Better Ways to Date | Herbert Cooper

- Jesus came, so lost people could be saved. This church is not a cruise ship. We'll be laid by the pool. This is a battleship. And for 23 years, we've been on mission for Jesus. For 23 years, we've been worshiping Jesus, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, reaching lost people, baptizing people, helping people know God and growing God. Discover purpose and make a difference. We've been on the mission of Jesus. And for one reason, to see more changed lives. ♪ Welcome to people's church, everyone ♪ ♪ Hey, I'd like to invite you to stand here feet ♪ ♪ Come on, we put your hands together ♪ ♪ Let's praise the Lord today ♪ ♪ Say I'm praising the valley ♪ ♪ Praise on the mountain ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I'm sure ♪ ♪ Praise when I'm down in ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I number ♪ ♪ Praise when I'm surrounded ♪ ♪ Praise as the water ♪ ♪ My enemies drown in culture ♪ ♪ As long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ I've got a reason to pray ♪ ♪ I'll praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I'm healing ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I'm done ♪

♪ I'll praise 'cause I know ♪ ♪ You're still in control ♪ ♪ 'Cause my praise is wet ♪ ♪ Oh, it's warm in time ♪ ♪ My praise is a shower ♪ ♪ My praise is a cold town ♪ ♪ Come on, sir ♪ ♪ As long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ I've got a reason to pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ I'm glad I keep getting started ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Come on, Jesus, with those hands together ♪ ♪ And give your eyes a praise today ♪ ♪ Ooh, I'm in love ♪ ♪ Let's sing like a Jesus ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause you're sorry ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're rained ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you rose in the feet in the grave ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're true ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause you're sorry ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're rained ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you rose in the feet in the grave ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're true ♪

♪ Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Come on, Jesus ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep this light ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep this light ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep this light ♪ ♪ Come on, let's pray ♪ ♪ Through all my soul ♪ ♪ Come on, Jesus ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) I'd like to invite our prayer team to come forward at this time. We are a church that believes in the power of prayer. If you like prayer today, all you have to do is step out of your seat, come forth. Let's believe God for a miracle in your life. Amazing love that welcomes me, the kindness of mercy. That part with blood, a whole heart in me, my soul undeserving. Come on, church, sing. God, you're so good. God, you're so good. God, you're so good, you're so good to me. Behold the cross, age to age, and now we're why I'm aware.

The dead are raised, the sin of shame, the work of your power. Come on, church, God, you're so good. God, you're so good. Yes, God, you're so good, you're so good to me. God, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good to me. God, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good to me. God, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good to me. God, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good to me. God, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good to me. God, you're so good, you're so good in every situation, you're so good, you're so, so, so good. Christ is my foundation, the rock on which I stand, when everything around me is shaking. God, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good, you're so good. You've got joy in chaos I can't beat that makes no sense So I won't be going under I'm not ever my own strength 'Cause I live my life from Jesus He's never left me now He's faithful in every detail 'Cause so I would even out He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone He won't be alone

He won't be alone Your house was built on you I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through We came with blue My house was built on you I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through We came with blue My house was built on you I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through I'm gonna make it through I'm safe with you I'm safe with you My house was built on you I'm gonna make it through I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through My house was built on you I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through I'm gonna make it through My house was built on you I'm gonna make it through He's never let me down Take a look at the ratio So I will be there He won't know He won't be alone

He'll never fail He won't fail He won't fail He won The waves came with blue My house was built on you I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through I'm safe with you I'm gonna make it through ♪ My house was built for you ♪ ♪ I'm safe outside ♪ ♪ Stay with you ♪ ♪ Come on, so I say I'm gonna make it ♪ ♪ Say I'm gonna make it through ♪ ♪ I'm standing strong ♪ ♪ I'm gonna make it through ♪ ♪ Oh, my house was built for you ♪ ♪ I'm gonna make it through ♪ ♪ I'm gonna make it through ♪ ♪ I'm standing strong ♪ ♪ Oh, we may not look back yet ♪ ♪ But I'm probably gonna make it through ♪ ♪ My house was built for you ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm gonna make it through ♪ ♪ I'm gonna make it through ♪ ♪ My house was built for you, yeah ♪ ♪ I'm gonna make it through ♪

