1
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It's really a delight to be here.

2
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Thank you for the opportunity to share

3
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just a few words

4
00:00:06,359 --> 00:00:08,296
at your special day.

5
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So, thank you both.

6
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As I was thinking about what to say,

7
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I'm glad I didn't go 
with my first thought,

8
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because it would basically 
be the same thing

9
00:00:17,691 --> 00:00:19,155
that Nathan preached,

10
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which was really a wonderful message

11
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about loving God

12
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above anyone else.

13
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So, I really appreciated that Nathan.

14
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So I was thinking,

15
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what practical thing could I say

16
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to the couples here?

17
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And so, you've all heard the saying

18
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that honesty is the best policy, right?

19
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And that really is true.

20
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My wife and I have been married 28 years.

21
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And I've been honest with people

22
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through the years,

23
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that my wife and I 
have an ongoing conflict

24
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in our marriage.

25
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And I'm here today

26
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to just be honest with you all, OK?

27
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And hopefully you can glean something

28
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from the conflict that 
we have in our marriage.

29
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So, when we got married over 28 years ago,

30
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I knew absolutely that I was

31
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getting the better end of the deal.

32
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And I am convinced that that is the case.

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Proverbs 31 says,

34
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"An excellent wife, who can find?

35
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She is far more precious than jewels."

36
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And so through the years,

37
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I, by the grace of God,

38
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have been able to maintain that view,

39
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that I really did get the better deal.

40
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The problem is my wife

41
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is thinking that she got 
the better end of the deal.

42
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And so we've had this conflict

43
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throughout our whole marriage,

44
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where I know the truth,

45
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that I got the better end of the deal,

46
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and she still thinks that 
she got the better end

47
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of the deal.

48
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Now, I could ask for a show of hands

49
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for those who know us -

50
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I've done this before,

51
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and I do win.

52
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Everyone knows the truth.

53
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But I think through the years,

54
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that has been one of the things

55
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that has really strengthened our marriage,

56
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and helped us in our marriage,

57
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and that is really 
appreciating your spouse,

58
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above what you think,

59
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in the sense that you realize,

60
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men, that you really got the better end

61
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of the deal here, don't you?

62
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You know that.

63
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Right?

64
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And I know that you know that.

65
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But I'm guessing if I were to ask

66
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the ladies here,

67
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they would say, no, actually,

68
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I got the better end of the deal.

69
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Is that probably what you're thinking?

70
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So they already have this conflict

71
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and they just got married,

72
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and they haven't even gotten married yet.

73
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But if you will, by the grace of God -

74
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because that's really what it is -

75
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it's only by the grace of God.

76
00:02:42,122 --> 00:02:44,680
But gratefulness and appreciation

77
00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,986
is such a huge thing in our marriage.

78
00:02:47,986 --> 00:02:49,454
And by the grace of God,

79
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never lose that.

80
00:02:51,184 --> 00:02:53,230
If 30, 40 years from now,

81
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if the Lord hasn't come,

82
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and you're both really 
believing in your heart,

83
00:02:58,100 --> 00:03:00,106
I got the better end of the deal,

84
00:03:00,106 --> 00:03:02,221
it's really going to help your marriage.

85
00:03:02,221 --> 00:03:04,572
It's really going to keep 
your marriage strong.

86
00:03:04,572 --> 00:03:08,001
So that's my input.

87
00:03:08,001 --> 00:03:09,517
You just keep remembering,

88
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each one of you,

89
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I got the better end of the deal.

90
00:03:13,820 --> 00:03:16,377
I don't deserve to have this other one.

91
00:03:16,377 --> 00:03:18,724
And that's really the 
truth in my marriage.

92
00:03:18,724 --> 00:03:23,181
I can say it, and she's not up here.

93
00:03:23,181 --> 00:03:26,470
Can I just pray for you both?

94
00:03:26,470 --> 00:03:28,669
Our Father, we're thankful

95
00:03:28,669 --> 00:03:31,617
for the joy of knowing Christ.

96
00:03:31,617 --> 00:03:33,317
Thank You for His precious blood.

97
00:03:33,317 --> 00:03:35,643
Lord, may we never, never tire

98
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of praising and thanking You

99
00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,464
for the work of Your Son.

100
00:03:40,464 --> 00:03:43,250
Lord, we are so grateful for marriage

101
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and the opportunity to witness

102
00:03:45,474 --> 00:03:48,289
these two marriages today.

103
00:03:48,289 --> 00:03:51,054
And we pray that in each couple,

104
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each one of them would continually be

105
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thankful for the other one.

106
00:03:55,317 --> 00:03:57,263
That they would never, never think

107
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that they're the better 
one in the marriage.

108
00:04:00,450 --> 00:04:02,529
And Lord, I pray that You would

109
00:04:02,529 --> 00:04:06,021
just encourage them with 
this through the years.

110
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And make these marriages strong

111
00:04:07,657 --> 00:04:11,450
for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.

112
00:04:11,450 --> 00:04:13,919
And Lord, fill us all with an expectation

113
00:04:13,919 --> 00:04:16,786
and a longing for His coming again.

114
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May we say as the Apostle John,

115
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Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

116
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And we ask this for the glory of Christ,

117
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Amen.