Podcasts about sex and marriage

To make changes for yourself and your relationship, it requires acting before you're "ready" so you can build trust in yourself and learn that no matter what happens, you will adapt and be more than ok.If you don't trust yourself in your relationship it looks like: You not addressing 'elephants in the room' with her and waiting for her to that discussion.You asking for her permission, 'letting her' plan things or 'reading her' instead of talking to her directly.You waiting for sex to happen or guessing instead of understanding exactly what leads to it happening.She will not trust you unless you fully trust yourself first. If she cannot trust you, she cannot connect with you. If she cannot connect with you, she will not want to have sex with you. When you're ready to own that your relationship and sex life is not in a good place and realize there is work to do that you're no longer willing to put to the side-  apply for a Sex Audit. 

Sermon TextGenesis 2:15–25; Song of Solomon 4:1–7; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,This at last is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh;she shall be called Woman,because she was taken out of Man.Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them has lost its young. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in rows of stone; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that graze among the lilies. Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, I will go away to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense. You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.Genesis 2:24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.1 Corinthians 6:15–17Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, The two will become one flesh. But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.Proverbs 5:18–19Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love

In this episode, I'm reminding you of why it's important to have conversations about your relationship instead of either conversations about planning/family stuff or conversations that are very sex-specific. There is this whole middle area that you're probably not capitalizing on and it's where comfort and trust around sex is actually built! If you're ready to join the 1% Man: Sexual Leadership System: Apply here

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

Sex in the context of marriage is a good thing. But like most good things, we can distort them and turn them into a bad thing. We can make sex about our own satisfaction and selfishness, a means to an end. Paul has much to say about how we are to approach sex within marriage.

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

Pastor Nate brings the message, "The Bible, Sex, and Marriage” from 1 Corinthians 7:1-7. We know that sin has effected everything in creation, including marriage.  But, God has graciously and wisely given us His Word which is sufficient for life and godliness. 

