Praise the Lord. Welcome to this program of R.G. Hardy Ministries because we know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. I'm Sharon Knotts thanking you for tuning in today because we have a very special message for you if you are married or are planning to be married. If so, this message by my father Brother Hardy is one you don't want to miss.
Two shall be one. Even if you have a good marriage, you can benefit from this down-to-earth biblical teaching. Two shall be one. I'm talking about Finding your place in your marriage. Husband Give yourself up for your wife like Christ.
gave himself up for the church. If a husband We'll live for his wife's benefit and good and love her. Then he can expect her. to order her life under him. and look to his lead.
And rely on him. to supply her need. How many say amen? And there will be no Divisions. No separations.
Nobody's going to tear them apart. They're going to have a strong marriage that will weather every storm, every trial. of life that'll come down the path to separate them. How many say amen? I want to go into another part.
This morning That gets a lot of marriages. In trouble. And that's on finance. How many say amen? A lot of good strong marriages are wrecked.
Because they don't know how to handle the money.
Now. I don't know why. that the man, it just seems like we're picking on the man, and I'm a man. How many say amen? Seems I'm picking on the husbands.
Because that's mainly where these problems come from in a lot of places. That in the man's macho mentality.
Now, I don't know what macho means, but. You know, it's a great word that they... used about somebody that's supposed to be something that's special But in the man's macho mentality, He won't let the wife Run the house. And he might not have enough sense to be able to add one in one. That it's supposed to be 2 and not 11.
I get a lot of letters from people. The wives said to me, Brother Harney, my husband won't give me no money to run the house.
Well, how the world is he gonna run the house with nothing? Man, I'd like to help one of them women. Shed him and keep Keeps all the money. and expects me to provide him a house.
Well, he's failing to do his job. as the provider. The supplier. How many say amen? And said he keeps the money.
And yet. The rent's not paid? The mortgage is not paid. There's no food in the house. Husband, it ain't against your macho-ness.
To let the wife run the bills if you haven't got enough sense to run the bills. Who gave you her to take up that lack? And I got news for you. If my wife want to run the house and pay the bills, go ahead. I don't care.
That don't bother my machoness one little bit. Because I believe One of the most, the job I hate, one of the worst about running a house is. is right now checks her bills. You know why? It costs you money.
for your time. Instead of making money for your time, it costs you money. How many say amen? I mean If my wife wants to balance the checkbook, go ahead. Because I ain't never been able to balance it in all my life.
Of course, I'm always good. I'm always coming up with money on my side when it ain't there. I tell that bank person, what do you mean it ain't there? Look at my figure, she said. I did.
But you see My dear brother, let me enlighten you by the scriptures. that the house is the woman's domain. How many know that? The man's domain is with his left-handed thinking His aggressive matureness It's to go out. And whip The world.
And the woman's domain is the home front. to guide the house And make a home. for her husband and children. How many believes that? Let me read a couple scriptures from the wise man, Solomon.
One's found in Proverbs 18, 22 and says, Whosoever findeth a wife findeth a good thing. I'm not going to ask the people who are Husband or married, did you find a good thing? I'll just hope you did. and obtains favor of the lore. How many say he met?
What was the Picture of the virtuous woman. In the Bible. It's another saying from the wise man. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above riches.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.
so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and no evil all the days of her life. How many seeing you ma'am?
Now wife, that's your job. How many's out there? Yeah. Live that your husband can trust you. Do good and no evil all the days of.
of his life. How many say amen? How many's out there? Now, let's go on and see what the wise man says. She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchant ship that bringeth her food from afar. She rises up also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considers the fields and buys it. What was the woman that did that? How many say amen?
And with the fruit of her hands, she planted a vineyard. According to the portrait of God of a virtuous woman, she ran the house. She took the money that her husband went out and whipped the world to get it from. and brought it back to her. And she went out and saw a field and she bought it.
I mean That wasn't supposed to hurt the machiness of the husband. What was their husband doing in the 23rd verse? said her husband is known in the gates. When he sitteth among the elders of the land. Except when he sits in at the gate, And you have to know that Old Testament terminology.
That's the place where the. The covers ruled. That was like that. the House, the Senate, the Congress. That's where the elders of the city and all the business people of the city sat and transacted business and ran the business and the rule of the city.
Now When her husband sat up there with all the rulers of the land, Everybody knew him. I said, man. There's Joe so-and-so, his wife. God's blessed him with his wife. I mean, she takes the money that he makes.
She just bought a field out there and she just planted a vineyard and she's buying things. Her ships are coming from afar with the things that she's bought. Said, man, he is really, he's smart. That guy is smart. He found a good wife.
