100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,060What would be the effect on a person of a 20-year diet of you?200:00:11,280 –> 00:00:12,640That’s what marriage is.300:00:13,980 –> 00:00:17,260Is the diet of your love nourishing her soul, or400:00:17,260 –> 00:00:21,100is she living on the meager rations of your cold heart?500:00:21,400 –> 00:00:24,020Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.600:00:24,020 –> 00:00:26,379I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could be with us today.700:00:26,379 –> 00:00:28,780And Colin, that is a sobering question,800:00:29,040 –> 00:00:31,059and I think rather a sad one today.900:00:31,240 –> 00:00:34,080So for all of us who try to answer that question honestly,1000:00:34,080 –> 00:00:37,919and if we find that the diet you describe isn’t what it should be1100:00:37,939 –> 00:00:39,320and what we want it to be,1200:00:39,320 –> 00:00:42,020I’m hoping we’ll find today that we can change that.1300:00:42,020 –> 00:00:43,160Yeah, that’s exactly right.1400:00:43,160 –> 00:00:47,259I think it’s a really important question to be asking from time to time,1500:00:47,259 –> 00:00:50,599What is it like for this other person to live with me?1600:00:50,599 –> 00:00:57,119Here God has trusted this person to me and me to this person who is my spouse.1700:00:57,180 –> 00:01:00,779What is it like for that person to live with me?1800:01:00,900 –> 00:01:04,599And the analogies of the Scripture that we’re going to look at today1900:01:04,699 –> 00:01:08,699speaking about feeding as if the diet of another person2000:01:08,900 –> 00:01:12,900was derived from the one who is alongside them in life,2100:01:12,900 –> 00:01:18,519as if the washing of a person’s life were in the life of the one who is alongside them.2200:01:18,559 –> 00:01:22,019I find these to be very, very searching things.2300:01:22,239 –> 00:01:23,900What is the effect?2400:01:24,099 –> 00:01:26,019And that drives us back to the Lord.2500:01:26,059 –> 00:01:32,940To be able to say, I want to be someone who is nourishing to the one God has given to me.2600:01:33,139 –> 00:01:35,940I want to be someone whose influence2700:01:36,220 –> 00:01:40,980is refreshing to the one God has given to me and that I must pursue.2800:01:41,019 –> 00:01:43,180And for that, I must seek the grace of God.2900:01:43,379 –> 00:01:46,980So this is really practical and God’s speaking to us about it in the Bible.3000:01:47,180 –> 00:01:48,900It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing.3100:01:49,099 –> 00:01:50,739And he speaks to us about this3200:01:50,739 –> 00:01:52,180in Ephesians, Chapter five.3300:01:52,379 –> 00:01:55,059I hope you’ll join us in your Bibles as we continue.3400:01:55,059 –> 00:01:57,260The message. Gospel shaped marriage.3500:01:57,459 –> 00:01:59,260Here is Colin, what I want to do in our time3600:01:59,459 –> 00:02:03,580today is to pick up on three pictures in Ephesians, chapter five3700:02:03,779 –> 00:02:08,220and very simply to apply them to our lives.3800:02:08,419 –> 00:02:12,020The first picture and I hope you have your Bible open at Ephesians five.3900:02:12,220 –> 00:02:13,740You see it there in verse eight.4000:02:13,740 –> 00:02:16,419Indeed, it runs right through from verse eight to 14.4100:02:16,619 –> 00:02:18,619It’s the picture of light.4200:02:18,860 –> 00:02:21,259You were once darkness.4300:02:21,460 –> 00:02:22,419Verse eight.4400:02:22,619 –> 00:02:27,300But now you are light in the Lord.4500:02:27,500 –> 00:02:29,220This is a wonderful statement.4600:02:29,419 –> 00:02:32,339And Paul is writing here to every Christian.4700:02:32,539 –> 00:02:35,339And he says, whatever your circumstance of life,4800:02:35,539 –> 00:02:40,979if you are indeed in Jesus Christ, you are light.4900:02:41,179 –> 00:02:42,139Think of it this