Introduction: Genesis 2:24 - Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Enjoying Your Gift from God. (1 Corinthians 7:1-7) Married? Enjoy God's Gift for MARRIAGE. (1 Cor 7:3-5) 3 Laws of Marital Intimacy: The Law of DEBT. (1 Cor 7:3) The Law of OWNERSHIP. (1 Cor 7:4) The Law of HIATUS. (1 Cor 7:5) Single? Enjoy God's Gift of SINGLENESS. (1 Cor 7:6-7) Matthew 19:10-12 – The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:41Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 7.00:43-00:51And as we said last week, it's going to continue for the next few weeks because we go where the text goes.00:54-01:00And today we're going to be talking about the relationship between a man and his wife.01:03-01:44discretion advised. We are going to be direct, but you know some pastors want to be like edgy by kind of pushing the envelope there and that's I don't think that's cool, but I do think we need to teach the Bible straightforwardly. So we are going to be direct but not explicit, okay? So whether you're sitting here or streaming this from home, parents you decide. If you saw last week's message that would be a good gauge as to whether or not your kids should hear this one.01:44-02:01But again I'll remind you that somebody's talking to your kids about this. I think you should really consider you know whether it's time for them to hear this from God, what He says about these matters.02:02-02:17Alright, so with that said, let's just bow our heads. I'm going to ask that you would please take a moment and pray for me to be faithful to clearly communicate what God said and I will pray for you to receive what it is that this passage teaches today. Let's pray.02:23-02:28Father in heaven, we are once again turning to Your Word for wisdom.02:33-02:38And we're dealing with what is going to be for many here a sensitive subject.02:38-03:05And I pray, Father, against distractions, and I also pray that our hearts and minds are open to what You actually say in Your Word. Not our opinion or not what we think your word might say about these matters, but to examine what it is that you have said, and that we would be faithful to apply.03:08-03:53Come meet us now, Lord, through the proclamation of your word, we pray in Jesus' name, and all of God's people said, "Amen." Amen. Many years ago, I was leading Bible study the prison, and one man raised his hand. He said, "I have a question. I have a question about what happens when we die." Well, I was ready for this. You should have heard. You should have heard the sermon. It's probably the best sermon I ever gave. It was just both barrels, and I explained to him, "Okay, first of all, let me explain how death came into the world. We went through Genesis chapter 3. Death We need Jesus Christ.03:54-03:56Jesus died on the cross to take our sin away.03:56-03:59He rose from the dead to give us eternal life.03:59-04:00We all need the gospel.04:00-04:05And if you've received Christ, when you die, the Bible says you are in the presence of the Lord.04:05-04:10Okay, and someday he is going to come and he's going to take his people to be with him.04:10-04:12John chapter 14, we talked about the rapture.04:13-04:17But if you have not received Christ, I talked about the tribulation that's coming after the rapture.04:18-04:21There's seven years of just hell on earth.04:21-04:26and then Christ returns, and I talked about all the millennial kingdom, right?04:26-04:41And then after the kingdom, there's the great white throne judgment, and at that point, you know, if you die and you're not in Christ, you do go to a place of suffering, Luke 16, but then you're thrown into the lake of fire at the great white throne judgment, and you should have heard it.04:41-04:44It was comprehensive.04:47-04:49So I got done, it was about 20 minutes.04:50-04:57I got done and I said, "So, does that answer your question?" He stared at me blankly.04:59-05:01And he goes, "No."05:02-05:03(congregation laughing)05:04-05:25I said, "Why not?" He goes, "I just wanted to know "if we become angels when we die." And I said, "No." He goes, "Okay, thanks." And I learned that day to answer the question that's being asked.05:27-05:30Well, the Corinthians, they had a lot of questions.05:31-05:35They had a lot of questions about marriage, about idols, about women in church, about the Lord's Supper.05:36-05:38Look at chapter 7 verse 1.05:39-05:45Paul says, "Now concerning the matters about which you wrote," stop there, we're entering a new section, okay?05:45-05:49He talked about the church unified, chapters 1-4.05:50-05:55He talked about the church purified, chapters 5-6.05:56-05:58And now you can see there's a shift.05:59-06:06He says, "You sent me questions and I'm going to give you answers now to the questions that you sent me." Do you see that?06:07-06:09And first up, marriage.06:12-06:13You're going to be shocked.06:13-06:14I'm glad you're sitting down.06:15-06:17But the Corinthians had a lot of problems when it came to marriage.06:20-06:28But you know, the problems that we bring into marriage are our own doing, because the Bible was clear on marriage.06:30-06:34Genesis 2.24, this is the most important verse in the Bible about marriage.06:34-06:38I know this because when asked, this is the verse that Jesus quoted.06:39-06:42When writing about marriage, this was the verse that Paul kept quoting.06:42-06:55The most important verse in the Bible about marriage says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." It's clear.06:55-07:00You leave, you join to your wife, and then the two become one.07:02-07:10Jesus was asked about marriage, divorce, all these matters, Matthew 19, we're going to talk about this later, but Jesus made, it was very clear.07:11-07:15Jesus said marriage is between a man and a woman.07:15-07:19Jesus said in a marriage, it's two people that are brought together by God.07:19-07:24Jesus said it's two becoming one, and He said it's meant to be unbroken.07:24-07:25That's God's design.07:28-07:32Bible's clear about marriage.07:32-07:38But in Paul's day, the Corinthian culture, there were basically four different ways to get married.07:38-07:51I'm just gonna, I don't usually like to preach my homework, But this might be helpful to give us some context as we go through this section, because there are a lot of ways that people got married in that day, all right?07:52-07:54So one way was for slaves.07:54-07:56Slaves weren't considered people, they were considered property.07:57-08:02So for slaves, the owner had the right to just pronounce them married.08:02-08:08If there were two slaves that wanted to get married, it's like, okay, you two are married, so you go stay over there or whatever.08:09-08:09And that was it.08:11-08:14There was also, in that day, common law marriage.08:14-08:20People that were living together unmarried for a year were considered married at that point.08:21-08:23A third way is a father selling his daughter.08:26-08:30And then the fourth way was the sort of the official Roman way.08:32-08:37Interestingly, it's through the Roman customs where we get our customs for marriage.08:37-08:38Did you know that?08:39-08:44from veil to flowers to vows to ring to cake, all came from the Roman culture.08:47-08:49So here's the point of all that.08:50-08:57In this section, Paul is teaching the sacredness of marriage no matter how you got there.08:57-09:07Okay, because there's going to be a lot of people that could raise objections, "But I was married this way, but I..." Paul's like, "However you got there, we're dealing with from here forward.09:08-09:10Let's talk about the sacredness of marriage.09:12-09:14They were a culture that had a high divorce rate.09:16-09:28They were a culture that had homosexuality, a culture of affairs, a culture of, believe it or not, feminists, and a culture of - we talked about this recently - prostitution.09:30-09:32So it's a culture a lot like ours.09:32-10:03There's nothing really new here as far as the kind of sin that they had to deal with with the same stuff. So the question is, "Well, what about sex and marriage?" Well, again, you're going to be shocked, and I'm glad you're sitting down, but the Corinthians had something else that they were divisive over, and that is this. Should you get married, or should you be single?10:06-10:08Which is the godly path?10:09-10:10That's the issue on the table here.10:11-10:13Which is the godly path, married or single?10:14-10:20Because some people said that righteousness