Are you lonely? You might be, even if you're surrounded by people. We're living in what's being called a "loneliness epidemic," and the statistics are staggering. But more than the statistics, I think most of us feel that ache for someone who really knows us, not just the polished version we put online. So what does it actually take to build the kind of friendships that go deeper than a Facebook "like"? And why does it matter so much?

What is it that makes the devil mad? What is it that is truly encroaching on his kingdom? It's not the street preacher on the corner yelling at people. It's not people going through the motions of religious rituals. Here's what makes the devil mad: a family that honors God with all their hearts. A marriage that lasts a lifetime. Children being brought up to become champions of God's work of love down through the years. That's what threatens him. And that's exactly why building a faith-filled family is one of the most important things you will ever do.

Our culture sends completely contradictory messages about marriage. On one hand, we're told that romantic love is the ultimate goal of life. We need to find someone who will "complete" us and make all our dreams come true. On the other hand, when marriage doesn't deliver that fairy tale happiness, we're told it's disposable. We need to start by understanding God's purpose for marriage before we can talk about how to build a better one.

Just as ancient Roman mile Markers guided travelers along every road leading to Rome, God placed spiritual mile markers throughout history pointing to the ultimate destination: Easter Sunday morning and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. God was leaving clues about Easter throughout the entire Old Testament.