way,5000:02:42,339 –> 00:02:45,300the moon has no light of its own.5100:02:45,539 –> 00:02:49,660But when the sun shines on the moon, the moon reflects that light.5200:02:49,860 –> 00:02:56,179The sun gives light as it were to the moon so that we may indeed move in the5300:02:56,380 –> 00:03:02,860light of the moon and we may receive light even when the sun is hidden from us.5400:03:03,059 –> 00:03:05,899Now, that’s the calling, of course, of every Christian believer.5500:03:06,100 –> 00:03:10,300Christ’s light, Paul says, has shined on you.5600:03:10,500 –> 00:03:12,940And because his light has shined on you,5700:03:13,179 –> 00:03:18,660your life is to reflect that light so that when the light of Christ is hidden5800:03:18,860 –> 00:03:22,940from other people, they may be able to see a reflection of that light in you5900:03:23,139 –> 00:03:28,139because he’s shined on you. You are light in the Lord.6000:03:28,419 –> 00:03:32,139And of course, there a different kinds of light.6100:03:32,339 –> 00:03:34,940There is light that draws.6200:03:35,139 –> 00:03:38,460And there is light that repels.6300:03:38,660 –> 00:03:41,740Light can shine on a path in such a way6400:03:41,740 –> 00:03:46,740that it draws you, it makes you want to move forward in that direction.6500:03:46,940 –> 00:03:49,419It’s a beautiful thing.6600:03:49,660 –> 00:03:53,580But light can also be used by a torturer.6700:03:53,779 –> 00:03:58,419In a way that shines into your eyes6800:03:58,619 –> 00:04:05,940and repels you and fills you with fear and makes you want to withdraw.6900:04:06,860 –> 00:04:08,899Now, in the context of marriage,7000:04:08,899 –> 00:04:13,660you live in another person’s light.7100:04:13,860 –> 00:04:19,380Your light surrounds the person God has placed next to you.7200:04:19,579 –> 00:04:24,140The question is, what kind of light are you shining?7300:04:24,339 –> 00:04:29,260In marriage, you become known.7400:04:29,459 –> 00:04:31,940And that’s wonderful because we’re made in the image of God.7500:04:32,140 –> 00:04:33,500We want to be known.7600:04:33,700 –> 00:04:35,660It’s also a bit scary7700:04:35,859 –> 00:04:42,100because we’re fallen and we don’t want everything about us to be known.7800:04:42,380 –> 00:04:49,899You are exposed in marriage, in another person’s light.7900:04:51,459 –> 00:04:56,220My wife knows me.8000:04:56,660 –> 00:05:03,540I’ll tell you, I am thankful for the gentleness of her light.8100:05:04,220 –> 00:05:07,140And I want to ask this question.8200:05:07,140 –> 00:05:10,899What kind of light are you to your wife?8300:05:10,899 –> 00:05:12,899To your husband?8400:05:12,899 –> 00:05:20,660If you’re not married, what kind of light are you to your colleagues at work?8500:05:20,660 –> 00:05:27,660What kind of light are you if you’re a parent to your children?8600:05:27,660 –> 00:05:32,660Nobody wants to live in a searchlight.8700:05:33,220 –> 00:05:35,739Right?8800:05:35,739 –> 00:05:42,019And frankly, that’s one reason why a lot of hiding goes on in marriage.8900:05:42,019 –> 00:05:49,179There is light that attracts, and there is light that repels.9000:05:49,179 –> 00:05:53,339What kind of light are you?9100:05:53,339 –> 00:06:01,899The kind of light that would draw him forward in openness or cause him to close up and shrink9200:06:01,899 –> 00:06:04,679back.9300:06:04,679 –> 00:06:12,619The kind of light that draws her trust, kind of light that makes her shrivel up and close9400:06:12,619 –> 00:06:15,640down.9500:06:15,640 –> 00:06:18,040All the difference in the world.9600:06:18,040 –> 00:06:21,480Now, that’s the first image, it’s the image of light.9700:06:21,500 –> 00:06:24,480There’s the second one and it’s the picture of water.9800:06:24,480 –> 00:06:28,299Look at verse 25 and 26 please.9900:06:28,299 –> 00:06:34,600Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for