Another relational secret is faithfulnesss…

When people walk down that aisle at their wedding, they're not expecting failure, they're expecting hope.  They're hoping that their relationship will last a lifetime.  But it takes more than hope to make a marriage last.  It takes commitment.  And I know many of you would say it's easier to get married than stay married?  It's a whole lot easier. 

Now another secret of healthy relationships is faithfulness.  Hebrews 13:4 (TEV), "Husbands and wives must be faithful to each other.  GOD will judge those who are immoral and commit adultery." 

I realize that when I mention the word "affair" or "adultery" that brings back some very painful memories for some of you.  But my purpose here is not to condemn you, judge you, or put you down, or dredge up your past.  What we are going to do is look at your future.

You see, it doesn't matter so much as where you've been as in what direction your feet are headed today. 

If you still feel guilty over some sin in your past, adultery or anything else, and you have confessed it to GOD and it still keeps coming up, that guilt is not from GOD.  You can be sure of that.  It's from the devil.  You need to say, "Satan.  Go to hell."  You can tell him to do that!  GOD has immediately forgiven it as soon as you have confessed it.

Now we need to remember that GOD invented sex.  He thought it up.  But like every gift, it must be controlled and there are limitations to it.  Every gift of GOD is good.  Sex is not dirty, it's good.  But it has its limitations. 

GOD has given us the gift of water.  You need water to live.  But too much of it, out of control, you'll drown.  GOD gave us fire.  Fire in the fireplace is appropriate and it warms our family.  But fire out of control will burn you up.  It’s how you handle it. 

GOD says that I’ve given you a drive called sex. Properly controlled within a marriage, it’s beautiful and fantastic but outside of marriage it causes guilt, shame, anguish, fear and all kinds of relational problems. The key is faithfulness.

Just a thought from the front porch…