A Godly Marriage | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

You would stand with me this morning if you're not already standing and go quickly to the book of Genesis chapter 2 and verse number 18. You know, it's wonderful when you are in a Holy Ghostled church, when you're in a Holy Ghostled church, uh that the Lord can just come take over and kind of begin to move. And uh if you didn't feel the touch of God during Brother Stitcher's presentation, we need to have a prayer line for your filler because if you couldn't feel the touch of God and see the ways of God, thank you for responding. Thank you for responding to that so beautifully this morning. The church is just as strong as the families that attend church. I want today I want to say to you this morning that u I want to go right into the word of God second chapter of the book of Genesis verse number 18 and I will be mindful of the time because I feel like that God has already ministered >> in a way does your cup is your cup overrun is overflowing right now you feel like your cup is overflowing right now just I don't know about you but You see the thousands of people that came through the the the church Friday night. Thousands of people came through that this church is being known in this city as a community church that when the fall festivals or whatever you want to call it roll around FAC is the place you need to go to. and uh the strangers that just came up and said, "Thank you for giving us such a safe place to bring our children to and thank you for what you're doing." And we're just trying to reach souls for God, aren't we, church? Just trying to reach people for God. Genesis 2:18. And the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a help meat for him. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a help meat for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man made he a woman. Brought her unto the man. And Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh." And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. For a few moments today, and I won't get finished, but for a few moments today, I want to teach a godly marriage. A godly marriage. If you happen to be standing beside your spouse, if you just reach over and take him or her by the hand right now. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray over every marriage here at this church. Father, I pray over every marriage that is watching online right now. Lord, I pray God that you would move upon every marriage in this church. Because God, there's not one marriage in this church that doesn't need maintenance. There's not one marriage in this church, God, that doesn't need to be improved. Oh God, help us today, Lord, to value our marriage, to value, Lord, what it is doing right now. And Lord, what it will do for generations to come. Lord be upon us today in Jesus wonderful name we all pray and everybody said amen. >> You may be seated. Just let me go ahead and tell you this. Marriage retreat 2026 will be February the 13th through the 15th. Dr. James Hughes from Houston, Texas will be here with us and we are so excited to have him. It will be in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. And uh I am not at liberty right now to tell you of the new venue that has been picked out and the contracts that are being worked out. But I promise you all of you that have been to a marriage retreat that First Apostolic Church has had, whether it is Music Road Hotel or Park Vista, the new venue that we have in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is going to blow your living loving mind. I'm going to tell you, it's going to be beyond anything. when when when we announce it and and and you you see it, you're just going to uh we we'll have to we'll have to tie a rope around your jaw and across your head to keep your mouth to closed. It just want to open up. It's going to be a beautiful it's going to be a beautiful venue. In verse 18, we find of the reading that humanity, man, is alone. Man is alone. But after all, God, if I could hold a conversation with you today, after all, God, you created man. But God created man to need a helpmate. It wasn't an oversight of God. When he created Adam, it was an oversight of God. God knew when he made man that he made Adam with the need with the need for a helper. Man, men. When God created the first man, God himself created him weak and in need of a helper. God wasn't an oversight. It wasn't an oops. God doesn't have oops. When God created man, he created him knowing very well that he created a weak man. A man who would need a helper. But church, this morning, God has never created man without having a plan for man. God had a plan. God had a plan for this man. I'm glad today, and I'd like to just go slow, but I'm glad today for God's plan. I'm glad for God's plan. We often refer to God's plan as his will, and that is rightfully so. That's why one of the chief prayers that you should pray is not my will be done but thy will be done. What you're saying in essence is God I don't want my plan to be done. God I want your plan to be done. Why would that be? Because God's plan is so far superior to anything that you could ever concoct for your life. God's plan for your life. Well, he tells in Jeremiah 29 verse number 11. Listen to what God says to his people. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, sayaeth the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. In other words, it is God's will to give you a brighter future than you have right now presently. It is God's will not for our lives to grow dim and our walk with God to grow dim the further that we walk with him, but it is God's will for it to be brighter and brighter. And so he tells the people of God in Jeremiah 29:11, he says, "I know my thoughts that I have. I know the ending of your life. I know I know what I have what I have given what I have given you. I know these I know these plans." Look again in the book of Jeremiah in Jeremiah chapter 18 verse number four the well story the well-known story of the potter's house and the Bible says in verse 4 and the vessel that was made of clay was mired in the hand of the potter so he made it again another vessel as seemed as seemed good to the potter to make it. Can I tell each and every one of us today in this room that when God has a plan A, God always has a plan B. God always has a plan B for your life. Now, I want you to know that plan B is not necessarily substandard to plan A, but God just knows you and I. And God just knows that sometimes plan A gets aborted. But thank God today for a God of a second chance. Thank him today for a God that has a plan B in our lives. And if you want if you want to get a little discouraged and think you've messed up plan B, then he identifies himself as the alpha and the omega. And the alpha and the omega is simply the first and the last letter of the Greek alphabet. So if you've messed up plan A and went to plan B and you messed up plan B and went to plan C, God has got a whole alphabet and he can spell anything that you need in your life. WHAT A GREAT GOD THAT WE serve today. verses 19 and 20 of Genesis that I read was God showing Adam that his help was not coming from the ground outside of himself. Notice that when God said in verse number 18, it's not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helpmate. Genesis 2:18, I will make him a help meat. Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, every fowl of the air, brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Verse 20. And Adam gave names to all cattle to and to the fowl of the air and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a help for him. You know what God's trying to show Adam? God's trying to show him your helper doesn't come from any place else. I'm bringing these animals out of the ground. I'm creating all kind of for-footed beasts. You're naming them. You're naming them. And whatever you name them, that's the name thereof. I'm creating the the foul of the air, but I'm creating it in your presence for you to understand that nothing that comes out of the ground, nothing that I'm bringing out of the ground is going to complete you and nothing out of the ground is going to help you. God was simply showing Adam where his strength would really lie. God was really showing Adam where his help was going to come from. Because, you know, us humans, we are so prone to look for love. I'm not a songwriter, but we're so prone to look for love in all the wrong places. We're so used prone to lean on the wrong things. But can I tell you that God's got a great plan? And if we'll just understand that our happiness and contentment is not in anything that comes out of the ground. It's not anything of that nature. But then another note before I move on. The Bible says that whatever Adam would name them, whatever Adam would name them, that was the name thereof. In other words, Adam had the power, brother Fuller. God gave Adam the power to paint his world. God gave Adam the power of words. God gave Adam the power of speech. God gave Adam the power to be able to create his environment to create his environment by the words that he would speak. Do we not find in Proverbs 18:21, "Is it not a testimony of the power of speech and the power of words?" It says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Can I tell you, speech is a powerful thing. Words are a powerful thing. And when we're talking about marriage today, and we're laying the foundation about marriage today, words are very important. They're vital in a relationship because I can either take my words and I can paint a dark death world or I can take my world words and I can create life and enthusiasm and encouragement. I can take words and you can too. You can take words and I can and we can actually discourage one another with words. Discourage one another to the point that people quit, THAT PEOPLE TRY. BUT we can take the same tongue and we can create words that bring life and resurrection and revival and HOPE AND STICKING TOGETHER AND being together. That's the kind of words power of death and life. