Healthy Living in a Sick World (Part 10)

Lessons on life, marriage and singleness, and most importantly you'll get medical contacts from first Corinthians from Pastor Dr. Dr. Michael you sent your listening to leading the way. Learn to be presented wherever you are learning to love God and his kingdom wherever he placed you learn to put God in his kingdom. First and foremost because when you do that God will make you to be on over, is going to make you victorious is gonna bless you out of your mind. You will be blessed in ways that you actually never thought possible.

Today's leading the way feature some very practical content and some pointed challenges to live in contentment. In fact, to get Dr. Michael you set just as much time as possible. Let's join in as he begins today's leading the way. First Corinthians chapter 7 beginning at verse eight. We are good smack in the middle of the series of messages of living a healthy life in the sick world.

This is comes from the epistle of first Corinthians in receiving how much of the Corinthian culture and the Corinthian church is mirroring our 21st century culture and church. But this passage probably has some of the riches of love, the richest passages regarding marriage singleness salvation of family members now. The bottom line in this passage and I'll refer to it again and again, I'll conclude with it because that is the very heart of this passage the apostle is saying, neither being married or being a celebrant is superior to the other millionaire is superior to the other and that is why the apostle here exalts us the married or single.

He gives a message to everybody is to learn how to be contented in Christ and how to be contented where Christ has placed us. This is a principle from which all the other principles flow look at versus 12 all the way to 14, 12, 13 and 14.

The apostle said of the nonbelieving spouse is happy to live with the believing spouse, then he or she should stay why is he saying that because he knows from the entire Scripture that God loves families that God loves to deal with families and will nonbelieving spouse is willing to live accept and respect the believing spouse. Therefore, God somehow, somewhere, sometime, has a blessing for that nonbelieving spouse, all to be sure that your listener a most realistic sometimes it takes time for that plan to be fulfilled in my take a lot longer than you like it may frustrate you at times and it may make your life harder times in my make you wish that you married a believing spouse sometimes, but do not despair God has a blessing in store for you and for your nonbelieving spouse if he loves you and contented to live with you and stay with you. Verse 14. This is a very important verse. It's a key verse is a truly comforting verse in the Scripture is covering for all parents who are tormented about the unbelieving children or an unbelieving spouse. It is a comforting verse, verse 14 he makes the most amazing statement here.

Otherwise, your children are unclean.

What is the world as if me and here's what I'm going to explain the beloved listen very carefully. God looks at the family as one unit even though they may be divided spiritually. The entire family is graced by God even if it is only one believing spouse even one believing member God makes covenants with family and in his sovereign economy in his sovereign plan in his sovereign knowledge. When one member of the family is brought to the kingdom of God brought to the Lord Jesus Christ somehow, somewhere, sometime, God has a blessing and stored the whole family that I will have a word for those spouses will not your believers. You might be an unbelieving spouse and you watching your spouse living a godly life and she pray for you or he prays for you and you are dragging your feet about coming to Christ, a new believing spouse is praying for you. Listen to me.

God has a blessing for you my friend because of the unbelieving spouse God has been patient with you because of your believing spouse, God is holding his arms wide open to welcome you because of your believing spouse don't put off the very secret of joy in life. The same goes for the month believing children.

Look at verses 15 and 16 but if the nonbelieving spouse decide to leave his believing spouse in the believing spouse should not feel at all guilty about that.

Not whatsoever. At this point the believing spouse is no longer under the bond of marriage. The marriage bonds can be broken in two ways, either by death or when a non-believing spouse decides to leave a believing spouse Nepal is very clear here in this passage, and as we hear elsewhere.

And that's why it's very important in this generation in which we live to understand this and learn the principles here in the Scripture. There is so much erroneous teaching about the subject. Don't listen to legalistic advice. In fact, don't listen to advice when it comes to the issues of life and to come to that in a minute because both extremes, legalism, anger and license under the guise of grace. Both are alien to biblical teaching. Look at verses 18, 19 and 20. It must be fully understood in the context of this church and of the city borrows regardless of the advice that people might give you regardless of advice that friends might give you a call to God in prayer.

