Fireproof Marriage

Pastor Delbert Enns www.EasTview.org 

Divorce is painful. The pain never stops. God did not intend for the pain to go on and on. Lawyers don't help couples to reconcile. 

Where should couples go?

The Bible portrays a beautiful covenant. What does it take to make it last? 

Selfless Love. Jesus shows us what that means. He died for his church. 

Intolerable Cruelty movie. George Clooney did a good job. He spoke from the heart. Vulnerable in love. Good no fear no shame. Cynicism destroys us. Council fear or trust? Make the leap of love. Don't ever go back. 

Love is a verb. 

Is there a way to talk about divorce? Matthew 5:31-32 adultery. 

There are moments when we have to make critical decisions. 

Deuteronomy 24:1 If a man and a woman have been married less than one year, he must not be sent off to war or sent away to do forced labor. He must be allowed to stay home for a year and be happy with his wife.

Deuteronomy 24:5 CEVDCUS06

http://bible.com/303/deu.24.5.CEVDCUS06

There were several rabbi interpretations of this teaching. In Jesus's day any excuse was grounds for divorce. It was acceptable to have girlfriends. 

For 500 years the Romans had no divorce until the they conquered Greece and adapted their promiscuous lifestyle. 

What prospective guides you. Jesus wanted the biblical joys of marriage. He made a regrettable concession. Not as intended. 

3rd concession: But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin. If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man's wife.

Matthew 5:32 

The disciples didn't get it. Jesus said marriage is beautiful. 

Know yourself first. God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him!  God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!

Matthew 5:8‭-‬9 

Don't tolerate abuse. Forgiveness is for all. Grace is extended to all. 

Leo and Cynthia video. Got divorced. Became co-dependant. Got married. She withdrew. Divorced. Lonely. Sad. Went to church recovery group. Went to ask Leo for forgiveness. He started attending an apologetics class. Accepted Christ and got remarried. With Christ at the centre.

Chapel at Providence

Elisha Director of student development

Psalm where do I look for help?  hills? The God of Jacob is our fortress

Jeremiah 1:1-10 build and plant

Romans 8:28-30

David Johnson

We know God works for the good

God spoke through Jeremiah and he reflects on what God said. Hopefully you all will do the same. He was the weeping prophet. He changed his world. 

God makes the first step in the dance of life. 

God has a purpose. He calls us.

God works things together. 

Our sufferings can't be compared. God turns them to good.

Was sharing the faith on campus every day. Lost the Student Card. How God could you let it happen? Even the things we do wrong God works for good. 

Study the Greek word. God is working to conform us to the image of Christ. Taking the initiative. 

Reflect on what God has done. Suffering. Parents. College. Marriage. 

Seminary. And suffer. Miscarriages. Suffering as a pastor. Free lodging and enough to pay for food. 25 people. Barb said why do we stay? Then to doctoral studies. Then professor and Dean, Provost, President. 59 years of preparation. Suffering. We want to run from it. But God uses that. 

In the midst of our suffering God is at work. For His glory and ours. We are the objects of His glory. 

God is working on the nations. How does God do that? He can and he does. 

God is calling us to glorify Him. From your mother's womb to today.

Opportunities

Henry Dueck is involved with Hockey Ministries and invited me to see the Stanley Cup. I got there on time but it left before I could take a picture. Church of the Rock

There are opportunities in life. They are invisible. We miss them because they

1. Are an obstacle. I'm on a mission when I shop. Anything in the way is an obstacle. 

2. Timing. It often interferes with opportunities. Are you afraid to die? No I know where I'm going. 

Ephesians 2:10 good works God has planned for us. I want opportunity. 

3. Some people just pop in. 20 years ago that happened. Company just came. Now we hide. We miss opportunities. 

Matthew 25:1-10 the wise and foolish virgins. They missed the opportunity.

We struggle to own the opportunity. 

Some discernment is needed. What exactly is God asking me to do? Pray for the teachers. For healing of her back. Be prepared. 

Our biggest obstacle is self. 

We are not a liability. We died with Christ and now you are an asset to God.

Grow from the missed opportunities. Philippians 3:13.14

Go forward. Press into God's goal for you. 

I miss lots of opportunities by an inch. My priorities are slightly off.  Matthew 23:23 do the important stuff. Do the weightier matters. 

Intimacy into-me-you-see. God wants that with you. Ask him to speak into me. 

How do I get there? Where do you connect with God? Go deep with Him. into-me-you-see comes at a cost.

Pray the sinner's prayer with me. 

Aubrey Krahn Transformation

Will do the series of studies by Rick Warren 

I always tithed.

Had an uncle that was a real cranky dude. 3 days before he died he became a Christian and the nicest guy you ever met. He's now with Jesus. 

Jesus was transfigured John 14,33 

Transformed from glory to glory. Not making a better list but God changing us transforming us.

God has all kinds of transformations for us. 

Rom 12.1-3 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1‭-‬2 NLT

http://bible.com/116/rom.12.1-2.NLT

We don't need conformed people but transformed by renewing the mind. What does that mean? No movies? 

Eph 4 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Ephesians 4:24 NLT

http://bible.com/116/eph.4.24.NLT

What is the default setting of your life? Only God can change you. Delete refresh save 

1. Delete fake news. Resolve is not enough. It numbs. God said change. God wants you to face and acknowledge you can't. What are the things God wants to delete? Feeling bad is not repentance. Name the Transformers. Rich young ruler. Zachaius. There are lies in your heart. Go sell your stuff. He walked away sad. He needed his money. Zachaius was hiding but Jesus came to him. He repented by paying back all rip-offs.

Transformation is amazing 

2. Refresh fake news. You can have it in 3 easy steps. That's not how it works. It takes a long time. You don't get rewards for nothing in real life. We want it all to be easy. Mother gave us a dresser and it was in awful shape. Didn't clean out all the corners. Too impatient. Don't blame others. Get Scripture into your mind. Get it. 

3. Save the good patterns. 

Make the declaration now. 

Time for a Faith Lift

Mark Hughes 

http://www.churchoftherock.ca

Hebrews

We need to grow from faith to faith. 

Micah had 3 principles

Habbakuk said the just shall live by faith.

We forget the simple command. 

Live by faith. Paul said it. 

Hebrews said confidence has great reward. Not self confidence believing in what I can do but in what God can do. 

Shadrak and friends had God confidence. You can have low self confidence and high God confidence. 

Read your Bible and develop God confidence. Moses had no self confidence. Joshua knew God could do a few things. He made the universe stop.

5'3 David versus 9'9" Goliath uncircumcised. 

David knew on whose side he was on. He ran to meet the giant and defeated him. 

Prayed for a couple to have a baby. 9 months later they had a baby. Prayed for him to get a job. He did. Prayed for him to find a house. He will. 

Wesley encountered a storm. 26 Moravian missionaries were on board. They sang and prayed. They got across. 

Lord give me the steadfast confidence. He changed history. 3x7x40 years he preached.

Confidence and endurance are the requirements of faith. 

Faith is believing and trusting God even when it's not working. He'll heal me in His time. 

Endurance is the lost part. Abraham waited 25 years for the baby. Noah built a boat for 100 years. It had never rained before. 

Joseph mentioned his bones on his death bed. 400 years later.

Obedience. After you have done the will of God things happen. 

The Ten Lepers got healed when they obeyed. Nahaman got healed after he obeyed. 

2017 has started. God's mercies are new everyday. 

Do you need a new start? You can know Jesus right now. Just pray this prayer right now.