Taking Marriage Seriously

Dr. Tony Evans talked about the trouble we run into when we think of marriage is some kind of fairytale site.

This is the alternative Tony speaker Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the alternative when married life falls short of happily ever after. The results can range from disappointment to divorce, but today Dr. Evans explains that when that happens more than just marriage vows get broken. Let's join them in Malachi chapter 2 as he begins his name is very simple for God seriously as opposed to taking God casually, cavalierly says we ought to take God seriously because God deserves that begins this section of verse 10. Do not all have one father I have not one God created us, he wants us to be introduced with the unity of God.

One father one he wants the unity of God to be emphasized for very real reason he says because you don't treacherously against his brother so as to profane the covenant of this unified God has been profane how verse 11 Judah justly and an abomination has been committed in Israel and Jerusalem for Judah have profane the Lord, which he has married the daughter going to get into the dicey subject of men were divorcing their wives and nine women and women would bring God into the sanctuary because they had a different belief system so they would leave the why else who brought their theology with any says and you are profaning the sanctuary of the Chicago was on his way to catch a flight and saw this pretty lady started talking to Ethan about where you gorgeous. I'm going to go so I'm going to Florida.

Why don't we fly together, the answer is because you're going into different directions singles. The reason why God says that Christian should not marry a non-Christian is because there is a spiritual conflict.

There is a conflict of God's, and those God will conflict with each other. There will be a clash of God make marriage is not when you have the same God when you wind up with a conflict of God. He says not only do you have this conflict with the unity of God because you asking a unified God to be in this unified scenario. He says you profane the same. That is, doubting up the house of God. When you knowingly and intentionally hook up with voles who do not share this one God because they have their own God. In other words, what he says is that the marriage is a spiritual issue not merely a human issue not merely social issues. The Bible says be not equally together with the nonbeliever hook up with somebody you share your faith because there's going to be a conflict of God's what was bothering this people in Malachi is a God was not answering, he says, for example, in verse 13. This is another thing you cover the altar with tears and weeping and groaning, because he no longer regards the offering and accept it with faith coming to church and just singing the coming the church in appraising coming to church and you are prophesying your coming to church in Europe, giving the same time the says you profane the sanctuary.

Stick with me. You are not God's house and I do not receive your offering. In fact, he says even more strongly in verse 12 as for the man who does this. May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob, strong language speaking out of illegitimate divorces. He says my God that man off legitimately divorces his mate. God takes his covenant seriously.

Remember, a covenant is a spiritually binding relationship between God and his people and has legal status in the spiritual realm covenant is a legally binding relationship in the spiritual realm that God has another was operates by the rules of his covenant right and we get something straight here this. You don't want to miss says she is your wife by covenant so you look at it. We use the word marriage is covenant.

Guess what covenants are designed to do in the Bible limiting within not first and foremost designed to do and that is make you happy. Most people many people get married to be happy. Okay, let's get this straight. Happiness is the result not the purpose.

Once you make happiness.

The purpose and you are no longer happy. You want to trade the car you like the person said I was looking for the ideal. It has become a ordeal. So now I want to. The purpose of God's covenant hospice is always to expand his kingdom and his when he may believe he said I could be created out of the need male and female he created them and then he said, and let them have dominion be fruitful and multiply spread image across the earth that is spread like kingdom in history that the purpose of the covenant is the expansion of the rule of God in history. Most couples never get around that purpose.

They still stuck on happy get stuck on happy. Satan's got you pretty know how to make you unhappy.

He knows just what is the push to make you unhappy if you start with complement you want. Most people stop the covenant. That is the purpose of marriage is the relational expansion of the purposes of God in history through what he calls verse 15 seeking a godly offspring.

No other words he don't want to have children. The family likes to want to have children to raise up a godly seed whose spring out and spread the image of God. Why happiness comes off of the purpose of covenant being put down but if you're stuck in a happy and never get around the covenant happy will die because happy is not enough to hold the purpose for which the covenant was established in confidence what is to expand God's purpose in history we have one God, one father one size 1 because he wants the unity of the relationship unity different persons, but unified place that is covenant the first ingredient of a covenant. All competent transcendence that is overseen by God, transcendent means he sits over it. He transcends it is overseen by God. You need to know that because you want to see in just a few minutes, God said, let not man put asunder what God has joined together, so he says the chart for me to marry you and go to a judgment in the decree you divorce so you brought me on the front end but you leave me out on the back you messing with my transcendence. The second aspect of a covenant is hierarchy or chain of command, all covenants have a chain of command in order to all covenants have an order Lord says in prescriptive 11 three every man is underpriced since prices on the God Everyman is on the Christ woman is undermanned the children and parents.