♪ I'm standing strong ♪ ♪ Oh, you ♪ ♪ Christ is my foundation ♪ ♪ The rock on which I stand ♪ ♪ When everything around me is shaken ♪ ♪ I'll never be more polite ♪ ♪ I would refer to Jesus ♪ ♪ He's never let me down ♪ ♪ He's faithful to generation ♪ ♪ So I would hear you worthy of it all ♪ ♪ You worthy of it all ♪ ♪ From from your words ♪ ♪ And to you all our things ♪ ♪ You deserve the glory ♪ ♪ Yes, God ♪ ♪ You worthy of it all ♪ ♪ You worthy of it all ♪ ♪ For from you all our things ♪ ♪ And to you all our things ♪ ♪ No matter what you're facing ♪ ♪ He's still worthy ♪ ♪ Come on all around this room ♪ ♪ Will you just lift your hands and say ♪ ♪ You worthy of it all ♪ ♪ Yes, you are ♪ ♪ You worthy of it all ♪ ♪ From from you all our things ♪ ♪ And to you all our things ♪ ♪ You deserve the glory ♪ ♪ You worthy of it all ♪

♪ You worthy of it all ♪ ♪ Yes, you are ♪ I'm from you, oh please And to you, oh please You deserve the glory You're worthy You're worthy You're worthy I'm in love You're worthy I'm in love I'm from you, oh please And to you, oh come from you I'm from you, oh please And to you, oh come from you I'm from you, oh please And to you, oh please You deserve the glory You deserve the glory You're such a good God We love you, we pray with you This is my friend Noah, he's one of our students at People's Church Youth And he'd love to pray with you today Dear God, thank you for this day I ask you to please help all of our students and educators as we go back to school I also ask our students and help our students to please please please please do not be influenced by their peers But be influenced by what you're said in your word and just name I do pray. Amen. Hey, man. Come on great job. No Church family before we're seated. Let's take the next 30 seconds and let's greet two to three people and learn some names [Music] [Music]

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Welcome morning and welcome to people's church. My name is Ethan Euler. I'm the youth pastor here and I just want to welcome all of our first time guests. We are so glad that you are all here. And today is student rally Sunday and we are a church that loves students. Amen? We love students and we have a calling to invest and encourage and empower those students and God is moving in the hearts and lives of our students. Just last month at youth camp we saw students surrender their lives to Christ. Take their next step of faith forever changed by the power and the presence of God and discover their God-given purpose. We have a short recap video that I'd love to show you to show you all that God did at youth camp. Let's check out this video. Hey, people's church family. My name is Tommy McCall and today we're celebrating what God is doing in the next generation through your investment and through people's church youth. This summer 817 students and leaders from our Indianapolis and Oklahoma campus attended summer camp. Students had an incredible time playing camp games, building friendships and making memories. But even more importantly they experienced powerful moments with God. Students gave their life to Jesus for the first time while others recommitted their life to Christ. And so many left camp with a renewed passion to know God and live out their faith. There is real spiritual momentum growing in this generation and what God began at camp was never meant to stay at camp. Now every Wednesday night people's church youth give students a place where that momentum can continue. It's a place where they can belong. Build strong friendships, have fun, ask real questions and grow in the relationship with Jesus. Parents, one of the greatest investments you can make in your student is helping to become consistently connected to a life-giving church community. Encourage them to come to PCU and keep bringing them. Their relationships, they develop and the spiritual foundation they build during these years will make all the difference in their lives. And students, PCU is for you, invite a friend and join us this Wednesday night, there is a place for you. People's Church, thank you for believing in the next generation. Thank you to every leader who serves, every parent who brings your student and every person who gives to make this ministry possible. God is moving in people's church youth ministry. We are seeing students repent of their sins and get set fire for God.