her.10000:06:34,600 –> 00:06:44,320Why, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.10100:06:44,320 –> 00:06:49,320A Christian believe is someone who has been washed in Jesus Christ.10200:06:49,799 –> 00:06:53,160But the way the Bible describes it, we’re really plunged into him.10300:06:53,160 –> 00:06:54,559You can think of it this way.10400:06:54,559 –> 00:07:00,380That Jesus Christ is the bath in which we are washed clean and all of this, of course,10500:07:00,380 –> 00:07:04,100is beautifully pictured for every Christian in baptism.10600:07:04,100 –> 00:07:09,480Jesus Christ makes us clean, but more than that, Jesus Christ keeps us clean.10700:07:09,480 –> 00:07:17,100There is a sense in which a Christian believer remains in the bath all of your Christian life.10800:07:17,119 –> 00:07:22,920If you are in Christ and always being washed, the church is always being washed until it10900:07:22,920 –> 00:07:29,559will finally be presented in the presence of God without fault and with great joy.11000:07:29,559 –> 00:07:30,859Now Paul takes up that picture.11100:07:30,859 –> 00:07:34,420And what he’s saying is this in the context of marriage.11200:07:34,420 –> 00:07:44,359Just as Christ cleanses the church, so you husbands need to have a cleansing, sanctifying11300:07:44,820 –> 00:07:48,519effect upon your wives.11400:07:48,519 –> 00:07:52,339Cleansing her by the washing of water through the word.11500:07:52,339 –> 00:08:00,779When you are married, two people become one.11600:08:00,779 –> 00:08:09,179Think of it this way, your life is the water in which your wife bathes.11700:08:09,579 –> 00:08:17,839Wives, your life is the water in which your husband bathes.11800:08:17,839 –> 00:08:27,700What’s in you will wash off on him, what’s in him, will wash off on you.11900:08:27,700 –> 00:08:30,519This is a very powerful picture.12000:08:30,519 –> 00:08:34,460The washing with water.12100:08:34,520 –> 00:08:37,919Now remember that just as there are different kinds of light, there are different kinds12200:08:37,919 –> 00:08:40,619of water.12300:08:40,619 –> 00:08:45,260I grew up in the city of Edinburgh on the east coast of Scotland, as most of you know.12400:08:45,260 –> 00:08:50,260There are a few strips of beach there, but not much sun and so it’s not a great deal12500:08:50,260 –> 00:08:51,700of use.12600:08:51,700 –> 00:09:01,960Buried deep in the beach that was fairly close to our home, there was a large sewer pipe12700:09:02,080 –> 00:09:07,440that went under the beach and then several miles out in the water and discharged itself12800:09:07,440 –> 00:09:11,739eventually at length into the North Sea.12900:09:11,739 –> 00:09:18,700I remember vividly an occasion when the pipe broke fairly near to the shore.13000:09:18,700 –> 00:09:22,400I remember as a kid being down there near the beach and seeing that the whole beach13100:09:22,400 –> 00:09:29,799was fenced off and there were these signs put there in the sand that said, no swimming!13200:09:29,799 –> 00:09:34,400I mean, a more unnecessary sign, I have to say, there never was!13300:09:34,400 –> 00:09:39,580With a smell that was coming off the water I cannot imagine how anyone in their right13400:09:39,580 –> 00:09:43,880mind would even have thought of the idea of swimming there.13500:09:43,880 –> 00:09:47,219Now, listen, let me ask you this question?13600:09:47,219 –> 00:09:56,119To the men, what kind of water are you for your wife to bathe in?13700:09:56,119 –> 00:10:08,280If she were to bathe in your waters for twenty years, would she come out strengthened and13800:10:08,280 –> 00:10:14,440invigorated, or soiled and infected?13900:10:14,440 –> 00:10:28,119Guys, if you are looking for a motivation to give up pornography, it’s right here, right now.14000:10:29,520 –> 00:10:39,340And I say this