Marriage Series - Keep Your Wedding Vows Part 2

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

In our last episode, we examined the vows that a married couple makes to each other at their wedding ceremony. I believe that making these vows, in the hearing of witnesses, is the one essential element of a wedding ceremony. Listen to wedding vows again.

“Do you receive this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; for richer and for poorer, forsaking all others, and keep yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live?”

It is essential for a bride and a groom to respond to these questions with the words “I do.” Because the essence of marriage is contained in these two questions.  Marriage is God’s plan. He ordained marriage when he created human beings. Marriage is holy and good because God ordained it.  Marriage is based on self-sacrificing love, the kind of love Jesus demonstrated when he went to the cross to save you and me. Marriage means that I sacrifice myself for the good of another: to comfort her when she is hurting, to honor her before her friends, family and even her enemies, to keep her, regardless of illness or economic hardship. Marriage, as designed by our Creator, is exclusive. One man, one woman, until death parts them.

And so I rejoice in these vows. They are a blessing. Wedding vows bless married couples from the day of their wedding until they are parted by death. How? How do wedding vows bless us?  

Wedding vows are a reminder. I remember when I was standing at the admitting desk of the emergency department of a large hospital far from my home. My wife Gail had just suffered a stroke and was paralyzed on the left side of her body. Should not speak. Though she was awake, she seemed to be sleeping.  I was scared.  The only prayer I could pray was “Lord, don’t let her die.” I was so scared I couldn’t think of praying for anything else.  Gail had never suffered any serious health problems before that day in 1999.  But that day I knew things would be different. We got her into a hospital room and the doctors and nurses were caring for her. Later, in a quiet moment, I remembered my wedding vows, “in sickness and in health.” I quietly said these words to God, “Well Lord, I guess this is what I meant when I said, “in sickness and in health.”  

In that moment, the memory of my wedding vows helped me stay strong for Gail.  They reminded me to love her and keep her.  They taught me that my vow was not just a vow for as long as things were easy. My vow was for all times, both hard and easy.  And since I had made those vows before God and many witnesses, I prayed with faith. I asked God to help me be true to my vows. I asked him to help me love her and care for her in her weakness and in her struggle to walk and talk and move and carry on with life. And He did. God gave me strength to love my wife and he used my wedding vows to strengthen me.  Brothers and sisters, remember your wedding vows today. Take strength from the Lord to live them out today, no matter what challenge or difficulty you are facing.  These vows bring blessings to you and your mate. They bless your children and your children’s children. So, keep your wedding vows and be a blessing today.

 

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #InSicknessAndInHealth

Marriage Series - Keep The Marriage Bed Pure

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

God is the author of marriage. Marriage is his idea. He knows and understands

that two are better than one. He said, “It is not good for man to be alone.”

God, our Creator, is the one who designed marriage as a covenant relationship

in which one man and one woman come together in sexual unity. God our

Creator is the one who designed men and women with different, but

complimentary bodies for sexual union.

These statements seem both obvious and contradictory to many people. It is

obvious that men and women have different bodies. It is obvious that these

differences were not an accident; they were part of a design for human

existence. But it’s hard for many people, even many Christians who know the

Bible, to admit that God is the author of human sexuality and all of the

pleasure that accompanies it. But he is.

When our Maker created the first man and the first woman, he “saw all that he

had made, and it was very good.” I think the reason that so many people have

a hard time believing that a sexual relationship between a husband and a wife

is God’s idea is because the world we live in is broken.

Broken people in every culture all over the world have rebelled against God.

Part of this rebellion is against God’s plan for sexual relations in marriage. So

often, when broken people think about sex, they think it is taboo, or

prohibited, or just plain morally wrong. But this is NOT what the Bible teaches!

Sexual relationship between a married man and his wife is good. It’s good for

making babies and it’s good for uniting two people and making them one. And

its good for affirming their commitment until death parts them.

Problems come however when human beings experience sexual intimacy with

persons to whom they are not married. The covenant of marriage provides the

trust and security that makes the very powerful intimacy of the marriage bed

safe and helpful and holy. That’s why the biblical letter to the Hebrews

instructs all people with these words: “Marriage should be honored by all, and

the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the

sexually immoral.” (Hebrews 13:4).

To honor a marriage is to respect it. To honor a marriage is to protect it.

To honor a marriage is to never violate its integrity. God calls all people

everywhere to honor marriage as an institution and especially to honor the marriages of people they know. This means to honor the unity and integrity of

marriages by never violating the marriage covenant through adultery or

fornication or other sexual immorality. “The marriage bed should be kept

pure.” What does this mean? It means that sexual relations are to be enjoyed

exclusively between one man and one woman who are married to each other.

It means that sex between a husband and a wife is good and beautiful,

honorable and purposeful. Its pure. It was and is God’s loving design to bless

men and women. So let the marriage bed be kept pure and let it be honored

by all.

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this

encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #

One Another Series - Be At Peace With One Another

 This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

This year, in these podcasts, I am focusing upon the “One Another” scriptures found in the New Testament viewed through the lens of leadership.

