You're KNOT Ready: Marriage Is For The Mature // Relationship Goals: In Real Life (Part 5) // Michael Todd

Summary

Podcast Summary: "You're KNOT Ready: Marriage Is For The Mature // Relationship Goals IRL (Part 5)"

Podcast: Transformation Church
Host: Pastor Michael Todd
Date: March 15, 2026
Series: Relationship Goals: In Real Life – Part 5

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Main Theme & Purpose

In this impactful message, Pastor Michael Todd explores the realities of marriage, challenging culture’s narratives and examining God’s blueprint for relationships. Centered on the conviction that "marriage is for the mature," this episode aims to break cultural misconceptions, call listeners to self-examination, and provide biblical guidance for both singles and married believers. The message emphasizes that a healthy marriage can only be built upon healthy individuals and mutual submission. Pastor Mike is vulnerable, practical, and at times humorous, speaking plainly about what it truly takes to be "ready" for marriage.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Healthy Relationships Start with Healthy Individuals

(05:00-07:00)

• The core relational goal, according to God: not just “marriage” but healthy relationships.
  • "Healthy relationships come from healthy individuals." (05:30)
• Two prerequisites to relational health:
  • Self-awareness: Recognizing what you bring into relationships, including toxic patterns.
  • Surrender: Willingness to yield and change, not just knowing your issues but wanting transformation.
• Many avoid, mishandle, or undervalue relationships, leading to wasted energy in connections that aren’t aligned with their future.

Quote:

"Your relationship with somebody else is predicated on the toxicity you bring to it or the purity you bring to it."
— Pastor Mike Todd (05:15)

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2. Marriage Is Still Winning (Despite What Culture Says)

(12:56-15:00)

• Culture often glorifies singleness or cynically attacks marriage, but biblical marriage remains God’s design and brings unique intimacy and partnership.
• Marriage is attacked by the enemy because it is designed to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church.
• Scriptural Foundations:
  • Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 31:10, Hebrews 13:4 – Marriage is valuable, honorable, and blessed.
• The pain or brokenness you carry may not originate with you, but from wounds in your family of origin.

Quote:

"Marriage works 100% of the time when you do it God’s way."
— Pastor Mike Todd (16:55)

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3. You’re Not Ready (Marriage Is For the Mature)

(22:23–27:15)

• The episode’s central claim: most people want to “tie the knot” but aren’t truly prepared for the realities beyond the wedding day.
• Maturity is about decision, not just age.
• Scriptural Reference: 1 Corinthians 7 – Paul says it is actually better to remain single, unless you cannot control your passions.
  • Pastor Mike reframes: Bad (burn with lust), Better (get married), Mo’ better (stay single), Best (develop self-control).

Quote:

"You not ready. You are not ready. Watch this — for what it’s going to take not just to get married, to stay married."
— Pastor Mike Todd (21:50)

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4. Marriage Requires Self-Control and the Help of the Spirit

(30:00–33:50)

• Developing true self-control is a spiritual discipline, not about self-will—inviting the Holy Spirit’s help is essential.
• Marriage will continually require self-control in all areas: what you say, what you do, how you respond.
• Ephesians 5 is highlighted as a playbook for godly relationships.

Quote:

"You want to become everything? You got to have the Spirit in your life. The Spirit makes you scroll past. The Spirit helps you not look again. The Spirit reminds you, don’t call them. It’s 12:59 – nothing good’s about to happen here."
— Pastor Mike Todd (30:40)

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5. Mutual Submission: The Foundation of God’s Blueprint

(35:21–41:00)

• Mutual submission (Ephesians 5:21) is the biblical context for marital roles — not hierarchical, but “co-equal parts.”
• Many are unprepared for marriage because they cannot or will not submit to another imperfect person.
• Submission is not about gender roles but about willingness to be vulnerable, to serve, and to interrupt generational patterns of broken relationships.
• Jesus is the model: even He withdrew for self-care and boundaries.

Memorable Moment:

"You’re not ready for marriage if you can’t submit to another person. It’s called mutual submission. The word in the Bible means co-equal parts."
— Pastor Mike Todd (37:00)

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6. The Woman’s Anointing: Helper, Not Critic

(47:58–53:31)

• From Genesis: “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
• The role of the woman is to be a helper — not to weaponize his deficiencies but to bring her strengths and organization to his dreams and weaknesses.
• The enemy wants women’s hurts to block their ability to help; mutual respect and safety are the keys.

Quote:

"The woman’s role is to help the man’s deficiencies. Culture has made you start weaponizing his deficiencies... the enemy has let your hurt stop your help."
— Pastor Mike Todd (48:10)

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7. The Man’s Charge: Daily Sacrifice & Creating Safety

(53:31–58:11)

• Husbands must love as Christ loved the church—by dying to self daily.
• "You can’t keep an old life with her. You don’t get an old life with a new wife." (55:17)
• A willingness to sacrifice, apologize, and lay down one’s own desires is at the core of godly masculinity.
• God made Eve from Adam’s rib — a physical sign that every marriage requires sacrifice.

Quote:

"If you’re not ready to die every day, you’re not ready for marriage."
— Pastor Mike Todd (58:10)
"Man, anything you give up for her, she will take that thing and turn it into something you never thought it could be."
— Pastor Mike Todd (59:25)

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8. Watch Your Words: Marriage Is A Covenant, Not A Contract

(65:47–68:00)

• Words can wound deeply in marriage, sometimes for decades.
• Don’t say everything that comes to mind; choose words that heal, not harm.
• Marriage isn’t a business arrangement; biblical marriage is a covenant, sealed by sacrifice and with staying-power.
• A contract can be broken on a technicality; a covenant can’t.

Quote:

"You’re not ready for marriage if you don’t watch your words... You’re not ready for marriage if you think it’s a contract."
— Pastor Mike Todd (65:47, 67:10)

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9. You Must Love Yourself To Love Another

(71:28–73:10)

• Citing Jesus’ command to "love your neighbor as yourself," Pastor Mike notes: you cannot love your spouse more than you love yourself.
• Many marriage issues stem from unaddressed self-loathing or unhealed wounds.

Quote:

"You’re not ready for marriage if you don’t love yourself. The Bible tells us… you can only love somebody else… to the level that you have figured out how to love yourself."
— Pastor Mike Todd (71:28)

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10. Marriage’s Mystery: Trusting God to Fill the Gaps

(73:10–75:50)

• Even when you’ve prepared, there will be a “mystery” to marriage — you won’t know all the answers or outcomes.
• God’s design is rooted in trust and faith, just as Adam and Eve walked together with God in the garden.
• Final encouragement: through understanding and the Holy Spirit’s help, both singles and couples can grow toward God’s best.

Closing Prayer Points:

• God, grant wisdom to those preparing for marriage.
• God, heal and "reverse engineer" dysfunction for married couples.
• Pray for unity, healing, transformation, and grace for every relationship.

