The Link Between Worship and Relationships

Some of you would say our marriage is good, some of your say our marriage is Sarai you know you would say our marriage is just blah off some of you would say our marriage is bad. What's incredible to me is God himself has felt all of those emotions that you feel welcome to family life today where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most and Wilson Dave Wilson and you can find us if it will live today.com or on our family life Family life today so we get to listen to a message today from Alex Kendrick.

You know the name heat. My favorite teachers in the first time I heard and was on the left like crews yeah and every time I've heard and since I love his teachings yeah and you didn't know that because she's a film producer director you know produce war room fireproof great movies and yet never forget hearing him on the level I community cruise and he is a powerful speaker and preacher in this message is about marriage and how it connects to the nation of Israel. So it's profound. Enjoy.

If I would ask you if God has feelings and emotions. What would you say he does now. He is the creator and so sometimes I think God created everything, so he all of my emotions have their origin and helm for second twist and warp my emotions from the walking with them.

Of course, but but my most the way I feel when I'm excited, delighted, happy, ecstatic, will that has its basis in the Lord creating that for me, allowing me to feel that when I feel okay when I feel blah off, you know that that has its place, doing the last few terribly sad, almost depressed. Well, that feeling comes from something to you know God created the spectrum of emotions and so if you would've asked me what does God have strong feelings about this or that house will go to the grid grid emotions gorgeous but to what degree has God himself felt the gamut of emotions that you and I feel specifically in your marriage so I'll not want to go back to first Kings chapter 8 and nine.

I read the whole thing. I want to do a lot of summarizing.

So you're welcome to follow along with me or you can just listen because I'm to summarize anyway. The first Kings 89 so Israel from the time God delivered the Hebrews out of Egypt right he delivers they may wander in the wilderness for 40 years because of disobedience and lack of trust he takes them eventually with Joshua into the promised land establishes the promised land kicks out all the ungodly people the gods is the kick out as he is giving this land, which belongs to God. By the way God gives to determine who gets wetland so pieces I'm giving this land to you so Israel starts to take over land and then they look around I say will that nation as a king. Amanda King and King, and Samuel says God is your king speak for the Lord God is your king trust the Lord and it goes really well for a while but I said no, we will attain God's as you. You don't want to king you understand what you're asking know we want to king so they get Saul. Saul starts off well. Lord spans on them with any things go south after 40 years Saul turns away from the Lord, make some dumb decisions dies the kingdom was stripped from his lineage is given to David. David becomes king. Also, for years, and Solomon four years and we get to the moment where the temple is going to be built on a camp out on the temple in just a minute. Does anybody know how long from the time the Hebrews released from Egypt to the time God finally got his temple to put the ark in and for his presence to dwell in his name to be known by know how long it was 480 years so the Lord wants Lori says numerous times in Scripture. I want a place for me from for my spirit to dwell for my name to be known to follow the arc of the covenant right and he waits for an 80 years and just to put that in perspective, America from 1776 and now is about 240 years old. That's two America's a long time from the time he says I'm releasing you to be my chosen people to the time they finished the temple dedicated to the Lord for God's presence to dwell a place that is God's. So the Lord waited a long time so you say well for God. It's not really waiting. This is God know he says wait, he says in Scripture.

I have waited. God is very, very relational, very relational with us. So after 480 years to get to the Temple Mount to remind you how significant the temple is in durable adjustment.

The temple was built by the greatest craftsman of the day King Solomon spares no expense to gets the best craftsman the best stones there cut specifically that the temple is directed the overlays everything with the finest craftsman inside with all the Woodman overlays the wood with with gold pure gold. So when you walk in you see all the wood and ends all ornate and design is all overlaid with gold and all the utensils of the finest blinds for all the priest to use and do their sacrifice never wholly opposed the cherubim gold Ark of the covenant goal. I mean it is magnificent when they finish building this after a long period of time. Solomon member David wanted to do it. God said no is not for you, David. You've you've committed to much bloodshed.

As for your son Solomon so David could only make some preparations.

