Marriage 101 Blog

Wives

Jewell — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:15:13 +0000

God created men with the need for respect from his wife, it’s the top of his list and he needs it almost as much as he needs air to breathe. When we value and respect someone, we invest ourselves in their care & and take the time to build up their feelings of self-worth. A man who doesn’t receive respect from his wife is a man who begins to deteriorate. The kind of love & respect God is calling wives to have for their husbands is sacrificial, unconditional and it will deepen your love for him. Trust & obey God…it works!

…. the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33b

“Father God, help me to be a better source of encouragement to my husband, and make me sensitive to his needs. I want to lift him up when he is down, support him in time of need, and respect him as you have commanded me to do. And may the glory from my efforts be unto you this day and forever, in Jesus name. Amen”

Challenge: Tell your husband how much you value who he is as a person, and encourage him in areas where he doesn’t feel secure…always letting him know that you support him. Express faith in his decision (even if you’re not in favor of them) and always respond to him in a positive manner in front of the kids. Take the time to understand him and communicate better with him.

Commitment

Jewell — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:42:54 +0000

The commitment to marriage just doesn’t seem to be what it used to be which is evident by the rising divorce rate over the years. Marriage should never be entered into lightly with the premise that you can try it out and if you don’t like it you can just call it quits. It’s not a social contract and Jesus expects us to keep our vow with Him and each other. It’s a sacred covenant between a man, woman and God for a lifetime. A marriage covenant is a binding, weighty obligation that God takes very seriously and so should we. We have to begin committing to our vows and each other, making our marriage a priority and not an after thought. We have to begin putting in the time and effort and keep working to perfect it year after year “till death do us part”.

Let us not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 NLT

“Father God, thank you for never leaving us or breaking your promises to us. Lord, let us be a finisher of our faith. Help us to stay committed to you and our marriage, persevering even when it becomes difficult. We strike out divorce from our hearts and minds right now in the name of Jesus, and we thank you for watching over Your word to perform it, in Jesus Holy name we pray. Amen”

Challenge: Decide with your spouse now to delete the word ‘divorce’ from your vocabulary. Then begin watching the way you interact with each other and check to see if your actions speak commitment to the marriage and are being done “as unto the Lord.” Be a covenant keeper with God, following the Bible in word and deed.

Jealousy

Jewell — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:41:19 +0000

Jealousy is at the top of the list for breaking up relationships & marriages. Relationships can easily become weak when one partner tries to control or manipulate the other with such behaviors as name-calling, threats, requiring the other to check in all the time, restricting the other from friends and family, or not allowing the other to deviate from their schedule. This jealous behavior does not love and can easily turn into abuse & violence and results in failed relationships. The enemy of our faith is destructive and the father of all lies, he encourages selfishness, arrogance, lying, anger, bitterness, chaos and jealousy. But the Holy Spirit fills us with fruits of the spirit like love, joy, peace, & mercy. We must determine to be honest and loving towards our mate and seek God through prayer and His word to help control our feelings and behavior.

Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous. Proverbs 27:4 NLT

“Lord I come to you seeking peace in my marriage. Empower us to follow the example of Your Son Jesus Christ who forgave His persecutors. Help us to control our emotions by turning to You and turning away from jealousy. I claim right now the peace that you intend for our marriage in Jesus name, Amen.”

Challenge: Deal with any anger or jealous behaviors right away. Ask yourself if these feelings are justified or unjustified. Think about your past and determine if it could be a direct result of past hurts, or pains and if needed, seek professional counseling.

Housework

Jewell — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:32:46 +0000

These days, especially in today’s economy, most homes are two income earners. But even with that in mind, housework can be overwhelming when one person stays who and is responsible for everything, especially when there are kids involved! So it’s only fair to equally divide the labor or at least have a clear understanding of who will be responsible for what. In addition to that, it’s important to be open-minded to other solutions because at the end of the day, the work load needs to feel fair to both people. Resentment can quickly settle in when one person feels that the other is not pulling their weight.

My heart took delight in all my work…Ecclesiastes 2:10

“Heavenly Father, thank you for my spouse and the jobs you have provided for us. We asks that when we become tired, you give us strength, when we become frustrated, give us patience with each other, and when we stray from the path of your purpose for our life, give us passion for our daily responsibilities and as we complete our work, we will give your name honor glory and praise in Jesus name we pray, Amen.”

Challenge: Everyone has particular chores that they really don’t like, so work out who will do what or take turns. Be open-minded and work out solutions sensibly. If one works outside the home, perhaps that person can do the housework on the weekends to give the stay-at-home spouse a break. Hire outside help, even if it’s just for special occasions or spring cleaning.

Passion

Jewell — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:26:28 +0000

Passion & intimacy makes for a healthy marriage. But it’s hard to be passionate in a troubled marriage; however it is vital for the healing and rebuilding of your relationship. The physical intimacy between a husband and wife was created by God for more that just making babies, it’s also meant to reinforce our commitment to each other while providing pleasure and satisfaction. It is so important for couples to prioritize their lives to allow time for love and attention that each other so deserves. Make your intimate time together special and keep romance alive by going the extra mile for each other. I am my lover’s and he claims me as his own.

Come, my love let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers… Song of Songs 7:10-11

“Father, we esteem our marriage honorably, precious, and worthy and we commit ourselves to live in mutual harmony and in one accord with each other. Help us to bring more passion and intimacy into our relationship, delighting in one another and allow it to grow stronger day by day in the bond of unity because it is founded on Your Words and rooted and grounded in Your love. Father we thank You for the performance of it, in Jesus’ name. Amen”

Challenge: Practice listening intently to each other, plan surprise dates (example: plan a romantic dinner or warm bubble bath with lighted candles and music, or reserve a nice room for the night/weekend at a local hotel) if nothing else, plan some cuddle time on the couch and watch a favorite show or movie together. Or plan daily/weekly evening walks or have a picnic in the park.