And we want to see them go all in and so we want to help them know God and grow in God and make a difference. If you are a parent or a grandparent and you have a middle schooler or a high schooler in your life, I want you to know that you need to do everything you possibly can to get them connected to people's church, people's church youth ministry every Wednesday night at seven o'clock. And I want you to know every time you give, you are helping us reach and disciple the next generation. Your giving is helping students turn their lives around. Thank you for giving. They need people like you to give their time and money towards their spiritual development journey. Thank you for giving. The best is yet to come for this generation. Father God, all we love you and we praise you. Thank you for what you are doing in the hearts and lives of our students. Thank you for what you did at Youth Camp. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. [Music] - Well, welcome to People's Church to Dare You're Doing God Today. It's good to see you today. Hey, I'm so excited about this new series. I really believe this. I think it's going to be one of the most impactful series I've done over the last several years. I really believe it. And so many people don't know what Christians believe, even Christians. And if they do, they don't know why we believe it. And if they do, they don't know why it matters. This series is going to help you. Maybe you're not even a Christian.

It's going to help you understand why we believe what we believe if you are. It's going to help you to grow, to understand what's called doctrine, biblical belief. So fall kickoff Sunday, September the 13th. That's the fall kickoff Sunday. We'll have the choir, we'll have water baptisms, and this brand new teaching series, Beliefs. And we're going to help you grow in your faith. Who's ready for the Word of God today? (audience applauding) Come on, you're ready for the Word of God today? (audience applauding) How many of you grew up like me? You had play clothes and school clothes. How many of you grew up like me? You had school shoes and then you had some church shoes. You had everyday dishes and then there was some special dishes. Anybody grew up, you had like your own little Bible, but then there was a big old Bible on the coffin table and you better not touch it. That was like a holy Bible right there. How many go to grandma's house? We called a big momma. Go to the big momma house and big momma has some everyday furniture and then she has some furniture with that plastic on it still. How many of you? How many of you? You better not sell that furniture with that plastic on it.

Although, why they got that furniture? Seriously, when I grew up and we woke him in our living room when I was a kid, we had two sides of our living room. One side was the furniture we could sit on. The other side was the special furniture. We were not allowed to sit on that furniture. I still don't know why, but we cannot sit on that furniture. But I was honored as a little kid. I would, when my parents weren't there, I go sit on it just in spite, just as do it, just say. Y'all can't tell me nothing. Didn't try to fluff it back up. You know what I'm saying? You can't know, I said over there. Whatever the adults considered valuable had to be treated differently. God tells us that marriage is valuable and we should treat it differently. Our key verse for today is Hebrews chapter number 13 and verse number four. And it says marriage should be honored by all. Everybody shout all. And the marriage bed kept pure for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. The word honor in the Greek means to treat marriage as precious, valuable, highly esteemed. God says the marriage covenant should be held in high regard and treated as a sacred gift. Marriage is so sacred, scripture says

it should be honored by all. That means married people should honor marriage. Single people should honor marriage. College students should honor marriage. Teenagers should honor marriage. Engage couples should honor marriage. Dating couples should honor marriage. Everybody should honor marriage. But our culture tends to dishonor marriage. Whatever we dishonor, we eventually damage. So relationships end up with broken hearts, souls wounded, trust shattered, convictions weakened, minds confused, sin becomes acceptable, futures are altered, families are fractured, children are affected. Every act of dishonor moves us further from God's design and closer to our own disappointment. Relationships flourish when marriage is honored. They struggle when marriage is dishonored. Honor brings blessing. This honor brings burdens. Honor is the bridge between God's design and God's blessings. If you want God's blessings on your relationships, you must honor marriage. And today I wanna talk about how to honor marriage before All of you students, all of you singles, lean in today. God has a word for your life today. All of you parents and grandparents, would you please lean in and take some notes

so you can help the student in your life. You can help the grandchild in your life. You can help the cousin, the young relative in your life. Lean in, God has something for us today. Number one is this, honoring marriage means don't treat something holy like something cash you wore. We honor marriage and treat it as holy because God is the one who created marriage way back in the book of Genesis. Marriage wasn't man's idea. It was God's idea. God instituted marriage thousands of years ago. He made the very first man and the very first woman, Adam and Eve, and then in the New Testament, Jesus confirmed marriage is still God's idea. In Matthew chapter 19, verse number four through six, Jesus said, haven't you read, that at the very beginning, the Creator made them male and female. And said for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate. God created marriage before government. God created marriage before nations. He created marriage before kings ruled. He created marriage before the law was given through Moses. Moses, he created marriage before the church was established. He created marriage before sin entered the world.