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. This is a trait in men. Men are given the trait God gave Adam the ability to name and paint his world. No wonder in Genesis 28 verse number 11 when Jacob had that awesome experience in a place called LZ. A place called L. This place called LZ. That was the name of the place that Jacob had the vision of the latter. THAT WAS THE PLACE OF REVELATION that I'm not out here by myself. God has made a covenant with my grandfather Abraham and God made a covenant with my father Isaac. AND THAT SAME GOD OF HEAVEN HAS MADE A COVENANT WITH ME TODAY. But this place is called L. The word love simply means an almond tree. probably named probably named BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME ALMOND TREES there and and and and and somebody just said, "Well, it's just called almond tree because there's almond trees here." But when Jacob has an encounter with the living God, HE SAYS, "I'M GOING TO change the name of this place." AREN'T YOU THANKFUL TODAY THAT WE have the ability to change an ordinary common marriage into a marriage that is full of life THAT IS PRODUCTIVE IN the kingdom of God? He said, "I've had such an experience with God. I've had such AN EXPERIENCE WITH GOD here today, then I'm not going to name this anymore, loves Almond Tree. I'm going to name this today. I'm going to name this. Beth L is two words. Beth means house and L means God. He says, I'm going to name this the house of God. I'm glad today that our heavenly FATHER GIVES US ALL the ability this morning to rename my life is not common. My marriage is not common. My marriage is full of life. My marriage is full of purpose. My marriage is going to advance the kingdom of God. If one can PUT A THOUSAND TO FLIGHT, GIVE ME A HELPER AND WE CAN PUT 10,000 to flight if we will just let God have his way. Power of words. You know the story of Ruth. You know the story of Ruth and Naomi. Naomi, her husband, her two sons, they're Jews from the land of Bethlehem, Judah. There's a famine hit the land and they felt it best to sojourn, just to visit, just to sojourn and just to visit the land of Moab. There's no bread here in the land. So, they felt led. They felt like it'd be best for them to move their two sons down to a Moabitete city. And what should have taken just a few days turned into over 10 years. Moab wasn't kind to them at all. Moab wasn't a good decision at all to make because evidently the land of Moab was horrible. was horribly bad on the men because the Bible tells us that Naomi lost her husband to death. But not only did no Naomi lose her husband to death, Naomi lost her two sons to death. So the world the world men this is why we have got to be courageous and brave and we have got to be men of God. You see, men of God, I get referred to a lot as a man of God because I'm a preacher. But the truth of the matter is, the fact of the matter is every male that embraces the cross and the disciplehip of Jesus Christ, you are, sir, you are a man of God. Not a man of the world, but we are the men of God. And the men of God, let me tell you, the world wants to erase your identity. The world wants to put you in a blender and the world wants to reduce you from your God-given calling. But I just believe that on a Sunday morning in November, the first Sunday morning in November, I just believe that I'm addressing a bunch of men of God that are not ashamed, not afraid to lift their voice up right now and identify themselves as a man of GOD. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PUT ME IN A BLENDER. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DEMOTE me into something of this world. I am a man of God. The world is rough on men. The world is tough on men. And Naomi's husband and two sons die. And Naomi hears there's bread back in Bethlehem. And Naomi makes her way back to Bethlehem bringing her one daughter-in-law, Ruth, along with her. But you know the Bible says in Ruth chapter 1 verse number 19, Ruth is making her way back or Naomi is making their way back. So they too went until they came to Bethlehem. Came to pass that when they were come to Bethlehem that all the city was moved about them and they said, "Is this Naomi?" Now, I want to tell you, not only was Moab rough on the men, but Moab was rough on the family. Because when Naomi, a well-known person in Bethlehem, STARTED HER WAY BACK INTO BETHLEHEM, the people that lived in Bethlehem had a question. Is this Naomi? I is Is that Is that her? Can I tell you something? The world and the ways of the world will age you. The world and the ways of the world will take the sparkle out of your eye. It'll take the smile off your face. The world and the things OF THE WORLD HAVE NOTHING to lean on but medication and some kind of hyped up speech. Have nothing to lean on but man's hope can put furls in your forehead. It can take THE SPARKLE OUT OF YOUR EYE because none of that can be the answer that you need. BUT OH, GIVE ME SOMEBODY THAT GOD IS THEIR ROCK. GIVE ME SOMEBODY THAT IN THE MIDST OF IMPOSSIBILITIES, WE CAN STEP OUT OF A PEW, WE CAN STEP DOWN TO AN ALTAR AND WE CAN BRING IMPOSSIBILITIES INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. AND GOD IS ABLE. I WISH SOMEBODY WOULD HELP ME THIS MORNING. GOD IS ABLE. Do you believe that? I WISH YOU WOULD SHOUT YES. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, I WISH YOU WOULD WORSHIP JUST FOR A MOMENT right now. I BELIEVE IT. I BELIEVE IT. I BELIEVE IT. I BELIEVE IT. I believe it. Is this is this Naomi? And she said, listen to what she says in verse 20. And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi Naomi, but call me Mera, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." Look at this. She says, "Don't call me Naomi. Pleasant." That's what that's what Naomi means. Naomi is pleasant. She was named in the house of Bethlehem, which Bethlehem is the house of bread. I'm glad to be in the house of bread today. I'm glad to be in the house of bread today because I'm in the house of bread. I have a name that's a pleasant name. I have a name that is a good name today. But let me get out of God's will and go into the world. Let me let me get out of God's will and go another direction. And they'll be saying, "Don't call me pleasant. I'm anything far but pleasant. Don't call me beautiful. I'm anything far but beautiful. But call me Mara. call me bitterness because I I God has dealt very bitterly with me. But wouldn't that be a sad note to stay on if she went back to the house of God? And I I this may be I may be reaching for several people today, but I want to tell you something. There's no marriage in this room that doesn't need to be worked on. There's no marriage in this room that doesn't need maintenance. You never reach a place in your marriage where you've solved all your problems, where everything is just all right. There's never any more conversation and there's never even any more trying to make your marriage work. Can I tell you every person in this room today, I'm not just preaching to those that may be in the midst of marital ISSUES RIGHT NOW, BUT I AM preaching to you today. I'm preaching to the some of the most healthiest marriages FAC has on the pew today. WE HAVE GOT TO VALUE AND WE'VE GOT TO protect the the the the the beauty of marriage today. The importance of marriage today. We've got to value. We've got to respect that. Bring me back to the house of God. Naomi, come on back to the house of God because there's a near kinsman redeemer. There's somebody that's going to marry your daughter-in-law, Ruth. There's somebody that's going to marry her and the story is going to change. There's a near kinsman redeemer which is a type of Jesus Christ. And I don't want this to sound elementary because it's not. But whatever troubled marriage needs is Jesus. Whatever what every troubled family needs is Jesus. WHAT EVERY healthy family needs IS JESUS. WE HAVE GOT TO KEEP OUR NEAR KINSMAN REDEEMER. THE WORLD TAKE TOOK IT AWAY, BUT GOD CAN RESTORE IT AGAIN. THE WORLD HAS TOOK THE SPARKLE OUT OF YOUR EYE AND the praise OUT OF YOUR TONGUE, BUT GOD CAN PUT THE SPARKLE BACK AND GOD CAN PUT THE PRAISE BACK IN YOUR TONGUE TODAY. Stay with me for a few more moments today. But Naomi kept her family back in the house of God. To every prodal that's here today and every prodical that's watching online today, come home. Come home. Come on back. You say, "But I messed up plan A." You sure did. But God's got a plan B for you. God's got a brand new thing for you. Naomi stays there. Sister Carpenter, she stays in the house of bread. She's made her wrong decisions. She's did wrong things, but she stays until a near kinsman comes. And the near kinsman marries Ruth, her daughter-in-law. And the Bible says in Ruth 4:13, "So Boaz took Ruth and was his and she was his wife. And when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare children. This is interesting to note. We don't read of Ruth having conception in Moab. But we do hear of Ruth having conception in the house of God. You see, in the world, you don't give