is everybody must get married.10:21-10:22That was the Jewish mindset, by the way.10:23-10:24Everybody must get married.10:24-10:27You're not really fully righteous unless you're married.10:27-10:30In fact, you couldn't be a member of the Sanhedrin unless you were married.10:31-10:38So the Jews especially said, "Look, what's right is everybody has to get married." But then there's the other camp.10:40-10:42And the other camp said, "No, no, no, no.10:42-10:43No one should get married.10:43-10:45I mean, have you been paying attention?10:46-10:48Sexual sin is completely out of control.10:49-10:50Marriage is hard.10:50-10:57So being single and never touching a woman, that's the godly way.10:57-11:00In fact, you want to be godly.11:00-11:03If you're married and you want this godly path, you're just going to have to get out of your marriage.11:04-11:05Both of you be single.11:06-11:07That is more spiritual.11:08-11:09That is more devoted to God.11:09-11:13If you're single, you are more devoted to God.11:13-11:17And you know, there's people today that still hold that mindset, like in the Catholic church.11:17-11:18All right?11:18-11:19Priests don't get married.11:19-11:20Nuns don't get married.11:20-11:20Why?11:20-11:24Because you're devoted to God, and you can't really be devoted to God if you're married.11:27-11:30Well, what does the Bible say about that?11:31-11:35Well, let's see how Paul answers this under inspiration of the Holy Spirit.11:35-11:36Look at verse 1 again.11:36-11:48"Now, concerning the matters about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." Okay, stop there.11:48-11:50He goes, okay, first of all, it's good.11:51-11:53He didn't say it's the only good.11:54-11:54Okay?11:55-11:59Paul's not saying singleness is better than marriage.11:59-12:01He's not saying it's worse than marriage.12:01-12:09All he's saying in verse 1 is, "It's not wrong to be single." It is a fine option if you're single.12:11-12:12But there's another option.12:13-12:13Look at verse 2.12:14-12:36He says, "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband." So Paul says, "The other option, which is marriage, is good too." I mean we saw this, right?12:36-12:42Chapters 5 and 6, there was so much sexual immorality in the church.12:42-12:44They tolerated sexual sin.12:44-12:46They excused sexual sin.12:46-12:48There was no sacredness for marriage.12:48-12:49Huge problem.12:49-12:56So you see, in Corinth and here, it is hard to be pure because of temptation.12:57-12:58That's what Paul is teaching here.12:59-13:04Because there are so many ways to sin sexually.13:08-13:14So Paul here says, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, get a spouse.13:16-13:28Notice he says, "Get your own spouse." design. It's one man for one woman and that one woman for that one man. That is how God designed it. Get your own.13:30-14:11So Paul is saying physical desires are natural and should be enjoyed the way God designed them to be enjoyed. All right? So we're gonna play a quick game here. We're gonna play a game called "Which is Good?" I'm gonna give you a list of two options and you're gonna shout out which is good. You ready for this? You ready? Come on, don't lay an egg here. I need you. I need you. I'll start over. I mean I'll start way over at the beginning. We'll bring the worship team up. We'll start the whole thing over. All right, so you You ready to shout it out?14:11-14:13Which is good, country music or rock music?14:13-14:14Rock.14:16-14:18The answer is both.14:20-14:21All right, which is good?14:22-14:22You ready?14:22-14:23Try again.14:23-14:24I'm gonna give you another chance.14:25-14:26Which is good, pancakes or waffles?14:27-14:28Both.14:28-14:31Both are good, okay?14:32-14:35All right, I think some of you are getting the hang of it.14:35-14:36Let's try one more.14:37-14:39Which is good, baseball or football?14:41-14:42(congregation exclaims)14:49-14:50I'm sorry, the answer is both.14:52-14:53All right, one more, you ready?14:55-14:57Which is good, being single or being married?14:58-14:58Both.14:59-14:59Both.15:02-15:02Both.15:04-15:05The answer's both.15:08-15:12Paul says here - look, if you don't get that, you're going to miss the whole sermon, so you've got to get this.15:12-15:17Paul says here in this passage, look, what you have, church, you have two good options.15:19-15:22Okay? You have two good gifts from God.15:22-15:24You can't have them both at the same time, by the way.15:24-15:26I think I don't have to explain that.15:27-15:29But you have two good options, two good gifts of God.15:30-15:31Single is good.15:32-15:34And married is good.15:35-15:37That's Paul's point here in these first two verses.15:37-16:13expounds on each. So on your outline, draw some things down here. Enjoying your gift from God. Number one, married. Are you married? Are you married? Well, enjoy God's gift for marriage. Okay, now Paul here starts with marriage because it's the norm. Most people are married. Again, one's not better or worse. Most people are married, so that's where he And again in Corinth, many thought you had greater devotion to God if you avoided physical relations.16:14-16:14But there's a problem.16:15-16:22There are some people that thought you have greater devotion to God by avoiding physical relations even if you're married.16:25-16:37And all the men said, "What?" And it's good to not touch a woman even if you're married, and especially if she's not a believer, or vice versa.16:37-16:47If your husband's not a believer, they believe that, look, if you're married to a non-believer, you definitely should not be engaging in any kind of relationship that way.16:48-16:50That was what the people thought.16:51-16:53So here in these verses, Paul's saying, look, are you married?16:53-16:58Then you should enjoy regular times of intimacy.17:01-17:04You should enjoy regular times of intimacy.17:05-17:20And you're like, "Oh, isn't that obvious?" And the answer is it must not be because God spent some time here in His Word explaining some things.17:21-17:22So I don't think it is so obvious.17:24-17:35So what we have here are three laws, three principles for married couples regarding God's design for healthy marital relations, okay?17:37-17:42So we're just gonna break these down by calling them the three laws of marital intimacy.17:43-17:45The three laws of marital intimacy.17:48-17:51First of all, letter A, let's talk about the law of debt.17:52-18:00If you're married, if you're married, You should be enjoying your spouse physically.18:01-18:03And here's the three guidelines, three laws for that.18:03-18:05The first one, the law of debt.18:05-18:06Look at verse three.18:07-18:22He says, "The husband should give to his wife "her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband." Stop there, that's the law of debt.18:22-18:23You're like, why do you say debt?18:23-18:26Because do you know in the Greek, it's literally the debt.18:26-18:30literally in the Greek, it says the husband should give the wife the debt.18:31-18:34And the wife should give her husband the debt.18:34-18:36That's what it says.18:37-18:47Also in the Greek, it's a continuous verb, meaning, Paul's saying husbands and wives, you should continuously be paying a debt to one another physically.18:50-18:57Now listen, the physical part of your marriage is not the most important part of your marriage.19:00-19:06But, it is a very important part of your marriage.19:08-19:09Okay, I'm gonna say that again.19:09-19:13I don't know if I've ever been so careful about the way I worded things in a sermon.19:15-19:20Because I don't want anybody to misunderstand, and I know there's a lot of things that can be easily misunderstood here, so I'm gonna say that again.19:21-19:27The physical part of your marriage is not the most important thing, but it is a very important thing.19:28-19:42And Paul here says, "You owe it to your spouse to allow your spouse to enjoy this." Listen, this is a very sensitive subject.19:42-19:43I know that.19:43-19:46Because there are people that have endured abuse.19:47-19:50There are people who are emotionally scarred.19:50-19:52There are people that have health issues.19:52-20:01And these things make regular, normal relations more difficult.20:06-20:08It might require extra work.20:08-20:12It might require coming to see one of our pastors for counseling.20:12-20:14We can help you with that.20:14-20:17If this is an issue in your marriage, we can help you.20:22-20:24But the