Stay on your knees discern the will of God stay with the word of God and let God guide you not friends going as they may be. When it comes to important issues in life when it comes to the impactful decisions in your life you need to only listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit greater than godly friends can confirm what God has laid on your heart but you must take responsibility. It is your responsibility. It is my responsibility and you need to go and be alone with God. You need to silence all the other noises and listen to him alone. The point of first Christmas chapter 7 verses 18 to 22.

Is this listen carefully you must be contented where you are. You must be contented where God has placed you. You must be contented where God has called you to be. You must be contented in discerning and following the will of God for you and what is the will of God for me is not necessary for your thoughts for you is not for him and her.

He wants to speak to the EC. God doesn't deal in wholesale. He deals individually with you. He knows you. He put you together as a unique person and he deals with you uniquely be contented where God has placed you and that is the secret to the blessing God will bless you. If you are listening to him and obeying him here will give you fulfillment in life he will answer your prayers. He will make you succeed and prosper when you're trusting and obeying in verse 25. The apostle gives us his personal counsel from the Lord as a personal counsel is that if a single person would go and sit in the office of the apostle Paul says apostle of God counsel me.

What do I do I think you will ask you this question. Are you contented in your singleness you say yes is a great let me give you three reasons why you should be where you are and you don't have to feel pressured by the culture or by anybody else. You see, remember this. This is the first century always always always put the Scripture and its historic context.

The original readers to whom the apostle is writing. And then we can apply it ourselves, but always always always asked the question who were the original readers what is he writing to them and say and so Paul here gives three reasons why bags in why bags then I'm gonna repeat that to understand why bags then is saying singles should be contented to stay single verse 25 to 28 chapter 7 that's the first reason is because of the present distress. Now you have to understand that literally the persecution was heating up so bad that within a matter of a few years from the writing of this epistle, Nero was covering Christians with wax and letting them burn at his garden to light up his garden parties of believers were shown in animal skin and the throne to wild dogs and the hungry lions to be devoured and Paul's personal counsel to single people bags then K back then.

Is this because of the persecution.

It is difficult enough for the individual that the pain is severe enough, but multiply that pain when it comes to a spouse and children, you have the gift of celibacy cherish it value it. Use it wisely. Use your resources wisely use your time wisely but is saying more than this hearing say more than that, he is saying that given our human nature. Whatever problems you have or whatever problems we are facing very multiplied in marriage, brother, listen to me close living allows our partners to see our faults with a magnifying glass all yes it's not like dating when you were dating. Remember those days. Some of you still probably doing it now when you're dating you put on the rose-colored glasses and you have this tingly feeling how many feel on top of the world and you live in the fog of romance and op. Ms. Zimmerman and you only see the good points about the person you dating you know I'm talking about your blind of their shortcomings. Maybe that's God's mercies, or otherwise will numeric, but when that excitement is where all. A couple can drift in opposite extremes, beloved on our sort.

With those two eyes the couples who were attracted to each other because of certain traits are exact traits that separates him that is called by scientists reverse reasoning is an example of reverse reasoning is how goes she married him because he's strong and masculine.

She wants out because his toxic masculinity is the big buzzword these days. He mounted her because she is fragile and petite once because she is weak and needy right. She chose him because he knows how to provide well she wants out because he's a workaholic and he married her because she's steady and sensible. He wants out because she is bordering on the slug that sweet couple who were in the late 80s. They been married for 50 years. So on the 50th anniversary that morning, the husband got up as he always did, and he prepared breakfast for his wife.

He toasted the crust of the bread made of the toaster new product or as she looked at it after 50 years of silence, she just exploded. I am sick and tired of you giving me the crust of the bread every day you met me the crust of the bread and you just went berserk and he looked at her with absolutely astounding face saying, but that's my favorite part of furthermore wanted to say something in 50 years. So the lesson is nonvolatile, the bubblewrap for 50 years. Paul was realistic enough to the point that is saying that while marriage solve some problems. It can create a whole lot more now. I love the reality of this country boy who is getting married and the preacher who was marrying them was one of those people who use Elizabethan English you know I'm talking about wealth is have this woman to be desired lawfully wedded wife and this young fellow looked at him and said I wealth I wealth and he did this when you put a man and a woman together to become one.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, the grace of God in the presence of God in the home.

