Marriage in the Christian Home - Part 2 — Keith Daniel

No one that works under him and for his movement wants to listen to him preach again. No one wants to hear his preaching or let God bless their hearts through his preaching. Do you know why, Keith? The way he speaks to his wife, the way he speaks to his wife, you cannot accept anything he says from the pulpit.

A Preacher’s Holiness Revealed in His Speech at Home

It becomes obnoxious. Let me tell you something. I wonder how many preachers would be forbidden to ever get back in the pulpit again once in their life, if one conversation of the home was made public in the pulpit, just once.

I wonder how many preachers would be forbidden to hold the word of God to man again in their life, if one conversation ever was made public of what happened in the home, sometimes minutes before they preach.

I can tell you how holy a man is by the way he speaks to his wife, brethren. I can tell you how holy a man is by the way he speaks to his wife. And let me shock you, so can your children. So can your children.

Sarah’s Meek and Quiet Spirit

What was it about Sarah that made Abraham love her when she was old? You've got to think about that. You ladies, do you honestly think it was her beauty? I mean, she must have had an extraordinary beauty when you think of the old king.

She wasn't young when he wanted her, you know. And Abraham had to fail there. Same as Isaac, saying, say you're my sister. That king wants you. I mean, she wasn't young. Do you know how old that woman was?

She must have been extraordinarily beautiful. And you might say, no wonder Abraham loved her like that. She's the example of how to keep love intact in a home. Let me tell you what made Abraham love her.

According to what I see in the Scriptures, there was something more beautiful. In its context, whenever Sarah is spoken about, there's an ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

There's something about the submissiveness of Sarah that called him Lord, that God said, I want you to be. Do you know why? Not to live a lot of laws, but that your husband will love you to your old age with such a love that only God can put there.

If a woman is like Sarah. If a woman is like this, the example of what God gives to women for a godly home. I love old Abraham, loving old Sarah, you know. When is love supposed to get out the door in marriage when you're godly?

I mean, real love. I was here in America, two years ago or so, I was preaching all over. And in one of the towns, they put me into a home. On top of the town, on the hill, a very beautiful home, thatched roof, very rich people.

Think they were Baptists? Not that all Baptists are risks, okay. But they were old. When I looked at how frail and sloth, you know, they're old. But they're hanging on to their home in their beautiful lawns and the forests around, and overlooking the town.

They loved God. They served God. They were loved. They had souls. They had all these children coming up. And they would have these Sunday school preaching to the children, singing. And they had all these children from across the town coming up.

Not to a church, but just the children. They loved children. I had to preach one day. I just loved that old couple, but they were so old. They should have been in an old age home, I think. I'm not sure.

Some frail care, but there they were. I mean, they weren't strong. But you know what I noticed about this man and woman? As old as they was with, I think, thirty grandchildren. Was it great-grandchildren?

I don't know, but you can't believe the tribe in the photograph. Oh my, they had children. They had grandchildren, great-grandchildren. And here they are still together in this beautiful big mansion.

And I was put into the upstairs of this beautiful big mansion. But I noticed, I noticed the tenderness in the man's eyes when he looked at his wife, you know. You don't always see that. And the tenderness in her eyes and the little sparkle.

Oh, there's still a sparkle. He's old. You know, he looked at her and there was something just of a sparkle. And she got a little bit coy all the time, you know. And most homes I go to, they want to speak to this priest from the other side of the world.

This lot had a hard time taking their eyes off each other, you know. And every now and again looking at me. There was love, and I just realized this man is so in love with his wife. And look how old he is.

Look at, all his children are grown up. They all have children and there's now great-grandchildren. He still loves his wife, excited. He really loves her. But you know what I did? Every night I was supposed to come downstairs at such a time.

We'd get in the car and we'd drive down to the town to the church. The old man driving the car. And there was a time I had to come downstairs. And it was big upstairs. It had lounges and chandeliers and everything upstairs.

But I decided I'm ten minutes early. I may as well go down early once, you know. They were only expecting me down there at such a time. Now I'm ten minutes earlier, and I shouldn't have done it. I came down the stairs, you know, a little bit early.

I'll make myself a cup of tea downstairs now while I'm waiting for them. But I came down and whoops, what happened? I walked into something in that house that was going on. They didn't know this young fellow was going to come downstairs so early.

They were kissing. Brother, they weren't just kissing. They were kissing. I mean, I never saw young people in my life kiss like this. Old man was kissing his wife. You know, you might think this is sacrilege speaking like this.