today because it is evidently such a widespread issue among us.14100:10:39,340 –> 00:10:45,840You are the water in which your wife bathes.14200:10:45,840 –> 00:10:56,760No one wants to swim in dirty water, fill your life with that stuff and she will feel14300:10:56,760 –> 00:11:02,099that she is the object of your lust rather than of your love.14400:11:03,099 –> 00:11:11,099Your life will be like dirty water and no one would want to swim there.14500:11:14,099 –> 00:11:21,099There’s a vicious circle that can strangle a marriage and often it does.14600:11:22,099 –> 00:11:27,960It goes like this, he says, well there is impurity,14700:11:28,960 –> 00:11:30,960but the reason is that there is no intimacy.14800:11:34,960 –> 00:11:41,919She says, well there is no intimacy but the reason is that there is impurity.14900:11:43,960 –> 00:11:49,960Now somewhere, in the goodness of God, that cycle has to be broken,15000:11:50,960 –> 00:11:53,960for the rebuilding of many marriages.15100:11:54,960 –> 00:12:00,960And your commitment today can begin that process.15200:12:05,960 –> 00:12:10,960Paul really nails this one in verse 3, look at that, Ephesians chapter 5 verse 3,15300:12:10,960 –> 00:12:11,960do you see it there?15400:12:11,960 –> 00:12:18,960Among you, there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality, chapter 5 verse 3.15500:12:18,960 –> 00:12:24,960There must not even be a hint of sexual immorality, but I want you to notice what he says next, in the next three words.15600:12:24,960 –> 00:12:29,960Not even a hint of sexual immorality, or of greed.15700:12:29,960 –> 00:12:35,960Very interesting connection, or of greed.15800:12:38,960 –> 00:12:46,960I want to pause there for a moment, just in case some of the women are feeling smug as if only men were sinners.15900:12:47,960 –> 00:12:54,960You know women are sinners too?16000:12:54,960 –> 00:13:01,960My wife has censored this message and approved it for congregational consumption for women and for men.16100:13:01,960 –> 00:13:04,960She always does, by the way.16200:13:05,960 –> 00:13:12,960What kind of water are you for your husband to swim in?16300:13:12,960 –> 00:13:14,960Greed.16400:13:14,960 –> 00:13:17,960Which Paul puts right next to impurity.16500:13:17,960 –> 00:13:19,960And he does it for a reason.16600:13:19,960 –> 00:13:22,960Greed is an other kind of lust.16700:13:22,960 –> 00:13:30,960Greed is an I want that is never satisfied.16800:13:30,960 –> 00:13:31,960I want this sink ripped out.16900:13:31,960 –> 00:13:36,960I want the new counter to look just like the one I saw in the magazine.17000:13:36,960 –> 00:13:37,960And then I want.17100:13:37,960 –> 00:13:38,960And then I want.17200:13:38,960 –> 00:13:39,960And then I want.17300:13:39,960 –> 00:13:45,960You are the water in which your husband bathes.17400:13:45,960 –> 00:13:55,960And what will be the effect on him of 20 years of this I want lifestyle.17500:13:55,960 –> 00:13:58,960This is something that has to be said in our culture today.17600:13:58,960 –> 00:14:01,960We believe.17700:14:01,960 –> 00:14:07,960You are the water in which your husband bathes.17800:14:07,960 –> 00:14:12,960And the Bible has a word for constant demands that never seem to be satisfied17900:14:12,960 –> 00:14:18,960that could leave a man feeling that nothing he ever does is ever enough.18000:14:18,960 –> 00:14:23,960And that Bible word is greed.18100:14:23,960 –> 00:14:31,960Among you there must be not even a hint of any kind of impurity or of greed.18200:14:31,960 –> 00:14:36,960Now you see this is a classic his and hers verse.18300:14:37,960 –> 00:14:41,960The Scripture cuts both ways. It always does, it always will.18400:14:41,960 –> 00:14:45,960There are two kinds of lust.18500:14:45,960 –> 00:14:47,960One is called impurity.18600:14:47,960 –> 00:14:50,960The other