And he just sitting up there like he's got all the brains in the world. I mean, if you don't have no sense to balance your checkbook and your wife does, thank God he gave it to you. Because if you've got two of them in the family and can't, you're in trouble. How many show you men? It's not against your macho-ness for the wife.
to take care of the bills. How many's out there? I mean, if God's given her a business head. How many say amen? I mean Some of you You haven't got enough sense.
to keep a penny in your pocket. I mean, you get that money in your pocket, and all it hollers out: spend me. Spend me. Spend me. And you're a mark for anybody that can sell anything.
I mean They could sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. and charge you for painting for it because you can't handle money. Everybody say amen. You know some of you can't handle no money. You done got it spent before you got the check.
On a bunch of nothing. Ha ha ha. I mean, they got A dollar a week. All you gotta pay is a dollar a week.
So they got a thousand of them. $1,001 a week. How many say am I? I mean, if the wife can take care of the bills, you need to thank God. And let her do it.
You see, you're a partnership. You're not in competition. They're not two different species. You're one! And if you got the mate that God wants you to have, He's going to supply the lack.
I mean, if my wife wants to paint the house and decorate it, go ahead, I'll give her the. You know what I mean? I'll give her the paintbrush. Not only that, I'll say, honey, you want some coffee? I'll work hard and make you a big pot of coffee.
How many say amen? I say Get it! Shake that wall! I mean. Yes.
Make it like I'm gonna love it. You put the wallpaper on, and you put the rugs down, and you put the chairs and the furniture in, and I'll just sit on them and look at you and say, I love you. Yeah. You see, God gave her to make up. Do you to take care of a home.
I mean, you don't want to see me interior decorate a home. You need to come up into my Dannon Library. Oh, I mean it's first class decor. I got books, magazines, Bibles hanging on the wall, down the side of the wall. You can't even walk in without breaking your leg because I got everything all over the place.
Everybody say amen. I mean, we got a partnership. Amen. Has equipped the woman. rather than the man how to take care of the house.
Now, in our society where they both have to work, you know, see, Mark. I'm trying to. Get this point across to your marriage. is a partnership, not a competition. How many say amen?
You're not competing, you're partners. And you should be partners for one goal. To raise a kind of family that will help you to obey God and rule the world. How many say amen? Did he tell Adam and Eve the rule of world?
Hmm? Did he say subdue it? Did he say rule it to both of them? And that's what we need to do. We need to be Christians.
and together help one another. To raise our children, and together we subdue the world, take it back from the devil. Bring a revival. Lift up Jesus Christ. But the devil has got a lot of families.
He doesn't have to worry about them. He got them fighting one another. And remember Jesus said a house divided against itself cannot stand. It cannot stay in. How many say you men?
And I've said this many times, and I'm going to say it again. There's something wrong with a marriage. There's something wrong with A husband and wife. That they cannot work out any problem in their marriage. There's something wrong with their salvation.
How many's out there? If they can't work out any problem, and I'm not talking about sin. I'm talking about little nonsense problems. You know what? A lot of people's trouble in their marriage is they're immature.
They're immature. They shouldn't have got married that early. A lot of people have broken up their marriages and married a second time and.
Some of them so many times it isn't funny. That when they finally get mature, they say, Well, if I just did this, I could still have my first marriage. How many say you men? You see. It's a mutual submitting to one another.
The wife submits to the lead of her husband. The husband loves and submits to the need of his wife. And they ought to be able to work out Any little of these little petty little things that tear it up. And they shouldn't be. Fighting one another.
and gonna smack one another. and going to hit one another and throw a dish at one another. I mean, you don't have the spirit of love. Said, I love him. I love him.
And he said, I love her. I love to kill her. And she loves to kill him and scratch his eyes out. How many say amen? And you're bringing children up under that environment?
How many say amen? somebody or both or not. Submitting herself to one another. And don't run around to a third party when you have problems. And I'm going to say this.
Mom, when wife, daughter comes back, don't take her. Unless He is physically abusing her and beating her. And mistreating her. How many say amen? And then you know what you need to do?
You need to lock him up. I'm sorry. No wife has to put up. with a man who physically abuses her and her children. He's not fulfilling his role as lover.
and protect her. How many say amen? But when that wife Tries to get on the phone or tries to come back to you because of some little petty something, don't you ding them in? Let them stay there and grow up and learn how to love one another and live with one another and mature. Too many mother-in-laws and father-in-laws run in marriages.
And a lot of people are going around getting counsel. From bathroom counselors. They done wrecked their marriage and they're gonna have to wreck your marriage. You know what you need to do? You need to go to the Lord in prayer with those problems.
I'll get a little good clap off. How many say you men? Not run back to mama. Not run back to daddy. Huh?
Not some wife. On a job like I heard r Some And there's a guy on the job going to give her counsel how to deal with her husband. Amen. How many say amen? You need to go to the word of God and the Lord.
Right. For this cause said God and Jesus. Therefore, let a man leave his mother and father and be cleaved or joined to his wife. How many say amen? Dare let the wife leave her father's house and her mother's and father's leadership and be stuck to her husband.
