December 12, 2019

You Got Questions, He’s Got Answers - Mark 10:5-8

"How did marriage get here and what's married supposed to look like? Well, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that God invented marriage and he invented it to be with one man and one woman who would live together forever. One man, one woman together forever."

Family Discussions:

  1. What does 'from the beginning of creation' mean in terms of Genesis 1?
  2. Why is it so important to our understanding of the Christian faith and the institution of marriage?
  3. If you're putting a price tag on that name that's written on your heart, or if you're married to the name that's already there, what would it be?
  4. What would the price tag of your marriage be and what would it be worth to you to protect it?

Transcription:

00:13          Do you know that just a few years ago, NASA sent up a satellite called the WMAP satellite and it begin to film the creation. They took this incredible hundred billion galaxy cosmos of ours and they put it in their computers and they ran it back and they saw that it all came from zero. Imagine 100 billion galaxies coming from absolute nothing. We believe that God spoke and a hundred billion galaxies came flying out of their mouth. And you know what? NASA has proved it in that same computer rendition of the creation. They saw that as 100 billion galaxy cosmos traveled, get this, over a billion light years. I mean defying every known law of physics and science by light years. It said that we traveled as a cosmos over a billion light years in the first trillionth of a second. Listen to what Jesus says in Mark chapter 10:6. I mean, scripture is so scientifically on target, "but Jesus said to them, because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this commandment that from the beginning of creation, God made Adam and Eve, male and female from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one flesh." There are no longer two but one flesh.
 
01:46          A few years ago, RadioShack had this commercial that says, "You've got questions. We got answers." And you know what? RadioShack has a lot of answers, but I think scripture pretty much claims that truth. When you have questions, they're here. How did we get here? When did man originate? How long have we been around? Where did it all come from? What is marriage and what's marriage supposed to look like? You got questions, he's got answers. How long has man been here? Well, according to Jesus, man has been on the earth since the beginning of creation. That's Genesis chapter one. How did man get here? Well, if you look as Darwin did at the human eye, even Darwin himself in his book, 'The Origin of Species', he said to suppose that the eye, with all of its inevitable contrivances for adjusting focus at various distances for admitting various amounts of life and for the correction of sphere and chromatic aberrations is the product of evolution. Seems I freely confessed absurd in the highest degree. Even Darwin himself admitted that evolution in terms of human vision is absolutely absurd.
 
02:59          And how did marriage get here and what's married supposed to look like? Well, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that God invented marriage and he invented it to be with one man and one woman who would live together forever. One man, one woman together forever. You know, people say, well, if you're in love, sex is okay or if you, you know, if you think you're going to get married sex is okay, or in any, you know, orientations, sex is okay. When scripture is clear that God wants that that very special relationship between a man and a woman to be designed for marriage and for marriage alone. To last, I watched my daddy and my mama love each other for 66 years and I saw him literally die. My daddy died in my mother's arms and at the end of my daddy's life he was still honoring the wedding ring and even wearing for all those years. So, if you've got questions, he's got answers.
 
03:56          Here's a couple of questions to think about today. What does 'from the beginning of creation' mean in terms of Genesis 1. In the creation account, when Jesus said for the beginning of creation, God made Adam and Eve, male and female. And question two is why is Genesis 1, the creation account of Genesis, why is it so important to our understanding of the Christian faith and the institution of marriage? And then the third question, if you're putting a price tag on your marriage, either one you already have or your future marriage, as I told my sons they had a girl's name written on their heart and someday that name of that incredible woman would show up. But if you're putting a price tag on that name that's written on your heart, or if you're married to the name that's already there, what would it be? What was the, what would the price tag of your marriage be and what would it be worth to you to protect it? And here's the thought for the day. Only a creative God could build something as valuable and worth protecting as a godly marriage relationship. Be careful!
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November 26, 2019

A House United - Mark 3:22-26

" I have more fun getting to be friends with Gary Smalley and he writes some of the greatest books I guess, that have ever been written on marriage. On how to build a husband-wife relationship that not only lasts, but that really gives glory to God along the way. Today Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter three verse 22 through 26 is brilliant about being in a relationship in a home and a family as a child, as a father, as a mother, as a husband, or as a wife. "

Family Discussions:

  1. Has Satan been speaking into your ears lately to cause strife in your heart towards a family member?
  2. As Christ forgave you, can you forgive them the same way?
  3. Will you forgive that person today and not let the sun go down on your anger again? A
  4. How can you, whether your husband or wife, grandmother, grandfather, son, or daughter, how can you contribute to a united family and a united home today?