principle here is very clear.20:26-20:29If you're married, you are expected to go after this.20:32-20:39God's design is that husbands and wives enjoy meeting each other's needs.20:44-20:59There's a book in the Bible all about that, by the way, right? Song of Solomon. That's what And I know there's some scholars that are like, "The Song of Solomon, you know what the Song of Solomon is about, Pastor Taylor?20:59-21:00You know what it's about.21:00-21:08The Song of Solomon is about the love relationship between Jesus and the church." Spoken like someone who never read the Song of Solomon.21:09-21:10It's not about that.21:12-22:19It is about a couple enjoying the physical aspect of their relationship, their love for another and all its expressions of that love, that's what it's about. God wants you to enjoy each other. I've heard stories of couples that only come together for a physical relationship when it's time to procreate, almost like it's some business exchange. And look, if that happens. If that happens, awesome, awesome. We'll always make room in the nursery. But to reduce the purpose of that just for procreation is still missing the point. The purpose of sex in marriage is intimacy. That's the purpose. It's not just a physical act. It's an act that strengthens love and is an act that sustains love.22:21-22:30But I know, listen, somebody can read this verse, "The husband should give to his wife the debt." Likewise, the wife give to her husband the debt.22:30-22:34Somebody can look at this verse and say, "That sounds so violating.22:36-22:38You mean to tell me…." Is that what you're saying?22:39-22:47I can't… What a patriarchal, male chauvinist church this is, that you're telling me that I can be forced to pay the debt.22:48-22:48Right?22:48-22:49Is that what you're saying?22:50-22:51Not even close.22:53-22:58And I would say that if that's your takeaway, then all due respect, you are completely reading the verse wrong.23:02-23:02Listen closely.23:03-23:10He's not saying that we go into our marriage relationship saying, "You owe me!" No, no, no, no.23:12-23:13Not lording it over.23:14-23:20It's not "You owe me!" It's the mindset of "I owe you." It's submission.23:23-23:26Notice he says to give the debt.23:26-23:27He doesn't say take the debt.23:27-23:28Do you notice that?23:29-23:32He doesn't say, "Husbands, go take what she owes you.23:32-23:35Wives, go take what he owes you." He doesn't say that.23:36-23:43He says in mutual submission, you have to give what you owe your spouse.23:45-23:46That's what he says.23:47-23:52A healthy marriage always focuses on the other person's needs.23:55-23:59And that applies also specifically here to intimacy.24:01-24:02That's what we're saying.24:05-24:09Give your wife, give to her what you owe her.24:10-24:12Wives, give to husbands what you owe him.24:12-24:13It's mutual submission.24:16-24:16All right?24:16-24:17So that's the law of debt.24:18-24:20Secondly, we have letter B, the law of ownership.24:22-24:23Law of ownership, look at verse 4.24:24-24:32And he goes on, "For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does.24:32-24:40Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." Stop there.24:40-24:43Again, please do not read it wrongly.24:43-24:48Don't go through this and totally miss what he's saying because it would be easy to do.24:48-24:52This is not a pass for abuse.24:54-25:05This is, listen, this verse is not allowing for any kind of situation where someone is being forced into something in any way.25:06-25:08It is not saying that whatsoever.25:08-25:19You're like, "Well, what is it saying then?" In marriage, listen, when you make the decision to marry someone, you have released the authority of your body to your spouse.25:20-25:22And again, in the Greek, that's continual.25:23-25:26What you have in marriage is an exclusive claim.25:27-25:34It's saying no one else owns my body the way that my spouse does, and that includes me.25:36-25:37That's what he's saying.25:38-25:43He's speaking again of a mutual love and selflessness.25:44-25:45That's what he's talking about.25:47-25:55He's talking about a mentality of a husband going before his wife and saying, "Hey, hey, this is all yours.25:57-26:04This is all yours." And then the wife in turn turns to her husband and says, "Yeah, and you know what, baby?26:05-26:06This is all yours.26:11-26:14So have fun." That's what he's saying.26:18-26:20There's the law of death, there's the law of ownership.26:21-26:23Letter C, there's the law of hiatus.26:24-26:25The law of hiatus.26:26-26:27Look at verse 5.26:30-26:55He says, "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time that that you may devote yourselves to prayer, but then come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." The law of hiatus.26:57-26:59Again, he goes, "Stop depriving.26:59-27:07Stop depriving." Again, the Corinthian culture, "Oh, it's holy to deprive my spouse." No, he goes, "It's not holy.27:08-27:08It's just not.27:09-27:14Do not deprive each other, husbands and wives, do not deprive each other.27:15-27:16He says there is an exception.27:18-27:19There are rules for hiatus.27:22-27:23There are rules for hiatus, right?27:24-27:28First part of the rule, number one, is agree, right?27:29-27:30Agree.27:32-27:33That means consent.27:33-27:38That means it's not just one person making the decision.27:41-27:43It's not the wife saying, "You know what, honey?27:43-27:50I've really been thinking about this, and I decided we're taking a hiatus." And the husband's like, "Wait, what?27:51-27:52That's not how it works.27:52-28:00There has to be an agreement on that, all right?" And also number two, it says for a limited time.28:02-28:29a limited time. It's temporary. Again, that time should be agreed upon. You're like, "All right, well, why are we taking a break?" Well, he says very specifically, "If you two decide to take a break for a time from having normal relations, it should be for prayer." And he's not talking about prayer in general. I think he's talking about praying for something specific.28:31-28:43Maybe there's something in your life that is so burdening, so distracting, that you probably can't even enjoy intimacy in that season.28:43-28:45Do you know what I'm talking about?28:46-28:58Maybe you have a child that is really sick and in the hospital and like, "I can't." Obviously neither of us are in the mood for this right now.28:58-28:58We need to pray.29:01-29:33there's the looming threat of a job loss and the stress that comes with, you know, what am I going to do to provide for my family? And you know what, sweetheart, I think we should take a break from this for a season and focus on praying for God's provision in this way. But you agree upon it and you set the boundary of time, but when you're like, man, I just can't get into it as I should, then you take a hiatus, you agree to pray.29:33-29:53But Paul says, "Then, then you have to come together again," he says, "so that you don't get tempted." But the first part of that verse says, "Do not deprive each other.29:55-29:57Stop depriving each other.30:03-30:08Husbands and wives, you cannot use sex to manipulate.30:11-30:19Or more accurately, you can't withhold sex to coerce or punish the other person.30:21-30:35Listen, when you do that, when you use that as coercion or punishment, what you're doing ultimately is only hurting your marriage.30:36-30:37That's what you're doing.30:39-30:42Notice he says, "Come together again." Why?30:42-30:43Why should we come together again?30:44-31:12may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. In other words, closing the kitchen makes you a partner of Satan. All right? Because the urge is still there, and now all of a sudden the person who is supposed to satisfy me absolutely refuses to do that.31:13-31:15And then what happens?31:21-31:23Bitterness is resentment.31:25-31:27Then the evil thoughts start to creep in, right?31:29-31:32I'm so sick of not having my needs met.31:32-31:35I'm so sick of the bedroom being so cold.31:37-31:39And eventually that leads to adultery.31:42-31:55to physical, you find somebody that's scratching the itch that you have, whether it is that emotional itch for affection, whether it's a physical itch.31:58-32:20And then it's justified because, and I've heard it hundreds of times over my ministry, justified because I'm in a loveless marriage." You know, marriages struggle and ultimately individuals walks with Christ struggle because they're so