This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17) In order to define what kind of environment the Lord wants for our marriages, we need to look at the environment the heavenly Father created for His Son. We read in Scriptures that as Christ came up out of the baptismal waters,…

Be of the same mind toward one another. (Romans 12:16)Your spouse leaves the dishes in the sink after promising to clean them up, and there is nothing clean to eat on when dinnertime rolls around. Your spouse is supposed to pick up the dry cleaning and doesn’t, leaving you without an article of clothing you…

There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak. (Ecclesiastes 3:7)“Nothing’s wrong. It really doesn’t matter!” – these are classic lines from a person who hides feelings of hurt, irritation, and unmet needs, but who settles inside with pain or anger. Rather than “cause problems” or risk rejection, the “hider” seeks to…

He who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11)It feels great to have someone – a friend, a family member – view you as a person of great worth. To have such a promise of exaltation from the Lord is tremendous. But to be valued as important by one’s spouse may be the highest exaltation…

Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored. (Proverbs 13:18)Think of some of the greatest inventions – the lightbulb, the telephone, and the airplane, for example. These things all have at least this one thing in common: It took hundreds of failed efforts before…

I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin. (Psalms 38:18)The belief of the world outside is “love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Love – true love – means saying “I’m sorry” all the time. Why? Because, as fallen human beings, all of us mess up from time to…

Song of Solomon 1:1-16 Once Pastor Adrian Rogers asked a marriage counsellor what percentage of marriage problems are rooted in communication. He said 100 percent. If you trace the problem back, it began somewhere with poor communication. You have a choice when you marry – either communicate or disintegrate. And this love poem we call…

Comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)Comfort is an expression of the heart. It means responding to a hurting person with words, feelings, and touch. Comfort means hurting with another person. It means showing compassion for another’s pain or grief. A person who is hurting feels emotions such as sadness, disappointment and rejection.…

Greet one another with a holy kiss. (Romans 16:16)Of the five senses, touch is the one we need most in our relationships. Studies have shown that lack of physical touch hinders development in newborn and that plenty of affection activity stabilizes the physical development of infants. Caring touch not only nurtures security in a child,…

Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? (Amos 3:3) Agreeing on where you’re going is essential to oneness in a relationship. This kind of unity can start with the simple rule that neither spouse makes a commitment involving the other without discussing it first. It can also include things such as a…