This is so huge, it's such a powerful truth because it shows us that marriage was a part of God's perfect creation. Marriage was before the fall of man. Marriage is not just merely a legal contract. It's a holy covenant before a holy God. God calls marriage holy, so we must treat it as holy. When something is valuable, we handle it with care. People don't throw a diamond around like it's a rock. People don't leave a million dollars in a driveway like a basketball. No, we protect what we value. The problem is many people have stopped valuing marriage, but then they turn around and want God to bless their relationships. Marriage should be honored by all. How do we do that number two? Honoring marriage means you follow Christ standard, not culture's script. God's word has given us the standard for marriage, but our culture keeps changing the rules of marriage. Every few years, culture rewrites the script. What's acceptable changes, what's normal changes, what's celebrated, changes, culture says follow your heart. Jesus says follow me. Culture says if it feels right, it's your thing. If it feels right, just do it. Jesus says if you love me, obey my commands. Culture says love is a feeling. Jesus said love is a commitment.

Culture says follow your chemistry. Jesus said follow my calling. Culture says truth changes. Jesus says my word stands forever. Culture says keep your options open. Jesus says let your yes be, yes. Culture says you deserve whatever makes you happy. Jesus says you better deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me. Culture says marriage is a hassle. Jesus says marriage is holy. Culture says marriage is seasonal. Jesus says marriage is sacred. Culture says marriage is a contract. Jesus says marriage is a covenant. Culture says when it gets hard, you just leave. Jesus says you better remain faithful when it gets hard. (congregation applauding) Christ, standard versus cultures, script. A few years, a few months ago actually, a couple of celebrities got divorced. They're going through the divorce proceedings and what they said gives us insight into our culture and how our culture views marriage jelly roll, he said, and I quote, me and my wife are best friends. We will always be best friends. Nobody cheated on nobody. That would be my best friend forever. Bunny, I love you, baby.

Thank you for those 10 years. They were incredible. Thank you for the next 10 years of friendship and 20 beyond that. His wife, Bunny, said nobody cheated on the other person. It's literally just, we served our purpose for each other. Now we're getting a divorce. Culture. LeVar and Tina Ball are the parents of two current NBA players. LeMello and Lanzo Ball. They are divorcing after 30 years of marriage. LeVar said, and I quote, "You know with my wife, Tina decided to go her own way. "She wanted to go do something else. "That's fine with me. "We had our run. "She was always beautiful in my eyes "until you say I want to go do something else. "Now you're not as beautiful to me. "Again, it is what it is, man. "I had that with her and I found somebody else." Culture. Our culture dishonors marriage. They ignore what God's word teaches about marriage. If you're going to honor marriage, you can't let culture redesign what God has already defined. Don't let Hollywood teach you marriage. Don't let TikTok teach you dating.

Don't let Netflix teach you love. Don't let Instagram teach you womanhood. Don't let YouTube teach you manhood. Don't let podcasts replace the Bible. You can't abandon God's blueprint and expect God's blessing. God's blessings always flow in the direction of his design. Ignoring God's design never improves your life. It only complicates it. Every time you choose your way over God's way, you trade his best for your brokenness. Jesus said this in Matthew chapter seven, verse 24 through 27, he talks about that when we follow God's word, we build our life and our relationships on the rock. But when we follow culture, we build our relationships and our life on the sand. And here's the truth about life. Students, young adults, please hear your pastor right now. This is so key. Here's the truth. Storms are coming and storms don't care how perfect your relationship looks online. Storms don't care how many likes your dating post gets. Relationships built on culture's opinions will eventually collapse when the storms of life hit because they're built on sand and not on the rock and when storms come, can your relationship survive disappointment?

