new family has emerged and that should become your number one priority. The closest relationships outside of marriage is specified here. A man will leave his father and his mother, meaning that if it's necessary to leave your father a mother then all lesser ties must be broken, changed or left behind. The primary responsibility of a husband is to his wife. The primary responsibility is of a wife to her husband. You still honor your parents put a leaving must take place in this can be detrimental in the marriage.

If you don't do it so get this figured out ahead of time. I heard about a guy that wanted to get married in the worst way. So he found a girl and took her home to meet his parents. His mother didn't like her. He found another girl took her home to meet his parents again. His mother didn't like her. He did for more girls home to meet his parents.

Mother didn't like her. So when Anna found the girl that look like his mother dressed like his mother talk like his mother back.

She was like his mother in every way, but the problem is now his father didn't like her so that there is that this boy needed to leave his father, mother, I think doing this like leaving also means giving other relationships. Lesser degrees of import. Let me say that again leaving as a leaving pleading also means giving other relationships.

A lesser degree of importance.

Listen guys, you can still live your bodies girls you can still live your girlfriend. You can have those relationships but the most important relationship is that of you to your spouse so it's kind of hard to have a best friend that isn't your husband or wife you can have), but your best friend should be your spouse and I hope I don't need to tell you that it's very problematic to have close friendships with members of the opposite sex right so if you sit here waiting on him going out with my best friend Mary ever get to go to dinner and then do a movie but there's nothing here to worry about, forget that. Okay, that just has to stop. You can't do that, your best friend should be your spouse.

Here's a really key verse, you might want to write it down and look at it later, but I'll read it to you. It's Malachi 213 God says the Lord is good with this between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless although she is your companion and wife is interesting to God's reproving of the individual for unfaithfulness, but he's refers to the wife is not just the white but your companion and your wife see your wife is just your wife sees your companion and your wife in the word companion means someone that you united with an thoughts, goals, plans, and offer thoughts, goals, plans and efforts. Your companion are the same ideas communicated over a first Peter three husband's throat with your wives with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel as being heirs together of the grace of life, so your prayers be not hindered so actually what Peter is saying is take you need to understand how important your wife is because of you know if your you're not united with the ridge want to be your prayers will be me ask a question of some of you guys have you wondered maybe why your prayers don't seem to go anywhere lately couldn't be that because you got honored your wife is. You should that is actually kindred. Your prayer life. The Bible says I can happen.

By the way the word the Peter uses.

Therefore, dwell with your wife doesn't mean just live with her and means to be aligned to or give maintenance to be aligned to her to give maintenance to. We maintain our homes, things break.

If the real landscape repaint change this change. That sum is always breaking in the house right things happen and cars do you have to maintain your car. You know you have all of you but got put gas in your car after put oil in your car periodically have to change the tires on your car you take your car in for a tuneup but some of us waiting until the idiot light goes off to do that that would be me that you very much and I would if we need an idiot light in our marriages. When I be nice like those of idiot, idiot, you're neglecting your wife idiot, idiot, you're not respecting your husband idiot, idiot, pay attention… Is a warning we neglect these things and so can the analogy of a car.

I love old cars that have been restored to any of you like old cars. I love okay so when I see a perfectly restored and a 57 Chevy cruise along as it got his beauty on wheels right there. I love that my wife doesn't understand home will look at that what that car yeah so it's an old car look at it it's perfectly restored. You know, I don't know why, just notice things like that. Okay so think of your marriage is a car. The idea is not to take your spouse and trade the men on the new model. The idea is to be the original owner and turn it into a classic that will stay on the road forever do that with your marriage so periodically it's a good idea to take stock of your life in your marriage and say, is there anything I'm doing that is hurting my relationship with my spouse not be attention. Which of these is Greg. I don't like it when you do that or this concerns me knowing may seem trivial to me. Okay, I may dismiss and say what that's ridiculous noble weight if it means something to her, it should mean something to me, and same with her and I when this I don't like this thing here that is happening you need to listen to each other in these areas and take stock and if there is another relationship. Or maybe it's your career. It could even be your ministry, and is becoming more important to you, then your first ministry which is to your wife and your children then you need to reevaluate and you need to realign again is a Scripture tells us we should listen to this. I believe that husband's hold the key to a successful marriage to know will Greg why do you single out the husband's will because God is called the man to be the spiritual leader in the home. God is called the man to be the initiator would've been told to do. They're told to love their wife as Christ loves, well, why does the church love Christ because he first loved us.