frustrated physically.32:21-32:29It's like I have this appetite and it's just not being met and nothing good comes from that married people.32:30-32:30Alright?32:33-32:35So this is from the Lord.32:37-32:39Enjoy each other as much as possible.32:40-32:40Okay?32:42-32:43It's fun.32:43-32:50It's God's idea and in this passage he reminds us it is the best help in avoiding temptation.32:55-32:56It's the best help in avoiding temptation.32:57-32:58Think about it this way.32:58-33:00Just imagine this scenario.33:01-33:02Imagine this scenario.33:02-33:09Husband wakes up and he comes downstairs and he sees that his wife is baking chocolate chip cookies.33:11-33:13Seven in the morning she's baking chocolate chip cookies.33:15-33:16What a great wife, right?33:17-33:18Oh, it gets better.33:18-33:47He's baking chocolate chip cookies and he sees on the counter, she's obviously been at it for a while because there's a plate and there's a stack of them. And his wife says, "Honey, have all the cookies that you want." And like the dutiful husband that he is, he sits down and he has one, three, six, ten of them! And you know how you feel after eat a dozen chocolate chip cookies, right?33:49-33:50Just me?33:52-33:52(audience laughing)33:54-33:57You know how you feel after you eat a dozen chocolate chip cookies, right?33:59-33:59Thank you.34:00-34:01Thank you.34:02-34:09Your wife says, "Sweetheart, before you go to work, "I want you to have as many of these cookies as you want, "and I wanna tell you something else, honey.34:10-34:17"When you come home, there's gonna be more." So, you indulge.34:20-34:22Let me ask you something, when you get to work, are you hungry for cookies?34:25-34:25No.34:26-34:27Thank you.34:28-34:29Thank you.34:30-34:33One of you is on board now, the rest of you will catch up.34:34-34:35No.34:35-34:39You get to work, you're not hungry for cookies.34:40-34:46So what happens when the co-worker comes over to you and says, "Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink.34:47-34:48Would you like a cookie?34:50-34:56What do you say?" You're like, "I am full.34:58-35:03You wouldn't believe how many cookies I ate before work today." Well, you probably wouldn't say that.35:08-35:09We need to cut that one.35:10-35:11(audience laughing)35:15-35:19You would say, too much Taylor?35:19-35:20Too, oh, okay.35:20-35:27You would say, if she says blink, blink, blink, would you like a cookie?35:27-35:29You would say, no, thank you.35:31-35:31I'm full.35:34-35:35I have all the cookies that I wanted.35:38-35:45And you know, if you go a long time without cookies, self-control is much harder when someone else offers you one.35:49-35:52So if you're married, enjoy the wedding present that God gave you.35:52-35:52Alright?35:54-35:56Number two, single?35:58-35:59Enjoy God's gift of singleness.36:02-36:04I'm going to touch on this quickly.36:04-36:04Why?36:05-36:08He goes way into more detail later.36:08-36:11But right now, understand the point of what he's saying now.36:11-36:14The point of what he's saying now is two good options, right?36:14-36:14Two good options.36:15-36:16Marriage, good option.36:16-36:20And he's like, let's talk about the other good option, being single.36:20-36:21Look at verse six.36:22-36:35He says, "Now as a concession, not a command, I say this." In other words, he's like, look, I'm not commanding everyone to get married.36:35-36:38I'm just putting this out there because of human needs.36:39-36:39Right?36:39-37:19Verse seven, he says, "I wish that all were as I myself am, but each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another." So Paul says, "I have this gift and I wish everyone had this gift." Paul's like, "You may not have this gift." Bible's clear, God gives different gifts to different people and some people are uniquely gifted by God for singleness.37:20-37:21Some people are.37:21-37:24Like that is from God himself.37:28-37:33Quickly, Jesus, Matthew chapter 19, again, we referenced this earlier.37:33-37:38He was speaking of marriage and divorce and adultery.37:38-37:41Look, Jesus, this is where Paul gets this.37:42-37:45Paul's just repeating what Jesus was saying here about singleness.37:46-38:07Like I said, Jesus just got done talking about marriage and divorce, and the disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." But Jesus said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, but only to those to whom it is given.38:09-38:19For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.38:20-38:24Let the one who is able to receive this, receive it.38:26-38:28Same thing, same point.38:29-38:32Some people have a gift of singleness given by God.38:34-38:41If you're sitting here, you're like, "Man, I couldn't do it." Well, then you don't have the gift.38:43-38:45That's just all there is to it, right?38:47-38:48If you're sitting here and you're like, "You know what?38:48-38:59am single but I really don't want to be, then you don't have the gift. Because it's a gift from God to be single and content.39:02-39:17It's from God to be single and content, not single and consumed by lust. You don't have the gift if that's the case. Not if single and constantly tempted, you don't have the gift.39:17-39:23Not if single and constantly preoccupied by the fact that I am single, you don't have the gift.39:26-39:26Right?39:27-39:32But for some, it is a gift.39:33-39:45And there are definite advantages to this gift that we're going to talk about very shortly down the road, he picks up on that really in verse 32.39:46-39:56So Paul is saying to the Corinthians, "God's Word preserved by His Holy Spirit saying to us same thing." Look, don't judge the single people, right?39:57-39:58Don't judge the single people.39:58-40:04Maybe they have a gift from God to be single and content, to serve Him in a unique way.40:04-40:04Don't judge them.40:05-40:08And on the other hand, don't judge the married people either.40:09-40:24God has given the gift of marriage, and each side here, the single, the married, each has a gift, so enjoy yours how God intended." Our worship team would make their way up.40:25-40:35You know, in talking about this subject, it's hard to not think about how I heard of this subject when I was but a wee lad.40:38-40:46And you know, growing up, I thought, I'm just gonna be honest with you here, I thought sex was a bad, dirty thing.40:50-41:05Growing up, I thought sex was just this really, it was this really secretive, dirty thing that adults kind of whisper about, and you're like, "Why did you think that?" Because that was the only way it was ever presented.41:07-41:27And you know, so much church, so much church is, "Don't do this, don't do that, don't do this." So much church is, "Let me tell you everything that we're against." And too seldom does the church say what we're for.41:29-41:35But listen, sex is not a bad, dirty thing.41:38-41:41You realize God created it.41:43-41:45You realize the whole thing was His idea.41:46-41:52God is 100% for husbands and wives enjoying the heck out of it.41:55-41:56That's what he intended.41:58-42:01Sex to be one of life's greatest pleasures for a married couple.42:03-42:10So it's a gift for the married and the unmarried get the gift of not needing that wedding gift.42:10-42:13So, which is good?42:15-42:17Married or single?42:20-42:21Both are good.42:23-42:23Enjoy.42:24-42:25Let's pray.42:26-42:31Father in heaven, every good and perfect gift comes from above.42:32-42:55And I pray, Father, that you would give us eyes to see the way that you have blessed and gifted us and that we would use the gifts in a way that honors and glorifies you, whether it's single, to serve you in a unique way, whether it's married, to enjoy this picture of Christ and the church to enjoy the intimacy that comes from knowing somebody so deeply.42:57-43:01Whatever it is, God, let us recognize and enjoy.43:02-43:04And thank You and praise You for all of Your gifts.43:05-43:07We praise You in Jesus' name.43:07-43:08Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:1-7What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain the “3 Laws of Marital Intimacy” in your own words (1 Cor 7:3-5).What does it mean that “the wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband does, (and vice-versa)”? Is this making allowance for some kind of coercion to intimacy? Why or why not?How would you respond to a single friend who asks, “How do I know if I have the gift of singleness?”BreakoutPray for one another.