You write you jack up the company was you mess with that on and start flipping and tweaking and doing all that stuff. Covenant disintegrates and it's a mess that aligns roles government guidelines think that you were responsible for them to get these two rules get out of every other one falls on these tools, love and respect is manageable. The Robinsons woman disposal hold in high esteem, respect people who thought her heart. She supposed massages. Both the legitimate end of Ephesians 5 says men love your wives, wives seek to it that you reference your husband that is holding the highest because of those two things operating under God. Of course, that harmony becomes normal and not sanctions that is consequences. Dominion is experienced or dominion is not experienced why because if Satan can get you you he can keep God away from you.

That's why little foxes become gargantuan sites. You cook the bacon to the boss from bacon because Satan was able to create disunity and once it creates this unity. He keeps God because first Peter three Simon said with a conflict. Don't pray God finally definable the fit area is inheritance covenants always meant to be multigenerational. He says a godly offspring it was to work itself out in the generations. The reason why everything we dedicate children. The devil wants to split up families is so we can get the kids. He wants to get the kids. But in order to get the kids and have in getting the kids got try to mess up mom and dad. What's the problem, verse 15, but not one is done so as a remnant of the spirit. He says what's missing is the spirit. Dr. Evans will have more force in a moment, including a look at the three essential parts of every healthy relationship that today's lesson is the first in Tony's message compilation marriage matters. This 14 lesson series takes an in-depth look at God's blueprint for families. She can build better relationships with the most important people in your life.

Along the way you learn how to break down communication barriers rekindle romance and solve problems that are so serious they become strongholds because this information is so important were making both volumes of the complete collection available as our gift and appreciation for your contribution toward Tony's ministry here on the station and around the world. As an added bonus will also send you a three booklet bundle including the very popular marriage matters for married men. Only and for married women only. This is a limited time offer to visit Tony Evans.org right away to get the details and make all the arrangements again at stony Avenue and's.org or let one of our resource team members help you, day or night at 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222. I'll have her contact information for you again after part two of today's message and this amount taking place suing over reaching the surface of the ocean. Since example, our creator into you place evidence God's creative, like the stunning will last and you can experience it with joints including Evans and other friends at the ministry together we discover the glory of God. Spectacular creation unforgettable asking to take splendor of God's creation along with the wonders we will enjoy great teaching Dr. Tony and other gifted instructors as well as life-changing worship and special musical performances is spiritually uplifting.

Give us time to refresh me take a journey through Scripture else around awesome creation is Alaska more urban alternative Alaskan Tony.org today relationships for Christian should happen on three levels. All three critical relationships. First of all physical levels. We see each other. We like what we see.

So there is the visual then there is the soul level about I found my soulmate.

You start living with one living with soulmate simply means you like each other there, you jive the personalities group.

You know that's the solely the problem with the soulmate is that everybody so messed up everybody. So is messed up. Now it's well while gaining the skull camouflage soul.

You often don't see the whole story you wind up seeing stuff. You never know she would like she will let you see it before you said I do so if you find your soulmate glad you click and you jive souls by sending circumstances, background stuff, sometimes not really realize how it's affected. I think this comes out when now living with somebody else. He says what is a remnant of the spirit third level the physical business so English connection. But then he says the spirit, the spirit is the God of peace.

That's the spiritual peace the spiritual impact window so please those last and go please get old or fat or whatever to grab onto. Most people get lost almost all issues going haywire. Because you don't like committee.

I love them like me that something is going haywire. But if there is no spirit that is blended under me so will call the shots.

If there is no remnant, no remains of the spirit, no remains of the spiritual solidification in the relationship were getting divorce was because the spiritual was not intact.

The teaching was not going forth to explain of a covenant not as a social ceremony and the people in church while groaning and crying and wailing and singing, wondering why God will because of this unit is keeping from him from showing up in your circumstance get this feeling about divorce does not flinch. Verse 16 I was, says the Lord God of Israel and him who covers his garment with wrong company.get married with wrong so to keep your spirits that you do not deal treacherously. Okay, let's get this straight. God has made it and it extremely clear.

I hate divorce which means if you're Christian you should hate it to you should hate it to. We live in a day when because it's become so used to be a time when divorce and shame attached. It was shameful thing to have to get a double.

Now it's and in faith you train because you know you got a splinter you will chop off the whole way you know is is normal now.