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• 05:15 – "Your relationship with somebody else is predicated on the toxicity you bring to it or the purity you bring to it."
• 16:55 – "Marriage works 100% of the time when you do it God’s way."
• 21:50 – "You not ready. You are not ready. Watch this — for what it’s going to take not just to get married, to stay married."
• 30:40 – "The Spirit makes you scroll past. The Spirit helps you not look again. The Spirit reminds you, don’t call them. It’s 12:59 – nothing good’s about to happen here."
• 37:00 – "You’re not ready for marriage if you can’t submit to another person. It’s called mutual submission."
• 48:10 – "The woman’s role is to help the man’s deficiencies. The enemy has let your hurt stop your help."
• 55:17 – "You can’t keep an old life with her. You don’t get an old life with a new wife."
• 58:10 – "If you’re not ready to die every day, you’re not ready for marriage."
• 65:47 – "You’re not ready for marriage if you don’t watch your words... You’re not ready for marriage if you think it’s a contract."
• 71:28 – "You’re not ready for marriage if you don’t love yourself."
• 75:10 – "You have to do everything you can, and then trust God for the rest. Because there’s a mystery to marriage."

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Structure of a Godly Marriage (Key Points to Remember)

• Mutual Submission (Ephesians 5:21)
• Sacrificial Love (like Christ for the church)
• Helper and Head (not weaponizing deficiencies)
• Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Safety
• Self-Awareness & Self-Control
• Communicating with Honor & Watching Your Words
• Viewing Marriage as a Covenant
• Embracing the Mystery: Trust in God

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 05:00 – Foundations of healthy relationships
• 14:30 – Culture vs. God’s design for marriage
• 22:23 – "Marriage is for the mature"
• 27:15 – Bad/Better/More Better/Best framework for singleness and marriage
• 30:00 – The necessity of self-control
• 35:21 – Ephesians 5 as the blueprint for marriage
• 48:00 – The role of women as “helper”
• 53:30 – Sacrifice and safety as the husband’s charge
• 65:47 – The power (and danger) of words in marriage
• 71:28 – Loving yourself enables loving another
• 73:10 – The "mystery" of marriage and faith in God’s design
• 75:50+ – Closing prayers and ministry

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Tone & Style

Pastor Mike’s tone is honest, passionate, sometimes playful, and deeply practical. He weaves humor (“You don’t get an old life with a new wife”), direct challenge, and transparent storytelling to create a message that is easy to follow yet stirring.

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For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

This episode is a masterclass in biblical relationship preparation and repair. Whether you’re married, single, or somewhere in between, Pastor Mike offers a clear-eyed, scriptural, and deeply caring examination of what’s really required for healthy, lasting relationships — especially marriage. You’ll walk away challenged, encouraged, and (if you’re honest) probably rethinking your own readiness and patterns in love and life.

Transcript

[Pastor Mike Todd]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

If we.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

If it was just me and you talking, I would ask you, are you still in relationship with them? No. Raising hands. Don't raise hands. Don't raise hands. Look at me. Because the truth of the matter is, so many relationships stay around longer than they're supposed to, longer than they're assigned, and many people feel guilty because of. Watch this. Time served. Well, that's my dog. That's been my dog since. You know what I'm saying? Nobody know me like them. And that's keeping you from becoming the version you know you're supposed to be. And so today, I'm just coming to bring all of us into the same room today because I want to tell you what the goal of health, of relationships are. Here's the goal right here. Okay. What is the relationship goal? Said it first week. I'm going to say it again. The goal is healthy relationships. That's the goal. That's what God wants for every person. Healthy relationships. And then healthy relationships come from what? Healthy individuals. Your relationship with somebody else is predicated on the toxicity you bring to it or the purity you bring to it. And most times, all of us are trying to blame the other person for the relationship friction problem issue. But the truth of the matter is two people are bringing something to it. So if you are not healthy as an individual, you cannot have healthy relationships. Okay. I'm just setting the groundwork. Healthy individuals. Watch this. Are built through. Here are two things everybody has to be self awareness and surrender. There are so many people just don't know what's going on on the inside and how it comes out on the outside. And then there's other people who know and don't want to change it. And those two things are necessary for any thriving relationship. Self awareness and surrender. Last point right here. Self awareness and surrender are the substance of a healthy soul. And everybody Needs a healthy soul. And that means you have to value being self aware and actually walking in surrender. So there are two groups of people in here that if they don't have healthy relationships, you're either unwilling or unaware. Which one are you? Are you unwilling to give up the toxicity because it's trending? Are you unaware that it's happening? Are you unaware every time you text where you at?

[Ryan Seacrest]

That.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

That's an innocent question. If you wasn't crazy. You understand what I'm saying? You text where you at 32 seconds ago, and now there's 40 where you at texts. And they were on the toilet and they. Do you understand what I'm saying? And now you're explaining. Now you've created this whole image and narrative and they cheating on me. I knew it was cheating. Now you at the job, walking in, making it hard for somebody to bring a paycheck home. Why are you. Because you're unaware that you have trust issues. This could be anywhere. Or, you know, you have trust issues and you're unwilling to change them. Okay. The reason I want everybody to come into this is because a lot of the things I want to share with you today, they can't actually be applied in your life. If you're still unwilling and unaware. I can tell you about everything that God says, but if you're unwilling to accept it or you're unaware that you might need it, you literally sit here and it doesn't change you at all. That's why some people be up here crying like, oh, God. Or some people like, I know what to do. I'm gonna go change something. And some people like, I need to go somewhere where I can get fed. Oh, oh, yeah. Yeah. Because the truth of the matter is God was trying to speak to you, but you were unwilling to hear it or unaware that it applied to you. This is why I always ask Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say to me? They can be talking about any. They can be talking about getting dogs saved. The message could be all dogs go to heaven. And my whole my heart is Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say to me? Father God, I know he's talking about Rufus, but is there anything in there? The reason I'm saying this is because if your heart is not open, it doesn't matter what God tries to pour in, it gets wasted. And I'm giving some relational gems today that is going to change your life. But I just don't want you to waste it. Not for my sake. Because if I had this, if I got this it would have transformed my life in different seasons. And that's why I want your soul to prosper. Third John, chapter one, verse two. It says, beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things. Somebody say all things. And be in health. Just as your soul prospers, your mind, will, and emotion should be the barometer of. Of everything else prospering in your life. And that's why I told everybody the second week of this series, soul health is more valuable than material wealth. I. I know people that have committed suicide with a billion dollars in the bank. Money doesn't do it. Houses doesn't do it. Square footage doesn't do it. Nothing does it. Because if your soul is empty, if your soul has a hole in it, nothing else matters. That's why I want you to get healthy. Everybody just say this word. Say healthy. Where in your life are you not healthy? Y' all see how quiet it is? The reason it's quiet right now is because everybody knows immediately where they're not healthy now. We ignore it. We build temples around it. We try to act that we. I'm embracing myself. I love myself. I'm doing okay, stop. What you're really saying is I'm unhealthy and I'm unwilling to change that. The reason I'm bringing this up is because today I'm talking about marriages, okay? I'm talking about marriages. And I need you to help yourself by helping me, because some of us are going to have to be willing to look at this differently than we have ever looked at it to be able to get what God has for us in. In the relationship and all my single people hear what I'm saying to you. You need to listen closely, because if you desire to have relationships the way God designed, this message is going to really, really help you. But you got to be whole in your soul, okay? So my first point today as I start talking about marriage, marriage is still winning. I don't care what nobody say. Y' all can listen to culture. You can listen to these people out here. They might be struggling in some stuff, but listen, me and my wife was talking the other day. Ain't nothing like marriage. Ain't nothing like somebody and be able to see all of you and still be like, I choose you. Even with this, even with that. Yeah, I can't stand your breath, but I kind of like it. Like, I'm talking about. I'm talking about somebody being where the married people. Can I get some backup in here? Ain't nothing, Pastor Dion. Ain't nothing like it ain't nothing. Like it ain't nothing like coming home and my wife putting her hand on my head and I feel the anointing. Ain't nothing like looking at your kids that y' all created and being like, they just like you. They just like you.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cold weather can wreak havoc on your skin. You don't want to miss out on this month's great savings on all your favorite skincare essentials. Now through March 31, earn four times points when you purchase participating skincare items like Dove Soap, Dove Body Wash, Dove Beauty Bar Soft Soap Body Wash, and Irish Spring Body Wash. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Podcast Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Hey.

