INTRO: The Bible teaches us that life is full of trouble. Solomon said that having trouble was as natural to mankind, as sparks from a fire going up instead of down. If you own a car, you will have car trouble. If you live in a house, you will have to fix it. If you grow old, you will have to deal with a body that is running down. Newlyweds are somehow surprised when they have marriage problems. But, everyone who marries will have marriage problems. The Bible tells us what it takes to overcome these problems:

I. It Takes Two! (Eccles 4:9-11).

A. Both partners must WANT the marriage to do well.
B. Wanting isn't enough. Both must WORK to make a happy marriage.

II. It Takes Talk! (Ephesians 4:29).

A. Most couples talk a lot before marriage. If you marry a non-talker, you are
marrying an "unknown."
B. Men usually ought to talk more. Women usually ought to talk less.
C. What we want is CONVERSATION. Back and forth.
D. Avoid gossip, chatter, etc.
E. Speak to build up the other person (which brings us to point III).

III. It Takes Tenderness (Ephesians 4:31-32; I Peter 3:8-9).

A. Immediately after Adam and Eve fell into sin, the concept of the power
struggle entered into marriage (Genesis 3:16 and note in John MacArthur's
Study Bible).
B. Marriage is not a 50/50 proposition, it is a 100/100 arrangement. The
husband should be 100% for his wife, and the wife should be 100% for
her husband. Put your spouse's welfare as your top priority!

IV. It Takes Tenaciousness (Hebrews 12:1).

A. Of course this verse primarily applies to living the Christian life.
B. But marriage is part of this, and the verse is instructive.
C. A "cloud of witnesses" is watching every move. The success or failure
of your marriage matters to many people!
D. We must resist the desire to separate and quit even more in our generation,
because separation and divorce has become so acceptable and easy.

CONCLUSION: If you are married, you already have marriage problems. But the Bible tells us how to make marriage succeed: 1) Both partners must work at it; 2) Husbands and wives must communicate; 3) Learn to put your spouse's welfare first in your life; 4) Keep on keeping on. Don't quit!