Today’s podcast comes from two similar scriptures, Mark 9:50 and Romans 12:16. In the former passage, we find Jesus instructing his disciples. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Paul shares a similar message saying, “Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

What does salt and saltiness have to do with being at peace with one another? That’s a good question; I’m glad that you asked.

I think the key is contained in the phrase “have salt among yourselves.” In Bible times, and even today, salt is used to purify, preserve, and give flavor. As Christ-followers interact with one another, we are to express these same three qualities. We encourage one another toward holy living and purity. We come alongside others to help them preserve and persevere in their faith (to avoid a “spoiling” of their faith and their testimony). Finally, we add flavor to one another’s lives as we give testimony with each other, sharing stories of God’s faithfulness.

As Christ followers live “salty” lives with one another, we are mutually strengthened in our common faith. This leads to a place where we live at peace with one another.

In the Romans passage, Paul links our ability to live in harmony with one another to an attitude of humility. I note that his positive command “live in harmony” is combined with two negatives to avoid. “Do not be proud” … “Do not be conceited.”

Have you ever been around someone who is proud and conceited? I refer to these people as “legends in their own minds.” Earlier in this same chapter, Paul said, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…” (12:3b). In the JB Phillips translation, he tells us “don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities…”

In order to live in harmony with one another, we must be humble; we must be willing to associate with the least, the last and the lost.

And, to refer to Mark chapter 9 once again, unless the purity of Jesus is evident in our daily lives, we will be like salt without flavor.

Let us be at peace with – and in harmony with – one another.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Marriage Series - Keep Your Wedding Vows Part 1

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis, and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

From time to time, an engaged couple will ask me to officiate in their wedding ceremony.  Couples who are getting married have many ideas about what they want to include in their wedding and what they do not want included in the ceremony.  I have officiated weddings in my own country and in other countries. And of course, different cultures have different practices concerning the elements of a wedding ceremony.

But as a wedding officiant, there is always one tradition I insist on keeping: the vows must be clear and complete. In some weddings, the congregation sings and soloists sing, in other weddings, there is little or no singing.  In some weddings, communion is served, in others it is not.  In some weddings, there is a special display of unity like the lighting of a common candle or the binding of hands with a rope. The clothing chosen for a wedding differs among different ethnic groups.  All of these elements of a wedding ceremony are nice, but they are not essential.  What is essential are the vows.

There are, I am sure, several ways that the vows can be expressed, but vows like these are of vital importance in a wedding ceremony:

“[Groom] Do you receive this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; for richer and for poorer, forsaking all others, and keep yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live?”

The groom responds with two very simple words, “I do.”  And those words make all the difference in the world.  Then the bride hears the vows repeated and she also responds with “I do.”

Love  him – this means to take care to do what is best for your spouse no matter what.

Comfort her – means to be with her in times of sorrow, sickness, and loss in order to lessen her pain and bring her hope.

Honor him – means to not despise or criticize publicly, but to respect, build up and show appreciation.

Keep her, keep him – means that your intent is that marriage will last a lifetime and that you will not put away your spouse. 

And now, a really important part, “in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer.” The promises of marriage are not conditioned on health, wealth or prosperity.  They are absolute promises to abide with the other, come what may. 

“Forsaking all others and keep yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live.” Marriage is exclusive. One man, one woman, no intruders, no abandonment, no wandering eyes or wandering hearts.  When we marry, it is to one and only one person. Marriage is for life, “so long as you both shall live.”

These wedding vows are important; these vows are serious. These vows, spoken before many witnesses at a wedding ceremony, provide guardrails that keep us on the straight and narrow road that leads to blessing, peace, and harmony.  So my word of encouragement today is simple: Keep your wedding vows!

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #WeddingVows

 

Marriage Series - Bear With One Another Part 2

 

Hello I am Brad Snowden and this Multiply a podcast to encourage village church planters and leaders. Today we are going to look at Colossians  3:12-13.  "So, as God's own chosen people, who are holy set apart, sanctified for His purpose and well-beloved by God Himself, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper  13 bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive."

In this passage, we find the Apostle Paul sharing with the believers what attributes would be fruitful for their spiritual lives and testimony. I believe that this is one of the best ways to model Jesus before a world that is lacking. I am moved in my spirit not by what a person says as much as the compassion that is evident in their actions. We will be known by our love and kindness so church planters when Colossians 3:13 says to 'bear graciously,' it flows from a heart full of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience which has the power to endure. 

We will be flowing from our lives the ability to forgive and able to have grace when another brother or sister has a moment that may not be at their best or what they would want to be. I certainly have made so many mistakes and had moments that I wish nobody had to experience but, we are human and in this world we will make mistakes. We overcome by bearing grace and forgiveness allowing God to help us through His grace and His word.  I know that if this is our heart as church planters and leaders and even in our family dynamics we will see a true witness of the Lord to touch lives simply by this action. We can truly experience the joy and harmony in marriage as we bear with one another as husband and wife. 