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

What do we learn about sex when no one talks about pleasure?In this episode of Sex Advice for Seniors, clinical psychologist Dr. La Keita Carter (Dr. L) joined me for a powerful, honest conversation about sex, silence, and the myths surrounding women of colour and intimacy. We explore how cultural messages, shame, and generational “don't bring a baby into this house” rules shape sexual desire, relationships, and self-worth, often long into adulthood.Dr. L breaks down the difference between sexual interest and sexual activity, why so many women feel obligated to have sex they don't want, and how the “strong woman” stereotype leaves little room for softness in the bedroom.A thoughtful, eye-opening discussion about pleasure, power, and why whatever we're silent about often carries the most shame.

Apologetics might sometimes seem like an off-putting, snobbishly academic endeavor for those among us who are more prone to delight in arguing with nonbelievers. But what might apologetics done properly look like? And what does practical, everyday apologetics look like for believers of all backgrounds and life experiences? In 1 Peter 3:15, we are all called to "give a defense for the hope that is in us, with gentleness and reverence." In that spirit, we as Christians are all apologists. Apologetics is then relevant to our faith, to the church, and to the wider unbelieving culture. This week and next on Apologetics Profile, we'll be chatting with lead pastor of South Spring Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas Chris Legg about these very issues. Pastor Chris will share with us what everyday apologetics looks like in practice in their church, from Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights, to daily life in general. Pastor Chris Legg, LPC, and his wife Ginger have been living out the parable of God's love for His people since 1993 and have been blessed with five great kids. He is the Lead Pastor at South Spring Baptist Church in Tyler, TX (https://www.southspring.org ) and is also the founding owner and clinical director of Alethia Family Counseling Center( https://www.alethiacounseling.com ), which offers training, counseling, speaking and business consulting in several locations in Texas.   He and his son Mark are the authors of the book Sex and Marriage, which is intended torestore the power God intended in our marriages.Learn more about SSBC at  www.southspring.org More about Alethia at https://www.alethiacounseling.comContact Chris, read any of his articles, and look for other resources at hiswebsite at https://www.chrismlegg.com and at https://chrismlegg.substack.com/. Resources from Watchman Fellowship: Apologetics Profile podcast interview with Robert Bowman, Jr., about different approaches to Christian apologetics. Atheism Profile by Robert Bowman Jr.: www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/atheismprofile.pdf Word Faith Movement Profile by Robert Bowman Jr.: www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/wordfaithprofile.pdfFaith Has Its Reasons: Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith, by Kenneth Boa and Robert Bowman Jr. (https://amzn.to/2YKeecD)Fast Facts on Apologetics.FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.The complete Profile Notebook (Digital Edition, PDF, approx. 700-pages): www.watchman.org/DigitalNotebookSUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © 2026 Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

We talk about this all the time on the Ultimate Intimacy podcast — emotional intimacy and sexual intimacy go hand in hand. You can't expect a strong sex life if you're not emotionally connected first.For most people, especially many women desire doesn't start in the bedroom. It starts with feeling heard, valued, and emotionally safe. If that connection is missing, sexual intimacy often disappears right along with it.That's why when couples say, “Our intimacy isn't where we want it to be,” we usually ask them how the emotional connection is, and most the time it isn't connected either.When you focus on listening, showing appreciation, spending intentional time together, and connecting without pressure, walls come down and desire naturally begins to return.And here's the exciting part... when emotional intimacy improves, sexual intimacy often comes back stronger than ever. Couples become more open, playful, and connected, and intimacy turns into something you both look forward to again.So if you want a better intimate life, don't skip the foundation.Build emotional closeness first, and watch every part of your marriage thrive.If you haven't already, go check out the Ultimate Intimacy App in the app stores, or at ultimateintimacy.com to find "Ultimate Intimacy" in your marriage. It's FREE to download and so much fun! Find out why close to 1M people have downloaded the app and give it such high ratings and reviews!Check out the new UandI App we just released after a year in development.WANT AMAZING PRODUCTS TO SPICE THINGS UP? YES PLEASE... CLICK HEREFollow us on Instagram @ultimateintimacyapp for app updates, polls, giveaways, daily marriage quotes and more.If you have any feedback, comments or topics you would like to hear on future episodes, reach out to us at amy@ultimateintimacy.com and let us know! We greatly appreciate your feedback and please leave us a review.Enjoy the podcast or have some feedback for us? Shoot us a message!

by Brooks Simpson | From the Series: Walking with Jesus | Scripture: Matthew 5:27-32 | Download Audio

by Brooks Simpson | From the Series: Walking with Jesus | Scripture: Matthew 5:27-32 | Download Audio

Speaker: Bill StaffieriReference: 1 Corinthians 6Visit our information hubSubscribe to the PodcastFollow us on InstagramVisit our website for info, events, giving, and moreBeachpoint Church - Developing into authentic followers of Jesus Christ who love God, one another, and our world.

When it comes to sex and marriage, most couples discover there's far more beneath the surface than they ever expected. In this episode, Dr. Carol welcomes Dr. Michael Sytsma—ordained Christian minister, licensed professional counselor, certified sex therapist, professor, and national speaker. With over 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Sytsma has walked with countless couples through struggles, surprises, and the deep joys of intimacy. Together they unpack the common myths couples believe about sex, why intimacy can feel so complicated, and the surprising ways love and faith intersect in the bedroom. You'll hear practical wisdom, biblical perspective, and real-life insights that can help you and your spouse build a marriage that is both deeply connected and joyfully intimate. Whether you're facing challenges or simply want to grow closer, this conversation will encourage and equip you with tools for a stronger, more vibrant marriage. This is a replay of an episode we shared a couple years ago, and this provides a taste of what you can access in the Marriage Healing Kit. Connect with Dr. Sytsma on his website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Find the book by Dr. Sytsma and Shaunti Feldhein Secrets of Sex and Marriage: 8 Surprises That Make all the Difference, and related resources Check out the two different packages available for the Marriage Healing Kit, and decide which one is right for you. And if you have questions, Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can leave a confidential message for her here. 

