"...i Being In The Way..."

If you live long enough, you will see some of these trends come and go two or three times in your lifetime.

For example, if you are fifty years of age, you probably have seen the double-breasted suits for men come IN STYLE, and GO OUT OF STYLE, at least three or four times.

It is true, we see many trends in our society that come and go.

And there are some we are glad to see COME, and others we are glad to see GO.

There are a lot of fashion trends I will be glad when they GO!!

• Orange and green hair, jewelry on the eye lids, nose ring, and tongue rings and tattoos.

• I think the worst fashion trend is practiced by so many who are wearing their britches that are about to fall off with their underwear showing.

Their parents never taught them the reason we call certain items of clothing underwear is because it is to be worn under outerwear.

During the times of Abraham, they had a custom that the parents chose the mates for their children.

Two of the greatest decisions a person has to make in this life are:

(1) First, who they are going to spend eternity with, Satan or the Lord Jesus.

(2) Secondly, who they are going to spend their earthly life with.

Those are two of the most important decisions a person must make in this life.

Today we want to look at the different trends in how a person is going to find a life time mate.

Today in our society people search for soul mates in different ways. Some choose a:

(1) Dating service

I heard you pay a company 50 or 60 dollars a month and they send you profiles of candidates that are also trying to find someone to date.

But there are many flaws in this method of selecting a mate.

What is it?

You can almost count on every profile having been embellished to look good.

So the person who is looking does not get the whole truth about this other person until later on when they are married and then it is too late.

Illus: I am reminded of the story of a beautiful opera singer. A man went to hear her sing and fell madly in love with her and her beautiful voice.

After a long courtship they got married. The first night she was getting ready for bed and she:

• Took off her wig

• Took off her makeup.

• Took out her false teeth.

• Took off her false eye lashes.

• She removed her ear rings.

• She removed her girdle.

• She removed a peg leg.

And all this time this fellow that fell in love with this beautiful woman and her voice saw there was not a lot left…he said, “Sing woman, for heaven sake sing!”

A dating service is not the best way to find a mate!!! You do not know what you are getting until later!!!

Some choose the…

(2) Courting method of dating

The courting which was common early on in the United States involved strong rules and customs.

Such as, asking the parents of the girl if they can court their daughter.

Illus: If you saw the movie called “QUIET MAN” starring John Wayne and Maureen O’hara that took place in Ireland this method of dating was on display.

John Wayne was interested in dating Maureen O’hara in this movie but he had to get permission from her older brother because her parents had died. Once the permission was given the couple had to be chaperoned by someone for a long period of time.

(3) Traditional method of dating.

Dating as we know it today developed in the 20th century. It is a practice in which people meet and participate in activities together in order to get to know each other.

This method also has some flaws. That is, when these couples meet they dress and conduct themselves to impress each other.

Many times after they think they have gotten to know each other they find out they have been deceived.

All of these methods of choosing a mate for marriage have flaws.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY OF FINDING A MATE?

It is best to first seek the Lord in prayer.

• My wife tells me that when she was a young girl she started praying for God to help her find the right mate.

• Also, I told her when I became a Christian I started praying for God to help me find the right mate.

Illus: And I remember, in college, the first time I saw her God spoke to my heart that she was the one. Not the second, third or fourth but the first time I saw her.