[Dan Morgan]

How's it going today?

[Podcast Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently. It said 20 billion one. 20 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north. Probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Podcast Host]

Awesome. So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247 365.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Wow.

[Podcast Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

There's nothing like being able to go through something and make it through it and know that it wasn't nobody but you, that person and God that knows actually what it took to get through this. Somebody that's married that knows, say, ain't nothing like it. Marriage is still winning. You need to write it down as a point. The reason I'm saying this is because culture is trying to make you think that somehow it might be better for you to be alone. Now, there are people who have been gifted by God and called to be alone when he's asking for that call from me, I just didn't answer the phone because the Bible gives too many examples. And listen, let me tell this. I don't care how old you are either. There is still hope for you to be in a loving, thriving relationship. I'm telling you right now, marriage is still winning. And the reason I'm saying this is because I have to represent what the enemy Watch this. Is trying to tear down anything that God says is the illustration or the picture of his love for his church. Guess what? The enemy's gonna try to attack that thing right there, which is marriage. And now people are making up. And I mean since the invention of podcasts, we have people who've never been in a committed relationship telling people why they shouldn't be married. We have people that have multiple wives but can't keep one set of keys. Let me just give you a few scriptures. Marriage is still winning. Proverbs 18:22. He who finds a wife finds a good thing. Watch this. And obtains favor from the when you get a wife, there's another level of favor that come to your life. When me and Natalie got married, I thought I had access to God before, but when me and Natalie got married, there was things that opened up to me. I said girl, thank you because that was all you. Favor comes from the Lord. Proverbs 31:10. A wife of noble character, who can find one of them? She is worth more than rubies. See, y' all don't understand because y' all ain't never seen a ruby, but it's a fine precious metal. It's it, I mean a, a, a rock that actually turns into a treasure. God is saying that if you can find a wife with character that's more precious than any type of treasure that you would find. Watch this. Hebrews 13:4. Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure. Now this is the two things I want to say right there. This is why you don't talk about nobody's marriage. Cuz the Bible says that marriage should be honored by. You don't know all the details. You have no clue what's going on. You might have heard what it is. You pray for them. You believe that God, if there's anything you can help y' all dealing with a financial you need a mattress, we got an extra one. You try to help people who are. Because the enemy has an all out attack against the family. So if he can kill the marriage. Watch this. By default he damages all the children, some of you are needing prayer right now. Not from what you did, but from what your parents did to you. Okay? It's quiet in here, so I'mma keep going. Write this down. Encouragement for you, especially my young people. Listen to this. Marriage works a hundred percent of the time when you do it God's way. I'm going to say it one more time. Marriage works 100% of the time when you do it God's way. This is where we can draw context clues. I. A lot of people who are saved don't do it God's way. Non Christians and Christians have the same divorce rate. Half of them end in divorce. I need everybody to hear me. That's like you saying, hey, do you want to go on this plane ride to. To. To Hawaii with me? Yeah. The plane only has one win. We not. We not going. Is there a way to drive to Hawaii? I guess we not going. Because most people will not get on a plane with one wing yet. They'll get in a relationship with somebody who does not display godly care. They will submit. They will take somebody's last name. Do y' all hear what I'm saying? That sound crazy to me. Yet people are doing it every day. Now, I'm going to give you that. We got to do it God's way. Just because you're a pastor doesn't mean you do marriage God's way. Well, if the pastor can't do it, he don't listen to God. Except when he talking to you. He got a word for you. Don't got no words for his wife. Okay, let me stop. Let me help you. Be careful. When they can be at your bedside all the time. If a pastor or leader never says no, that means they are not taking care of their family. Oh, God. If Jesus could only have 12 disciples and no wife and still had to withdraw often. I'm sick of y'. All. I got to get up out of here. I just need everybody to see that you can be working for God and not doing marriage God's way. I know you ain't never heard no pastor say that before, but that's why we be on our second and third and fourth and fifth wives, is because you can preach what it is, but it's a different thing to live what it is. Okay, let me keep going. Write this down. Culture cannot define what God designed. Culture cannot define what God designed. So I want to just. For the rest of this message, I got like 35 to 40 minutes. I'mma walk you through just something that I wish somebody would have told me. And I'mma tell you the way I would talk to myself now with the wisdom I got now to the dummy I was talking to back then. Y' all got me. So this ain't really about you. This about me and what I wish somebody would have told me when I was at the point of getting married, but they needed some more context. And I'm going to give you the context that was missing most of y'. All. Get ready. You not ready. The title of my message today, you ain't ready. You not ready. You're not ready for marriage. You not. You want to tie the knot. No, no, no, no. You not ready. You are not ready. Watch this for what it's going to take not just to get married, to stay married. You not. You not ready. Yes, I am. I got my dress picked out. I know where we getting. We going to be in the line. We.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cold weather can wreak havoc on your skin. You don't want to miss out on this month's great savings on all your favorite skincare essentials. Now through March 31, earn four times points when you purchase participating skincare items like Dove Soap, Dove Body Wash, Dove Beauty Bar, Soft Soap Body Wash, and Irish Spring Body Wash. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Podcast Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Hey.

[Dan Morgan]

How's it going today?

[Podcast Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently that said 20 billion. 120 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Awesome.

[Podcast Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan?

[Pastor Mike Todd]

What.

[Podcast Host]

What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247 365.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Wow.