is called greed.18700:14:50,960 –> 00:14:54,960The one is as destructive to love as the other.18800:14:54,960 –> 00:14:57,960You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith18900:14:57,960 –> 00:14:59,960and the message called Gospel-Shaped Marriage.19000:14:59,960 –> 00:15:02,960I hope you’ll stay with us for the rest of this broadcast.19100:15:02,960 –> 00:15:08,960Perhaps Colin will be back in a moment to talk more about this and to lead us in prayer.19200:15:08,960 –> 00:15:11,960Open the Bible goes out five days a week on the radio19300:15:11,960 –> 00:15:15,960and also it’s available anytime on the Internet.19400:15:15,960 –> 00:15:18,960And some of our listeners are in UK prisons.19500:15:18,960 –> 00:15:24,960If that is you, we’re so glad that our Bible teaching encourages you.19600:15:24,960 –> 00:15:28,960Here’s a comment from one prisoner who recently wrote to us.19700:15:29,960 –> 00:15:32,960I like Colin Smith’s messages because he explains the Bible in a way19800:15:32,960 –> 00:15:36,960which is easy to grasp and makes you want to dig deeper.19900:15:36,960 –> 00:15:40,960Thank you so much for that feedback, we really appreciate it.20000:15:40,960 –> 00:15:45,960If you ever want to write to us at Open the Bible, we really welcome contact with you.20100:15:45,960 –> 00:15:48,960You can write to us at20200:15:48,960 –> 00:15:56,960Open the Bible PO Box 1420 Cheltenham GL 50 9PG20300:15:56,960 –> 00:16:06,960That address again Open the Bible PO Box 1420 Cheltenham GL 50 9PG20400:16:06,960 –> 00:16:09,960Back to the message now here again is Colin.20500:16:09,960 –> 00:16:16,960So the light on your path, the water in which you swim.20600:16:16,960 –> 00:16:18,960That’s the third thing that food that you eat.20700:16:18,960 –> 00:16:22,960Verse twenty nine husband’s ought to love their wives as their own bodies.20800:16:22,960 –> 00:16:24,960He who loves his wife loves himself.20900:16:24,960 –> 00:16:29,960After all, no one ever hated his own body but feeds and cares for it.21000:16:29,960 –> 00:16:30,960Just as Christ does the church.21100:16:30,960 –> 00:16:32,960So we’re back to the template again.21200:16:32,960 –> 00:16:36,960The template is the Christ feeds and cares for the church.21300:16:36,960 –> 00:16:40,960And this is to be the model for the relationship between husband and wife.21400:16:40,960 –> 00:16:42,960Christ feeds his people.21500:16:42,960 –> 00:16:46,960Now just as the washing that is ours in Christ is beautifully pictured in baptism.21600:16:46,960 –> 00:16:51,960So the feeding that is ours in Christ, of course, is really pictured in communion.21700:16:51,960 –> 00:16:53,960Christ is the bread of life.21800:16:53,960 –> 00:16:55,960We feed on him by faith.21900:16:55,960 –> 00:16:56,960He’s our food.22000:16:56,960 –> 00:17:00,960He nourishes us to everlasting life.22100:17:01,960 –> 00:17:05,959But just as there are different kinds of light and different kinds of water,22200:17:05,959 –> 00:17:08,959there are obviously different kinds of food.22300:17:09,959 –> 00:17:14,959And your diet will affect your health, right?22400:17:15,959 –> 00:17:17,959Confession.22500:17:18,959 –> 00:17:20,959I went to the doctor last month.22600:17:20,959 –> 00:17:21,959Nothing wrong with me.22700:17:21,959 –> 00:17:22,959Feeling great.22800:17:22,959 –> 00:17:26,959Hadn’t been for a long, long time and so,22900:17:26,959 –> 00:17:30,959with a little encouragement, I decided to go.23000:17:30,959 –> 00:17:32,959He did a blood test, I got a letter.23100:17:32,959 –> 00:17:34,959A few days later,23200:17:34,959 –> 00:17:37,959your cholesterol is too high.23300:17:38,959 –> 00:17:40,959Change your diet.23400:17:41,959 –> 00:17:47,959So no more Chicago Beef sandwiches or Chili Cheese Fries for ME!23500:17:51,959 –> 00:17:55,959If you want to