birth to nothing but misery and sorrow. But oh, if we can get you in the house of God, we can just get you in the house of God today. She gives birth. She has conception. Verse 13. And she beare a son. And the women, the women, that's important. And the women said unto Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, a nourisher of thine own a thine old age. For thy daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. Now, now I'm going to tell you something. Every marriage needs to be surrounded with other people of likeminded marriages. >> You need to surround yourself, don't surround yourself with people that are unhappy in their marriage because that just makes two of you that's unhappy. And if coming together adds multiplication, if one can put a thousand to flight and two can put 10,000 to flight, then if one unhappy marriage is a thousand times unhappy, then two coming together is 10,000 times unhappy. >> Now watch this now. Watch this. This is where this is where your encouragement needs to come. These women were in Bethlehem. Verse 14, I'm going to start it again. And the women said unto Naomi, that's a good that's a good voice. You need you need people speaking good things into you. Ruth has borne a son. He's going to be she's better to you. She's going to be a restore. This baby's going to be a restorer of your own age. Look at verse number 16. And Naomi took the child and lay it in her bosom and became nurse unto it. And the women, here's these women again. And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name. I'm going to ask you something. What are your friends speaking over your life? What are your friends speaking into your life? You you you need to have friends that are speaking faith. You need to have friends THAT ARE SPEAKING GOD. YOU need to have friends that ARE SPEAKING THE WAYS of God. And the woman and the women, her neighbors, gave it a name they named, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." Well, actually, it's born to Ruth. But isn't it great? Isn't it great? When you run around people that are blessed, their cup runs over and it gets on you, too. See that? They called it Naomi's. There is a son born to Naomi and they called his name Obid. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. I broke these three names down. Obid means serving. Jesse means process and David means beloved. Obid serving. Jesse process. David, beloved, can I just add a couple words and see if we can make these three names make sense? WHEN WE'RE SERVING GOD, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING THE BELOVED THINGS OF GOD INSIDE OF OUR LIFE. IT MAY NOT HAPPEN TODAY, BUT I'M JUST ONE MORE MESSAGE CLOSER TO HAVING A HAPPY MARRIAGE. IT MAY NOT HAPPEN TONIGHT, BUT I'M JUST ONE MORE EVANGELISTIC SERVICE CLOSER TO MY CHILDREN BEING HAPPY IN THE LORD. I'M glad today that WHEN WE SERVE GOD, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS. WE'RE HEADING TO A MIRACLE. WE'RE HEADING TO A BLESSING. WE'RE HEADING TO GOOD THINGS. THE SKY IS GETTING BRIGHTER. MY DAY IS GETTING BRIGHTER BECAUSE I'M IN THE PROCESS. Would you be so kind just to lift your hands right now and give God praise and thanksgiving? Come on. Could we do it with all of our heart right now? >> Do you care about your marriage? If you care about your marriage, would you praise your God right now? Come on, men. IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR MARRIAGE, SHOW YOUR FAMILY that you're SITTING AROUND THAT YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR MARRIAGE BY LIFTING YOUR VOICE up and beginning to worship God. SHOW YOUR SPOUSE. SHOW YOUR SPOUSE you care right now. Show your children right now. I care. I care. >> I care. I care. >> I care. I may come back to this at another time, but let me just The Bible said, "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof." verse that's uh chapter 2 of Genesis verse 21. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man. Let me pause here and say something. Some people get tripped up because of what God asked him to give up. Some people Some people get tripped up because of what disciplehip is asking them. But look up here at me today. I'm telling you the God's honest truth. God has never asked you for anything to what he didn't give you something better back in return. >> Don't get hung UP ON WHAT GOD IS ASKING FOR. I said don't get hung UP ON WHAT GOD IS ASKING YOU FOR. WELL, I I I just don't I just don't know if I'm going to be able to go to I I I just don't know. You know, God led me God led me one time. God led me one time to pray for a woman in the hospital. And God I went I went and I told her what God told me. She wasn't a she she she she she wasn't a church-going person, but God spoke to my mouth and God said, "You go tell her if she'll