We will at times have to show this grace in situations that will cause us extra work but the true fact of keeping the peace and power in our relationship will be through bearing with one another. I definitely know there are many times that my precious wife has had to bear much grace with me as I worked through things that could have caused division, but she was willing to extend grace.  We are set apart from this world to be an example and there is no greater example of who God is than allowing His kindness, gentleness, humility and patience graciously forgiving spirit to flow through each one of us. 

This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. Who will you share this podcast with today? 

Lord bless you!

Marriage Series - Marriage Series - Practice Hospitality

 

In this podcast, as we are continuing with our Marriage Series we shall look into the area of hospitality. Let’s look at Romans 12:13 in the amplified version which says: “…contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.”

Contributing within our marriages is a big one, isn’t it? It’s doing ‘our-part’ to make the family dynamics flow smoothly. Sometimes, we all do forget to do our part to help the household flow, as we must try to ease off the burden of our spouse to simply put into words; ‘to be a blessing!’

When we contribute to the needs of others, including our family, we are showing hospitality.

In the Bible, hospitality is to be done with action and love. Let’s read the verses that preceded our scripture in Romans 12  

9” Love is to be sincere and active. Hate what is evil; hold on tightly to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor; 11 never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord; 12 constantly rejoicing in hope, steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.”

This can only truly be done EFFECTIVIELY as it is done in LOVE! As stated in this scripture, this is completed with a sincere love that not only verbally says we love others but shows it too. 

Another definition of hospitality in the Greek is to love strangers. When we invite others into our home and show them loving hospitality, does it already exist in our homes between us and our spouse? Is loving hospitality flowing beautifully so much so that when others come into our homes it naturally flows as part of our daily marriage & family dynamic?  

By taking a small peek into our little home, you will see my husband lovingly make me coffee, without ever being asked and even carrying it downstairs to my office. It doesn’t have to be this way yet, he is showing love as he serves sacrificially, all just for me. I love to help him by cooking, washing his clothes and bringing him a glass of water when he is thirsty from working. 

The best of all hospitable acts is when we pray for one another! This is a service too, by gently grabbing the hand of our spouse and praying for him or her. 

Now, according to 1 Peter 4:9; this is to be done without grumbling: Right? When we lay ourselves down to serve our Lord Jesus, we also do so by serving one another. If you have children still living in your home, this is how they can learn about selflessness, serving others and teaching what hospitality should look like. 

Allow me to give you a challenge; pray about how you can better serve and be hospitable to your spouse? Allow God to show you areas that need improving. Ask your spouse how you can better serve them in this capacity. And one more, pray together and ask the Lord who He wants you to bring into your home to show a Christ-like hospitality to. 

This has been Multiply, help us to be heard and bless even more people you may know. Share this with them and encourage all to follow us on Facebook (Encouragement for Village Church Planters), YouTube (VCPencouragement OMS) and on our website; vcpencouragement.org. 

Thank you and God bless!

Marriage Series - Resolve Conflicts Through Forgiveness

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

One of the hardest teachings of Jesus is his command to forgive. Jesus said, “If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14). To forgive someone is to give up our right to personally take vengeance upon an offender.  When we forgive someone, we leave vengeance in the hands of the Lord.

We all long to be forgiven, but we find it difficult to forgive those who have hurt us. Even in a loving marriage, it can be difficult to forgive. But God calls us all to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” He commands us to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to [our] neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” (Ephesians 4:24, 25). When we do this, we find it much easier to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave [us].”

I think everyone who gets married desires a marriage that is full of kindness and compassion.  But to have such a marriage, we must learn to forgive your mate.  Here are some practical suggestions related to forgiveness in marriage.

• When you have failed your mate in word or deed, no matter how significant your failing, ask for forgiveness.  Both husbands and wives should say the words, “Will you forgive me?”  Then listen quietly until their spouse responds.  

 

• Recognizing your shortcoming without delay and then asking for forgiveness builds character. It strengthens your ability to resist temptation and to exercise wisdom in the future.  It builds trust.  Asking forgiveness gives God an opportunity to bless you, for he is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Asking your spouse to forgive you builds trust in your marriage.  Forgiveness brings peace.

 

• When you are confronted by your spouse with your own sin, oversight or failing, do not make excuses. Recognize and admit your shortcoming and weakness. Ask God for grace to change your behavior.  Make plans to do what is right, and then do it. Your heavenly Father delights to help you in our weakness.  He longs to make you more loving and kind. So let your mate’s rebuke be an opportunity for you to draw near to God, not an opportunity to fight your spouse.

 

• Before confronting your spouse with a failure or sin, examine yourself. Remember the instruction of Jesus.  He asks us, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:42).  Husbands and wives often find fault with small failings of their mate, while overlooking large failings in their own life.  Don’t let this be the case in your own marriage.  Examine yourself and correct yourself before you speak to your mate about their sin. You do not have to be perfect before you speak, but you do need to be humble, compassionate, and kind.

So very many conflicts in marriage can be overcome by forgiveness. God wants to bless you with a home full of kindness and compassion.  His blessings will flow in your home as you humbly forgive and receive forgiveness.

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?”

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Forgive