[Podcast Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's Large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

You're not ready. And today I need to talk to you because I need you to understand my first point. Marriage is for the mature. Marriage is for them. That's not an age. I. I just. Because somebody. I told him he was too young. No, no, no, no, no. Maturity comes with a decision. When I was young, I thought as a child, I talked as a child. I played around like a child. I. But when I grew up, I decided to put away childish things. Mature people are ready for marriage, and most people are not ready. First Corinthians, 7, 9. This is a scripture that I heard all my life as a young man who was attracted to the opposite sex and saw myself hugging them closely. But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry, because it's better to marry than to burn with lust. I really want to stress context when we tell people scriptures, because until I got older, that's what I thought. I thought Paul was telling us, hey, you got lusty thoughts. You like that person, get married because it's better for y' all to be married. Then you go to hell sinning. And I can't tell you how many people's parents have given them that advice. Well, y' all sleeping together, y' all shacking up. You got four kids. It's better for you to get married than talk about physically. But until I started studying the Bible for myself, I didn't get the full context of what Paul was saying right here. So I'm gonna give it to you today. Is that okay? Let's look at this together. Let's grow in the word. First Corinthians, he's. He's responding to a letter of people in the Church of Corinth that are trying to come out of a lifestyle of having sex in the streets and doing stuff all crazy and worshiping all kinds of different gods. And they said, I'm gonna live for God, but I don't know how to do this. And so they're writing and asking questions. So, like, what about, you know, we was having sex all the time, like, when we was doing this. Can we do that over here? And Paul is addressing directly this situation. Look at it in verse 6. 1 Corinthians 7:6. Paul gonna get real with these people, he say. I say this as a concession, not a command. But I wish everyone was single just as I am, because this stuff is hard, yet each person has Their special gift from God of one kind or another. So I say to those who aren't married and to widows, it's better. Watch this. To stay unmarried just as I am. What did Paul say? The first better was not it's better to get married. The first better is it's better to stay single. Okay, y' all missed it. It's better to stay unmarried as I am. But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and get married. It's better to marry than to burn with lust. Let me set some context to you. We gonna call this bad better, mo better and best.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Bad.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Everybody say bad. It's bad to burn with lust. Why? Cuz it's sin. That's the bad one. So he's like, don't end on bad. Cuz when you burn with lust, it have you jumping in and out of windows. You felt that over there? When you burn with lust, you'll be spending money you don't have. And let me help all the parents that like. Oh, no. My kids hearing this, they already know. Let me just help you. If your kid is in fourth grade, fourth grader up. Some of yalls in second or third. But fourth grade and up. And if God is not saying, if they're not hearing anything about it from God's house. It's only being defined by culture. My daughters already know. We already been having the talks. All of them except Gia. She too g G too little. Why are you saying this? Because I cannot let anybody else lead my family into the understanding of what they're gonna face. It is bad to burn with lust. Cuz when you burning, you gonna do something to quench it. If you on fire, you go. Somebody said, stop dropping roll. You got what I'm saying? But this is what he's saying. But that's not the better thing to do. The better thing for us to do is not just do what we want. Go ahead and get married. Because that's safe. He said the bad thing to do is just burn with lust and keep sinning. The better thing to do, get married. It's safe. But the more better thing to do. Watch it. Stay single. That's smart. I know. No pastor gonna tell you this because they trying to populate their church by getting you married. But I'm tired of doing divorces. Okay. Ha. I gotta tell you the real deal. Because it doesn't matter if y' all walk down the aisle. The counseling, the abuse, the frustration, the children that are brought into it. We gotta get you helped on the front End. It's too much collateral on the back end. Oh, God. It's easy to move when it's just you. Now you got junior, junior, junior, junior, junior,. And now all of us got them. Yeah. Bad. Everybody say bad. Burn with lust.

[Ryan Seacrest]

That's sin.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Everybody say, better go ahead and get married. That's safe. Everybody say, mo, better stay single. That's smart. Last one. Best to develop self control. You never thought that was an option. You can develop self control. And we know, according to Galatians, that self control is not self will. Self control is a fruit of the. So you want to become everything. You got to have the spirit in your life. The Spirit makes you scroll past. The Spirit helps you not look again. The Spirit reminds you, don't call them. It's 12:59. Nothing good's about to happen here. The Spirit says, go to sleep. Y' all don't know. Sometimes the Holy Spirit go to bed, turn the lights out, go to sleep. Turn your phone off. Go to sleep. You thought you were gonna stop getting told to go to sleep when you was a kid. I'm telling you as an adult, go to sleep. I love my church. Why are you saying this, Pastor Mike? I need everybody to hear me say this. I need you to hear. Self control is something you're going to have to develop whether you're married or not. Oh, God. Because most of us don't realize that when God's developing something for us in our singleness, he's developing. Developing it in us because we're going to always need it. Okay, okay. Ephesians, chapter five. That's where we're going to camp out today. And you can go read the whole thing. But. But if. If. If you see this as a actual playbook for you to understand. Okay, let me just start with best. Let me develop self control in my. In what I let, in my gates, in what I eat. Come on in. How I talk to people and how I respond. Let me just develop self control. And I can't do it by just wanting to do better. I have to invite the Holy Spirit in to help me. Holy Spirit, I'm angry right now. And I have a full paragraph ready to say to them with a few expletives only for impact, though, Lord, so they can feel my heart. And the Holy Spirit will be, hey, forgive them. Forgive, get woozy. Forgive. Pray for them the rest of this day, Lord. Don't let lightning strike their car, but just around the vicinity. Hear me. Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 1. Listen, how are we going to do this. Imitate God. Literally, I could have stopped right here. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with here it is love. Following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Most of us aren't ready because marriage is for the mature, and that means we're going to have to watch imitate God instead of imitating culture. And most of us have not spent enough time figuring out what God says about relationships to know what to do.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Are you looking for a refresh this spring? Make sure you take some time for self care with savings on all your favorite hair care Essentials. Now through March 31st. Shop in store or online for participating hair care items from Pantene, Head and Shoulders, Aussie and Old Spice and earn four times points. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Podcast Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Podcast Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently. It said 20 billion one. 20 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Awesome.

[Podcast Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247365 wow.