“Paul [in 1st Corinthians] really does seem to think that what I do with my body, Christ has done with his body. Like, when I use my body to abuse other people, I have taken Christ's body and used it to abuse people, which for a Christian is the maximum sacrilege that you could do. But when I do something loving or caring or giving… I have taken Jesus' body and blessed others with it.”So.You heard part 1. (If not, it's here: #68 - The Christian Story of Sex and Marriage, with Tyler Parker (Part 1))Now you're back for part 2. We've got a lot more for you:Join us for the tour through Numbers, Deuteronomy, the Gospels, Romans, and 1st Corinthians… We touch on themes of idolatry, adultery, how Jesus was super single, and what this means for… well, anyone with a body: single or married, straight or sexual minorities, broken and definitely beautiful.Please listen and then send your comments, questions, disagreements, and general angst. Links below. We'd love to hear from you!(For those of us less attuned to sarcasm: If you email the gmail address Tyler named at the end of this episode, the poor guy on the other end of that email will not know what you're talking about.

Guest host Thann Bennett talks with April Readlinger of Canavox, editor of "Courageous Conversations," about the challenge and need to engage others, especially college age persons, around God's natural law design for human sexuality.  Carmen LaBerge joins Thann briefly to help process the news of Charlie Kirks' assasination.  Plus, Colin Smith of Open the Bible talks about his tour to several US cities around his book "Fly Through the Bible."   Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here  

What is marriage actually for? What is sex for?The way we answer these questions reveal the stories we tell ourselves and each other. So then: what is the story we see unfolding in the Bible? And what would it look like for the Christian story to be our primary narrative?In this episode, Tyler Parker takes us through the first part of the Biblical story. God's kingdom on earth, how human marriage plays a role, what makes marriage a unique relationship, good stuff. And then we touch on the Christian story's implications for same-sex marriage, serial monogamy, hookup relationships, and other expressions of sexuality.And then we realized this was a big topic and saved a few questions to Part 2. Stay tuned for that![Part 2 link will appear here when it's published.]Finally: We note the need for a Catholic voice to join this conversation, so—if you have a recommendation, please get in touch!—Note: This episode uses the terms “Side A” and “Side B” (and X, Y) as shorthand. If you're new to the conversation, you might find it helpful to check out episode #3, where we talk through the four “sides”: ⁠#3 - A-B-Y-X | 4 Sides on SSA/Gay Sexuality⁠—★ Timestamps(00:00) #68 - The Christian Story of Sex and Marriage with Tyler Parker (Part 1)(03:58) Why we start with narrative(08:08) The Bible's creation myth: a God who makes order from chaos(12:56) The dimorphic expression of God's image(20:14) God rested: He made a home for himself, with humans(26:00) "Ezer": a helper who does what you cannot(30:16) "Kenegdo": marriage isn't just union, it's REunion.(41:47) A symbol of fruitfulness--but what is a symbol? We note the need for a Catholic voice.(54:18) What about the church and other communities? Does marriage "colonize" all the good things about human unions?(01:03:11) "Porneia": what is NOT good, in God's narrative(01:17:23) In which we decide we'll need a Part 2—★ Send us feedback, questions, comments, and support!Email: communionandshalom@gmail.com | Instagram: @newkinship | Substack: @newkinship | Patreon: @newkinship—★ CreditsCo-Hosts: David Frank, TJ Espinoza, Tyler Parker | Audio Engineer: Carl Swenson, carlswensonmusic.com | Podcast Manager: Elena F. | Graphic Designer: Gavin Popken, gavinpopkenart.com ★ Get full access to New Kinship at newkinship.substack.com/subscribe

There was a season in my marriage when we were having sex… but something still felt painfully off.We weren't fighting. We were doing the “right” things.But emotionally, we were disconnected — and I felt it most clearly in the bedroom.We were going through the motions — like fast food intimacy.It gave us temporary relief but left us hungry for something deeper.Maybe you know what that feels like…Maybe sex has become a routine task you check off the list.Or maybe it's been so long, you don't even know where to begin.Maybe you're wondering: Is something wrong with me… with us?You're not alone — and nothing is wrong with you.AND something different is possible.In this week's episode of AwakenYou in Your Marriage, I talk about:Why sex can become a substitute for emotional connection — and how to tell the differenceHow to shift from “performance” to presenceWhat I did in my own marriage to stop blaming and start healingWhy foreplay starts right after sex ends (this insight is a game changer!)And a powerful visualization to help you reconnect with what your heart really wantsIf sex has become disconnected, distant, or just not what you hoped it would be, I invite you to listen in.You are not broken. You're just human. And your desire for meaningful connection is not too much — it's holy ground. Let's honor it.CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving RelationshipUnlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now! Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage. More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.InstagramFac...

Message from Will Lewis on June 22, 2025

Sex and Marriage, with Pete Chiofalo by Keller, Texas

SWM 150 - Control, sex and marriage. Check out the blog post here for more details and links.Last month, I watched a great video by Gary Thomas and his wife Lisa on how a controlling spirit can harm a marriage. It got me thinking: In Christian circles, we often struggle to define the difference between healthy leadership and damaging control—both in marriage and in our relationship with God.Why is it that surrendering to God is seen as good, but demanding control from a spouse is harmful? The key, I believe, is consent and love. When surrender is freely given and motivated by love, it can bring freedom and joy. But when control is forced, it leads to resentment and broken trust.In this post, I'm sharing some personal stories and lessons we've learned about navigating these tricky dynamics in marriage.Links in this podcast episode:Gary Thomas - Substack - A controlling spirit can devestate a marriageSWM 108 - What does the Bible say about hell?Sexual Frequency - Why I don't worry anymoreBecoming More Sexually Engaged Course - For Christian WivesSexy Photos Course - For Christian WivesBecoming More Sexually Engaged Course - For Christian WivesFollow us on Facebook, Instagram and TwitterIf you'd like to discuss the questions as they come in, consider joining our private forum.Thank you to all our faithful supporters!If you like that there are no ads in our podcast and want to keep it that way, check out our support page for more info.  Even $5/month makes a difference.Lastly, if you like our podcast, please rate it as it helps others know this is a good resource to help with their marriage. You managed to find us, help someone else do the same and receive the same benefits to their relationship.

