"Out to lunch. Think it over."

At noon they found a sign on the door marked Justice of the Peace. It read: "Out to lunch. Think it over."

When was the last time you heard a sermon on the virtues, privileges, duties and responsibilities of Marriage? I have heard pastors complain about their wives, and about being married.

Is there a great lack of preaching on the goodness of marriage because there is a great lack of study of it? There are many good exponents of christian marriage. But every man and woman thinking of marrying someone someday, must prepare by studying what makes a marriage pleasing to God. It was given us to enjoy, not to create our own burdensome visions of it. But what men and women enjoy today are to often the antithesis of what God enjoys.

One thing I know, marriage is not for the lazy or the faint hearted. It takes tremendous courage and work. Standing up for Jesus when you have mouths to feed requires FAITH and some many times we (and I do include myself) have so "little faith". So many have their eyes on everything but Christ. He will, by the increase of our faith sustain and increase courage and strength, so that we do not lack these essential marriage making gifts.

Jesus teaches about the roots of bitterness and about the deceitfulness of riches and of sin. Divorce is the result of not treasuring Him and His Truth. Tremendous hardship can be endured with attention to Him.

But how many marriages are just high maitenance on both end? To the point where the sufferings of Christ are neglected and forgotten. Marriage is just a God diven opportunity to glorify God. (And please HIM forever.)

Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

If this is to be our attitude in the church, how much more in our home? But I fear we are losing ground to material pleasure at an alarming rate. Television, and all the entertainment tech pooh has become idolatry. If men in the past were deceived by the devil with stone statues and idols,
should we be surprised that the great wasteland of moving and talking pictures has reached out and stolen our hearts from our first love? Prosperity is MORE dangerous than affliction.

Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
Psalm 119:71
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Psalm 107:41
Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction...

Senator John McCain, relates how he and his fellow military men endured the Vietnamese war prisons (McCain for 7 years); remembering scripture bit by bit, they reassembled the verses they had learned and heard in church. they endured because the were quickened by the Word, not by HBO.

Marriage has virtuous opportunities that can strengthen the christian soldier in the good fight. Why do Christians divorce? They do not look to Jesus, the Author AND Finisher of their faith. I would add that He is the daily Finisher of our faith. Folks do not see that what ever it is they are escaping and/or chasing by divorcing, this is a temporary world their eternal souls are living in. When it ends it will not be a good thing to have "divorce" on the "resume". It may not keep you out of heaven, but I can't imagine there being no loss of reward.

Give Glory to God, He hasn't killed you yet !!!

Revelation 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.