So Solomon does this when he finishes doing it and the people are very very excited and Solomon. At this point is wholeheartedly honoring the Lord is the one true God. He gathers all the officials and leaders of Israel together in Jerusalem to dedicate the temple and this is a big deal in Scripture. When he does this magnificent temple is finished and the ark is about to go in and I was noting what I was reading this how God treated this God's pleasure was so thick there is favor was so thick. This is one of the moments were God and his people have an intimate intimate four months of spiritual relationship and connection so the Lord is there, looking down, and they are proclaiming the name of the Lord. Solomon dedicates the temple. If you read first Kings 89 you'll see this long beautiful God honoring prayer of dedication were Solomon blesses the people for coming blesses the Lord, and he says you are the one true God. There is no other is his hands are raised. He falls to his knees. He says God you delivered us use the status you protected as you provided us you you are the beginning and the end.

Lord you're the only God and he's worshiping God. The people worship God with him and he dedicates the temple to take the ark in and when they do, God shows up. He manifests himself in this thick cloud that emanates around the ark out of the holy of holies throughout the temple starts to come out. There is a physical manifestation of the glory of God is as the priest were overwhelmed. They even had to leave and walk out. It was so strong, so God shows up he's being worship. Now this feast of prayer and worship and unity and sacrifices for sin offering and for just an offering to the Lord out of out of worship, they they're doing it over and over and over. And so it's offering to God it's feasting. It's praising its praying the dedicating of people love just loving God. It was a love feast for the Lord and it goes 14 days before people start going back home and you see when God does this, and he shows back up to Solomon what he got for the first time he appeared Solomon, ask whatever you want to give it to you think. And Solomon thinks of okay frame be nice money that will know got asking for wisdom and so God's is because you've asked for some also giving you fame also giving you wealth. So God appears to Solomon a second time after this event that's very telling God is pleased to come to Solomon.

He says I will always keep someone from your line on the throne. But walk with me. Seek me, obey me, God is saying seek me, choose me, choose me, choose me. God wants your heart and your love and your adoration of him over everything else right it is a very intimate moment. Now if I had to compare it to something you and I had a honeymoon in your just doting on your spouse you want to please your spouse you're not overloaded with the rest of life.

So we have this time of the dedicating the Templeman time goes by. And God keeps his word, he douses Israel with protection and blessing and fame. Solomon becomes more wealthy and more famous than any anybody in the land anywhere and so God's blessing Israel and other countries bring tribute to Israel and says they fear Israel's God. But as time goes by.

What is Israel do they get used to this.

Many of the ministers are looking around going to have things going well here. Look at what they're doing across the lines here in my country right or dancing girls down there around that I don't on their feast celebrations.

They start looking around what's going on in Solomon makes the poor choice of marrying lives from some of these other countries that worship different gods. So in tandem, Solomon, and then the start of the men of Israel start noticing these other gods. Why they forget the context and the blessings of what God has done for them taken for granted. It's always good be like this. I want even more right now and even more so to start looking beyond what the Lord is provided to Mr. bringing other gods into the land and God start sending profits.

It will what you doing now seek me I'm the one that's providing office for your protection comes from your notoriety comes for me. Your blessings come from me, choose me, choose me. God says he sends one prophet after another and it goes from being intimate to being no smoother even there your marriage right after a while it gets the law there halfheartedly honoring God now God's keeping his into the deal.

But now God starts express more motions that we haven't seen yet, this longing for Israel to choose him wholeheartedly. Not just halfway choose me wholeheartedly focus on me wholeheartedly and Israel doesn't do it, you have moments you have King Josiah, who finds the Old Testament law and he comes back to the Lord and I have these brief revivals, but they're not sustained. They have a weekend to remember right, and they keep going.

