Fight for Your Marriage (4)

‘They will be won over by observing your…lives.’

1 Peter 3:1-2

A shared faith is the glue that will hold your marriage together in times of trouble. But when one spouse is an unbeliever, it can be difficult for the other. Concerning marriage, Jesus said, ‘What…God hath joined together, let not man put asunder’ (Matthew 19:6 KJV). Notice the words, ‘What God hath joined together.’ Any relationship God puts together can go the distance. Speaking about a wife whose husband has died, Paul writes, ‘She is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 7:39 NLT). When your spouse doesn’t share your faith, you can find yourselves tugging on opposite ends of the rope. Paul asks, ‘How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?’ (2 Corinthians 6:15 NLT). The old country preacher put it bluntly: ‘Any time a child of God marries a child of the devil, they’re going to have trouble with their father-in-law!’ Now, that doesn’t mean you should love your unbelieving partner less. Actually, it means you should love them more! Speaking of unbelieving spouses, Peter writes, ‘Even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your…lives.’ There’s preventative medicine and there’s corrective medicine. When Paul says not to marry an unbeliever, he’s using preventative medicine. When Peter speaks about living with an unbeliever and winning them to Christ through your love and your lifestyle, he’s using correctivemedicine. At the end of the day, there’s only one thing that’s guaranteed to work: ‘Love never fails’ (1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV). So fight for your marriage!

Taken from: The Word for Today website

Fight for Your Marriage (3)

‘Marriage should be honoured…for God will judge the adulterer and…the…immoral.’

Hebrews 13:4

Clara Null says: ‘My Sunday school class was learning the Ten Commandments. When we got to ‘‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’’, I wondered if I’d have to explain it. Sure enough, a seven-year-old girl raised her hand and asked, ‘‘What does commit mean?’’’ Seriously, if you live by impulse instead of commitment, your marriage will suffer. The word ‘commitment’ is best described in your wedding vows. Remember those? ‘Will you have this woman (or man) to be your lawful wedded wife (or husband)…to live together in God’s holy ordinance of marriage…to be faithful…in good times and bad, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to her (or him)?’ That’s what you said before God! A big hotel displayed this sign on its bulletin board for passing motorists to read: ‘Have your next affair with us!’ That’s not so funny when you consider the ramifications! A prominent psychiatrist said, ‘I’ve counselled thousands of couples, and I’ve yet to meet my first happy adulterer.’ The results are always the same: shame, fear, loss, loneliness and depression. When you violate your own integrity, it’s hard to live in your own skin. Don’t be deceived by celebrities who hop from bed to bed. The secret to happiness in marriage isn’t finding the right person, it’s becoming the right person. The Bible says you’re supposed to care about the spiritual, emotional, material and sexual needs of your spouse. So start discussing these things. And if you find it difficult to talk about them, get help—your marriage is worth fighting for!

Taken from: The Word for Today website

Fight for Your Marriage (2)

‘The wise have wealth and luxury...’

Proverbs 21:20

One of the most common issues that cause marriages to fail is finances. There’s a  nice story about an usher who passed the collection plate at a church wedding. When one of the guests objected, he said, ‘I understand how you feel, but the father of the bride needs the money.’ Seriously, the number-one reason for divorce these days is money. That’s interesting, because we have more money today than at any time in the past. So what’s the problem? In a nutshell, it’s our lifestyle. The more we have, the more we want, and the more we’re willing to go into debt to get it. When times are good that philosophy works, but in the last fifty years we’ve lived through ten recessions. For example, people who bought a home for £100,000, planning to sell it for £200,000 within a year or two, ended up losing everything because the housing market crashed. Imagine the stress that puts on a marriage! The strong endure; the weak don’t. We recently became reacquainted with a mostly forgotten word - frugality. It means buying only what you can afford. The Bible says, ‘In the house of the wise are stores…but a foolish man devours all he has’ (Proverbs 21:20 paraphrase). Financial experts now recommend keeping a minimum of six months’ living expenses in a ‘rainy day’ account. In the last decade we’ve gone through a major and painful correction. It taught us that the secret of happiness in marriage isn’t spending all you’ve got, but saving, and taking time to enjoy what you have.

Taken from: The Word for Today website

Fight for your Marriage 1

Fight for Your Marriage (1)

‘Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it.’

Psalms 127:1

It’s easy to remember where and when you got married, but sometimes what escapes you is why. God created Eve because He knew Adam was lonely and incomplete. So if the purpose of marriage is closeness, the enemy of marriage is distance. But problems arise when you expect your spouse to meet every need you’ve got. Only God can do that! A  man asked his  friend, ‘How come you never got married?’ He replied, ‘Because I was looking for the ideal woman.’ ‘And you never found her?’ his friend asked.  ‘Yes, of course, but just my luck—she was looking for the ideal man.’ Hello! The Bible says, ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her’ (Ephesians 5:25 NKJV). Can a marriage ever be perfect? No, but when two people make up their minds to give themselves fully to one another, they can come pretty close. In a survey of thousands of married couples, here are ten reasons why people said they were unhappy: 1) They didn’t think alike in many areas. 2) They had little insight into each other’s feelings. 3) They said hurtful things to one other. 4) They felt unloved. 5) They felt taken for granted. 6) They lacked someone to confide in. 7) Each spouse felt he or she was giving more than the other. 8) They rarely complimented each other. 9) They desired more affection. 10) They couldn’t talk to each other. Now, since God performed the first marriage, talking to Him about yours would be a good place to start.

Taken from: The Word for Today website

Why You Should Read This Book

Why You Should Read This Book

In the heart of all people is an inexpressible longing for something they do not naturally possess. This longing, implanted by a merciful God, has been perverted by Satan. He makes people believe that this deep hunger may be satisfied by pleasure, wealth, ease, fame, or power. But those who have been thus deceived by him find that all these things leave the soul unsatisfied. – {HLv 5.1}

God designs, however, that this longing shall lead to the One who alone is able to satisfy it. The desire is of Him that it may lead to Him, the fullness and fulfillment of that desire. That fullness is found in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal God. Haggai calls Him “the Desire of all nations,” and we may well call Him “the Desire of all ages,” God’s Son, sent from heaven with love. – {HLv 5.2}

Happy Sabbath Everyone.

So the blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy, that we might find rest and spend time with him. 

God our Father

God our Father

‘…Is anything too hard for me?’ Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name…’ ‘Hallowed’ is a way of describing God as holy. Or blessed. Or respected. We’ve looked a little at God being our father. But what if your experience of the word ‘Dad’ isn’t great? What if the word is loaded because Dad was distant or absent or let you down? Well this word ‘Hallowed’ reminds us God is no ordinary dad. God is holy. This means He doesn’t lie or let us down. God is unchanging. This means He isn’t influenced by moods and feelings. God is love. This means He doesn’t get interested only when it’s convenient. God has us on His mind constantly. He cares about us. He loves us with perfect love. And what’s more, God is the God of overcoming the impossible (ever read that bit about mustard seeds and mountains?)

So get this: the God who parted the Red Sea is your Dad. The God who was hanging out even before the Universe was a thing is your Father. The God who scattered stars in the night, who gives scenery to the sightless, who carries the meaning of life in His back pocket, is your Daddy. Is anything too impossible for your Dad? No sir. Your Dad is all powerful God. There’s an incredible amount of safety in that.

What Now?

In today's verse God asks, 'Is anything too hard for Me?' The truth - absolutely nothing. Today, write 'nothing' on your notepad. No matter what you experience, remember it's not too hard for your Dad.