Transcription:

00:14          I have more fun getting to be friends with Gary Smalley and he writes some of the greatest books I guess, that have ever been written on marriage. On how to build a husband-wife relationship that not only lasts, but that really gives glory to God along the way. Today Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter three verse 22 through 26 is brilliant about being in a relationship in a home and a family as a child, as a father, as a mother, as a husband, or as a wife. This is great day for Jesus when he calls out the rulers who accused him of something awful. We're in a chapter three and we're beginning with verse 22 and it says, "The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, he is possessed by Beelzebul. And he casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons. And so Jesus called them to himself and he began speaking to them in parables. And Jesus said this, how can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished."
 
01:33          You know what? It was extremely difficult to upset Jesus. He invented self-control. He invented peace and calmness under stress. This was a day, however, when the scribes kicked over the beehive to accuse the Holy Spirit that filled the savior to accuse him of being filled by the spirit of Satan was the final battle cry. Jesus' response was that their declaration was unforgivable. You know his line of defense was as a true and it was true then, and it's true today. A house divided against itself can never stand. That's why Satan will pull out all the stops to divide your house. The most powerful institution that God possesses on earth is a family. A home that is united in the love of Christ and sold out to follow him.
 
02:27          I see families like this all over America, in the world, families that are united in Christ, and they're like lighthouses to the community. So Satan whispers in your ear, you know, he says things like this, you know, your parents aren't being fair. Your little brother stole your flashlight. Your big sister called you a liar behind your back. You know, guys, your wife is not all she's meant to be. She's not all she supposed to be. Your husband makes the same mistakes over and over again. Have you heard his voice in your ear lately? And so list of accusations goes on and on for a lifetime. And you know what? If you listen to Satan and you begin to believe him. Then there's strife in your relationship. Then there's a wedge that forms between you and the person that you're mad at. And you know what? If left unchecked, that wedge becomes bitterness. It becomes anger. It becomes fighting. And eventually you have just the thing that Jesus said would never stand a divided house. So God's voice on the other channel in your ears says, Hey, forgive. God's voice says don't judge the other person in your home and your family. God's voice says, be patient. God needs a house united. It's your greatest lighthouse to your community.
 
03:44          So here's the questions today. Has Satan been speaking into your ears lately to cause strife in your heart towards a family member? And here's the second question to ponder. As Christ forgave you, can you forgive them the same way? Will you forgive that person today and not let the sun go down on your anger again? And then the last question is a big one. How can you, whether your husband or wife, grandmother, grandfather, son, or daughter, how can you contribute to a united family and a united home today? And here's the lifeline for today. Unite your family at all costs.
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September 19, 2019

Harmonious, Sympathetic, Brotherly - Peter 3:8-9

"Counselors that'll meet each other at Kamp and then they'll marry each other. But one of my favorites of all of our marriages is this couple that are married. They're raising kids together. But three years ago, they were ready to kill each other." 

Family Discussion:

  1. Who is it in your life that you need to love like that?
  2. Who is it that that may be the hardest to love, but that you need to watch God do a big miracle as you begin to love that person like Jesus would?

Transcription:

00:13          You know, here at Kanakuk at the sports Kamps and Kids Across America, I get to see some of the greatest relationships. Counselors that'll meet each other at Kamp and then they'll marry each other. But one of my favorites of all of our marriages is this couple that are married. They're raising kids together. But three years ago, they were ready to kill each other. I mean, three years ago, there was so much strife in their marriage. I mean they had already thrown in the towel, but then they went to counseling and God showed up as they begin to replace the insults with kindness and they replaced the anger with forgiveness. And now they're walking hand in hand and loving each other socks off. Listen to what first Peter Three, eight and nine said, if you've got a dad in your life or a brother or an employer, employee or spouse and you just, you know, you feel like they're just ridiculing you or they're like your enemy.
 