God makes it clear that society standards are not to be is. He says I hate divorce. I know it's quiet time with me to Matthew chapter 19. Let's take a little deeper because Jesus picks up this in Matthew 19 verse three. Some Pharisees came to Jesus casting him trying to trick him, saying, is it lawful for man to divorce his wife for any reason at all, let me put it another way, can I get a no fault of different what does he say have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female Genesis. He made a male and female, and say, God, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh, and the two shall become one flesh, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What God has joined together, let no man separate. It is divorces occur because the two never become one.

And God is not interested in keeping the tomb to see the state to get God to help them.what I'm doing. I'm taking to making one mean the same to the father the son not the spirit oneness of purpose.

That's oneness is to win the two become one. They produce something new when a wife joined together a great MC can occur because becoming one.

Create something to say to does not. The reason why divorce is the carrying because the two should try to get it from the nonsense I pray all day.

I will I will support you when because I am not trying to make 212 become one. Now you do something that you being too could never produce all knowledge is one flesh. Mass that is commonality of purpose not sameness of being men don't stop being men and women on stopping when they come together to produce something new that did not exist before the really important is because when you become one. You now have God invested in the relationship as long as you stay till you do not have God invested in relationships, no matter how much church you go to all let you look spiritual while you are here you pick it back up when you leave because he wants to keep the hotel happen until view of the relationship and got a get in line to get in line on the Jesus got a get in line underneath the man. The children gotta get a lot of parents.

If you get in line. You have God's involvement in the relationship so they have a question. Verse seven why did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away. When divorce God let Moses come up with a bill of divorcement per se because of the heart of your heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been this way because industry God said Moses come up with a bill of divorcement not.

That word was command that no one would command. It was a permission God never commanded divorce under certain circumstances in order to maintain society permitted.

He said because of the hotness of your heart you refuse to submit to God's way and that's why divorce exist divorce exist. Jesus says because one party or both parties rip to submit to God's alignment. God's covenant God's wife.

That's why divorce happens somebody somebody using submit to God's way. God does give a second reason given to Paul in first Corinthians and seven. Second reason against divorce is abandonment. Abandonment can take two forms. It can take typically leaving walk away from the relationship. One law vacating your role abandon his role as provider for husband beats his wife he's abandon his role as protector safe so you can you can abandon your well let's say he's a drug entity stealing stuff from the house and selling it for his drug habit. He's abandon his role.

So God says to Paul person leaves their leaves the premises or leaves the role of the child can recognize that and grant a decree of divorce, but the point is that you have to get it. You still should hate that you got it because God hates divorce, so you should hate it hate it when you shrink your children for your life so I do if I'm in this situation. I don't recall went to commit adultery because the person married her to commit adultery and God's standard okay if the stream can't be around children and now you got stepchildren that they can't be unraveled. What you do is you come now that you recognize and you go and sin no you don't keep repeating this thing go and you begin to operate, mentally because God recognizes some things get so twisted that you cannot punch with them. So what you do is you spot.

If you are separated, but you're not divorced them the finger bill before you move forward with the divorce is after. Upon are you willing to relocate our roles and become under the common good of Jesus Christ, God's way. Or maybe your divorce and nobody remarries are you willing to come under God, God lives relationship. That's the best you can do with that and you already divorce then you're in a situation that may not be able to be fixed.

But what I'm saying is, at least, you take that position. If you are in a roulette marriage but nobody performing the roles you learn what you will.

That's why will Mary mentally for married women only know what that will live and you know you well when you file your role, God begins to heal the wounds and restore the relationship, but only if you're on the company until we start when you and you rebuild from the serious so that we can see God restore his church by healing that covenantal rule doesn't start with a list of do's and don'ts. It begins with a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If you're not 100% sure you know what that means. Drop by Tony up and start org today and follow the link that simply says Jesus there.

20 will explain it clearly, and walk you through what to do next will also find some free resources to get your new life started off right. Don't wait. Drop by 2011 start org today no longer there. Consider requesting a copy of the 14 lesson compilation which includes the full-length version of today's message. The series is called marriage matters. And when you make a contribution to help keep Tony's teaching on this station will send you both volumes of this complete set as our thank you gift you can get them on CDs or instantly downloadable MP3s and right now will also include that popular three booklet bundle marriage matters for married men only and for married women only. This offer won't be around for long, so be sure to contact us right away. All the details are waiting for you and Tony have and start or you can also call our 24 hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222.

Revival starts when God does something special in situs but it doesn't stop there is contagious. Next time, Dr. Evans will explain how we can help it spread to the people who mean the most to us, our families, I hope you join us for that, and until then be looking for opportunities to show kindness to others for the benefit of our culture. Your community and the glory of God the alternative with Dr. Tony at rock utilizing made possible by the generous contributions listeners like you