[Podcast Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

So I'm going to give you Ephesians 5 for all my married folks and want to be married folks because this is going to help all of us. Ephesians chapter 5, verse 22. You've probably heard it before, but I'm going to read it this Is for all the wives. For wives. This means submit to your husbands as to why y' all start groaning, why y' all start moaning, why? Oh, God, here we go again. I got you. I did it like that on purpose because most people never read in context. Watch this. Verse 21. Everybody starts at verse 22, but it gives us the container in verse. Which one? 21. And furthermore, here it is. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. So if anybody ever tells, you supposed to submit to me, why'd you say you're supposed to submit to me? Why? Because the container of submission is submission to each other. That's enough revelation to help you understand. You not ready for marriage. Watch this. If you can't submit to another person. Some of y' all not ready. Look at your neighbor. Say, you're not ready. Look at them. Some of. Oh, that's my husband. No, you're ready. Okay. The reason I'm saying this is because some people are just not ready to submit. You got your own way, your own thing, your own car, your own ring, your own bag. You. You do your own. And you're not ready because if you're gonna come into this level of relationship, you why submit to God? No, no, no, baby. You have to submit to another person in flesh and blood. That means they're gonna have flaws. That means they're gonna make mistakes. That means they're gonna get you wrong. They're not gonna do it perfectly. And God still says, this is a relationship that mirrors me and the church. But are you ready to become sub to the mission? You're not ready. Because what you have to do is. Watch this. I don't care. I was raised in a house where the man is the man. Your daddy was toxic. Just cuz he provided for you doesn't mean that he was a good. You can be there and not be healthy. Come on, man. Y' all better stop. Well, he. He was a man. And when my mama. When he just looked that way, My mama, she was abused. Oh, God, y' all not ready for this conversation. She. She. She was abused in that household. Well, he ain't never put his hands on her. If a man can just go like this and she shrinks, can't say what she feels, can't lovingly communicate, and now you trying to replicate. When I say something, you. Hold on. Wait, wait, wait. Does that look like mutual submission? Does that look like love in first Corinthians where it says, love is patient, love is kind. It doesn't keep a record of wrong It's. You're not ready. Pastor Mike. How do I do this? You gotta follow. Remember what the top of Ephesians said. Imitate God. I have to imitate God. That means. Watch this word. I'm gonna have to practice it. I don't know why the church feels like everybody is going to get prayed for, and then they're just gonna be something. Oh, now I can sing. No, you can't. You can't sing. You might have the spirit to want to, but you need to practice. So if you. If you have to practice any skill, why don't you think you have to practice being kind? Practice forgiving. You came in a household. Your parents never apologized to you. That's all you've been waiting for for 35 years, is for somebody to acknowledge what happened to you, but because they never did. Now your kids. Mom, why would you talk to me like that? Because when I say so, and you do, you get to. And you could stop and be like, hold on. I can interrupt the generational pattern right here. I could cause transformation. You know what, baby? I'm sorry. I don't even want to make an excuse. You don't deserve that. Mommy is sorry for talking to you that way. You still did not do what I asked you to do, and we can address that. But I don't have to say it like that. I value you. I value who you are. I respect you enough to talk to you like that. Because what you don't know is you're training them to be verbally abused by a man. Oh, God, no. That don't hurt me. That don't hurt me. I can take that. Because they took it from you. And now they think it's okay when you could interrupt the cycle. How? By actually submitting one to another. Y' all ain't even ready for the scripture that tells parents not to provoke their kids. Some of y' all are professional provokers. Say something. Say something. Say something. If you don't fight your children, I'm saying we got to get healed, y'. All. We got to get healed. Jesus, I feel the presence of God right here. The reason I'm saying this is because somebody needs to understand the truth of God's word, even in this moment. He wants us to walk in wholeness and into healing. And that means all of us got to come to a whole nother level. You're not ready for marriage. And there's some people that are married that wasn't ready. And what you're doing right now is you're. You're literally dealing with the immaturity of each other in the covenant, and that's why it seems hard. And let me give you a hope. There's hope for you, but you gonna have to do work that ain't gonna be, by the way. Oh, it's just over time. It's gonna get better. No, it's not. You not ready for the type of work that it's about to take. Pastor Mike, why are you being this. Are you trying to discourage us from getting married? Kind of. No, no, no, no. I'm like. I'm in a kind of mood right now because I want to let you know. I want to let you know that every person who brings their toxicity into togetherness will never not be with that person ever again. It's called a soul tie. Maybe in a couple weeks, I'm gonna have to talk about it, but you're. Many of us are still carrying around our first relationship. You still got that person on you. The anger, the frustration, the hurt, the abandonment. You married to somebody else with them still in the relationship with you. Pastor Mike, why is that? Because until you do the work to figure out how Holy Spirit do, you let that thing go out of me. All right, y' all want to play church? You're not ready for marriage if you can't submit to another person. It's called mutual submission. The word in the Bible means co. Equal parts. This is why it's important that you be. That you not be unequally yoked. Does everybody understand what I'm saying? All right, ladies, can I talk to you for a second? I said, ladies, I love doing that. Verse 22, it talks to y'. All. It says, for wives, this means submit to your husband as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. Some of you are so hurt, you can't even hear that sentence. Can your husband be the head? Some of you are wrestling with that right now, and I'm okay with you wrestling with it, but I need you to realize the design of God was the husband to be. They. I'm not talking about make more money than you, because that's what people. It's not make more money than you ball out. But can. Can he speak into that and you listen? Okay? It's quiet in this church. As the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands. This is hard in everything. It's hard to submit when you're safe. I mean, it's easy to submit. Excuse me. It's easy to submit when you're safe. Husband, I need you to understand the woman's greatest need. Safety. If a woman. Oh, y'. All. Oh, y' all here. Oh, she ain't moved on service. Oh, okay, Clock it, clock it. Okay, I'll start with that next time. All right, fellas, cheat code. If she don't feel safe, you she will not submit. If she doesn't feel safe, she not going to be sexy. Oh, I'm trying to give you the real. If she y', all, I'mma have to do an uncut with real people cuz I can't. If she doesn't feel safe, you're not going to. And so this is what I'm telling you. A lot of people are in relationships right now or where they're coexisting, but they're not seeing the greatest version of the relationship. Cuz nobody feels. And ladies, I need to help you.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Are you looking for a refresh this spring? Make sure you take some time for self care with savings on all your favorite hair care essentials. Now through March 31, shop in store or online for participating hair care items from Pantene, Head and Shoulders, Aussie and Old Spice and earn four times points. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Podcast Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Podcast Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently. It said 20 billion one. 20 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Awesome.

[Podcast Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan?

[Pastor Mike Todd]

What.

[Podcast Host]

What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247 365.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Wow.

[Podcast Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. Thanks for Coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