Can it survive conflict? Can it survive unemployment? Can it survive sickness? Can it survive temptation? Storms don't create weak foundations. Storms expose weak foundations. So you must honor marriage and build your relationships according to God's blueprint. Marriage must be honored by all. How do we do that? Number three, honoring marriage means you don't act married before you are married. Jesus gives us some practical insight on what it looks like, the difference between married and dating. Let's go back to those verses in Matthew chapter 19 and verse number four. Jesus said, haven't you read? Then at the beginning, the Creator made the mail and female and said, for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and may unite it to his wife. And the two will become one flesh. God's design is for one man and one woman to become a husband and wife. He goes on to say in verse six, so they are no longer two, but now one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. One of the ways we honor marriage

is by not enjoying the privileges of marriage before making the commitment of marriage. God created certain blessings to only be enjoyed and experienced inside of the covenant of marriage. What are some of those benefits and blessings that are only to be experienced inside of the marriage covenant? Well, one would be leaving happens after marriage. Jesus was quoting Genesis chapter two, verse 24, from the scripture I just read to you. When he said, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife. marked the beginning of a new household. Leaving did not necessarily mean the couple moved hundreds of miles away from their family. In many cases, they remained near or even on family property. The point Jesus was making wasn't primarily geography. It was the transfer of primary loyalty and responsibility. Before marriage, mom, dad, brothers, sisters are our primary family. After marriage, our spouse becomes our primary earthly relationship. Marriage creates a new family not dating. But statistics say an estimated 70% of couples leave where they are and move in together before they get married. This shocked me, but stats say that over 50% of Christians believe moving in together with a partner before getting married is morally acceptable

if the couple plans on getting married. Around 40% of Christians think it's OK to move in together even if you don't plan on getting married. Statistics say only one third of couples that move in together actually get married. Two thirds break up. Couples who move in together before getting married are 50% more likely to see their marriage end in divorce. Here's what I want us to understand. Devaluing marriage does not help your relationships. It hurts them. So I would just say to you, if you're living together, I want to encourage you to move out and honor God. You say, what pastor? We trying to save up some money? We don't have no time for no two rents. And no matter how practical it might seem, it never helps your relationship to dishonor God's standard. Marriage should be honored by all. So move out to honor God. Break the lease to honor God. Get your own place to honor God. Move in with a friend to honor God. Move back home with your parents or grandparents to honor God. Honor God. And God will honor you. What's another benefit that's reserved for the marriage relationship alone? And that is cleaving happens after marriage.

Matthew chapter 19, verse 15, Jesus said, for this calls, shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife. Jesus is quoting Genesis chapter two, verse 24. The Hebrew word is often translated cleave or hold fast or cling. The new living translation says join the, the NIV says united, the ESV version of the Bible says, hold fast. The word carries the idea of being firmly attached, like something glued together. Marriage is not casual attachment. It's a covenant attachment. Marriage is all about cleaving. It's all about commitment. Dating is about discerning God's will. Marriage is about devotion to God's will. Cleave. What's another benefit pastor that only belongs to marriage. Becoming one flesh happens after marriage. Jesus said in Matthew 19, verse six, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Notice what Jesus says. They are no longer two. Before marriage, they're two. After marriage, they're one. Dating is not becoming one. Dating is discovering whether God is leading you to become one.

Dating says I'm considering you. Marriage says I'm committed to you. Honoring marriage means you live like two until God makes you one through marriage. That means physical oneness happens after marriage. Let's go back to our key verse for today, Hebrews 13, verse four, marriage should be honored by all. And the marriage bed kept pure. For God will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral. Sexual intimacy is a gift that's reserved for marriage. The marriage bed. God says when people don't honor marriage and they engage in sexual sin, His words as He will judge them. And we see the judgment of God all around us because people don't honor God. Hearts are broken and trust is shattered. Families are fractured. Children are devastated. Peace is replaced with guilt. Convictions grow weaker. Temptation grows stronger. Addictions take root. Sexually transmitted infections enter people's bodies. Unwanted pregnancy. Consequences are suffered. Futures are altered. People dishonor God. And then wonder why life feels so heavy. If you're having sex outside of marriage,

I want to encourage you to stop. Start honoring God. Have you messed up, receive God's grace, receive God's forgiveness, receive His mercy? I'm a living witness that God is gracious and forgiving. I was not a virgin when I met Tiffany. I had blown it big time, but I thank God for His grace and His forgiveness. And I made my mind up. I'm gonna honor God from this day forward. And the way God has blessed my marriage for these almost 29 years has been unbelievable. But marriage is not just about becoming one physically. It's about becoming one in every area of life. Marriage is not just sharing a bed. It's sharing a life. Singles, dating couples. To honor marriage means you live like two until God makes you one through marriage. Don't try to become emotionally one, spiritually one or financially one, before marriage, don't start combining your finances, buying houses, co-signing on loans, or taking on shared financial obligations before marriage. One flesh is God's wedding gift, not His dating gift. My brother, don't ask for husband benefits with boyfriend commitment. In the words of the great theologian, Beyonce put a ring on it. Honoring marriage means you don't borrow