But it isn't. He was. You know, I got such a fright when I stood there. I gasped at what I was seeing. And I thought, oh, they didn't know. So I said, how am I going to get out of this? What do you do?

Go back up the steps, maybe squeak. Oh, it was terrible, that squeak. And suddenly I looked at them and they were caught. She pulls and she giggles and she runs away. Now I got in the car. We're going to go to preach now, you know.

There's dead silence in the car as he's driving. I couldn't speak. And now, Jesus. And he's sort of like, ah, looking at her. We get to the church. I said to the minister before the service, I had to pray with him and I told him.

I said, you know, what happened? Just how old they are. And he laughed and he laughed and he laughed. Oh, he couldn't stop laughing, that man, that preacher. And what happened to me in the home they put me in.

Cultivating Affection and Holiness in Marriage

But, you know, that night I began to pray. And I found myself saying from my soul to God, Oh, God, let me love my wife like that when I'm old. Let Jenny know that I'm excited to be with her. By the way I look at her eyes when other people are there.

Let love stay vital and exciting, God. In my life, it isn't holiness, brother, and sanctification, and maturity, and Christianity to keep them at a distance and not to show them you're excited with what they are.

That you love them. You're excited by them. That's godliness, forgive me for saying. Not the other way around. You ladies might say, well, it was Sarah's physical beauty. You know, I'll tell you something, I fell in love with Jenny for her physical beauty.

I'll be honest, I never knew there was such a purity in beauty as when I saw my wife's face. Unspoiled by sin, so pure, and yet there was a beauty. And without knowing her nature and reactions altogether, I fell in love with what I saw, that beauty.

Twenty years later, she hasn't got that youthful perfectness that the world will always look for before you get married, you know. But I love Jenny more now than I loved her when I first saw her. And do you know what I love now more about her?

I love her submissiveness. I love her inability to judge me when I fail. Her inability to remind me of my failures. Her amazing forgiveness as I fail. And I failed. I wish I could stand here and say, I never failed under the stress when all hell came against me.

I love her for the ability to let me be the priest of the home. Though she knew Christ for years longer than I knew Christ. Though she's been through the Bible much more than I've been. I love her for her ability to allow me and want me to be the priest.

I love her for her willingness to be, to let me go and preach to the world. And her calling is to raise up the children, make me a home, to walk back in that I feel here is home. I love Jenny because of her inside Christ-likeness.

Her beauty through the spiritual walk with God and the obedience. Not by obeying anymore, just by instinct through her spiritual walk. By reaction, because she's so godly. I love my wife because I don't know anyone more godly alive on earth today than my wife.

Can your husband say that of you? I love her more now than I ever knew my heart to love her and want to be with her. Because she had what Sarah had, the grace to be all a woman should be. To make a man know he is the man of the house.

He is the head of the house. In spite of his failures, he is to be the priest and to teach and to pray. I'll tell you something staggering, ladies. If my children follow Christ, it will be 90 through what Jenny was, not the 10 they saw of a father.

I wish I could stand here as a man and say the other way around, you know, they needed me. Oh, the influence of a mother. Of a wife. The shame of a father. That isn't what he should be. When he could have been.

Repentance, Forgiveness, and Restored Love

When he could have loved his wife till his old age more than he loved her from the day he met her. If he had been all God wanted him to be and walked with God and had the heart of God. He could have had love that that woman felt respected.

And do you want to know something? Your wife feels as much dignity as you love her. How much have you given her of dignity? How much does she know you love her? Can a person stay in love all your life in marriage?

Oh yes, if you allow God. And you're not too proud to change if you're wrong and love isn't there anymore. To all of you. To all of you who need to ask God to heal the wounds that have caused love to not be what it should be in marriage.

I'm going to repeat that. To all of you here who need to ask God to heal the wounds that have caused love to not be what it should be. To all who need to say to God, give me a new start in marriage. Another chance to spend life, what's left of it, in love.

Renew my love by a work of grace through the blood of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit through my submissing to thee again. Renew love in my life, Lord. I want to love her again. But I need healing.

Heal the wounds, the hurts caused by unkind words, by interference from in-laws that I allowed to influence me to my love, to my husband or my wife. Heal the weak moments that happened in my life like happened in David.

My wife may have to forgive me for. I want those who need to dedicate their marriage of faith to God here today. Who need to ask God for forgiveness for failures, for unkind words, for losing the tenderness, for changing the tone.