So the wife submission, the wives respect comes as a response to her husband's loving servant leadership is seen just like we became Christians because Jesus want us over with his undying love for this everlasting love and we said, I want to follow Jesus all the husband can win over his wife for the way that he loves her and the way that he servicer, but sadly into many relationships of the husband is not the spiritual leader affect the wife is often the spiritual leader of the husband is well passive advanced and sometimes hostile awards. We don't want that now doing.

We want the husband to be the leader God called him to be pastor Greg Laurie's message today called God's plan for sex and marriage. It's from our series of top 10 most requested messages of the past year, and if you'd like a permanent copy of today's study here on a new beginning get in touch and mentioned that title God's plan for sex and marriage. We can help you with your order when you call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and were so excited about pastor Greg book on the life of singer-songwriter Johnny Cash yesterday. Most everyone has heard his name, but for the younger listeners. Maybe you can give them sort of a comparison, about how iconic he was back in the 50s 60s and 70s. Would you compare them to today yeah I don't think there's anyone you can compare Johnny to orca compared to Johnny cat. She was in the category of his own but but here's some maybe a point of reference Elvis Pressley Elvis and Johnny were around the same age they went to the same producer Sam Phillips in both of their careers. Lots of course Elvis became very, very big in international star and probably the most well-known person when we think of rock 'n' roll but Elvis's career started off with a lot of strength and then he went to the Army and when he came back again and relaunch his career made a lot of movies and other things. In my opinion I'm speaking musically now I feel like Elvis sort of lost this way you know he loves that kind of coldness of blue suede shoes and jailhouse rock. And that's all right, mama, and it became Viva Las Vegas and other songs that I was in this fond of, but but Johnny had to start around the same time. But then Johnny had this huge comeback toward the end of his life and around the last decade of his life. Johnny became bigger than he ever was. Even in his beginning and end. He was huge in his day so he's sort of an interesting guy that had a powerful beginning in a powerful ending and I might even add this to that.

That's also true spiritually in many ways. Johnny always had this hard to use this platform for the gospel. We had this TV show when he was at the peak of his fame he would give a little gospel presentations even having Billy Graham on to share a little bit of a sermon, so Johnny always used his platform to promote his relationship with Jesus Christ and and that's a very unique thing about him but interestingly he never lost a street credibility and so when he relaunch his career with Rick Rubin.

A lot of the young rockers embraced him and were promoting him and he can have his comeback concert of the place called the Viper room that was co-owned by Johnny Depp.

It was only a short time after actor River Phoenix overdosed in front of this place. So, generation X sort of embraced him like this. This larger-than-life figure like almost a prophet like figure and they listen to everything he had to say and Johnny and so many of his songs saying about his faith in Christ, tell something about trains and shooting people shut up Mannarino just to watch him die. His famous line, which he never did. Some people thought he was a hard-core prisoner and really did shoot the guy to watch him die know he just thing about that Johnny like to sing about trains.

He liked to sing about death and redemption, but so often from the beginning, middle, into the end of his career that was at strong faith in Christ city put across to his music, including singing it many many Billy Graham Crusade now so I just written this new book Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon.

Yes, the kind of book you won't be able to put down as you read, you may see yourself in the story. Or maybe you'll see a friend or relative. It's a human story of success and failure of faith and forgiveness and you owe it to yourself to read this biography to send you your copy of Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time more insights from Pastor Greg about God's plan for sexual intimacy within marriage sure to turn in for more from our series of most requested messages of the year right here new beginning and great glory possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org