live well, eat healthy!23600:17:58,959 –> 00:18:01,959What is true of the body is true for the soul.23700:18:03,959 –> 00:18:05,959And the Communion service reminds us,23800:18:05,959 –> 00:18:08,959that a healthy life is one that is fed on Jesus Christ by faith.23900:18:08,959 –> 00:18:11,959It’s sustained, it’s nourished, it’s strengthened by Him.24000:18:11,959 –> 00:18:16,959And Paul says now, you’re to love your wife, husband as Christ loves the Church.24100:18:16,959 –> 00:18:19,959And what that means is the way that you feed and care for your wife24200:18:19,959 –> 00:18:22,959as Christ feeds and cares for His Church.24300:18:24,959 –> 00:18:26,959So, I ask you this question.24400:18:27,959 –> 00:18:34,959What would be the effect on a person of a 20-year diet of you?24500:18:36,959 –> 00:18:38,959Because that’s what marriage is.24600:18:40,959 –> 00:18:41,959I have many years…24700:18:44,959 –> 00:18:47,959What are you feeding your wife?24800:18:48,959 –> 00:18:51,959What are you feeding your husband?24900:18:51,959 –> 00:18:56,959Is it a diet of criticism or praise?25000:18:57,959 –> 00:19:03,959Is it a diet of affection or indifference?25100:19:05,959 –> 00:19:09,959Are you building up her confidence or are you pulling her down?25200:19:12,959 –> 00:19:17,959Are you fostering his following after Christ or holding him back?25300:19:17,959 –> 00:19:27,959Is the diet of your love nourishing her soul or is she living on the meagre rations of your cold heart?25400:19:32,959 –> 00:19:36,959What kind of light are you to live in?25500:19:37,959 –> 00:19:41,959What kind of water are you to bathe in?25600:19:41,959 –> 00:19:45,959What kind of food are you to live on?25700:19:48,959 –> 00:19:50,959Now, here’s the deal.25800:19:51,959 –> 00:20:00,959If you are going to bring light to another person you need Jesus Christ to be your light.25900:20:00,959 –> 00:20:03,959That’s the only way you can do it.26000:20:04,959 –> 00:20:11,959If you don’t have light of your own it will be his light in you that will bring light into your marriage.26100:20:12,959 –> 00:20:21,959If you’re going to be like clean water for another person, you need Jesus Christ to wash you clean.26200:20:21,959 –> 00:20:24,959There’s no other way.26300:20:24,959 –> 00:20:29,959You’re not clean in and of yourself only as he washes you.26400:20:31,959 –> 00:20:38,959If you are to bring strength and nourishment to another person you need Jesus Christ to nourish you.26500:20:38,959 –> 00:20:42,959How else in all the world are you going to do this over a lifetime?26600:20:43,959 –> 00:20:46,959You need to live in his light.26700:20:46,959 –> 00:20:49,959You need to wash in his water.26800:20:49,959 –> 00:20:51,959You need to be nourished by his food.26900:20:51,959 –> 00:20:59,959You need to be filled with Christ’s love so that you will have renewed and replenished love to give to another person.27000:21:00,359 –> 00:21:02,959Which is precisely Paul’s point in verse 1.27100:21:02,959 –> 00:21:04,959Live a life of love…How?27200:21:04,959 –> 00:21:05,959Just as Christ’s love does.27300:21:05,959 –> 00:21:10,959You see you take out the Christ’s love does, and you have no idea as to how to live a life of love.27400:21:12,959 –> 00:21:15,959The only way to do it is by receiving his love for you.27500:21:15,959 –> 00:21:20,959Live a life of love just as Christ loved us.27600:21:21,959 –> 00:21:25,959He is love…the source.27700:21:30,959 –> 00:21:38,959That’s why we’ve taken the theme, you see, unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain, unless the Lord builds the house.27800:21:38,959 –> 00:21:40,959The Lord builds the house.27900:21:41,959 –> 00:21:46,959And I guess right now, they’re all over the sanctuary, there are husbands and there are wives28000:21:46,959 –> 00:21:49,959and there are folks