Monday, May 28, 2012
Busily Ever After
Pursuing unhurried and undistracted intimacy in a 21st century marriage is like being a contestant on Wipeout. Between you and your goal are a lot of obstacles orchestrated to beat you up and wear you down until you're too exhausted to relish victory.
But when you're proactive rather than reactive, you can anticipate and dodge that which levels the ill-prepared. So this Sunday at White Pine, you're going to be equipped to overcome two of the biggest obstacles to the marriage you've always wanted.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Why Marriage? / 05-20-12
Men and women say "I do" for all kinds of reasons, but do you do when your marriage doesn't live up to your expectations?
God had His reasons for creating marriage, and He didn't keep them a secret. In this message we are going to discover what God had in mind so that we can find the good in marriage that eludes those who are ignorant of His purposes.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sermon Notes for 05-13-12 / A Man's Guide to a Great Marriage
"A Man's Guide to a Great Marriage," by Greg Sidders / 05-13-12
It was in the receiving line following my friends' wedding that a middle-aged man cracked a joke. As he and his wife congratulated the newlyweds, he said, "I hope you will be as happy as we thought we'd be."
Marriage is a double-edged sword. No other relationship has greater potential to enrich us, nor more power to deplete us. But what does it take to make your marriage a blessing rather than a curse? That's what we are going to find out during the next six weeks, as we explore what the Bible teaches about how to achieve The Marriage You've Always Wanted. And we're going to start with an appropriate topic for Mother's Day: God's job description for husbands. (Don't worry guys, we'll turn the tables on Father's Day!)
If you're not married, I hope you won't assume that this series is not for you. The principles we learn can make your most important relationships better, too. As all of us listen without defensiveness and obey without excuses, God will transform our relationships into compelling advertisements for the mountain-moving power of Jesus.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Why The Dot Matters / Sunday 05-06-12
Seven weeks ago, during our God Over Money series, we read together Luke 12:33, where Jesus said, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor." Then I asked if you would be willing to sell a possession in order to give to a clean water project in poverty-stricken Ethiopia. My heart beats faster as I remember the joy I felt when so many of you stood up and said "Yes!"
This Sunday, you will have the opportunity to "finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it" (2 Corinthians 8:11). With the money you made from the sale of a personal possession, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the Living Water project. If you intended to sell a possession but have not yet found a buyer, you may give what you expect to make, or wait to complete the sale. If you have already given, that money will be added to the total we send to World Vision.
Also on Sunday we will learn more about how generosity to the under-resourced fits into Christ's lifelong plan for us, individually and corporately.
Sunshine is in the forecast, but don't let the weather keep you away from the warm brightness of God's blessing as we please Him with this act of generosity.
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