Yeah. Love your wife like Jesus did with cavalry love and sacrificial love. How many say amen? And then when you love her with a cavalry love and a sacrificial love, she's going to run to you and get stuck to you and say, my hero. Give the Lord a clap offering.
One more little subject and we'll conclude. Marriage, two shall be one. I want to go to 1 Corinthians, the 7th chapter. And I want to talk about sex. In marriage.
Now, the minute you say sex, most people get a funny look and think you said a dirty word.
Now, sex is not dirty, God created it. God in Mm how God was the one that ordained it. And like I read the scripture in the beginning, marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. What is dirty is whoredom. And fornication.
and kinky, dirty sex. But the highest expression of a man and a woman of giving theirself to and for one another. is consummated in the sexual act. The husband and the wife can't give theirself any more. to one another than they do in the sexual act.
And only in the sexual act Or you won. Did you know that? Only in the sexual act Or you want. Because in 1 Corinthians, the 7th chapter, Paul talking about he that is joined to a harlot. is a harlot.
For two saith he shall be one.
So the oneness really comes in the sexual act. You'll never be more than one that when a wife willingly and lovingly gives you a woman. Gives herself up to her husband, and her husband gives himself up for his wife. How many say amen? A lot of wives and Some husbands After they get married...
don't want to have sex.
Well, you know what? You should have never got married. Wife, woman, girl, young girl, young lady, if you don't want sex, don't get married. Because that is an obligation. of the marriage covenant.
How many say you men? And I'm gonna start off with 1 Corinthians the 7th chapter in the first verse said, Now, concerning the things which you wrote unto me, The Corinthian church wrote unto him and asked him about this question of sex and marriage. Is it good for a man not to touch a woman? He said, Nevertheless, to avoid fornication. Let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own Husband.
So, God's on record. It's not good for man to be alone. He should be married. He's incomplete without a wife. He's lonely.
His life is incomplete. There should be one man and one woman. It doesn't say let every man have his own wives and every wife her own husbands. How many say you men? One wife, one husband forever.
The onus. The exception is if the one of them's committing unfaithfulness on chastity. How many say you met? All right, third verse. Let the husband render unto his wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife.
Wife. Unto the husband. In other words, The due benevolence means the debt. The husband owes the debt of sex to his wife. when she wants and needs it.
And the wife owes the debt of sex to her husband when he needs it. Fourth verse. The wife have no power over her own body, but the husband, and likewise also, the husband have no power over her. of his own body, but the wife. You see the equality?
You see, each has to submit to the other.
Now this fourth verse means I cannot say To my husband, when he can have, or my wife, when she can have sex to me. How many say you map? My wife cannot say to me. One, I could have sex with her. I have authority.
over my wife's body. The wife has authority over her husband's body. Whenever the wife Needs to have Sex, the husband, owes the debt. to fulfill it. Whenever the husband needs to have sex, the wife owes the debt to fulfill it.
Neither one can hold back when the other one needs to have sex. Fifth verse. Defraud ye not one the other. You see. Don't you hold back.
Now, a lot of wives, when they had their little petty fights, are going to punish their husband by making him sleep on the sofa. Brother, you fell into the biggest trap of the devil that you ever heard of. You're out of Bible order? You're disobeying The word of God, you have no authority, power over your body, your husband does. Don't you do it because you know what you're going to do.
As you read down in this seventh chapter, you can read it later. You'll find out That Paul tells them don't get married, but if you can't contain If you have no self-control, it's better to marry than to burn.
Now there's two. Sides of commentators on the burn, either burn with lost or burn in hell. How many say you met? Now if your husband got married for one reason He could not contain and you withhold sex from me. You are giving the devil the tool to tempt him.
And you know what you're gonna do? You're gonna drive him. to that Jezebel down the block. Because there's nothing that the devil delights in doing more than to tear up Bible marriages. Amen.
I hope you're blessed by this informative and inspirational message by my father brother Hardy, Two Shall Be One. We feel strongly that every Christian marriage should examine itself in the light of God's Word to be sure that they are applying godly principles for a healthy and holy marriage. This teaching defines and expounds the very important meanings of the terms headship and submission, and these are areas that are often misused and abused in marriage. Also addressed are the questions, what is the biblical role of the husband in marriage? What is the biblical role of the wife?
And what about the role of sex in marriage? These issues are soundly addressed in this vital, practical, and enlightening teaching, two shall be one.
Now you may want to add this to your spiritual library or share it with someone who is getting married or someone having marital problems. It is available on a double C D set for Love gift of $15 or more to the radio ministry. Request offer 215. That's offer 215. Our mailing address is BrotherHardy, P.O.
Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland, 21203. Or if you prefer, order online at rghardy.org. That's rghardy.org. Again, this is a 2 CD set. For a love gift of $15 or more, request offer 215.
Our mailing address is PO Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland, 21203. Until next time, this is Sister Sharon saying, Maranatha. Mm-hmm.