living alone who are saying,28100:21:49,959 –> 00:21:53,959I need the Lord to build my house.28200:21:54,959 –> 00:22:01,959I need his light, I need his washing, and I need his foot.28300:22:03,459 –> 00:22:06,339You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith28400:22:06,339 –> 00:22:07,680In our weekly message called Gospel-shaped Marriage, part of our Series,28500:22:13,339 –> 00:22:15,339Don’t forget if you ever miss one of our messages.28600:22:15,339 –> 00:22:18,339You can easily catch up or go back and listen again online at our website28700:22:19,339 –> 00:22:21,339www.openthebible.org.uk28800:22:21,339 –> 00:22:23,339Or on your favourite podcast site.28900:22:24,339 –> 00:22:28,339Search for OpentheBibleUK or follow the link from our website.29000:22:29,339 –> 00:22:32,339Open the Bible is able to stay on this station and on the internet29100:22:32,339 –> 00:22:34,339as a result of generous donations29200:22:35,339 –> 00:22:37,339by our listeners and if you already give to support29300:22:37,339 –> 00:22:39,339Open the Bible, thank you so much.29400:22:40,339 –> 00:22:43,339This month if you want to begin to support Open the Bible financially,29500:22:43,339 –> 00:22:46,339in return we’d love to say thank you by sending you29600:22:47,339 –> 00:22:49,839two copies of Pastor Colin’s book Christmas stories29700:22:49,839 –> 00:22:54,339along with five Christmas cards with illustrations from the book.29800:22:54,339 –> 00:22:57,339Full details, terms and conditions are on our website29900:22:57,339 –> 00:23:00,339www.openthebible.org.uk30000:23:01,339 –> 00:23:04,339Today Colin talked about that vicious circle30100:23:04,339 –> 00:23:06,339which can really strangle a marriage.30200:23:06,339 –> 00:23:10,339The husband says there’s impurity because there’s no intimacy30300:23:10,339 –> 00:23:14,339and the wife says there’s no intimacy because of impurity.30400:23:14,339 –> 00:23:17,339There may be some couples listening today Colin30500:23:17,339 –> 00:23:19,339who are ready to break this cycle.30600:23:19,339 –> 00:23:21,339Isn’t that a wonderful moment to come to30700:23:21,339 –> 00:23:24,339and by the grace of God, there can be change30800:23:24,339 –> 00:23:27,339for both parties, and wonderful blessing30900:23:27,339 –> 00:23:30,339and wonderful hope and if you’re at that31000:23:30,339 –> 00:23:33,339place today of saying, I want to break31100:23:33,339 –> 00:23:36,339the cycle, boy I want to lead you in a prayer31200:23:36,339 –> 00:23:40,339of commitment and of asking of Christ right now31300:23:41,339 –> 00:23:44,339If you’re a husband, join me in making this prayer31400:23:44,339 –> 00:23:47,339your prayer. If you’re a wife then turn it around31500:23:47,339 –> 00:23:50,339and make it your prayer in relation to your husband31600:23:50,339 –> 00:23:52,339as well as to yourself. But let’s come31700:23:52,339 –> 00:23:54,339before the Lord together now.31800:23:55,339 –> 00:23:56,339Almighty God31900:23:57,339 –> 00:24:00,339Thank you for giving me the gift of marriage32000:24:00,339 –> 00:24:05,339bless my wife and make me a blessing to her32100:24:05,339 –> 00:24:09,339Be my light so that I may bring light to her32200:24:09,339 –> 00:24:13,339Wash me clean so that I may be pure for her32300:24:13,339 –> 00:24:17,339Feed me so that I may bring strength to her32400:24:17,339 –> 00:24:20,339And fill me with your love32500:24:20,339 –> 00:24:24,339So that my love for her may overflow32600:24:24,339 –> 00:24:28,339Today Lord I resolve to live in Your light32700:24:28,339 –> 00:24:32,339in Your purity, and in the nourishment of Your word32800:24:32,339 –> 00:24:37,339So help me God, through Jesus Christ my Lord32900:24:37,339 –> 00:24:39,339Amen33000:24:55,339 –> 00:24:57,339Amen33100:24:58,339 –> 00:25:00,339Amen33200:25:01,339 –> 00:25:03,339Amen