01:09          This should it encourage you? It sure does. Me Listen to what first Peter says, chapter three, verse eight and nine. "To sum it up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble in spirit, not returning, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. For you were called for this very purpose that you might inherit a blessing." One of my favorite things in sports, you know, as I get to share with teams around the country and college and pros is after the game. You know, before the game, they're getting fired up to smash each other. And during the game they're doing that. They're trying to take each other out. But after the game, the Christian guys will get together and they'll get in circles. It happens all over the league and in NFL. The cameras don't show it.
 
02:03          You know, the TV producers, they're uncomfortable with prayer for some strange reason, but these teams, after they play each other, the Christian guys, and sometimes you'll see 20 or 30, 40 players out on the field. As Christian brothers holding hands and praying together after the game because that's what scripture says to do. It says to love your enemies, to pray for those who persecute you. I used to admire my dad so much, but one of the most admirable things about him was the way he forgave my brother. He was going through some awful times as a teenager. And he ran away. And my daddy was so mad when he left home, but when he came back, I remember he walked in my house and he had this big, beautiful smile on his face. And the first thing my daddy said to him, even though he had been, you know, evil or battered, you know, when he left. But the first thing my daddy said to him, he said, I wouldn't, I wouldn't trade $1 million for that smile. And when my daddy died, my brother was sitting at his grave and he said, my daddy was my best friend.
 
03:08          So my question for you today is this. Who is it in your life that you need to love like that? Who is it that that may be the hardest to love, but that you need to watch God do a big miracle as you begin to love that person like Jesus would? Go, hug somebody today.
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September 18, 2019

Hidden Person of the Heart - 1 Peter 3:3-4

"You know, I have been married for over three decades to my little wife, Debbie Jo and I'll tell you, she's more beautiful today to me than she's ever been before in our lives. She was like the top 10 beauties that SMU were I played ball and she cheered for my football team. But she's more beautiful today than ever because something is happening inside that woman's heart. And I know what it is. She loves the Word of God and He's making her more and more like Christ every day." 

Family Discussion:

  1. How much time have you spent trying to get beautiful on the outside?
  2. How much time have you spent becoming beautiful on the inside?
  3. What can you do beginning today and the rest of your life to become beautiful from inside here?

Transcription:

 
 00:13          When You look at magazines on the magazine rack or in your mailbox and you see a GQ magazine. You see People Magazine. You see a 17 magazine, Glamour Girl or whatever they are. Cosmopolitan. Do you ever wonder what it would take to make you really beautiful? What it would take to make you really handsome? Well, believe it or not, scripture has got a whole another idea about that and this should put your mind at ease. First Peter Chapter three, verses three and four, it says this, "you're adornment was not merely be external, braiding of the hair, wearing gold jewelry, putting on dresses, but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." You know, I have been married for over three decades to my little wife, Debbie Jo and I'll tell you, she's more beautiful today to me than she's ever been before in our lives.
 
01:14          She was like the top 10 beauties that SMU were I played ball and she cheered for my football team. But she's more beautiful today than ever because something is happening inside that woman's heart. And I know what it is. She loves the Word of God and He's making her more and more like Christ every day. You know, I get to do weddings and they're the most awesome, you know, you get a 50 yard line seat to the greatest ceremony on earth and I get to see these grooms and brides and I've done them in, you know, gigantic churches. I've done them out in the country. I've done them where they've spent like a hundred thousand dollars and I've done them. In fact, the prettiest wedding I've ever done in my life, the bride had 100 bucks. It's all she had. Girl didn't have much money. Her boyfriend had waited for her for three years as she sit by our grandmama's side until her grand mom had died.
 