commit her life to me, I'll heal her." And I went in that hospital room. I went to Blunt Memorial and I walked into that hospital room with a bottle of oil and I told her exactly what God told me that if she would commit her life to God that he would heal her. And you know what came out of her mouth? She said, "Well, I'm not going to make him any promises. I'm not going to make him a promise I can't keep. And I stood there dumbfounded. And I'm not certainly not gloating in this. I'm just trying to show you something today. And a few months later, I preached her funeral. She got hung up on what God was asking and not what God could give her. >> Some people get hung up. Well, I just don't know if I'm going to go to church all the time. You ought to see what God's going to give you from going to for going to church. HEY, WE DON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN. WE DON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE FOR THEM TO MAKE THE RIGHT FRIENDS. WE DON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE. THEY'RE ONLY SIX YEARS OLD ONE YEAR AND AFTER THAT IT'S GONE. I I DON'T GET YOU. YOU GOT TO LOOK. I I I I know it's something to get them up. I I I I I know I know it's I I know IT'S SOMETHING TO GET THEM READY. I KNOW I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING TO GET THEIR CLOTHES ON. I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING TO GET THEIR BATH. I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING TO GET THEM TO CHURCH. I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, BUT WOULD YOU FOR GOD'S SAKE LOOK AT WHAT GOD IS GOING TO GIVE YOU BACK IN RETURN FOR WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO HIM? Is >> this all right? >> Some people get hung up. I just I just name a bunch of stuff. I can just name a bunch of stuff. Holiness living. Holiness living. They get hung up on what they have to give up and they don't see what God wants to keep them from. >> I heard a little story the other day, a man who just believed that God looks on the inside. God doesn't care what the outside looks like. And he was a strong preacher of this and he he said, "Oh, God just looks on the inside and not the outside." And he started talking to another man that believed the opposite. He believed that God looked on the inside and the outside. Well, the one that only believed that you you you it was on the inside. He said, "Can I ask you a question?" He said, "When you eat a banana, what do you eat, the outside or the inside?" He said, "Well, obviously the inside." He said, "THERE'S MY POINT." He said, "Wait a minute. We're not done this discussion." He said, "WHEN YOU GO TO MY BANANA, WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT? CUZ YOU CAN'T SEE THE INSIDE. >> YOU GO TO BUY A BANANA, WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT? YOU LOOK AT THE OUTSIDE. WELL, THAT BROWN SPOTS. I THINK I'LL PUT THAT BACK. CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? DON'T GET HUNG up on the EXTERNAL EXTERNALITIES OF A HOLINESS LIVING. LOOK AT WHAT GOD IS GOING TO GIVE YOU BACK IN RETURN. LOOK AT WHAT GOD'S GOING I DON'T HAVE TO FIT INTO CULTURE. I DON'T HAVE TO FIT INTO FASHIONS OF THE WORLD. I CAN BE MY OWN MAN, DRESS LIKE A MAN, DRESS MODESTLY, BE IDENTIFIED AS A MAN. You may be seated right now. Let me I'm very very quickly. He took a bone. He took a rib and he made God took a rib and he made a woman and he brought her unto the man. And guess what the man said? This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of men. Now wait a minute, Adam, how do you know what happened? God put you asleep. How do you know this is bone of your bone? God caused a deep sleep to fall upon you. God caused a deep sleep to fall upon you. How do you know? Revelation. Revelation. If God could give us the revelation of how beautiful it is to serve God, you couldn't keep from coming to the house of God. If you just had a revelation, if God would let you see that four-year-old boy with 10 good years of A FAITHFUL MOM AND DADDY in the house OF GOD, WITH NOT ONLY A NOT ONLY WITH WHAT GOES ON IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, BUT WHAT GOES ON AT THE ADDRESS YOU LIVE IN, IF GOD COULD GIVE YOU A REVELATION THAT YOU PUT 10 years of that little boy waking up in the morning, HEARING MOM AND DAD PRAY, THAT YOUNG BOY LIVES IN A HOUSE WHERE THE NAME OF JESUS IS IS HIGH AND RESPECT. FFECTED. HE LIVES IN THE HOUSE WHERE THERE'S THERE THERE THERE'S the word of God. You'd see that 14year-old BOY NOW SINGING AND SHOUTING IN A CHOIR ROBE. YOU COULDN'T STAY OUT OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. GOD, GIVE US A REVELATION OF THE BEAUTY THAT WE HAVE IN SERVING HIM. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR MARRIAGE. DON'T THROW IN THE TOWEL. WORK, PRAY, WORK, PRAY, WORK. PUT GOD IN IT. DON'T don't don't don't. >> Well, I'm going to leave this part out. God help me to bring it back at another date. I don't know how wealthy I actually don't know how wealthy any of you all are cuz what's in the parking lot is not reality. But Solomon was wealthy beyond human comprehension. Solomon was wealthy above human comprehension. I have some stats here that say that Solomon uh I think they said the other day that Elon Musk had either had become or would become the first trillionaire. I I believe that I heard that. Well, according to the Bible stats, Solomon would have been the first trillionaire. He was he was wealthy. He was wealthy beyond imagination. What are you going to protect, Solomon? Solomon, what would cause you what would you what what is so valuable to you, Solomon? Because it only says it one time. What is so valuable to you, Solomon, that you will order for there to be 60 trained soldiers that are expert wielding the sword. I I I'm talking about green berets. I I I'm talking I'm I'm talking what's that seal team? I I'm NOT TALKING ABOUT AVERAGE SOLDIERS. I'm talking about expert soldiers. WHAT WOULD YOU WHAT'S SO VALUABLE TO YOU Solomon that you would hire 60 soldiers? The Songs of Solomon chapter 3 verse 6 is going to tell us. It starts off in a question form. Solomon is on his way. He's in his chariot. He's on his way. It says, "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrr and frankincense with all powers of the merchant?" Here's Solomon's coming HERE. HERE, HERE COMES SOLOMON'S. HERE COMES SOLOMON'S CHARIOTS. Look at the pums of smoke and dust THAT ARE GOING. THIS IS SOLOMON COMING TO TOWN. Verse seven, behold his bed, which is Solomon's. Three score valiant men are about it. Of the valiant of Israel, of of the valiant of Israel, they all hold swords, being expert in war. Every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of the fear of the night. Can I tell you, Satan has been, Satan is presently, and Satan will always be working to destroy. He'll always be working on to deconstruct. I think that's the word, the deconstruction of marriage. He'll always be working to erase the the the term marriage between a man and a woman. DO YOU KNOW WHY he hates it? For what it produces and what it stands for. For what it produces and for what it stands for. A healthy marriage can produce healthy families. Healthy families produce HEALTHY CHURCHES. HEALTHY CHURCHES CHANGE THEIR COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITIES CHANGE THEIR STATES. AND WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD IF WE WILL ALLOW GOD TO GIVE US HEALTHY MARRIAGES. GOD CAN GIVE US THIS TODAY. You're not going to burn no flag around me. If I ever come IN HERE WITH BLACK EYES AND A BLOODY nose and a busted lip, it's because somebody tried to burn a flag in front of me. Stomp me in the ground if you want to, brother Lawless. You'll stomp me as I try to pull that flag out from underneath. You say, "Why? It's just a piece of cloth." Oh, you ain't got a clue, do you? It's not just a piece of cloth. is what that clause stands for. That st THAT CLAUSE STANDS FOR OUR FREEDOM. THAT CLAUSE STANDS FOR DEMOCRACY. THAT THAT CLOTH STANDS FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THAT'S WHAT THAT CLAUSE STANDS FOR. BUT WE GOT A WORLD THAT WANTS TO DECONSTRUCT OUR COUNTRY. BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL you it means something. Would you stand with me right now? WE MIGHT JUST HAVE OUR ALTAR CALL FROM THE PEWS right now, my marriage. Sister Cartman, come here and walk with me for a moment. Besides the Holy Ghost, this is the best thing ever happened to me. Besides the baptism of the Holy Ghost, this is the best thing that ever happened to me right here. We got to work on our marriage. We got to keep working and maintenancing our marriage. We got to maintenance our marriage. Why? We got children that are looking to us. >> We got grandchildren that are looking to us. We got youth in this church that I love dearly that are looking to us. We got to maintain it. But not only that, not only that, it's what we stand for. The woman represents the church >> and the man represents Christ. >> And that that that great marriage supper of the lamb that we're going to have, we got to protect it. We got to protect it. That great marriage supper of the lamb, that great I could my mind wants to go in so many different directions today. I'm I'm I'm not done by no means, but if I could end, >> brothers, protect your marriage. >> Yes. >> Protect your marriage. See it. See it for valuable. This woman's going to be with you. You see, too many marriages are living for their children. That's why you see a lot of marriages fall apart when the kids get raised and out of the house