Marriage isn't just about romance or building a life together. It's God's tool for something so much bigger. In this message, Pastor Aaron breaks down how God uses your relationship to stretch you, shape you, and prepare you for your calling. It's not just about happiness—it's about holiness. Whether you're single, dating, or married, this one's for you. Thank you for enjoying this life changing message from Radiant Church. We pray this moves you closer to Christ and encourages you. For more life changing resources, visit us at www.weareradiant.com.

What does it mean to be whole? Pastor JJ shares a powerful message that flips the script on singleness, marriage, identity, and purpose. Whether you're single, dating, or married, God wants you to live from a place of wholeness—not dependence. Learn how to guard your heart, know yourself, and get ready for the relationship that matters most: the one with your Savior. Thank you for enjoying this life changing message from Radiant Church. Thank you for enjoying this life changing message from Radiant Church. We pray this moves you closer to Christ and encourages you. For more life changing resources, visit us at www.weareradiant.com.

In this message, Pastor Aaron unpacks what true love really looks like. Real love isn't just something you feel—it's something you live out.. Using the acronym love, Pastor Aaron breaks down four key attributes of genuine, Christ-centered love: Lifts others up, is Others-focused, Values through action, and Endures through all seasons. Whether you're single, dating, married, or healing, this word is for you. Thank you for enjoying this life changing message from Radiant Church. We pray this moves you closer to Christ and encourages you. For more life changing resources, visit us at www.weareradiant.com.

In this episode, I discuss the real reason women become interested in sex after marriage.

A conversation about the self-phone culture that makes it hard for us to live according to our nature, with its call to live in communion with one another as man and woman.

Dating and relationships can be complicated. How do you know if you're making the right choices when it comes to love, marriage, or even just figuring out if someone is "the one"? In this message, Pastor William and his wife, Charlotte, tackle real-life questions about relationships, faith, and commitment. Whether you're dating, married, or wondering what God has to do with any of it, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to build relationships that truly last.

In this episode, Pastor Brandon closes out our Love, Sex, and Marriage series with a word on God's heart for the meaning of sex in marriage, and His overall desire for our sexual lives. **Due to the nature of content in this episode, parental discretion is advised.**

Pastor Chas Stevenson

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit smokeempodcast.substack.com“Would you have Elon Musk's baby?” Sarah texted Nancy the other day, to which she responded, “Fuck no.” Thus launches the latest Smoke ‘Em debate, in which our co-host who is without child confesses she'd take some of that SpaceX sperm. Has she lost her mind, or is she merely responding to nature's imperative? We discuss this, as well as Musk's new babymama, Ashley St. Clair.Then it's on to a double-dip from New York Times Magazine: “Why Gen X Women are Having the Best Sex” and “How I Learned That the Problem in My Marriage Was Me.” Is 20th-century licentiousness dead? Has therapy bled too far into the culture?Also discussed:* Diet Pepsi > Diet Coke* “On accident” vs. “by accident”?* Sperm ice cubes at the 7-Eleven* Milo Yiannopoulos has entered the chat* Can you make yourself sexy or nah?* Netchix and flill* Nancy declares she does not like declarative sentences* The saddest divorce book* Why does Nancy get so annoyed when people talk about their sex lives?* Sarah's string of younger men* Moynihan's not kicking those bikini-clad girls out of bed* Women have rage problems, too* Announcement: CHEFS TALK!!!* “The thing about Led Zeppelin songs is, none of the names make sense.”Plus, the speedball of intimacy, the obsession with being obsessed, Nancy gets a crush on Jimmy Page, and much more!Correction: Listener Mavis wrote: “In ‘Iphigenia in Forest Hills,' she killed her child's father, not her daughter!” Absolutely correct! Nancy regrets the error, and for more Janet Malcolm, see this week's hot boxes

In this episode, Pastor Hannah continues Love, Sex, and Marriage by encouraging us to be committed to who God created us to be, and to drop the myth of the "right" person for us.

In this episode, we sit down with biblical scholar Dr. Jennifer Bird to explore the Bible's complex portrayals of marriage and sexuality. Jennifer shares her journey from conservative evangelicalism to a more nuanced, humanistic perspective, and helps us unpack, among other things, Jesus and Paul's lack of enthusiasm for marriage, the Bible's limitations as a guide for healthy relationships, and the risks of putting Jesus on a pedestal. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Anna Robinson reflect on their own experiences with ‘biblical' teachings around sex and marriage, and consider whether Jesus really offers an antidote to the Bible's more problematic stances. Interview starts at 16m 19s  Books, quotes, links → Check out Tim's new podcast Homegrown Faith, where he and his 10 year-old son Elliot explore a range of spiritual practices.  The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited. If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug! If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page. Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

In this episode, Pastor Brandon takes a look at what the Bible says about the ways we're called to love, and how to avoid the pitfalls that stifle growth in relationships.

Vinnie's wife comes home from surgery and the crew talk about sex and marriage.

Today we revisit one of the best of a recent episode of SMR. In it, I'm joined by Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr Michael Sytsma as we talked through their new book, Secrets of Sex and Marriage. Based on their latest research with couples, what surprised them most? What do married couples need to know about how things actually play out in marriage? And what should married couples do about our differences and similarities? Learn more about them and their work here - https://secretsofsexandmarriage.com/ Enjoy the show! Sponsors ... LEAN: Get 15% OFF by going to https://takelean.com Use our code PASSION to get 15% off. The post Best of SMR: Secrets of Sex and Marriage #693 first appeared on Sexy Marriage Radio.

Honeys, we're finally doing it (no pun intended). We're finally delving more into the topic of sex (Caroline is sweating, but Nicole's forcing the topic because it's important). Before we get into the sex talk, we discuss an email from a listener whose husband decided to tell her that he's changed his mind about wanting kids. The classic bait and switch. Nicole found a game in her TV credenza called "Where Should We Begin?" by Esther Perel, so the girls play it by answering some of the very unique and weird sex-related questions, probably not the way Esther intended the game to be played, but oh well. Then they get into answering the audiences' burning questions like "how often are we supposed to be having sex?", "what if my partner and I have mismatched sex drives?", "what if i'm too tired to have sex?" and more. The point of this episode is to show us all that there's no right or wrong way to be having sex in your marriage, as long as you're doing what works for you as a couple, and you've found someone who matches your freak, then you're good to go.Fungies: Enjoy free shipping and 20% off with code HONEY at www.eatfungies.comEmail your feedback and questions to honeywerehomepodcast@gmail.com! Also follow us @honeywerehomepod on Instagram. Xoxo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.