The Bible tells us in Genesis, it says the Lord God said, it is not good for man to be alone. So what was his remedy? For man's first problem? For Adam's first problem, what was God's remedy? He said, I'm gonna make a helper suitable for him. I need everybody to hear me say this. The woman's role is to help the man's deficiencies. Culture has made you start weaponizing his deficiencies. Well, he ain't a man's man. He not a high value. Woman, it is your job. So when that man says, I'm standing in this, you say, baby, what do we need to do? How do we need to help you? Unorganized. I'm organized. You don't know where to go. I'll make an itinerary. It is the woman's anointing. It is the woman's design by God to walk into a man's world and say, what did you dream up in that house? I'mma help it. Y' all don't hear me? What did you say? I can help that. Ladies say, I can help that. Y' all got to hear me say this. That is your anointing. But the enemy has let your hurt stop your help. The hurt has stopped your help. And you are walking out of your design by God, trying to protect yourself. And, fellas, it's partly your fault because you don't make her feel safe. Okay, Okay. I just hope somebody's getting it right now. You're not ready to be a husband if you cannot make her safe. I'm not talking about. Make sure you have ADT outside in a pit bull. That's not what I'm talking about. No, no, no. I'm carrying. No, Pastor, you don't even know anything. Crack on. Can she just share with you how she doesn't feel beautiful right now? Girl, stop tripping. Girl. You know you fine, girl. You know what I'm saying? I don't care. Girl. She just needed you to listen. And at the end of that, just say, it doesn't matter how you feel about yourself. How I feel about you is you're beautifully and wonderfully made. And whether you have everything or nothing, I'm gonna be right here with you. Like, do you hear what I'm saying? Like, hear me. Hear me. Hear me. What I'm saying is safety is the woman's number one need. Ladies, can I give you the cheat code? Honor and Respect is a man's number one. That's why verse 21, not 22, 21 says, we have to be submitted to each other. I'm gonna give you respect. I'm gonna make sure you safe. I'm gonna give you respect. I'm gonna make sure you say, when I didn't have no money, my wife worked at Mac Cosmetics, and she was making $14 an hour. We thought we was rich. And I was trying to get my production career off the ground musically, and I was trying to. I was trying to figure out how I'm gonna provide and do this other stuff. And so when it came time to go out on dates, one one of our cards had some weight to it, and the other one of our cards could fly away like it had nothing on it. And me and my wife would go to Cheddar's, and this is when I knew. I. We went to pay for the meal, and she took her card out and she just handed it to me under the table, and she put it there. And I'm looking it say Natalie on it. But she. All she was saying, it didn't matter if people saw. All she was saying is, I respect you. I see you, and I know what your vision is, and I will know what the plan is, and I know we gonna be okay. I see you. When that woman slid me that car, I've been sliding cars to her ever since. You understand what I'm saying? Just sliding cars. Here, take it. Here. No. Because when she made me feel respected, there's stuff she want to say in front of our friends and stuff like that, and she'll be like. And what she just did, I knew. It's. I know it's coming in the car. Lord, please believe. I know it's coming in the car. But what she wanted to make sure is that she didn't say anything in that moment where I felt disrespected. All right, they not ready for the rest of this message.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Switch me out.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Yeah. This thing is trying to fight against me, but we back. All right, here we go. I'll just go to this. Cuz. Y' all can't take all this message, so. No. Y' all can't. No. Okay. That word, helper. God made a helper just right for him, ladies. It. It's. It's. The original word is azer. Okay? And that word means helper. It's used 21 times in the Bible to describe God. He said, I'm going to make a godlike figure in a woman. And God, the Holy Spirit, which is the Paraclete, is also called the helper. He said, I'm going to make not somebody behind, not somebody away from somebody. Co beside that will be the helper to these people, to these men. And I want you to know, I just wanted to say for you ladies, it's a role. Watch this. Of esteem, ladies, you were the solution to his problem. You may have never heard it like that, but when man had his first problem, he created you. You were the solution to his problem. You should give God some praise right there now. So I just want to say this. You're not ready for marriage if you're not willing to help. All right? Ephesians 5, 21, verse 25. Husbands. Fellows. I'm gonna try that one more time, fellas. All right? Let me talk to you husbands. This means to love your wives. We get that one. Oh, I love her, bro. I love her, bro. She bro. Okay. Just as Christ loved the church. Okay, I can do that. Let me get some more definition to that. And gave up his life for her. You can't keep an old life with her. Well, this is how I used to do it. You got to be okay with me and my. You got to know you don't get an old life with a new wife. You gotta give it up. Can I say it to you how God said it to me? You're not ready for marriage if you're not ready to die. This is what I wish somebody would have just said that. Clear. Marriage is a death daily. Soon as you wake up.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cold weather can wreak havoc on your skin. You don't want to miss out on this month's great savings and all your favorite, favorite skincare essentials. Now through March 31, earn four times points when you purchase participating skincare items like Dove Soap, Dove Body Wash, Dove Beauty Bar, Soft Soap Body Wash and Irish Spring Body Wash. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Podcast Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Podcast Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently. It said 20 billion one. 20 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Podcast Host]

Awesome. So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan, what would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247 365.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Wow.

[Podcast Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

I have so many examples. Literally, my, my mind got flooded. I mean, just anybody that's married knows, like, it's just dying all the time. No, no, no. It literally is like a constant. I've never talked to myself so much. You going to make it, Mike, you going to make it. You're going to be all right, brother. You look at another husband, just be like it. If you're going to do what God. Okay, hold on. Caveat. If you're going to do it God's way, he's telling you up front, you about to die. Yeah, bro, wake up, pick up your cross. We about to die today. And I'm making it funny, but I just, I want you to know, like, if you're not ready to die every day, you're not ready for marriage. That's why it literally is like you can make a plan the night before, go to sleep in the same bed, wake up the next morning, get ready to go execute the plan. And they can literally call you and say, you know what? Nevermind on that. Hold on, wait. I've set up, I called stuff, I moved stuff, I did things I. Yeah, we're not going to do. I'm not feeling it. Okay, okay. Well, what are we gonna do? I don't know. What do you want to do? Hold on, hold on. If I had the plan yesterday. I told you to plan we already. Ah. Like it's. I'm telling you if you're not ready to die. The reason I'm saying this, the reason I'm saying this is because marriage is for the mature. You have to decide to die daily. And some of y' all not ready to do that. You want what you want so bad that you're willing to overlook the person you made a covenant with to get what you want. Do that then. By yourself. But if you made this decision, fellas, how you gonna become more like him? Imitate him. Die. What did he do for the church? What did he do for his bride? It's death to your will, death to your wants. Death to your desires. Death to your preferences. I know, I know, I know, I know. We're taking down marriages this summer. Right now. Or we're preparing people to actually know what to expect. Okay? Galatians 2:20. Let me give you scripture. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live. But Christ lives in me. Imitate him. The life I now live in the body. So my real life, in real life, what I do in real life, I live this by faith. Because I'm walking by faith with this woman. Not by sight, because it keep changing. I want you to see how practical God is. Hey. What are we gonna do about this? I don't know. We're gonna walk by faith. We're gonna figure this out together. He said, I walk by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. He's reminding you that you can do this because I already did it. You can love her like that, and you can love him like that because I already did it for you. Imitate me. Remember when I gave myself? Remember? I didn't want to do it. But I said, not my will, but your will be. I've shown you how to do this. Now you go do it. And if you're not ready to die daily, you're not ready for marriage. I am convinced that in Genesis 2:21, when woman was made as the solution to man's first problem, that God could have done it a different way. Y' all know how he did it? He put Adam to sleep and cut him and took a rib. How do we know he cut him? It said he had to sew him back up with flesh. Y' all don't believe me? Here we go. Genesis, chapter 2, verse 21. So the Lord God calls the man to fall into a deep sleep. And while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. He could have made woman the same way he made man. He could have taken dust right next to where he made the man and blown his breath, his pneuma into him. The spirit woman instead. What did he do? He said to be an eternal symbol of what man will always have to do. I'm gonna take something from him. He's gotta sacrifice something. I'm gonna take his Rib. And I'm gonna make her out of what he sacrifices, which gives me revelation. Man. Anything you give up for her, she will take that thing and turn it into something you never thought it could be. That's why you give a wife, a woman, a house, she makes it a home. You give that woman a seed, she gives you children. You give that woman a piece of meat, she makes you a meal. Do you hear what I'm saying? If you sacrifice some, but you not ready. If you give her an apology, If you give her a real apology, she might turn that into the marriage of your dreams. If you would give her fidelity and stop keeping these other hoochies. I was gonna say something else, so I just said hoochie. That felt a little cleaner. But don't give them any time. Don't entertain anything.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Why?