And your children have heard it. And your friends have heard it. For losing the first love that could have grown more and more. For unfaithfulness, for bitterness, for despising their husbands. Forgive me, God.

I need forgiveness for the sins of the whole. Ask God for cleansing for the sins of the whole. To those of you that need to dedicate yourself here this morning. That what is left of life you will apply with all your heart and soul and might to love your wife.

And not be bitter against them. In thus doing, defying God deliberately through pride. To forgive, to love them. And to wise, to willingly, no matter what failures in the past, to be submissive to them.

In subjection. That you don't have to give account to Christ one day for anything, no matter what they did. And that your children will live what you showed them when their husbands failed. That your prayers be not hindered.

I want every single one in this building. Every single one of you in this building. That God is speaking to, that needs desperately to say, God forgive me. Wash me in the blood of Christ. I desperately need to be cleansed.

I desperately need thee God to heal my marriage. And I desperately require thee to do a miracle and give me love back. And I will apply my life by thy grace to the day I die with every faculty of my being.

To fulfill God's requirements to keep a marriage beautiful. To the end, for my children's sake. For my prayers sake. I want those of you that desperately need to seek God. And rededicate your marriage to God.

To become holy, what's left of it, by a work of His grace. I want those of you who desperately, desperately need to seek God here this morning. In marriage. To heal it. For your children's sake. Let alone yours.

I want you who are desperate enough to not be too proud to say, it's me God. I want those of you that are honest enough. And desperate enough. To the little moment left of life to grab it and let God have His way to seek God this morning.

And those of you that will, I want you to stand. It's gonna cost you to stand. But it's gonna cost you a million times more if you can't through pride. I want those of you God has spoken to to stand right now.

And I'm gonna lead those who stand in prayer. And God is not gonna despise you and no one's gonna judge you. No one dare judge you. They love you for honesty. In the house of God. For giving God another chance.

I ask once more. Only once more, those of you. In the battlefield right now. Is it worth pride brother, sister? To not let God have His way for your children and for His glory. Will you please seek God by standing and saying, it's me and we're gonna pray.

Yes. Let's make this sacred. Come. No one's judging you. Come. Move away. Come down. I want you to come and let's make this a sacred moment. Come. Come make your way down. Everyone out there is praying for you.

Not judging you. They dare not judge you. Come those of you that need to seek God here. And get healing. I want everyone out there to stand please. That is not coming. And I want everyone of you to pray in your heart for these people that are kneeling.

I want you to pray in your hearts for God to do such a wonderful work. And to so honor them for this. Humbling themselves in the sight of the Lord. That God will lift them up to a life they never knew.

That they're not even dreaming God can do. I want you in love and compassion to pray for them. Even if you're their children. God please, please God. Make this a healing. And bring love so in their lives.

A Congregational Prayer for Marriage Restoration

Above that we're dreaming. Not just for a day or a week or a year. But till the day they die everyday. You be busy out there praying. I'm gonna lead you in prayer. And then I'm gonna let you pray yourselves.

But I want all of you in your knees to pray aloud with me. Let's all shudder eyes please. And bow our heads before our God. And trust Him. Because where two or three of you agree. Touching anything that's the will of God.

In the name of Jesus Christ it shall be given. Everyone in their knees. Follow these words from your heart. For God does not look at the words that proceed out of the mouth. He looks at the heart from whence they come.

And I want you to pray a prayer that many multitudes of people have prayed. And most of them, most of them by far. Their marriage was totally healed. So don't despise this way. You pray aloud with me.

Oh my God. Forgive me. For the sins of the home. For my sins in my marriage. For failing thee. For failing my loved ones. For failing my children. For failing my testimony. Forgive me. For my unchristlikeness.

My pride. My defiance of God's will. And of His commandments. That He gave in love. Wash me in the blood of Christ. The only hope I have. Of being cleansed by God. And forgiven by man. Is the blood of Jesus.

Wash me through and through. And through and through. You created me a clean heart, oh God. Renew a right spirit within me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit, God. Fill me afresh. That the fruit of the Spirit.

Will be seen in my life. Spontaneously. Without my struggling. No matter how trying the circumstances. Because thou art in control. Oh take control. As I lay my life at the altar. Of God. Longing for Him to take control.