tomorrow's privileges today. You don't get covenant privileges. No, you can't touch this. You don't get covenant privileges without covenant commitment, put a ring on it. Marriage must be honored by all. Honoring marriage means you date for destiny, not just desires. I do quite a bit of flying every year and speak at several pastors' conferences and a handful of churches, and I like flying in the owl seat. Come on, where my owl seat people are, come on. I like the owl seat. I dislike the middle seat. I hate the middle seat. I will try to get out of the middle seat. It's uncomfortable, but if the only seat available is that stinking middle seat, I'll take it because it'll get me to my destination. Direction matters more than desire. I'll be uncomfortable if it gets me to my destination. Singles date for destiny and not just desire, but pass up lonely. I need a man. I need a woman lonely, it's been lonely. I need somebody. I need a move. I need somebody pass that. I don't like that alone.

Destiny matters more than desire. You better get to know the direction of someone's life, where it's headed before you start seriously dating and considering marriage. Jesus said in Matthew chapter seven verse 16, buy their fruit, you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? boy, they will work over an avocado and test it out so they can ensure they pick the right avocado. I see people that grab the avocado, they be squeezing the avocado 'cause they wanna leave the store with the right avocado. I see people wait, they'll spend 15 minutes trying to pick out the right watermelon. I mean, they look at the color of that watermelon. Look at them brows, spot, make sure it's the right color brows, thumping that watermelon. They gonna thump that water. (audience laughing) (audience laughing) 'Cause they wanna pick out a good one. And you need to study and test the fruit of people's lives. (audience applauding) Before you date and get married, just because someone wants you doesn't mean they're ready for you. Test the fruit to see if they're ready. Do they pass the test? (audience applauding)

What are your friends like? How do you treat the waiter or the waitress at the restaurant? - Me. (audience laughing) - You always late. Do you have a job? (audience laughing) How long have you had that job? How many jobs have you had? (audience laughing) Are you always complaining about your boss? Do you smoke weed? (audience laughing) Do you vape? (audience laughing) Are you kind? Do you go to church? How often do you go to church? Do you leave church early? Do you worship when you go to church? Are you always complaining about your church? Are you usually in a good mood or a bad mood? Do you have a lot of debt? I mean credit cards you have. (audience laughing) How much credit card debt do you have? Do you know what your credit score is? Is it 700? Do you drink alcohol? How much do you drink?

What's your family like? Are they crazy? (audience laughing) Do you have a good relationship with your father, with your mother? Do you own your own cars? That's your mama's car you borrowed? (audience laughing) Is your car always broken down? Is your car clean? Do you work out in exercise? Do you brush your teeth? Do you flush? Do you use mouthwash? Do you have a vision for your life? You should be asking all these questions and 100 more questions you know them by their fruit destiny matters more than desire because marriage is not merely finding someone to live with, marriage is finding someone to serve God with. Test the fruit. Number five, honoring marriage means you date to protect, not to pressure. To honor marriage means you follow God's word and pursue biblical love. First Corinthians chapter 13 gives us a definition of biblical love. Verse four says love is patient, it's kind, does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others.

It is not self-seeking, it's not easily anchored, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. One of the greatest tests of love is that it always protects. If he or she really loves you, they will protect you, not pressure you. Pressure is what can I get from you? Protection is how can I serve you? Pressure is focused on the moment. Protection is focused on the future. Pressure is about what I want. Protection is about what does God want. Pressure is can I get you to compromise? Protection is how can I keep us from crossing the line? Pressure is about having your body. Protection is about having boundaries. Pressure is about how far can we go? Protection is about how pure can we stay. Protection doesn't push where God has not permitted. Biblical love puts destiny before desires. Love does not push someone towards sin. Love does not manipulate. It does not exploit people's weaknesses. Love protects. If your relationship is making you spiritually weak, something is wrong because real love gets you closer to God, not further away from him. Ask yourself, am I helping this person become more like Christ?