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Because if you would get. If you would sacrifice something. Men, hear me. Everything you do is not bad. It's just not helpful. So I know you feel like, well, I. Dang, I just can't win. I just always. Everything I do. Just hear me. Some things you gotta sacrifice not because you did something wrong, because it would make her feel safe. I don't know what my life with Christ would look like if he didn't give his life for us. Think about it. If we were doing this whole thing and it was like. And he was a good man and he just said, follow him, It'd be like, okay, but when you go to that cross and you remember what he gave up for us, it makes you be like, you know what? I can follow somebody like that. Okay. Okay. I gotta keep moving. Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 26. Read the whole thing on your own time.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It's good.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

It says, men, you got to make her holy and clean. Washing her by cleansing her with God's word. Can I say it to you like this? You're not ready for marriage if you don't watch your words say everything that comes to your mind. I'm just telling the truth. Ah, there are some words that I said that I wish I could jump into a time portal and cuz once they land, you cannot take away the impact of them words, Y', all. I'm telling you, there are more people that have been hurt by words said by their spouse. And it takes a lot of vulnerability and a true contrite spirit to heal some of these things. Some of y' all should just wait a minute till you get control of this. No, I know y' all love each other, but as soon as she make you mad, you gonna say something that you're going to be seeing the repercussions of for decades. And the truth of the matter is you don't have enough patience to wait that long to see the transformation. You may need to hold your words right now, Church. Why are you saying this? God just want to make sure everybody knows. Like, don't just enter this haphazardly. The reason that there had to be blood when God made Eve is because it was the sign of a covenant. Let me give you another one. You're not ready. You're not ready for marriage. If you think that it's a contract. Marriage doing it God's way is called a covenant. What they used to do back in the old days is they would take. They didn't have all the wedding bells and the grooms and all that. What they would do is slice a piece of the hand of the bride and slice a piece. And there would just be enough blood and they would put their hands together because there always has to be blood when there's a covenant being formed. Hence the reason why Jesus had to go to the cross and they beat him. Because he was making a covenant with humanity. And he said, I'm gonna always be here for you. This is my decision. We not getting out of this. That's why the battle say till death do us part. Do you mean that? Because a contract says until. You make me mad until I find out some. But a covenant says until sickness and health, richer or poor, good days, bad days, you're not ready for that. You don't even keep a cell phone contract a year. There's no way, unless you decide. I'm going to put away childish things because marriage is for the mature. I'm gonna read the last part of this verse 27. Jesus gives us this example. He did this to present her to himself as the glorious church without a spot or a wrinkle or any blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fall. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it. Just as Christ cares for the church and we are the members of his body.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cold weather can wreak havoc on your skin. You don't want to miss out on this month's great savings on all your favorite skincare Essentials now through March 31st. Earn four times points when you purchase participating skincare Items like Dove Soap, Dove Body Wash, Dove Beauty Bar, Soft Soap Body Wash, and Irish Spring Body Wash. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Podcast Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Podcast Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently that said 20 billion. 120 million is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on. Awesome.

[Podcast Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take. Take your call. 247-365- wow.

[Podcast Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

You're not ready for marriage if you don't love yourself. Some of you are looking for love in that person, but the truth of the matter is you don't love you. And the Bible tells us in Mark that you can only love somebody else, your neighbor, to the level that you have figured out how to love yourself. And some of y' all ain't real nice to your neighbors. You're not nice to Democrats or Republicans. You're not nice to people who look different than you or vote. Those are your neighbors. You're not nice to people who. Who like certain things or go to a different church or. He says you haven't even figured out. I can tell you haven't figured out how to love yourself because you don't like them. So to the level that you figured out how to love yourself, that's the only level you can love somebody else. And I'm telling you right now, you're not ready for marriage if you have not figured out how to love yourself. This thing said husbands should love their wives as they love their own body. I'm not Going to get into the details of that. But what I'm saying to, to you is what you put in your body describes if you love it or not. What you watch with these eyes and put into your brain tells me if you love it or not. Do you hear? I know it's good. The reason I'm saying this is because there were so many times watch this. This is the trick of the enemy, to make you self soothed and damage yourself. And you say, it's not hurting anybody else. This ain't hurting nobody else. I mean, it's just me like this ain't hurting nobody else. And God's saying you literally are taking away from the person that matters the most. For you to love anybody else, you got to be able to love you. That's why I went back to the, the beginning where I said, your soul, you need to be seen, safe, secure, soothe. It says, I got to figure out how to love me even if I didn't get that from nobody else. And God is the only one that can show me how to do that. So now that I got it from him, now I can stand confident in who I am. And now I can see my mate and see their deficiencies and not judge them. That's why love is patient. Love is kind. The reason I can be patient and kind is because I knew what it took for me. But I don't have no grace for you to work on your stuff if I never worked on mine. Oh God. All I'm saying, church is most of us aren't ready because you only can love someone else to the level you Love yourself. Verse 31. As the Scriptures say. This is my last scripture. A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife. They always say this one at the wedding. They need to say autumn, other ones at the wedding. I think that's how I'm gonna do weddings from now on. Dearly beloved, we're gathered here because y' all not ready. That's how I think I'm gonna do it. I think I'm gonna do it. Like that said, a man leaves his father and mother and joined to his wife. And the two are united as the two become. Say it again. The two become. It's no longer just you, it's no longer just them. It says this watch. This is a great mystery, but it's an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. He said, this is the picture of what I want the whole world to see on the earth. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself. Golly, he keeps saying it. And the wife must respect her husband because this is mutual submission. You're not ready for marriage if you don't see the mystery as a miracle. He said, there's a mystery to marriage. Well, Pastor Mike, you said, I'm not ready. I'm saying, like, you gotta do everything you can and then trust God for the stuff. Because there's a mystery to marriage. There's some stuff you'd be like, I want to know everything. And God be like, you're not going to know. I'm going to show you. Take my hand, woman. Take my hand, man. And we're going to walk together. He's trying to get us back to the picture of Adam and Eve in the garden. That's what marriage should look like. Man and woman walking together in the cool of the day with God. God can speak to you, change you. God can speak to him, change him. And we continue to walk together. But there's a mystery that goes along with that. I'm praying for this next generation of people who get married, that they would be ready when it's time to get married. I believe in the next 50 years, we can change the divorce rate for Christians. I need somebody with faith. We can. We can help. But transformation comes with understanding. First. Standing all over this building. God, I thank you. Everybody, listen to me real quick. We're about to leave. But if you're in a place where you desire to be married, I'm going to pray for the wisdom of God to show you. Now, these are just the points that I pulled out that I had in the time that I had today. But there's so much more. But I'm. I'm going to ask God to give you wisdom on how to prepare for the relationship God has for you. And then there's a second group I want to pray for, for all of those who are already married. And there have been tensions, there have been knots that have been tied around y' all that have just seemed to really stop your forward movement. I'm praying that God is about to allow y' all to get into unity and that you are going to be able to watch this reverse engineer the dysfunction. That's what I heard. In my spirit, there are some things that has just been like this and you don't know how to get out of it. And God's gonna buy his spirit, and through these teachings, he's gonna help you reverse engineering it. Oh, I do just be talking every time you make me mad. I'M gonna start being quiet. I'm gonna apologize. We're gonna go to therapy. We're gonna get some new tools. We're going to get in a small group with other married. We're going to get in a tribe with other married couples. So we know we not the only ones going through it. But in isolation, the enemy picks people off. Today I believe God's going to do a work. Would you lift your hands all over this place? Father, I thank you for those who desire to be married, Father God, You've given them a special grace and desire and want. And today I just thank you, Father. From the youngest all the way to the oldest. I thank you, Father God, that you're about to give wisdom, how to prepare. Father, I thank you that we will not let culture define what you have designed. I thank you that marriage is still winning. And I thank you, Father, that it is the picture of what you want all people to see here on earth. A sacrificial, mutually submitted relationship where there is joy and love and peace and legacy and multiplication transformation. I pray it over this church. I pray it over everybody listening. For those, Father God, who are hurting right now and they've stopped helping and they've stopped making safe places. I thank you for healing the hearts today, God, I thank you that you would mature all of us so that we can walk into the full measure of what you've called our relationships to be, Father. For those who have been married a long time, Father God, but the passion is gone and they haven't seen a spark in a long time, God, I'm asking you in the name of Jesus, Father God, would you help literally reverse engineer the dysfunction, the words that have tried to tear down? I thank you that those words are coming out of hearts right now, Father God, that people are forgetting, Father God, even the ramifications of past seasons where there's been infidelity, Father God. Or hurt or pain, Father God. I'm thanking you, Father God, that you are making all things new. Father God, I thank you that you are revealing and recognizing, resurrecting. Father God, your grace and mercy in marriages right now. Thank you for the greatest seasons of their lives today. God, I'm asking you to do a deep work so that we all can live with healthy relationships. We need you, Holy Spirit. We can't do this without you. There's some people in here just in the same spirit. I feel the presence of God because healing is happening. Past few weeks, we've just been letting God minister to people at the altar and Letting worship go forth, because there's something that's happening. And I feel like there's some people that really need personal ministry. And so here in just a moment, I'm going to have the altar workers come. And if you're watching online, I just want you to stay. I want you to stay in this present because you don't move when God's doing heart surgery. Anytime there's a surgery, God's healing marriages, even your husband may not be here or your wife may not be here, but you don't know what God's doing right now. The Bible tells us that the faithfulness of one spouse can literally save their entire household. Y', all, I'm telling you, there are some things that are happening right now that you gotta just let God do his work. But if you want to create a covenant with God today, I want you to get into the greatest relationship goal you can have in real life. It's a relationship with Jesus. And when I talk about a covenant, there was blood that was shed so that your sins could be forgiven and my sins could be forgiven. And he took me when I accepted him from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography, I had very dark things in my heart. And he did not make me a perfect man, but he made me a progressing man. And I'm telling you, my life today has transformed, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. And today I want to take tell you it's your day of salvation. If you're in this room or you're watching online or you're watching in a penitentiary, God has aligned everything for this moment of destiny. And I'm telling you right now, this is your moment. On the count of three, if you want to be included in a prayer that says, jesus, I want to make you the Lord of my life. I just want you to slip your hand in the air. You can do it digitally, you can do it in this room, you can do it watching, on, rebroading, broadcast. If you're at the gym right now or you're in your car, I want you to know this is the thing that God is going to recognize in heaven at the moment you decide. 1. You're making the greatest decision of your life. Church, I need you to begin to pray because somebody's eternity is in the balance right now.

