Since marriage is God's creation, he is in the saving marriages business. God created marriage for 3 very specific reasons, just like he created you, for very specific reasons. Our lives are more satisfying when we cooperate with God in fulfilling our purposes.
1. You've probably learned that men and women were made in God's image. But, did you know that within the marriage relationship husbands and wives also bear the image of God? They do this by demonstrating faithfulness and love to each other...like God does with us. You see, God covenants with his people, husbands and wives covenant to each other and God. So marriage was created to reflect God's faithfulness in the world.
1. You've probably learned that men and women were made in God's image. But, did you know that within the marriage relationship husbands and wives also bear the image of God? They do this by demonstrating faithfulness and love to each other...like God does with us. You see, God covenants with his people, husbands and wives covenant to each other and God. So marriage was created to reflect God's faithfulness in the world.
2. God created marriage was to meet human needs. Needs for food, clothing and shelter as well as needs for love, acceptance, faithfulness and intimacy. In that way marriage is a picture to the world of how God provides for his people.
Marriage is God's conduit for love. It was designed to be a safe harbor where a man and a woman could be totally unashamed. A place where they could experience the unconditional love and acceptance of God through each other.
3. Marriage is one of the ways God expands his Kingdom and accomplishes his work in the world. He commanded men and women to go forth and multiply, be fruitful and take dominion over the world.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to do as God commanded when you are at odds with your spouse. Conflict drains our emotional and creative energies. Sadly, many husbands and wives feel like they are sleeping with the enemy instead of with their comrade in arms.
If you're making a plan to save your marriage you need to start out on the right foot. That means getting right with God and your spouse first! To get right needs humility. It needs taking responsibility for the negative, sinful things you have contributed to your marriage without justifying yourself.
Confession of sin can be a turning point in our lives. It means we are in agreement with God about our sin and we are choosing to turn away from it. When we do this, God's word promises to give us the power to accomplish that. Some of the things you may want to consider confessing are: the ways in which you have not trusted and honored God, the ways you have not obeyed his word, the consequences of your choices to you, your marriage and your spouse.
The next step in the saving marriages blueprint is making a plan for knowing your spouse's most important needs. You also must become intentional about meeting those needs. Your spouse will feel more connected and in love with you when you are meeting his/her most important psychological needs.
Regular prayer is necessary for a successful marriage. Pray that God would show His love and faithfulness to your spouse through you. It is how we experience the personal relationship we have with God through Christ. It is also where we avail ourselves to the grace of God. Therefore, your plan for saving marriage must include daily prayer for your spouse and your ability to love them.
Finally, your saving marriages plan requires to include specific goals, goals that are written down. After all, God wrote down his plan...we call it the Bible! Isn't that a good enough reason for you to write down your plan for your marriage. Written goals are powerful. They help move a plan into motion.
Marriage is God's conduit for love. It was designed to be a safe harbor where a man and a woman could be totally unashamed. A place where they could experience the unconditional love and acceptance of God through each other.
3. Marriage is one of the ways God expands his Kingdom and accomplishes his work in the world. He commanded men and women to go forth and multiply, be fruitful and take dominion over the world.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to do as God commanded when you are at odds with your spouse. Conflict drains our emotional and creative energies. Sadly, many husbands and wives feel like they are sleeping with the enemy instead of with their comrade in arms.
If you're making a plan to save your marriage you need to start out on the right foot. That means getting right with God and your spouse first! To get right needs humility. It needs taking responsibility for the negative, sinful things you have contributed to your marriage without justifying yourself.
Confession of sin can be a turning point in our lives. It means we are in agreement with God about our sin and we are choosing to turn away from it. When we do this, God's word promises to give us the power to accomplish that. Some of the things you may want to consider confessing are: the ways in which you have not trusted and honored God, the ways you have not obeyed his word, the consequences of your choices to you, your marriage and your spouse.
The next step in the saving marriages blueprint is making a plan for knowing your spouse's most important needs. You also must become intentional about meeting those needs. Your spouse will feel more connected and in love with you when you are meeting his/her most important psychological needs.
Regular prayer is necessary for a successful marriage. Pray that God would show His love and faithfulness to your spouse through you. It is how we experience the personal relationship we have with God through Christ. It is also where we avail ourselves to the grace of God. Therefore, your plan for saving marriage must include daily prayer for your spouse and your ability to love them.
Finally, your saving marriages plan requires to include specific goals, goals that are written down. After all, God wrote down his plan...we call it the Bible! Isn't that a good enough reason for you to write down your plan for your marriage. Written goals are powerful. They help move a plan into motion.