A Good Marriage - Draw Together or Pull Apart

 

 

Marriage is designed by God, but is usually an uphill battle. When we put two or more people together, there is inevitably conflict of some sort. Let's face it, we often cannot even get along with our self, much less with other people.

Life happens, challenges arise and situations change. These often attack our marriage as well. Not only do we have to adjust, but we have to bear the consequences of our spouse's attempting to adjust as well.

If we face life's challenges together as a unit, we can change and adapt together and at the same time. This makes for a much smoother transition. When we include God in the decisions and problem solving efforts, He works out everything for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28; Ecclesiastes 4:12).

God saw that man was alone and this was not good. So He created marriage to bless us and to lighten our load in life. He helps us to enjoy our marriage rather than to endure it. He provides faultless fruition for every need. 

This requires that we spend time together as a couple, unified in the Spirit and with one another in prayer. God never promises us a window into our future, but He does promise to walk with us and in us through its challenges.

Taking advantage of our days off, vacation times, free week-ends, and an occasional afternoon or evening without prior commitments, we can make time to watch a movie together, listen to a political debate, follow our favorite team on the sport's channel, read a book together, snuggle beneath the sheets, have dinner at a restaurant instead of at home, join friends for coffee and dessert, etc.

In Christ, we find joy in our marriage partner and solace in their care for us. We find fulfillment in helping them to fulfill their needs as God supplies us with everything we need. We enjoy life with the mate He gives to us (Ecclesiastes 9:7, 9).

Prayer:

Father God, life is never, ever easy; but You make all things possible as we have faith in Your faithfulness. You have arms long enough to save us and ears that always hear our cries (Isaiah 59:1; 1 John 5:15). Help us to commit every moment to You, rather than to follow our own path in life.

Everything You do remains forever (Ecclesiastes 3:14). As we walk in obedience to Your Spirit, we reap the rewards of righteousness rather than the consequences of our sin and disobedience. Remind us to draw together as a couple and to lean on You for strength to face life's challenges.

 

Thought for the Day:

Let us make a conscious effort to add more romance to our marriage; to put an end to pessimism, skepticism, criticism, etc; and to deal with negative emotions before they get deep seated in our soul - confessing our sins to God and to one another.

Permanent Vacation!

Read: Ephesians 2:8-10

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” - Titus 3:5

So many people think that if they live with a loving and kind attitude, their place in heavenly eternity is guaranteed. If they are good enough, God is required to let them into heaven. What is good enough? Does this mean that I am better than my neighbor; therefore, I am good enough? If it were possible to earn our way to heaven, then Christ would not have needed to die on the cross to pay the penalty of our unholy deeds. What if the next person I meet is better than I am? What happens to my goodness then?

We cannot be good enough, holy enough or spiritual enough to deserve God’s love. If the Christian walk depended on our good works, then we would have no need for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Jesus died because we can never be good enough to earn God’s love (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is only when we come to the end of self-effort and understand that we can never live up to the Biblical standard of perfection (Matthew 5:48) that we give up our struggle with sin and turn to the Lord for Salvation.

When we stop trying to be good in and of ourselves, when we rest in Jesus, then we start trusting Him to live the Christian life in and through us. We are no longer living under condemnation with a fear of failure (Romans 8:1), but in the glorious resurrection life of the Son of God (John 11:25). Once we arrive in this place of union with God (John 15:5), we can allow the peace and the joy of the Holy Spirit to fill us to the point of saturation in our soul (mind, will and emotions) and spirit. We bask in the Sonshine of His love. Then, we look forward to Heaven with a continuation of our intimate union with Jesus that we start right here on earth (Colossians 2:9).

Jesus completed the work of our perfection on the cross. Now we only need to walk in His grace (1 Corinthians 5:10). Failing in one area of our life opens us up to the possibility of success in another. We may lose a battle in our daily life, but Jesus already won the war 2000 years ago on Calvary’s cross.

God only promised us this moment in which we are drawing our current breath of air. We are not guaranteed the next breath! Therefore, give your prayerful attention to the moment as God gives it to you to enjoy. Fully living in the present moment is the best way to stay in tune with the Spirit of God. By doing this, we live in awareness of His presence in our lives and we follow the leading of His Holy Spirit throughout the day.

It is hard to stop striving in our human self-effort (Psalm 46:10). Some people find this impossible to do! The only effort we are to exert in life, however, is to enter God’s permanent vacation from the stress-filled life (Hebrews 4:11). As we seek His will and walk in His wisdom, His Spirit leads us moment-by-moment throughout the day. We see Him face to face, and we enjoy complete intimacy with our Father God through His son, Jesus Christ (Exodus 33:11). It's like living on a permanent vacation!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You give us Your unconditional love freely as a gift (John 3:16). We only have to open our hearts wide to receive Your riches of wisdom and grace (Romans 11:33). Please help everyone to realize the truth of this concept, and to feel Your love cascading over them like a waterfall. 

Thought for the Day
Salvation is not dependent on our human works, but on Christ’s completed work on the cross.




Thanks for the use of your photo, Matt. See more of Matt Milligan's photos at: http://www.mattmilliganphotography.com/