It's blah blah and then goes to the other extreme words bad when you get to the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah is known as what the weeping prophet. Why is he known as the weeping prophet because he's not only seeing what's about to happen to his beloved Israel. But he's also expressing God's feelings toward Israel saw to read you both extremes on the start and first Kings eight anonymous Korea summary so follow me here Solomon finishes building the temple with Lebanese cedars, gold, bronze. He gathers all the leaders and people of Israel together places the ark of the covenant inside the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Like a cloud of Ms. Solomon student bless the people and praise the Lord. He recounted God's promises and faithfulness, culminating in a dedication of the temple as a place for God's name to be honored his presence to dwell at this point God is delighted and happy. Solomon worships and praises God's power, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, provision, protection. He falls to his knees as he prays out loud to God with his hands toward heaven and the people showing Solomon and making thousands of sacrifices and offerings worshiping the Lord, but do it two weeks when God blesses Solomon in all of Israel and this goes on for some time now here's the other end of the spectrum.

This is that of Jeremiah 2 and three and he speaking for the Lord as a young bride. He calls Israel, his bride as a young bride. You were so eager to please me, and to love me but you strayed from me even after I protected you and provided for you over and over again.

You begin seeking and giving your love towards less idols made by man. Even my priest began ignoring me, you treated my love for you as worthless. You have abandoned and rejected me for God's that cannot see and cannot hear. But I freed you from slavery I gave you this land. I brought the rains in the harvest. I defeated your enemies.

I brought you blessings yet you lust after false gods like a wild donkey lusting for mate that's pretty harsh what have I done to make you reject me.

You've defiled every hilltop in place of worship by prostituting yourself to other gods you are and it ultra's wife. God calls Israel, his bride his wife. He says come back to me.

Return to me, choose me love me for disaster and judgment are coming because of your wickedness. This is what struck me wherever you are. Right now some of you would say our marriage is good, some viewers say our marriage is Sarai you know some of you would say our marriage is just blah law and some of you would say our marriage is bad. What's incredible to me is God himself has felt all of those emotions that you feel people to for his chosen ones. His his nation.

Think about this. Think about what God says here. Can you think of anything worse than feeling totally up and and and rejected. There is no intimacy is nothing and yet that's what God is feeling here no matter where you are.

The Lord knows none of this is foreign to him. And then Christ comes and does he not go through the same thing he is celebrated and followed and praised.

You are the son of God, and those I don't know about you, Jesus, the Thomases man oh and then people that said crucify him, crucify him you lie you are not the son of the living God. He's totally abandon rejected and even his closest followers flee or totally settle know the man the Lord knows you better than you know yourself, and he has been there and so times when I might struggle. Christina might struggle in our relationship. The Lord knows exactly how you're feeling. He has felt it in for longer periods of time than you and I have ever felt it.

Think about it most of his relationship with Israel was bad most of it was negative it was Israel. Please come back please come back please come back. There's few times were God was totally delighted.

You could probably name them on one hand, yet he loves us. He's compassionate and merciful and gracious to us and long-suffering and it amazes me when I think about that got on my darkest days you have. As I listened to that I think I am so glad the cat is so patient with been listening to Alex Kendrick the message that he gave on the love like you mean marriage cruise and is generally speaking I love the community cruise this February and I'm telling you right now you need to sign up and you'll get a special discount if you sign over right now, so go to family life today.com and sign up for the lovely community cruise. You don't want to miss it because it's great messages like this in a great week. Hey, and here's little secret Kendrick brothers are going to have us preview their newest movie coming out there on the ship that no one else will have seen that there is a reason to get on the boat, but he just finished .1 of this message which is fabulous. There is another point and he's going to jump into that right here right now. Here's my second point. When our worship is right, then were in a position for God to do amazing things and to show up Israel was in a right state of worship.

They were acknowledging God for who he is and who they were in their dependence on him and that he is the only God when their worship was right seat worship by its very nature is humbling.