02:06          And then she turned to this patient guide, said, now I'm ready to marry you. I'll never forget her walking in to that wedding. She'd spend $100 on a dress that she bought from a garage sale. $100 for the dress. And then she had taken all summer and sown costume pearls and plastic beads all over that wedding dress. She walked in, there were maple trees in this outdoor setting that we chose for the wedding cause she had no money to rent anything. No photographers, no candles, no nothing. Her in the dress and the leaves were maple leaves. They were star-shaped and it was autumn and the leaves were golden and red and orange. And as she walked into that wedding, the wind was blowing the star shape maple leaves, and they were falling all around her. I'm telling you, y'all, it was just this awesome.
 
02:54          And she was walking in on a bed of these little star shape leaves and she walked up to that little place in the country where out at our Kamp on the mountain side, overlooking Table Rock Lake, where the wedding took place. Here's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. And she was so gorgeous because her purity came from inside of her heart. I mean, this girl just love God with all of her heart. She was just drop dead stunning gorgeous. It didn't have anything to do with any magazine in the world. It had everything to do with the word of God that had captured her heart. And we were all so taken by her beauty and the beauty of that wedding I even forgot to pronounce them man and wife. I did. I was so stunned. We get to the end and I'm sending him off. And I ain't even said the groom can kiss the bride. And then it dawned on me in the closing prayer that I'd forgotten to marry them.
 
03:44          They were going to go on their honeymoon without being married. But anyway, I caught myself and I said, now the groom can kiss the bride. And we all laughed in a way. They went for a honeymoon. Beauty comes from the heart. Men being handsome comes from the heart. A handsome dad. A handsome high school student. A handsome athlete is right Outta here where Christ leads, because he was the most intimately attractive person that ever lived on the face of the earth. Not as external beauty. But his heart. And the same can be true for you. So here's the question. How much time have you spent trying to get beautiful on the outside, and how much time have you spent becoming beautiful on the inside? And what can you do beginning today and the rest of your life to become beautiful from inside here? So when your spouse has been married to you for 40 years, almost he or she will say that you that's the most beautiful person I've ever met in my life.
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July 17, 2019

The Rewards of an Unselfish Relationship - Philippians 2:1-8

"You too can expect rewards of love beyond your wildest dreams."

Family Discussion:

  • Why is putting others needs before your own so difficult to accomplish?
  • Why does unselfishness bring so much joy to a relationship?
  • How can you begin today to prepare for the most important relationship in your life?

Transcription:

00:06 As you can probably tell, I'm not much of getting dressed up. I live in the hills here in the Ozark mountains and we don't have to dress up very much, but every once in a while, I'm asked by some dear bride-to-be or some groom-to-be to put on this old tacky robe and to do a wedding. And you know what? I really don't mind getting dressed up for a wedding because it's just awesome. I'll tell you the devotional today is the deal for weddings that stay alive forever. Listen to this. We're in Philippians 2 and we're in verse 1. It says this: "Therefore, if there's any encouragement in Christ, if there's any constellation of love, if there's any fellowship in the spirit, if there's any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in Spirit, intent on one purpose." And then it goes on and it, and it gives the key to happiness. It says: "do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind. Let each of you regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others. Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, who although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself by taking the form of a bondservant and being found in appearance as a man and being humbled as appearance as a man, He became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

01:44 Man for almost, I guess, the past 30-something years, I've had the indescribable privilege to get a 50 yard line ticket on the most amazing arena where talent, charm, and character are displayed like no other place on earth. The players were both male and female. The male team is all dressed in well tailored Tuxedo uniforms. The female team is in exquisite evening gowns. The star of the show is dressed in a pure dazzling white gown. Her beauty is beyond my ability to write. By now, I'm sure you've guessed that the event is a wedding. You know my 50 yard line seat as the guy who gazes with envy into the bride and groom's misty eyes. It gets to hold their hands together and invites them to say two words: I do. These moments have been too numerous to count over the past two decades, and here's the most amazing part of all. Almost all of the weddings I have officiated for featuring a bride and a groom that marry each other because they met on our summer staff, our Christian sports camps and fallen in love here, every single one of those are still not just married, but they're happily married. Nationally, about half of our marriages end in divorce, and a good number of those that stay married aren't truly happy. The difference between those that I've been blessed to closely witness, and the rest, is the daily reality of these few simple verses of scripture. If you'll study them, if you'll apply them diligently and daily in your life, if you'll sacrifice for 'em between now and your wedding day, or if you're already married for the rest of your life, and you too can expect rewards of love beyond your wildest dreams. Have this attitude in yourself, which was also in Christ Jesus.

