Bonded Together Forever!

Tonight was part one of the ONE Marriage Conference at Free Chapel in Gainesville, GA. Pastor Jentezen Franklin gave the opening message. The message was entitled, "Bonded Together Forever".

A friend of mine and I are putting our notes together and creating this blog.

Almost in all weddings there is a unity candle. This candle presents a man and woman coming together as one.

First of all, love at first sight...does not exist. Love always begins in the infatuation phase. The couple automatically see's the similarities. Even though that there are these similarities, we must look forward passed the looks. GO DEEPER!!! One of the key points to me was that you have to have a high standard in the process of dating. Once you have gotten married, you must maintain the fire. Do not let it burn out just because you are married.

Revelation 2:4-5, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."


The 3 R's taken from this scripture are as followed:
1. Remember... the passion for the other
2. Repent... when you were not maintaining the fire
3. Repeat... do what you did in the beginning to get the fire

The unity candle represents the lampstand in your marriage.

There are 3 things that the lampstand provides:
1. Light
2. Warmth
3. Fire

Its takes daily maintenance to keep the fire going.

There are 4 lights that light the lampstand in your marriage.
1. Light of Value

• Value that person God has for you
• Treasure him/her
• Honor one another
• For example, in the book of Song of Solomon: the woman is very hard on herself. She has no self-esteem. Then the man comes along and all of a sudden she is the "lilly of the valley" and the "rose of sharon".
• Also in S.O.S. the man praises the woman 40 times in 8 chapters.

2. Light of Promise

• Better or Worse
• Sickness and in Health
• Death do we part
• I'm not going anywhere
• No matter what happens you stick with that person.

3. Light of Security

•  Foundation of marriage
• Not having to worry, you can trust him/her
• For example, you build a fire, but to keep it within it boundaries to must build a protective barrier to keep it from spreading where it should not go.

4. Light of Faith

• Center of relationship and marriage
• The power of the Holy Spirit.

How you handle your conflict is what could put your marriage flame out?

Lamentations 5:15

Pastor Franklin referenced 4 different types of dances and compared them to typical conflicts that take place during a marriage.

1. Tap Dance: Tap out off the stage without listening to the other person.

2. Macarena: Bringing up stuff from the past, but refusing to let it go...constantly on repeat.

3. Limbo: Low cut downs, harsh words

4. Salsa: angry, possibly violent

Do you want to be right or be reconciled?

Win the argument, but destroy your marriage.

Take the lead in your marriage dance. Someone MUST lead!!!

• Lead in honesty
• Lead in humility
• Lead in asking forgiveness

Every marriage starts as DELIGHT.

Every marriage goes through a disillusionment.

Then hopefully you discover that your marriage has a DESTINY!!!

The lampstand represents the hand and favor of God.

There is a destiny that God puts together with the ONE He has for you!!