September 4 2016 Affair-Proofing Your Marriage

/ Great Plains Community Church/

Affair Proofing Your Marriage

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery."

How to Affair Proof Your Marriage

1. MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GOD'S STANDARDS

Psalm 119:9 "How can a (person) keep his way pure? By living according to your Word."

Proverbs 5:15 (GN) "Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone."

2. MAGNIFY THE CONSEQUENCES

Proverbs 6:32 (GN)"The one who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul."

3. MAINTAIN MY MARRIAGE

1 Corinthians 7:3 (GN)" A man should fulfill his duty as a husband and a woman should fulfill her duty as a wife, and each should satisfy the other's needs."

The top five needs of most men are:

  1. Sexual fulfillment
  2. Recreational companionship
  3. An attractive spouse
  4. Domestic support
  5. Admiration

The top five needs of most women are:

  1. Affection
  2. Conversation
  3. Honesty and openness
  4. Financial support
  5. Family commitment

1 Corinthians 7:5 (Ph)"Do not cheat each other of normal sexual intercourse ... or you will expose yourselves to the obvious temptation of Satan."

4. MANAGE MY MIND

How Affairs Develop

  1. Accepting sinful thoughts in my mind
  2. Emotional, non-physical involvement
  3. Physical involvement
  4. Rationalizing the affair

James 1:14-15 (LB) "Temptation is the pull of a person's own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to death."

2 Timothy 2:22 (Ph)"Turn your back on lustful desires and give your positive attention to goodness, integrity, love, and peace..."

Romans 16:19 "I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about evil."

5. MAINTAIN PROPER RELATIONSHIPS

Ephesians 5:3 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality."

6. MINIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

1 Corinthians 10:12 (LB)"So be careful! If you are thinking, `Oh, I would never behave like that - let this be a warning to you. For you too may fall into sin."

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Bad company corrupts good character."

Malachi 2:15 "Guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with your wife."

THE PATHWAY BACK TO PURITY

  1. Acknowledge the sin (Psalm 51:1-4)
  2. End the relationship immediately
  3. Avoid ALL contact with the person from now on. Do whatever it takes to do this!

June 5 2016 Living What You Believe

/ Great Plains Community Church/

The Apostle's Creed: "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen."

  • Wasn't written by the apostles
  • Is not Scripture
  • Was used to distinguish orthodoxy from heresy

FOUR QUESTIONS OF BELIEF

1. ASK: WHAT DO I BELIEVE?

"Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups." — 2 Corinthians 13:5

2. ASK: ON WHAT ARE MY BELIEFS BASED ?

"An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth; fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies." - Proverbs 15:14

"Truth stands the test of time; lies are here today, gone tomorrow." - Proverbs 12:19

3. ASK: DOES MY BEHAVIOR MATCH MY BELIEFS?

Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. - James 2:17

4. ASK: HOW WILL I LIVE OUT WHAT I BELIEVE ?

"Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong." - 1 Corinthians 16:13

"Fool! When will you ever learn that 'believing' is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith." - James 2:20

My Beliefs Determine:

  • MY BEHAVIOR

(James 4:17; Psalm 119:59)_

  • MY SIGNIFICANCE

(Genesis 1:27; John 10:10; John 8:31-32; Mark 6:34)

  • MY ETERNITY

(John 5:24; John 3:16-17)

"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9