RM: Friends with benefits

I think the title of this sermon is funny. :) Here (<---click) is the next sermon. 

We did this one 2 weeks ago, but I forgot to write my notes on here.

Here are a few take aways:

• Marriage is about friendship (among other things)
• 1st human friendship was a husband and wife (Gen 2:18...not good to be alone)
• Friendship is mentioned throughout scripture. It's important. (not just in marriage)
• We live in a world that makes it feel like you have tons of friends (social media). But you should be friendly towards all and FRIENDS with few. Jesus had 3 CLOSE friends (Peter, James, John) 

F-Fruitful
R-Reciprocal
I-Intimate
E-Enjoyable
N-Needed
D-Devoted
S-Sanctifying 


Fruitful 
-Living a life together that is effective, bringing glory for Christ
Reciprocal
-Work on your friendship together by being friendly. BE DEVOTED to working on this
-How good of a friend have you been? Your spouse is NOT your enemy
Intimate
-1 Cor 13:12
-3 types of marriages

1. Back to Back (Enemy, bitter, hostile, bad place, anger)
2. Shoulder to Shoulder (Lonely, strangers living together, Co-workers in the business of running the family, most American marriages all in this category)
3. Face to Face (look one another in eyes, date nights, sacred moments during the day to stop and connect, share life with and emotions with one another) 

Enjoyable
-Ecclesiates 9:7-9
-Blow some dough ($) to the glory of God--make memories with your spouse and take pictures
Needed
-We need one another
-Ask: How and Why we need one another?
Devoted
-Prov 17:17 (hard times)
-Romans 12:15 (good times)
-There for ALL season of life
Sanctifying 
-Proverbs 13:20
- You spouse doesn't change you, they reveal your sin
-God made marriage to make you more holy, NOT happy.

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We desire to be that couple that goes to dinner and talks. Not the one that has their phones out on the table and not engaging their spouse in conversation. It's hard to do this at times, but we were challenged by this sermon. We need to be students of one another for a lifetime. One thing Mark mentioned was his push for couples to pursue friendship, and everything else will fall into place in their marriage. After two years of marriage, I think this is true. We have had our seasons where there is disconnect and we can feel it in ALL areas of our marriage. But when we are focused on our friendship, we seem to be in stride with one another. It's work for sure.

-Kelli