It is an unselfish act as if I'm sincerely worshiping God what am I doing, acknowledging Lord, you're the one on the throne, not me acknowledging my need for you that you are the holy one, not me that you are the righteous one that you are the creator you're the sustainer unit provider. All of these things, not me. For me to worship God is to say, I am the worshiper. So when my worship is right, then I'm in a position for God to say Alex work on this. Alex apologize for this. Alex, I want to teach you something here a moldable when my worship is right. Israel's worship was right when they dedicated the temple when God was pleased and he comes down to manifest himself. He says I want to be with you. I want to be intimate with you, teach you to bless you and he shows up and he he says, ask what you want and he douses Israel with everything that they need and want and more on their worship is right, so wherever you are. Two things God knows that is felt it himself. And secondly, when your worship is right, then you're in a position for God to do amazing things, know the timing is up to him. Maybe so I will gotta work on my spouse all of us want God to work on our spouse, Lord of my spouse would only realize this. You know, because what we do we use our own scale seeing in my marriage, my skill is all I have things to work on but my spouse really has things to work on Christina who loves me thinks the same thing about me I know I have things to work on but you really have things that soybeans were using our own scale. When my worship is right and I'm doing it the way God wants me to view it. He will show you what you need to do when you're listening my worship is right on listening, monitoring, and I'm humbling myself because it's a full acknowledgment God of who you are who I am not Lord, I need you, but all of us want intimacy right you want intimacy and marriage want intimacy in your relationship you and intimacy physically and hopefully you want intimacy spiritually with the Lord. So to get there acknowledge that God who created it is also walked.

It is also felt that Old Testament and New Testament both. He knows what it's like to be related in the best is he knows what it's like on the most horrific worst days you have not gone through anything. He himself is not gone through.

Secondly, he wants intimacy with you.

He wants you to chase him and to know him and to seek him and not halfheartedly, not in the blog days so my final statement to you is this in many ways. Your marriage should be a reminder of God's desire for intimacy with you if it's not going well in your marriage. Ask yourself is it going well between me and the Lord that should be a reminder, husbands should be reminder wives.

I want intimacy I want greater levels of intimacy, relationally, emotionally, physically, so Lord, if I turn that around us the Lord what you want from me. Do you also want greater intimacy from me, you want more of my heart and my worship Skinner worship right then watch what God does. Alex Kendrick is so right here, you will almost never find a couple where both the husband and wife would say my relationship with God is strong. It's driving it's doing well. It's just the relationship we have together in marriage.

That's not working out right when there's something wrong in our marriage. There is often something wrong in our relationship with God and we can begin addressing the issues in marriage by getting right with God. The message we've heard today is a message from Alex Kendrick from one of our love like me to marriage cruises. Alex and his brother Stephen are to be back on the love like you mean a marriage cruise in 2022 there to be bringing their latest movie will get a sneak preview of what the Kendrick's will have in theaters next year when we get together for the love like me to marriage cruise in February 2022. We are so excited to have a real cruise happening in February the safety protocols are in place. Cruising has been happening now for months. You can sign up for the love like you made a marriage cruise without concerns and lot of you are doing it already, were about 70% full on the cruise. So we want to become the family like today listers and say if you're interested now is the time to sign up to join us and be part of the cruise in 2022.

You can go to family life today.com for more information or call one 800 FL today and Doug get signed up over the phone.

We have a special offer for family like today listers that's in place between now and October 4. So it's the best time to sign up and take advantage of some savings and let me just say the love like you to marriage cruise has been used by God to strengthen so many marriages over the years.

Couples who come who are in a good marriage come away refreshed and renewed.

We've had couples who have come who have been struggling in their marriage and got his use the cruise as a turnaround for so many of them we would love to have you join us in 2022.

Again right now is a great time to sign up and save some money go to family life today.com for more information or call one 800 FL today at one 803 586-329-1800 F is an family L as in life and in the word today. Alex and Stephen Kendrick will be joined by Dave and Wilson Ron Diehl Dr. Julie Slattery. Other artists, musicians, speakers can be a great week away the 2022. Love like me to marriage cruise. We hope to see you there. And with that we all wrapped things up for this week. Thanks for joining us.

Hope you and your family are able to worship together in your local church this weekend and I hope you can join us on Monday when working to hear from Dr. Julie Slattery about what life can do to help find and motivate the hero in her husband. You can tune in for that on behalf of our host statement and Wilson. I am Bob Lapine. We will see you back Monday for another edition of family life today like today is a production of family accrued ministry helping you pursue the relationships that matter most