is because they have nothing more to work toward. But the truth of the matter is to the day I die, I'm always to be dependent upon her. >> Did you get that? I said, Sister Castile, to the day that I die, I'm supposed to be dependent. I'm never I'm not the Marboral man. I'm not the Hollywood version of a man that can do without a woman. I am a man of God and I'll always be dependent just like Christ is depending upon his church to do her job. >> I'll always be dependent. Seasons come, seasons go. I wish you could sing the black hair that I once had that I don't have anymore. But whether whether I'm opening a car door to her to show her respect or she's holding my hand when I'm going down the steps to make sure my footing >> is firm. I'll always be dependent upon her. And guess what? She'll always be dependent upon me. It won't be the girl she I I've got to go out with the girl. I'm not saying I'm not I'm not saying that's wrong and I'm not saying you're going to need but let me tell you something. Don't look for what you need out of the ground. That's >> right. >> on each other here. Now our kids is a total opposite. We are to be working >> Yes. >> on making them dependent upon themselves, not us. That's right. That's right. >> That's right. >> That's right. We're to be working on raising responsible children >> that take responsibility for their actions, >> that is rewarded through doing good, >> not in the hopes of doing good. >> Amen. So, we're working. We're working on our children being on their own. But, baby, there'll never be a day that I don't need you. There'll never be a day that I don't need your voice in my life. There'll never be a day that we don't need to bind together and fight every devil in hell. We can destroy every devil in hell. Roll back Jordan, part Red Sea, fall down Jericho CUZ YOU CANNOT STOP ME. A godly marriage. Would you just reach over if you're standing with your spouse right now? Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray for my helpmate right now. God, I pray for my helpmate, God, right now. God, I pray that your hand would be upon her mind. God, I pray that your hand would be upon her body. >> God, I pray right now, God, that you would touch, >> Lord, our marriage, God, that we would work through everything about our marriage, God. God, that I would love her. That I would love Penny like you love the church. That I would give myself to to her, God, that I would sacrifice, GOD. THAT I would pour my life, God, into her, God. Lord, to see her. I WOULD WASH HER WITH THE WATER OF the word. She's a good woman. She's a godly woman. She's a good mother. She's a good grandmother. She's a good first lady. She's a wonderful Bible study teacher. She's a wonderful show winner. She's a wonderful women's speaker. Oh God, >> come on. Speak something over them right now. Come on, speak. My home will be a home of God. My home will be a home of happiness. We will overcome these things. >> Touch them in every battle. Oh God, may they look to you for every answer. Oh God, touch every family in this room. You know that. Oh God, touch our families of every marriage. Oh God, may they look to you. You is where our help comes from. It's from you, Lord. We need you, Lord. We depend on you, oh God, for our everpresent help in time of need. Oh touch every husband and wife and may our dependency be upon you Lord. Anoint us with wisdom and your power Lord in Jesus name. Strengthen this church and every family in Jesus name. >> Everybody said amen. >> Listen to me for a moment. with the dynamic combination you witnessed this morning between loving a lost world and giving to a lost world >> and hearing about our marriages. >> The sky is the limit for First Apostolic Church of Marville, Tennessee. >> The sky's is the limit. my helpmate. And in case you need a little explaining, we went Wednesday night. We're going to have our missionary from Honduras here. Wednesday night, our first trip to Honduras. We got in the van. I get car sick. So, I asked him if I could ride up front. They put first lady between me and a man that I'd never met before. He was a pastor of one of the churches. And he looked over to me. I never met him before. He looked over to me and he said, "Is is that your heer?" I acted like I didn't hear him. Acted like I didn't hear him. He said it again. He said, "Hey, is that your heer?" I acted like I didn't hear him, but she heard him. And she looked at me and said, "Do you hear what he's calling me?" I said to the ladies >> and I said >> as swave as I could be. I said my good brother in America we do not refer to our wives as heers. He said, "Oh my goodness, no, no, no, no, no. I will send helper." Aren't you glad you got a helper today? See you tonight at 5:30. God bless you. take care of dismiss in Jesus name.