03:42 Here's the questions for today. Why is putting others needs before your own so difficult to accomplish? And then the second question is: Why does unselfishness bring so much joy to a relationship? And then the other question is this: How can you begin today to prepare for the most important relationship in your life? And here's the thought for the day. It is in giving that we receive and it is in dying to ourselves that love can truly live. Start today.

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July 15, 2019

God’s Portrait of Family - Ephesians 6:1-4

"Let's, let's start painting a beautiful picture in this home. Let's start painting God's picture."

Family Discussion:

  • How do you describe your role in the family as it is biblically described?
  • How can you improve on a way you're living out that a mandate by God?
  • Why do you think God's desire for family roles is more harmonious than the roles that our flesh wants to play?

Transcription:

00:04 Man, if there's any gift that I wish I had, it would be the gift of painting. Today I want to tell you about the colors of love. Listen to what Ephesians says, it's talking about the home. And in chapter 5, you know what it says to wives, it says that your husband is in need of your respect. It says that husbands need trust. When it says submit your husbands as unto the Lord, guys want to be respected and guys really want to be trusted. And men, we're to set the stage because wives want to be loved. And Ephesians says, guys, we're supposed to love our wives as Christ loved the church. That means we're supposed to lay down our life for her and hear her heart. Husbands respected; wives loved and cherished and honored. And then Ephesians 6 paints this family portrait of love.

01:06 Listen to verse one in Ephesians 6, it says: "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother for this is the first command with a promise." And if you're in the the nest of your mom and Daddy, you got to know that when you honor your mother and Daddy, it's not just that you do the right thing, but that you honor them in what you do, and scripture promises you that it'll go well with you and you'll live long on the earth, and fathers and mothers too. But here specifically, it says fathers - "Do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." If a painting is at its best, and certainly it would be when it's rendered at the hand of Michelangelo or Picasso or Rembrandt, a family is at its best when it's painted by the brush of God. There's so many ideas on how to build a family, but this is the paintbrush that paints it pretty. The colors he uses are the colors of love. The canvas is our heart's affection. The order of the strokes of his brush are summed up perfectly in his priceless scripture reading/ Dads, our job is the greatest on earth. Our calling is to treat our wives like Queens. I mean, to put them up on a pedestal so high they can never fall off. To listen to our wives, to care for our wives, to serve our wives and to become an expert in their needs. To our children we're not to stir up anger in their hearts by ignoring them or being cruel or sarcastic to them. Conversely, for the wives that I know that are the happiest and have the happiest husbands, they let their husbands captain the ship. The wife takes joy in asking the question, honey, what do you think? Baby, how do you think we should make that decision? To feel secure on their own? Absolutely. My wife could run the whole thing a whole lot better than I could, but wives are the happiest when they look up to their husbands for leadership in the home and their husbands can't wait to get the wife to help them lead. By the same token, the children who want to live long and live well and live happily, not only obey their moms and dads by doing what they say, but as I said earlier, to honor their parents by having a positive attitude in their heart as they do it. Michelangelo's Mona Lisa is enshrined in a gallery of the finest works of art and in the same way, God's properly painted family portrait is displayed in the Gallery of Heaven's hall of fame. Get your brush out, man. Let's, let's start painting a beautiful picture in this home. Let's start painting God's picture.

03:45 And here's the questions today. How do you describe your role in the family as it is biblically described? And then secondly: How can you improve on a way you're living out that a mandate by God? And then the next question: Why do you think God's desire for family roles is more harmonious than the roles that our flesh wants to play? And here's the thought for the day. If an original Picasso on a piece of canvas is worth tens of millions, imagine how much a vintage family portrait is worth if it's painted on the heart of a family and it's painted by the brush of God. Got your paint brush ready? Let's paint a good one.

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