[Ryan Seacrest]

2.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Your name is going to be written in the Lamb's book of life, and your eternity is going to be safe and secure. If you want to receive Jesus, slip your hand in the air. Three. Four right now. I see hands right there. I see hands. I see hands. I see hands. I see hands, brother. I'm proud of you. I see him. Come on. Transformation Church. There's hands all in the chat. Glory to God. You can put your hand down, bro. I see you, man. This is a new day for you. This is what I'm going to tell you. This decision right here changes all the other ones. This is a keystone habit. This is one that changes everything else. And at Transformation Church, we're a family. Nobody prays a little alone. I feel the presence of God in this place. If you would just lift your hand in the international sign of surrender and just say God. Come on, everybody. Thank you for sending Jesus to make a covenant with me today. I give you my life. I repent and I turn to you. I believe you live, you died and you rose again with all power just for me. Change me, renew me, transform me. I'm yours forever. In Jesus name, can we celebrate all over this place? Amen. Oh, come on. All of heaven is rejoicing right now. You just made that decision. I want you to text SAVE to 828282. Our team is going to send you some information. And as the altar workers come right now. I just believe that there's healing coming for people right now. If you need prayer for anything, I feel the presence of God. God is about to heal, restore. He's about to renew. I feel the presence of God in the name of Jesus. If you need healing in your heart, relationally, if you need healing for your marriage, this is a beautiful time for you to come. I want you to come from all over this place. I'm telling you right now, if there's anything that is going on, yeah, I want you to come. There is no shame for getting prayer. There is no shame for asking God to meet you at the point of your need. And I believe that this week God is going to begin to do something. He's going to make you ready. Come on. I'm not. I might not be ready, but I can get ready. Come on, somebody. Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you that you are drawing people to your pattern over everything else. Marriages will live and not die. We give you glory. Relationships will live and not die. We give you praise. We thank you, Father, for your word coming true. We need your holy spirit. You are welcome here, Father. Do what nobody else can do. Thank you for joining us today. If you said that prayer and accepted Jesus into your heart, it's the best decision you could ever make. We want to celebrate with you and we have some tools to help you on your journey. Text saved to 828282 and to find out more about TC Text connect to 828282. Be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with your friends. Thanks for listening. Now go out and live a transformed life. Bethenny Frankel here from Just be with Bethenny Frankel and I am just going to say it. The drinks aisle needs an intervention. Bottles, cans, all promising health and wellness. But after a glug you just shrug. Then there's Synergy Kombucha Real Kombucha Synergy supports mind and body through your gut with 9 billion probiotics. Yep, 9 billion probiotics. Can you even count that high in flavors you will love? No hype, just quality, taste and real benefits. That's Kombucha made the right way. Don't chase fads. Choose Standards DM at Synergy Kombucha on Instagram with the code Thereal Kombucha to get a free bottle while supplies last Synergy the Kombucha with Standards hey, it's

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cold weather can wreak havoc on your skin. You don't want to miss out on this month's great savings on all your favorite skincare essentials. Through March 31, earn four times points when you purchase participating skincare items like Dove Soap, Dove Body Wash, Dove Beauty Bar Soft Soap Body Wash and Irish Spring Body Wash. Points can be redeemed later for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends March 31. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Pastor Mike Todd]

Rewards programs are a lot like pop culture. They can be hard to keep up with. But with Venmo's new rewards program, Venmo Stash, Rewards are so easy because the the more you do, the more you get and you choose the bundle of brands you get cash back at. It's giving Fiscal Queen, it's giving Star. It's giving up to 5% cash back at your favorite brands. Just pick a bundle of your go to spots to shop with your Venmo debit card and earn cash back at them. Do more, get more with Venmo stash the Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank NA Venmo Stash bundle terms and exclusions apply. Max $100 cash back per month. See terms at Venmo Me Stash Terms.