Posts Tagged ‘ marriage ’

Ten Biblical Expectations for Marriage

October 24, 2011
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One of the biggest things that can ruin a marriage are expectations that are too high or too low. If you expect your spouse to be perfect, you can expect to be disappointed! If your expectations are too low, you’ll miss the beauty of what God has designed for you. Douglas Rosenau put together this list: ten things you can and should expect of your marriage, and that your partner should expect of you. Read and see if the scriptures don’t help your home!

  1. Each of us will become a partner and soul mate offering unconditional love, understanding, and support. We will be best friends. (Genesis 2:18, 1 Peter 3:7-8, Ephesians 5:28-31, Proverbs 17:17, 18:24)
  2. Neither of us will expect the other to meet all of our needs or take sole responsibility for our personal happiness. We will give each other space to breathe and have a life. (Philippians 2:12-13, Galatians 6:5-6)
  3. We will leave our fathers and mothers and create a new, independent, special family unit. (Ephesians 5:31)
  4. We will have one healthy fight or disagreement a week. Confrontation concerning our unmet personal needs will be believed and not dismissed. (2 Timothy 4:2, Ephesians 4:15, 2 Corinthians 7:8, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 12:13-15)
  5. We will take regular vacations and honeymoons throughout our marriage as we mend and enhance our intimacy. (Ecclesiastes 3, Deuteronomy 24:5)
  6. We will use credit carefully as we become wise stewards of our finances. (Rom 13:8, Matt 25:16, 21)
  7. My mate will be faithful and committed to me. (Exodus 20:14)
  8. Either of us will be able to initiate marriage counseling, and the other will be willing to go. Our marriage will be constantly growing with individual and relational changes and improvements. (Proverbs 15:14, 16:20, 27:9, Philippians 1:9-10)
  9. We will have regular, satisfying sexual interaction. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)
  10. We will enjoy a growing spiritual life together with prayer and Bible study. (James 1:5, Colossians 3:16, 4:2)

May God bless your marriage as glorious in his sight!

Rejoice with the Wife of Your Youth

June 14, 2010
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May you rejoice in the wife of your youth. Proverbs 5:18

The Gores have split after 40 year. Yep! Tipper and Al are going their separate ways. One daughter had already divorced and the other decided to call it quits as well. It seems that more and more people are splitting their marriage and giving up on the vows they have made. It is a sad state of affairs.

At our recent couples’ retreat I shared the following rules for a lasting marriage. Read them carefully and make your marriage “until death do us part.”

Lessons for couples:

Eight rules for a lasting marriage by James Hinkle

  1. Always acknowledge the presence of the other spouse.
  2. Listen before you answer.
  3. Elevate your spouse above all others.
  4. Watch for opportunities to complement the other spouse.
  5. Never entertain thoughts that your marriage is bad.
  6. Never think that others’ marriage is better than yours.
  7. Pray for your spouse every day.
  8. Always be ready do things for your spouse as much as you would do things for others.

Marriage for Life!

July 11, 2008
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Marriage should be honored by all, And the marriage bed kept pure. Hebrews 13:4 NIV

Let’s hear it for Marriage for Life! Let it echo through the churches and communities of our nation.  Let the redeemed say so!  It matters!

  • Married couples are less likely to suffer from depression than unmarried or cohabiting people.
  • Of all sexually active people, married couples who are faithful to one another experience the greatest satisfaction with their sex lives.
  • Couples in lifelong marriages accumulate 63% more wealth than do unmarried people.
  • Married and widowed women have the lowest rates of violent abuse by spouse.  Divorced and separated women have the highest rates.

Children from broken homes are:

  • Twenty times more likely to have behavioral problems.
  • Eight times more likely to go to prison.
  • Five years after a divorce, children were not doing well.
  • Ten years later, 41% were still doing poorly. (Judith Wallerstein)

As Christian we must defend marriage.  We must also work to make our marriages better.

There is no marriage that cannot get better.  Working on our own marriage will make it work better and let the next generation see something good that they would like to imitate.

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