That I may be like Jesus. When my loved one fails. That I may be like Jesus. When I'm tired. When I'm wronged. When I'm wounded. Or misunderstood. Oh God. Renew love in my heart. For my loved one. Please undo.

All the damage. That has been done. Through my sinfulness. In the home. Through my pride. Please heal. The wounds. And the hurts in her heart. In his heart. Please let my loved one forgive me. Utterly.

And never remember. Or bring up again. My past failures. Let my loved one. Give me a new start. In life. In marriage. Please God. Give love to that loved one of mine. Toward me. Heal the love. In both of our hearts.

By the blood of Jesus. By a work of grace. Of the Holy Spirit. Heal. Bring love back. Tenderness in my words. Respect. Help me to honor my loved one. To be all God says I should be. That my loved one can honor me and love me.

Help my children to forgive me. Help them to give me another chance. To show them. It's possible. To be happy in a Christian home. If you live as God says you should. And by his grace. And draw strength daily from him.

Primarily to live Christ in the home. Because I know Lord. That my children know. If it doesn't work in the home. It doesn't work anywhere. Please God. Let my children give us another chance. That my prayers will be not hindered.

When I pray for them one day. In their marriage. And even now. In their love for God. In Jesus Christ name. In Jesus the Christ name. I ask this of thee. Amen. Lord I pray. For everyone in this congregation.

Teaching Children the Honor and Permanence of Marriage

Everyone. I pray for the children standing here. This message is more for them than for their parents. In a world that doesn't want to get married. Because it doesn't work. Because so many land up divorced.

I want these children. God please. To never forget this sermon. To the day they die. That they will never ever. Ever. Ever consider living unwed. With women or men. Like the rest of the world does. With their argument marriage doesn't work.

But that they will never. Ever go near someone of the opposite sex. Until God says. This is the one. And until God confirms it. And gives peace to everyone required. But that they will marry. In the will of God.

With the smile of God. And the sanction of God upon their marriage. That they will live what they heard today. That they'll never forget it. And that they will know. That it will work. And can work. By what they heard here today.

And what they see in their parents lives from today. Oh God let these children. Remember till their dying day. Marriage is honorable. The bed undefiled. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Don't let them ever forget it. And don't let them ever forget what God says to do. To do. To be godly in the home. That your prayers be not hindered. Oh God let them never forget. Burn it in their hearts.

Write it upon their hearts. That these children will have the fruit of this message. In the years to come. And through their lives. Do it to every single child standing here God. And to every single home represented here.

Oh God honor and bless the home. God honor and bless marriage. Make it holy. Make it the most sacred thing Lord. In the testimony. In Jesus Christ name. Now while I heads about. I'm going to let every one of you just pray in your own words.

Not loud but softly. I'm going to give you time. And everyone's going to wait patiently. Longing for you to have your own. Speak to God now. For every one of you on your knees. Now you have dealings with God.

Look just the things you need to say to him. And I'm going to give you a few minutes while we stand. Then we're all going to go. To live what we've heard today. Now you pray. Come now pray. Every one of you speak to God from your heart as individuals.

And we're waiting. We're not listening. We're just waiting and praying and trusting with you. I want to guarantee you from my heart. If you prayed from your heart. God is going to honor you above everyone.

In this building from now onwards. God honors them that humble themselves in the sight of the Lord. And you did that today. Now this God and holy obligation is going to honor you above that you're dreaming.

In the things you pray. Don't doubt that. Don't you doubt that now. What they have prayed. And what we pray with them. Not even knowing ultimately their words. We ask in Jesus Christ name. For his sake God.

With faith. And hope. And resting now in God. Not in ourselves. In God. Giving us the grace we've asked for. And doing the work we asked him to do. Can those kneeling please stand. Just stand just where you are.

Stand. I want to say something for one minute here. I want to say from my heart to you husbands. I don't know if you have the courage to do it here. And you don't have to. Because sometimes sacred things are not done publicly.

Husbands and Wives Expressing Love and Forgiveness

But I want you to remember this. You husbands. As fast as you can after this. I want you to get along with your wives. And I want you to put your arms around her. And look her in the eyes. And I want you to say from your heart I love you.

I don't know why. But a woman needs to know that. She needs to hear it so many times. Somehow it gives her dignity and reassurance. So give it to her. Give her what she needs. Daily. But start today. I love you.

Reassure her daily. No matter what happens in that home. Now you don't fail to do that. I want you ladies to look him in the eyes today. And say I forgive you utterly.