1. Building a Lasting Marriage

2. Choose Wisely The Wife of Proverbs 31
She is trustworthy, industrious, compassionate, wise & selfless
Her concern is for her husband & her home - vs.12,15,18-19,21
The result of this is a loving trusting relationship - vs.11,23,28-29

3. Choose Wisely The Husband of 1Peter 3:7
This man recognizes the strength required to live a life of submission
This is the result of her choice not his
This man tempers himself in response
This man treats his wife first as his sister in Christ
The Husband of 1Peter 3:7
This man recognizes the strength required to live a life of submission
“weaker” does not describe physical or emotional weakness but positional weakness, i.e. the submissive role
This is the result of her choice not his
This is due to her elevating you, not his superiority
This man tempers himself in response
This man treats his wife first as his sister in Christ

4. Choose Wisely Jesus Christ - 1Pet 3:5,7
In this text we see the motivation both spouses must allow to drive them in their relationship with one another - serving God
The “holy women” hoped in God
The husband of the text is concerned for his relationship with the Lord
Jesus Christ - 1Pet 3:5,7
In this text we see the motivation both spouses must allow to drive them in their relationship with one another - serving God
Why were the “holy women” of the former times submissive to their husbands they “hoped in God”
Likewise Peter does not warn the husband of the text about the reaction of his wife if he is not understanding, but about the danger to his relationship with the Lord

5. Choose Wisely How do I know? Ask… Watch… Listen… Ask…
Life goals and direction
Workaholic or lazy bum? Two incomes or one?
Family history
Parents divorced? Why? What do you think about divorce?
Siblings? Get along? Why?
Watch…
How do they act when they are angry (if you haven’t seen them angry its not time to get emotionally involved)
How do they treat Mom, Dad, brother, sister…the waitress when the order is wrong
Is he compassionate, patient, kind…
Listen…
To your Parents
To your real friends
To your married siblings

6. Stay Married
The Americans for Divorce Reform estimates that "Probably, 40 or possibly even 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce if current trends continue.", which is actually a projection.
The divorce rate in America has never been 50%

7. Stay Married According to the 2009 Census
72% of people who have ever been married are still married to their first spouse.
Only around three in ten have experienced divorce
The divorce rate in America has never been 50%

8. Stay Married
The divorce rate in America has never been 50%
Percent of people still married to first spouse according to U.S. Census

9. Stay Married Not cohabiting prior to marriage
Not getting married too young.
College Education
First marriage
Attend church
Making it 5 years
Not cohabiting prior to marriage
Sociologist have found that living together unmarried actually increases the divorce rate
Not getting married too young.
The highest success rate is found among those who get married in their mid to late 20’s
College Education - puts them in the best age bracket, learn value of commitment
First marriage - much higher likelihood of success
Attend church - The Barna group found in a 2008 study that regularly attending worship services and praying together reduced the divorce to around 22%
Making it 5 years

10. Don’t Have an Affair
We tend to look at sins like adultery as one event
In many cases the affair is not the result of simple fleshly lust
In most cases the reality is far different, an affair is the culmination of a long sad process.

11. Don’t Have an Affair
The naive boy of Proverbs 7 did not take a direct path to the harlot’s chambers
vs. 8 - He went somewhere he never should have been
vs He allowed her to build up his ego
vs He listened to her many persuasions
OUT OF BOUNDS BEHAVIOR
Talking to someone of the opposite sex about your dissatisfaction with your mate
Finding pleasure in the flattery of someone of the opposite sex
Hiding certain details of your day from your spouse because they include a certain person

12. Keep Building Laziness destroys the house
If we are not willing to do the work to maintain and improve our marriage we can only expect it to deteriorate
If we put off dealing with difficulties because of fear, the lion simply remains in the street
Discomfort is no excuse for failure to work
“Through indolence the rafter sag, and through slackness the house leaks” Ecc 10:18
“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets.’” Prov 22:13
“The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, so he begs during the harvest and has nothing” Prov 20:4