You might as well try to put an octopus in the sock. Think about think about two distinct personalities to this, their likes and dislikes to emotions to characteristics to temperaments, to say the wills and you throw children in there for good measure, and you have your hands full. Second reason as to why Paul is telling those who are single if they have the gift of being single. To remain single piece of the shortness of time. The shortness of time.

The focus in these verses 29 to 34. The focus here is that the world is passing away is passing away.

Although God ordained Petra sexual marriage. Although God blesses Petra sexual marriage and yet marriage is not the terminal. Jesus said in Matthew 2230. He said in heaven will neither be marrying or giving in marriage gonna be like the angels he said in a when people say to me that some marriage made in heaven.

I have always always one response.

I've never venerated.

I'm not that smart. I've never heard it. Yes, so is thunder and lightning. But even when there is such a thing as a marriage made in heaven.

Paula say regardless of your marital situation, put God first told God at the center of your life, put God and his will in their rightful place why because Paul knew that even if a person remain single. That is not a guarantee of them repeated even though the person remain single, is not a guarantee that this person will devote his or her energy in their life to Christ. They can be selfish and self-centered and self focused and so the issue is whatever you are, whatever the state of marital situation you're in, put God first and so here he punches him to go single and married, and he says because of the shortness of time do not live in sorrow. Do not let sorrow eat you up. Do not let happiness be your ultimate pursuit.

Do not let worry consume you.

Do not let your possessions possess you. Don't let your physical needs be all of your focus further and finally verses 36 to 40.

He said father's not responsible for their children. Marriage.

Now I need to stop here.

Those forefathers really confusing and lets you understand the cultural of that day you understand what they're talking about here because without understanding the context it doesn't make sense. There were many things that within the Corinthian culture that Paul deals with is not necessarily something that he teaches with a broad brush to all churches that certain cultural things you must understand it within that culture and therefore you can apply it yourself. Back then fathers were the final decision-makers as to whom their daughters should marry some of the Christian fathers in Corinth specifically felt that in the light of this rampant immorality that they alter dedicate their baby girls to never marry. They vowed to God that they will keep the little baby girls develop the reversions. But when daughters grew up there like this idea that in making the decision for them when there are babies and they want to get married.

What happened, Christian fathers felt guilty about their vows that they made to the Lord when their daughters went ahead and got married and Paul is saying to the fathers.

They should not in the least. Feel bad about this.

They should not in the least. Feel guilty about this young daughters are free to marry and make all decisions as adults, regardless of what you fathers did or said on their behalf when there were little hope this will clarify this passageway and that is why I needed to give you the explanation in context as I bring this word to an end. I want to leave you with this over whelming since here switch. I started with and I concluded with, and I emphasize throughout the message and beloved.

It is this learned to be contented wherever you are learning to love God and his kingdom where ever he placed you learn to put God in his kingdom. First and foremost because when you do that God will make you to be ANOVA, is going to make you victorious is gonna bless you out of your mind. You will be blessed in ways that you actually never thought possible. And I get an amen from both singles and married precious heavenly father. I for one, and so indebted to you for your word for instructing us for exalting us for convicting's and for blessing us and for helping us to know how to live a spiritually healthy life in this sin sick world as a father I pray that what we just heard, would not disappear but father that we were truly learn contentment for and it is a great we thank you father for you and ask you to bless to all of us the speaker and the list in Jesus name, amen. A challenge to live in contentment.

This is leading the way with Dr. Michael you sent the first step toward contentment in any area of life is to be firm with your eternal salvation. Explore any questions you may have with her compassionate team fill out a short form and start a conversation when you visit LTW.org/Jesus, that's LTW.org/Jesus and before time runs out. Let me encourage you to sign up for my devotional that's Dr. Michael. You assess daily E devotional. It's a nice way for you to dig into the practical pages of God's word on a regular basis using my devotional email directly to a couple of verses in the Bible and Dr. USF shares a thought or two to sink the words of the Bible with plant life has you today.

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