Making A Trade

Couples In Christ, Sunrise Community Church

Successful professional sports teams frequently strengthen weak positions via trades. So too you and I should regularly evaluate our priorities. even our daily activities, and make trades to improve our position before God.

List of Good Stuff

Healthy job or business

Activities with spouse, family

Sports participation

Service at church

Hobbies

Time with friends

Might Compete With

Quiet time with God (just the two of you !)

Insight from God's word (are you sharing it?)

Healthy marriage relationship (can you share

anything comfortably with your spouse?)

Trade This . . . Any competing "Good Stuff".

For This . . . Personal quiet time

Memorizing selected scripture

Sharing Christ with others

Think of the Commissioner, who approves all trades, as being God! Here are some rules from His Book of Regulations:

1. "And He is before all things. and in Him all things hold together He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything." (Col. 1:17-18)

2. "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, sealed at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." (Col. 3:1-2)

3. "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Col. 3:16)

4. "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…." (2 Chron 16:Sa)

5. "And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers." (Psalm 1:3)

6. "And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." (Luke 8:14-15)

Do you remember the scene from Hebrews Highlights in which some of the actors and actresses had moved out of the spotlight, over to the edge of the stage? The allure of the world enticed them to compromise their commitment to the Director, and they began to miss His cues.

Or how about our Marriage House? The foundation is Christ, but what type of soil supports Him in your marriage?

I suggest that a couples joint temperaments. personalities, and backgrounds determine their "soil type". Some soils are expansive (clay), some are touch to penetrate (hard pan), and some are unstable (silt). All are subject to erosion to some degree

Erosion can occur invisibly (below the surface) before external devastation strikes. Some soil types, such as silt, can absorb large quantities of water before suddenly collapsing.

Allowing erosion in your marriage displaces Christ's position as your foundation. You must allow Him to stay in the #1 position.

Alvarado Adobe in Monterey: Puzzle of sagging wall was traced to unstable soils

(old cess pool) beneath the foundation!

You want your team (you and your spouse) to win the championship, right? Then make the necessary trades this season! All successful teams do this

Purge unhealthy activities from your daily routine

Excessive or inappropriate television. including video games

Too much time spent in any leisure activity. including sports.

Any activity that the Commissioner would tell you violates His rules

Study the Rook of Regulations (your Bible!)

Allow others to hold you accountable.

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win."

(1 Cor. 9:24)

Making A Trade, Couples In Christ June 29. 1997,