Am I protecting their purity? Am I encouraging them to grow spiritually? Marriage must be honored by all. How do we do that? Number six, honoring marriage means you prepare for covenant before you pursue companionship. One of the biggest ways you can honor marriage is by spending your time becoming the right person instead of just looking for the right person. The greatest preparation for a godly marriage is becoming a godly spouse. In your season of singleness, all of my singles, all of my young adults, all of my teenagers, God wants you. He wants to make you a godly spouse before he gives you a godly spouse. Because marriage only reveals your character. It doesn't change your character. Marriage doesn't solve immaturity. It only reveals it. Marriage doesn't solve selfishness. It only reveals it. Marriage doesn't solve character issues. It only reveals it. Marriage doesn't solve lust problems. It only reveals it. Marriage doesn't heal emotional unhealth and trauma. It only reveals it. Marriage only reveals what's already there before asking, "God, who are you bringing into my life?" First ask, "God, what are you trying to develop in my life?" Am I growing spiritually? Am I managing my finances well? Am I healing from past wounds and past trauma?

Am I learning healthy communication? Am I becoming more like Jesus? Marriage should be honored by all. Father, thanks for your word. Thanks for speaking to us today. God, I pray right now for people that have made mistakes, had sex. I just pray right now for your grace as they turn to you and look to you for your mercy, for your kindness, for your forgiveness. I thank you that you're a gracious God. You're God of a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth chance. Thank you for that, God. I pray people would make up their mind right now. I'm more honored God. I'm more honored God. I'm more honored God. There are some making a tough decision about a boyfriend or girlfriend they should not be with. They're making a tough decision about moving out because they've been living together. Father, would you give them the strength, the wisdom, and the courage, and the faith to honor you. To honor you because you will honor them. Give them the faith to honor you. Father, I pray for every young person, every teenager, every young adult. I pray God, place inside their heart, a purity. Place inside of their heart by the Holy Spirit, a desire to honor you, a strength to honor you. Lord, I pray they would have a fervor in their heart, not to follow culture's script, but to follow Christ's standard. Oh, God, I pray over every young person right now. Touch them by the power of the Holy Spirit. Shrimp them them.

Let them live separated lives. I like that honors God, I pray. Feel them full of the power of the Holy Spirit to honor you with their life. And as the eyes are still closed and heads about, I'm talking to some people that the reason you're not honoring God is because you're far away from God. You're not honoring God because you've never given Jesus Christ your heart. You cannot honor God without a relationship with God. Some of you used to serve God. You used to live for God, but you're not honoring God anymore. You're not right with God. You've been doing things your own way. And today's your day to say, "I'm going to start honoring God. I'm going to give Jesus my life and I'm going to recommit my life to the Lord." If that's you, you want to give Jesus Christ your heart for the very first time, or you want today, you want to honor God by recommitting your life to Him. Don't keep trying to honor people. Start today honoring God. If that's you, as I count to three, would you live to your hand high around this place? And I want to lead you in a prayer to say yes to God. One, two, three, just lift it high. Pass this to me. I want to give my life to Jesus. See your hand there. See your hand there. See your hand there. See several hands there. See several hands there. Come on, that's it. That's so awesome. See your hand there in the back.

Brothers, did I see your hand there? See your hand there. See your hand there. So many hands are going up. Praise God. We're going to honor God. We're going to honor God. I'm going to ask every hand that's raised to pray this prayer with me. Confess it with your mouth. In your heart, God's going to wash away your sins. Pray with me now. Heavenly Father, I'll turn from my sin and I'll turn my life over to Jesus. I confess Jesus as my Lord and as my Savior. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will honor you with my life from this day forward. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. And amen. Come on, somebody out here to give God praise. Just remain seated. Praise the Lord. We are rejoicing with every one of you and just praising God. You're God's gonna change your life from this day forward. Your life is never gonna be the same. Would you stand up with me all over this place today? If you're a guest with us looking for a home church, I hope you don't need to look any further. You're among some of the kindest, most loving people in all of Oklahoma. Give us a year of your life and watch how God transforms your life.

For family here, come on, shout out with me on three. One, two, three, we're family. God bless your church. Praise this world for foundation. Lord, I know which I said.