MARRIAGE-GOD'S PLAN.

Marriage – God’s Plan
I know the pain of divorce – though never divorced myself, I talk and counsel with many who have been.
And probably all of us know someone personally who has gone through a divorce. I can feel their pain and the pain of their families. The divorce rate is sky rocketing – almost 60% now. So many are hurting. But that is not what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about God’s plan for marriage.

1. An average of 13,500 Americans get married every day.
2. According to the New York Times an average wedding cost $16,000 (are you nuts)
a. I often think about celebrity weddings, they spend all that money and many times six months
later they are divorced
•  Unfortunately, many times there is more time and money spent on the wedding than the marriage
In a single month, bridal magazines sell 1,150,000 copies filled with mostly ads
4. There is "no" society in which marriage does not exist in some form
But in our society today God’s plan for marriage is under attack.
Here is just a couple of ways:
(1) An all-female law firm turned heads in Chicago with a billboard and a blunt message:
"Life's Short. Get a Divorce.''
A billboard featuring barely clothed models went up on Chicago's Rush Street.  But fortunately, just one day after the Chicago Sun-Times wrote about the racy ad, which sparked interest from media outlets around the globe, it was taken down.
But apparently, despite its brief life, the sign boosted business.  Calls to the firm for legal representation dramatically increased. A representative from the company said they were not promoting divorce. What were they promoting then?
The media is constantly attacking marriage in the news, on TV, etc.
Here’s another attack:
(2) Bavaria’s most glamorous politician shocked the Catholic state in Germany in September of this year by suggesting that marriage should last just 7 years.
After that time, couples should either agree to extend their marriage or it should be automatically dissolved, she said.
A  third attack on marriage is almost in the papers daily:
Our culture is entertaining a discussion that no other age or civilization has ever undertaken:
         to redefine marriage as a union between members of the same sex.
2004-MAY: Massachusetts: The Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the state constitution requires same-sex marriage, and that the state had to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Committed same-sex couples have been able to marry in the state since 2004-MAY-17.
2007-FEB-22: Rhode Island: Attorney General Patrick Lynch said that same-sex marriages solemnized in Massachusetts are to be recognized in Rhode Island. Same-sex married couples are to receive the full set of state benefits, rights and obligations that opposite-sex couples routinely receive.
2007-MAY-31: New Hampshire: A civil unions bill has been signed into law. It takes effect on 2008-JAN-01
2007-APR: New York: A bill has been introduced to the legislature to allow same-sex marriages
Another state, Iowa, said that same sex marriages were now going to be legal in that state
And what about this man by the name of Warren Jeffs.
He is a leader of a group, (in fact, he is considered a "prophet") this group takes its theology regarding "plural marriages" from the teachings of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon Church. But under pressure from the U.S. government, church leaders abandoned polygamy in 1890 so that Utah could gain statehood. Polygamists believe that's when the Mormon Church strayed from the path of righteousness. Likewise, members of the FLDS are not welcome in Mormon congregations, and Mormons who are found practicing polygamy are excommunicated.
Fortunately, Warren Jeffs sits in a jail cell waiting his sentence after being convicted.
There are widely varying estimates of how many people practice polygamy in North America -- 20,000 to 50,000 and more -- but the secrecy of such groups makes a definitive number elusive.
Once when Mark Twain was lecturing in Utah, a Mormon acquaintance argued with him on the subject of polygamy. After a long and rather heated debate, the Mormon finally said, "Can you find for me a single passage of Scripture which forbids polygamy?"
"Certainly," replied Twain. "No man shall serve two masters."
It is easy to see that marriage is under attack.
Man trying to change God’s plan. How has that worked in the past? Every time someone has thought they know better than God or tried to help Him out by moving His plans along – it has ended in disaster.
Adam & Eve – eating of the tree that God said don’t – sin entered the world and as a consequence death came into the world
Genesis 16:1-12 – today we still feel the effects of this mistake – Ishmael is the one the Muslim religion traces their roots back to
And we could go on and on
During the past 30 years various people have tried to improve the marriage relationship with human innovations – living together, open marriages
Did you know that where the couples lived together before getting married the divorce rate is 50% higher – obviously that isn’t working
"Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled…" (Heb. 13:4)
But when it comes to marriage we need to be reminded: marriage is not rooted in culture, it is not something man has thought up, but it came about in the mind of God. He is the One who instituted marriage at the very beginning of time (Genesis 2:24).
Marriage is one of three divine institutions which God created and intended for mankind’s good.
a. Home (Genesis 2:18). Problems today in the home – why? Departed from God’s plan
b. Government (Romans 13:1-7). Problems today with government – why? Departed from God’s plan
c. Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Problems in the religious world today – why? Departed from God’s plan
God’s plan is that a man and a woman leave father and mother and be joined together.
Not man and man or woman and woman. – God’s Word tells us what He thinks of that in Romans 1:26,27 – one presidential candidate when asked about his views on homosexuality said that the Christian world has taken one verse and made it a real issue – let me ask you something – "How many times does God have to say something for it to be important?" – Once again man trying to change what God’s Word.
God’s plan is one man and one woman for life – Mark 10:2-9
One man said "an archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have, the older she gets, the more interested he is in her."
God’s plan is for Him to be at the center of a relationship.
While certain people in our society might be celebrating the "supposed" demise of marriage. The truth is marriage will never cease.
There are many attacks under way against Christianity, but maybe none bigger than the attack on marriage because it is a direct attack on the home. As the home goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the church.
Satan is not dumb, he is just the opposite, he is extremely smart. He knows where to attack and how to attack. We as God’s children must stand for the truth, we must stand for God’s plan when it comes to marriage. We must look at those who want to lead this country and see where they stand on this issue and others.
You may be reading this today – married 5,10,15,20 years but struggling
You may be hurting from a divorce in your life
You may be newlyweds
You may be planning to be married soon
You may be just a youth, with marriage in the far distant
But remember, wherever you are, God wants to be at the center of your life
The question is: "Is He?"
In all areas of your life are you striving to serve God?