Marriage Conference Session 1: Lowell Nelson - Priorities in Marriage

This session begins with a prayer for strengthened marriages and guidance from the Holy Spirit, setting the stage for a Calvary Chapel marriage conference focusing on Colossians Chapter 3. The speaker highlights two key truths from Matthew Chapter 7, particularly verses 3-5, emphasizing the importance of first addressing the "plank in your own eye" before pointing out the "speck in your brother's eye". This foundational principle steers the focus away from wives submitting or husbands loving their wives as the initial priorities, stating that these are often the sole focus of other conferences, but there are many priorities above and beyond them.The speaker then delves into Matthew 7:24-27, likening those who hear and do Jesus' sayings to a wise man who builds his house on a rock, in contrast to a foolish man who builds on sand. Storms will come in marriages, but those who practice God's word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, will endure. The core teaching then moves to Colossians 3:12-19, focusing on the characteristics of the "new man" before addressing marital roles. These priorities are categorized as:• Evidence of an open heart to God (when we belong to God): tender mercies (affections of the heart, from the core of one's being, not an act) and kindness (giving people what they don't deserve, a constant kindness even to spouses, not just strangers).• Response when someone wrongs you: humility (a willingness to lack resistance, to be bowed down, not self-deprecation), meekness (strength under constraint, restraining retaliation when provoked), longsuffering (a very high boiling point, patience with others' faults), bearing with one another (refusing to retaliate or even the score, accepting the load placed on you), and forgiving one another (granting kindness as a favor, as Christ forgave us, which takes faith, not just love).• Initiating response to others: putting on love (inward spirit connected to God's unconditional love), letting the peace of God rule (inward heart, knowing God is in control), being thankful (inward attitude of gratitude), letting the word of Christ dwell richly (inward authority, letting God's word guide, not popular opinion or self-understanding), teaching and admonishing one another in worship (outward spirit, gently warning, communicating God's heart, not one's own), singing with grace (outward heart, allowing a worshipper's heart), and doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus (outward authority, representing Christ's character in word and deed, giving thanks through him).The speaker concludes that if these foundational priorities are embraced, then "wives submitting" and "husbands loving" become "easy stuff" because Christ dwells within.