Marriage: A Pioneering Experience Or Working On Your Marriage Series

Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Senior Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.

E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk

Note to the reader:

If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you merely telling me where in the world you are based- I do not need any other information. This is merely so that I can have the pleasure, and give thanks to Almighty God, that all over the globe the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God.

Thank you. Herman Abrahams, Cape Town, South Africa.

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Series: Successful Family

MARRIAGE: A PIONEERING EXPERIENCE or WORKING ON YOUR MARRIAGE

(Matthew 19:4-6)

MATT 19:3-9 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

THE CHALLENGE

Marriage is like the conquest and settling of a new land. The situation when you cross from single to married life could be compared to that of the Israelites when they crossed the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua. A new and unexplored territory stretches out before you. No matter how many people have settled down in marriage before, it is still a new and unsettled land for each couple that enters into it.

1. HOPE and DIFFICULTY

Pioneering links together two things which often strives together in marriage:

HOPE and DIFFICULTY.

Pioneers enter a new territory with great hopes. They envisage the beautiful life which will be theirs in this new land: home, wealth and future.

This new land does not yield up its treasure without a struggle. Pioneers run up against obstacles and forces which would drive them back and keep them from settling the land.

All too often hope shrivels up in the face of difficulty. Difficulty when it comes is greeted with dismay; and gives way to discouragement. Virtually any real difficulty can cut the nerve of hope:-

 A sharp disagreement between husband and wife;

 A problem in the sexual relationship;

 A difference over finances

 Communication problems

Marriage was created by God (Matthew 9:4-6) and is intended for our happiness; when a man finds a wife he is blessed of the Lord:

Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. (NIV)

Since God created marriage we have to exercise faith in Almighty God for the success of our marriage:

Hebrews 11:1,6 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly (KJV ‘diligently’) seek him. (NIV)

The Christian couple is able to have HOPE for a successful marriage through the help of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit:

Romans 15:1-7 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.